Riders get back trio of pass rushers against Lions

The band is back together on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ defensive line.

Defensive ends Pete Robertson and A.C. Leonard and defensive tackle Garrett Marino all are slated to return to the lineup Friday against the B.C. Lions after each missed the past four games.

Kickoff for Friday’s game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 8 p.m. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 6 p.m.

“There’s definitely some excitement in (the locker room),” said Robertson, who suffered a foot injury on July 8 against the Ottawa Redblacks. “I don’t get excited at much but I know what we can do on and off the field. It is a nice feeling to have everyone back and healthy.”

During that 28-13 win over Ottawa, Marino hit Redblacks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli low and was penalized for the hit, which ended up injuring Masoli. Marino was ejected from the game and celebrated and taunted as he left the field.

Marino was suspended for four games for what occurred that game — two for the hit on Masoli, one for a hit on Ottawa offensive lineman Dino Boyd and one for comments made about Masoli’s heritage.

Leonard was a late scratch prior to the Touchdown Atlantic Game against the Toronto Argonauts on July 16 and has been on the injured list since due to a neck/shoulder issue.

“It’s great (to be back). Being away and having to watch it on TV or watch it from the sideline, it has been rough,” Leonard said. “I’m just glad to be back with the guys.

“I feel like we bring a different energy, us three. I feel like we pick the defence up and pick our defensive line up and hold everyone accountable and we will be ready to go.”

Despite missing four games, Robertson is still tied for the league lead with seven sacks, alongside teammate Anthony Lanier II and Redblacks defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin.

Leonard was the 2021 sack leader with 11 sacks in 11 games.

Marino is a force on the interior of the defensive line who can disrupt opposing offences.

The Riders’ pass rush has struggled since losing the trio, averaging 2.25 sacks a game. Before that, the team averaged 4.6 sacks in its previous five contests.

While the Riders still lead the CFL with 32 quarterback sacks, Robertson believes their play will speak for itself as to if the group is the best in the league.

“We’re going to let everyone else be the judge of that. We play lights out and we all play together as one and as a D-line and we all love playing next to each other as well,” Robertson said.

The defensive line will try to put pressure on Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, who is considered to be one of the frontrunners for the league’s award as most outstanding player.

Rourke has thrown for 2,906 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games while only being sacked nine times.

“He’s a great player and at the end of the day, I feel like we have a good D-line to put pressure on him,” Robertson said. “We want him to move around. He can make plays with his feet and arm; we just want to make him feel uncomfortable.”

The defensive line isn’t the only big change coming to the Riders this week.

Left tackle Terran Vaughn is out due to a hamstring injury, so Andrew Lauderdale will slot in there. Lauderdale has appeared in 14 games over two seasons with the Riders, three of them this season.

The Riders released offensive tackle Na’Ty Rodgers on Tuesday so Jamal Campbell will start his first game for the Riders.

Campbell played with Toronto for five seasons, appearing in 59 games. He signed with the Riders this past off-season and has appeared in seven games as the team’s extra offensive lineman.

NOTES: The CFL has fined Roughriders receiver Duke Williams an undisclosed amount for what the league called “violating the league’s security protocol in last week’s game against Edmonton.” After catching a go-ahead touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter of last Saturday’s game, Williams jumped over a barrier into a section of fans at Commonwealth Stadium, sat down on a couch and ate a nacho chip.