The Saskatchewan Roughriders have narrowed their head coaching search to two candidates, per sources: Toronto Argonauts’ defensive coordinator Corey Mace and Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ offensive coordinator Buck Pierce.
Mace won his first Grey Cup as the defensive line coach with the Calgary Stampeders in 2018 and his second as the defensive coordinator with the Argos in 2022. He interviewed for the head coaching vacancy with the Ottawa Redblacks last off-season and was a finalist for the position, which ultimately went to Bob Dyce.
The 37-year-old native of Port Moody, B.C. is considered a rising star in CFL coaching circles and has clearly done a great job with Toronto this season as the club set a new regular season record with 16 wins. Per sources, his offensive coordinator in Saskatchewan would be Regina native and former Rams’ quarterback Marc Mueller.
Pierce has been on staff in Winnipeg since 2014 when he retired as a player to become the club’s running backs coach. He was promoted to the role of quarterbacks coach in 2016 and to offensive coordinator in 2020 when Paul LaPolice left the organization to become the head coach of the Redblacks.
The 42-year-old from Hutchinson, Kan. played nine seasons at quarterback in the CFL as a member of the B.C. Lions and Blue Bombers, winning a Grey Cup in 2006. He has since won two more as an assistant coach in Winnipeg and has helped lead one of the league’s most potent offences for the past few years.
Craig Dickenson wasn’t offered a new contract to remain as the head coach in Saskatchewan following the 2022 season after posting a 6-12 record. He finished his tenure with the club with a 34-34 regular season record and a 1-2 record in the playoffs.
