Riders’ rookie receiver ready to roll

Justin McInnis is playing catch-up at the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ training camp.

The 22-year-old product of Pierrefonds, Que., missed most of the first two weeks of camp at Griffiths Stadium on the University of Saskatchewan campus with a hamstring injury. The receiver was on the field Sunday and, on Monday, was trying to get up to speed with his teammates.

“It’s different reading (plays) off the paper once you’re actually running the reps, which I got to do today,” McInnis said Monday. “It was nice to learn some things on the fly, get in the huddle and actually hear (a play) be called.

“I’ve got some catching up to do. Coach is asking me to learn a lot, so it’s going to be an interesting ride.”

The Roughriders selected McInnis in the first round (sixth overall) of the CFL draft on May 2. He went to mini-camps with the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans before signing with the Roughriders on the eve of rookie camp.

The 6-foot-5, 210-pounder didn’t participate in that camp and — thanks to his bad hamstring — he wasn’t on the field when Saskatchewan opened training camp in Saskatoon on May 19.

Two weeks later, he’s finally active.

“Being in the training room watching these guys every day, it has been tough just watching,” McInnis said. “It’s nice to get those mental reps and even get back in, knock some rust off and get to full speed.”

Saskatchewan head coach Craig Dickenson said he liked what he saw from McInnis during Monday’s one-on-one sessions, especially the rookie’s eagerness to compete with defenders for the ball. McInnis hopes that desire sets him apart from his fellow receivers.

“I’m hungry to always go out there and compete,” the Arkansas State University product said. “I love to practise hard. Every day is a competition against the next man, but when you’re off the field, you’re best friends. That’s just how it goes; that’s the life of football.”

Dickenson said McInnis won’t play in Thursday’s pre-season game against the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers, giving the receiver more time to get ready for the regular season. The Roughriders are to open the campaign June 13 in Hamilton against the Tiger-Cats.

In the meantime, McInnis will try to show his skills to the Roughriders.

“They haven’t really been able to see me much, but I always hear Coach telling me I’m running good routes,” he said when asked if he had been given an assessment of his skills.

“I’m a tall guy. I can use my body frame to my advantage. All I’ve got to do is learn the playbook, get up to speed with the rest of the guys and I’ll be right up there.”

Watford catching up, too

On Sunday, Dickenson said that Cody Fajardo had basically locked up the job as the Roughriders’ backup quarterback.

David Watford, who has been competing with Fajardo for the No. 2 job, admitted Monday that “things could have been better” in Friday’s 37-1 loss to the host Calgary Stampeders. Even so, Watford is remaining positive about his opportunity.

“I don’t feel like I had a bad game,” he said. “I just feel like I made maybe two mistakes that turned the game from being really positive to just an OK game to where I have stuff to work on.”

However, his chances of catching up to Fajardo may be dwindling.

The Roughriders want to give starter Zach Collaros a lot of playing time Thursday — the veteran didn’t play in Calgary — and younger QBs Isaac Harker and Ty Gangi likely will get more time than Fajardo and Watford.

“I can’t worry about how many I get or when I get my reps,” Watford said. “I just have to make the most of my reps when I do get them.”

Going conservative

Dickenson said that whoever plays quarterback for the Roughriders this season won’t be going deep on a regular basis.

“Just huckin’ and chuckin’ is not going to be our thing this year,” Dickenson said. “We’re not going to do that. We’re going to move the ball down the field, gain yards in a methodical way and if we’ve got a shot, we’re going to take it. But I don’t believe in just stepping back and throwing bombs all day.”

The Roughriders were thumped in Calgary and Dickenson said Sunday that he felt his team wasn’t physical enough. The players were in pads Monday, but Dickenson still didn’t see the physicality he wanted.

“I felt like the A group (were) a little bit lax today,” he said. “I would have liked to have seen a little more effort and a little bit more pop from the A group — because a lot of those guys didn’t even go on the trip with us.”

Dickenson noted that the team is trying to get an MRI for linebacker Solomon Elimimian, who remains sidelined with a calf injury. The head coach also revealed that defensive end Chris Judge needs surgery for a partially torn knee ligament, meaning the rookie is out for the season.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Wray Morrison