One of the toughest jobs for a head coach in professional sports is making a decision that may hurt their team in the short term, but that’s ultimately for the best.
Perhaps no choice is more difficult than when a player — especially a team’s most important player — gets injured but insists they can still play. Countless coaches have given in to star players and let them return in the name of winning.
Frankly, you can’t blame them. Coaches know they’ll get fired eventually, so winning is paramount — especially when it’s their only true form of job security.
This is exactly why rookie head coach Corey Mace should be applauded for what he did on Sunday when the Roughriders announced quarterback Trevor Harris is being placed on the six-game injured list with what the team is calling a moderate MCL sprain.
Mace told reporters in Regina that if he left the decision up to Harris, the veteran pivot would probably be taking the field on Thursday night when the Toronto Argonauts visit Mosaic Stadium. Instead, Mace took matters into his own hands and didn’t let that happen.
It’s a smart decision, especially considering the Riders will face the Toronto Argonauts, B.C. Lions, and Montreal Alouettes over the next month. July was going to be a difficult stretch for this team even with Harris in the lineup. Many coaches would have put their franchise quarterback on the field even if he wasn’t at his best.
As Mace said following last week’s win over Hamilton when Harris didn’t return following the injury, why risk it?
The move not only looks good on Mace but also shows some institutional memory from before his tenure in Riderville.
It was just a couple of years ago when then-starting quarterback Cody Fajardo suffered a similar injury. The head coach at the time, Craig Dickenson, listened to Fajardo’s plead to play and the dual-threat quarterback was never the same the rest of the year.
Saskatchewan’s season completely went off the rails, as did their relationship with the once beloved quarterback, who went on to win a Grey Cup in Montreal last year. Coincidentally, the Alouettes sat him for two games midway through the 2023 season to ensure he’d be healthy when it counted most, a decision that clearly paid off.
It’s safe to assume general manager Jeremy O’Day reminded Mace of the situation as they decided what to do with their injured quarterback.
There’s no question that this decision was made easier by the fact that the Riders, now 3-0, have plenty of breathing room in their quest for a playoff spot with two 0-4 teams at the bottom of the West Division standings.
There’s also no doubt that Harris’ absence will hurt the Riders’ chances of winning for as long as he’s out of the lineup. However, the CFL season is a marathon, not a sprint — winning games in July is important, but it’s more important to be at your best in November.
Giving Harris time to heal gives the Riders a better chance of achieving their ultimate goal, even if it costs them some games now.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders (3-0) will host the Toronto Argonauts (2-1) on Thursday, July 4 with kickoff slated for 9:00 p.m. EDT.
