By Rob Vanstone
May 19th, 2020
Another poll, another photo finish.
Recently in this space, Gene Makowsky was named the top offensive lineman in Saskatchewan Roughriders history, in the appraisal of a panel consisting of three Roughriders historians — Bob Calder, Tom Fuzesy and yours truly.
Makowsky edged Aldag by one point. Now it is Bobby Jurasin‘s turn to win by the narrowest of margins.
In balloting for the top 10 defensive linemen, Jurasin finished with 29 points, one more than Ed McQuarters.
This is the fifth of 11 best-of polls, which will eventually list (appropriately enough) 110 names in commemoration of the Roughriders’ 110th anniversary.
The first three winners were Ron Lancaster (quarterback), George Reed (running back) and Ray Elgaard (receiver), each of whom was a unanimous selection. Then came Makowsky and Jurasin.
In the days and weeks to come, we will also rate the top 10 linebackers, defensive backs, special-teams players, builders and early-era players (1910 to 1945).
To conclude the series, the top 10 players in Roughriders history will be ranked.
All three panellists listed 10 people in each category. A first-place vote is worth 10 points, a second-place vote is worth nine, etc.
Without further preamble, here is our list of the top defensive linemen …
1. Bobby Jurasin (29 points): The bandana-wearing rush end holds Roughriders records for sacks in a career (142) and in a season (22 in 1987). A six-time West Division all-star, he made the league’s dream team on four occasions, including his final full CFL season (1997). The popular pass rusher was subsequently inducted into the Roughriders’ Plaza of Honour (2002) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (2006).
2. Ed McQuarters (28): McQuarters was an NFL-calibre talent who spent nine seasons in Saskatchewan, earning CFL all-star honours in 1967, 1968 and 1969. In 1967, he was named the league’s top lineman. Four years later, he lost an eye in a carpentry accident, but soon returned to the field to resume terrorizing quarterbacks and ball-carriers. The CFHOF (1988) and Plaza (1989) eventually came calling.
3. Ron Atchison (19): Atchison spent 17 seasons (1952 to 1968) in green and white, setting a team longevity record that was eventually tied by Makowsky and Roger Aldag. Six times a West all-star, Atchison was a ferocious competitor who helped Saskatchewan win its first Grey Cup title (in 1966). In addition to being a member of the CFHOF (1978) and Plaza (1987), Atchison had a lake named after him shortly after his retirement. The end of his career was also celebrated by a Regina Leader-Post headline — Sask-ATCH-ewan.
4. (tie) Bill Baker (15): A CFL all-star in 1972 and 1973, “The Undertaker” is well-remembered for knocking out three Edmonton Eskimos quarterbacks — Bruce Lemmerman, Tom Wilkinson and Dave Syme — over two games. Fittingly, Baker punctuated his final game (in 1978) by sacking the Eskimos’ Warren Moon for a safety. Baker is in the Plaza (1990) and CFHOF (1994).
4. (tie) John Chick (15): Chick was named the CFL’s top defensive player in 2009, the first of two seasons (the other being 2014) in which he was named an all-Canadian as a member of the Green and White. He was also a noted big-game player, sparkling in the Roughriders’ Grey Cup victories of 2007 and 2013.
6. Martin Ruby (12): This seven-time West all-star, a dominating two-way lineman, is in the CFHOF (1974) and Plaza (1988). A la McQuarters, Ruby was an NFLer in green-and-white garb.
7. Vince Goldsmith (11): With 89 sacks, Goldsmith is second to Jurasin on the team’s all-time list. A 1994 Plaza inductee, Goldsmith had 17 sacks in 1981 and 20 in 1983. He was also a member of the 1989 Grey Cup championship team.
8. Willie Jefferson (9): Although Jefferson spent only two full seasons and part of a third in Saskatchewan, rival offences regarded him as a game-wrecker. As a Roughrider, he was a CFL all-star in 2017 and 2018.
9. Jearld Baylis (6): This dominating defensive tackle was a CFL all-star in 1992 and 1993. After the latter season, he was named the league’s outstanding defensive player.
10. (tie) Charleston Hughes (5): Seemingly immune to the aging process, Hughes — who turned 36 in December — has led the CFL in sacks in each of the past four years. With Saskatchewan, he has 31 sacks in 34 games over two years.
10. (tie) Gord Sturtridge (5): Sturtridge was a West all-star in 1955 and 1956. He was among four Roughriders players who died in a Dec. 9, 1956 plane crash. His jersey number (73) is retired.
Also receiving votes: Bill Clarke (4), Gary Lewis (3), George Wells (3), Garner Ekstran (1).
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