Corey Mace doesn’t regret punt return strategy after Samuel Emilus injury in Riders’ loss

Photo: Tanner Piper/Piper Sports Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders may have suffered a 40-34 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night in Regina, but the more concerning loss came in their receiving corps.

Star Canadian pass catcher Samuel Emilus was forced to exit the game late in the second quarter after having his legs twisted underneath him while returning a punt. The 28-year-old did not return to action, leading some to question why such a valuable offensive weapon was placed in harm’s way on special teams in the first place.

Head coach Corey Mace scoffed at that narrative post-game, noting that the realities of the sport force people to step up into all sorts of unconventional roles.

“It’s pro ball, man. We lost our returner; Sam’s done it for us before. He’s a good one,” Mace explained. “Obviously, he didn’t come back out there, but to say, ‘Why is he returning?’ Well, why is our starting linebacker playing punt? It’s football. It’s what we do.”

Emilus was thrust into action after James Letcher Jr. suffered an apparent upper-body injury on his first return of the game. Mace did not provide an update on his status, though he was seen on the sideline wearing a sling.

As for Emilus, Mace could not provide much detail regarding the severity of the injury.

“We’ll see. I haven’t gotten the update completely,” he said. “Hopefully it’s nothing crazy.”

Emilus has been an impact performer through the first three games of the season, catching 14 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns.

The two-time 1,000-yard receiver battled injuries all of last year, which limited him to just seven regular-season appearances. However, he stepped up when it mattered most, earning Most Valuable Canadian in the Grey Cup after recording 10 receptions for 108 yards. Saskatchewan made the Montreal native the highest-paid Canadian receiver in the CFL this offseason.

The Riders did have other players capable of handling return duties, and Canadian rookie Daniel Wiebe stepped in to fill Emilus’ shoes. He fielded two punts for 19 yards, but made a bigger impact on offence. The Saskatoon product caught two passes for 48 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown that brought the Riders within two points in the fourth quarter.

While the circumstances weren’t what Mace might have hoped for, that play provided a silver lining.

“It was just awesome. You saw everybody on the sideline. We know what it means to that kid and what it means to us, honestly. He just works his tail off. He sparked and gave us some juice. Really proud of that guy,” he said.  “With Wiebe, that was a pretty cool moment, and we needed it.”

The Riders (2-1) will have until Friday, July 3, to determine Emilus’ status, as they get set to visit the Ottawa Redblacks. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT at TD Place.