The Saskatchewan Roughriders need a last-minute touchdown drive to win the Grey Cup. Which players would you choose in that situation?
Rob Vanstone May 20, 2021
The impetus for today’s column — which, as always, is suitable for framing — was a tweet disseminated by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“Final drive, down 4 points on your own 20. Grey Cup on the line. Which all-time greats are you choosing to lead the offence?”
Fans were then asked to select one quarterback, one running back and two receivers, the options being …
Quarterbacks:Kent Austin, Darian Durant, Kerry Joseph, Ron Lancaster.
Running backs:George Reed, Wes Cates, Mike Saunders, Kory Sheets.
Receivers:Matt Dominguez, Weston Dressler, Ray Elgaard, Don Narcisse.
This got me thinking — which, admittedly, is dangerous.
In fact, the tweet was circulated Tuesday and I am still engaged in a bitter and divisive argument with myself over the four players who would best suit the circumstances.
Part of the uncertainty stems from the imprecision of the tweet. What kind of “drive” is of the essence? Are three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter? Do the Roughriders need to travel 90 yards in one minute? Twenty seconds?
Time on the clock would dictate the play-calling and personnel.
If three minutes were left, the Roughriders would be able to methodically “matriculate the ball down the field,” in the words of former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Hank Stram.
In the event that only one minute remained, there would be a greater need for some explosive plays, and therefore some speedier running backs and receivers. The quarterback’s arm strength would also factor into the equation.
Were the predicament such that a virtual Hail Mary was required, a rocket-armed quarterback would be useful, along with sure-handed receivers.
And if the Roughriders were nicely into training camp, as would have been the case at this time if not for the continuing disruptiveness of COVID-19, this entire episode of daydreaming would not be necessary.
But let’s make the best of the situation, revel in the Roughriders’ rich past, and hopefully have a little fun — as opposed to fixating on matters such as whether the CFL will play in 2021, a possible merger with the XFL, et cetera.
Ready, set …
THREE MINUTES LEFT
Quarterback:Ron Lancaster.
The Little General was the king of the comebacks — someone who rescued the Roughriders from 50 fourth-quarter deficits over 16 seasons — so who else would you want in this situation? (Cody Fajardo, perhaps? He engineered four game-winning drives in 16 regular-season starts in 2019.)
Running back:George Reed.
The proud owner of 16,116 career rushing yards and 134 touchdowns along the ground, Reed is ideally suited for a move-the-chains offence. Plus, if a one-yard run is required to extend a drive or reach the end zone, the time-honoured saying remains applicable: Let George do it.
Receivers:Ray Elgaard, Rhett Dawson.
There are myriad options, extending far beyond the quartet offered up by the team via Twitter. Elgaard, always proficient in the clutch, is a natural choice by virtue of his Roughriders-record career totals of 13,198 yards and 78 receiving TDs. Dawson’s selection may be surprising to some, considering his lack of longevity, but keep this in mind: Over Dawson’s two full seasons with the Roughriders (1975 and 1976), he scored three game-winning touchdowns late in the fourth quarter. His three-yard connection with Lancaster on the last play of the 1976 regular-season finale in Calgary produced a first-place finish for Saskatchewan.
ONE MINUTE LEFT
Quarterback: Kent Austin.
You cannot go wrong with Lancaster or Durant in this (or any) situation, but the mind rewinds to the 1989 Grey Cup game. With 44 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Austin breezily moved the Roughriders into field-goal range, whereupon Dave Ridgway delivered The Kick and a 43-40 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Running back:Kenton Keith.
Keith could change a game in a heartbeat. Ask any member of the 2003 Winnipeg Blue Bombers or the 2006 Calgary Stampeders. Both of those teams’ seasons ended after Keith took over a playoff game. He could turn the most rudimentary running play or screen pass into something spectacular and unforgettable. In 2006, he became the first Roughrider to join the 100-100 club — 100 rushing and receiving yards in the same game — since Ed Buchanan accomplished that rare feat in 1964.
Receivers:Joey Walters, Jeff Fairholm.
Need to get the ball downfield in a hurry? Look for Walters, whose high-wire act produced eye-popping receiving-yardage totals of 1,715 (in 1981) and 1,692 (1982). Despite being only 5-foot-10, Walters could outjump defensive backs while registering big gains. A la Keith, the jet-propelled Fairholm could transform an innocent-looking play into six points. His 107-yard touchdown reception, celebrated in 1990, is the longest in Roughriders history. He added a 99-yarder in 1991.
TWENTY SECONDS LEFT
Quarterback: Kerry Joseph.
Of the four quarterbacks listed in the Roughriders’ tweet, Joseph possessed the strongest arm. In such a situation, someone such as Joseph, Henry Burris, Michael Bishop or even Joe (747) Adams would suffice. The primary objective would be to get the ball down the field in a hurry. Joseph fits the bill. If needed, he could also score on a quarterback draw, as he did from 27 yards away in the waning seconds of the 2007 Labour Day Classic against Winnipeg.
Running back: Bobby Thompson.
A tailback with a pass-catching pedigree would be best, so Thompson, Saunders, Cates, Buchanan or Ken Carpenter would be advisable here. Let’s go with Thompson, a halfback who doubled as a deep threat in collaboration with Lancaster. Thompson had a TD reception of at least 85 yards in each of his first five seasons in Saskatchewan. In the sixth season, he scored from 66 yards away. Boom!
Receivers:Hugh Campbell, Don Narcisse.
Hmmm. So many choices here. One nod goes to Narcisse, who caught a desperation, game-winning touchdown pass from Reggie Slack versus Hamilton in 1997, and Campbell. Why the latter? For starters, he was nicknamed “Gluey Hughie,” so if he could touch a Hail Mary pass, it would most likely be caught. Additionally, one out of every 5.35 passes he caught as a Roughrider produced a touchdown. Speed was not the forte of Narcisse or Campbell, but both receivers were adept at making contested catches — a prerequisite for anyone who aspires to be a Hail Mary miracle-maker. Three Ottawa Rough Riders defenders were near Campbell on the first play of the fourth quarter in the 1966 Grey Cup game, but he nonetheless scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown.
VIA: https://leaderpost.com/sports/football/cfl/saskatchewan-roughriders/rob-vanstone-who-would-you-choose-with-the-game-on-the-line
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