Harris ready to run roughshod over Roughriders

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Playing each other for the third time in six weeks, it’s safe to say the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders are no strangers.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/10/2019 (2196 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Playing each other for the third time in six weeks, it’s safe to say the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders are no strangers.

But for Bombers running back Andrew Harris, Saturday’s meeting at Mosaic Stadium will mark the first time he’s been able to strap on the pads against Saskatchewan this year. He was serving a two-game suspension by the CFL for testing positive for a steroid.

While Regina hasn’t been kind to the Blue and Gold over the years, Harris, on the other hand, has found success against their Prairie rivals on the road.

John Woods / The Canadian Press files
Bombers running back Andrew Harris is looking forward to Saturday’s game in Regina.
John Woods / The Canadian Press files Bombers running back Andrew Harris is looking forward to Saturday’s game in Regina.

In two games at Mosiac Stadium last year, including a 23-18 victory over the Riders in the West semifinal, Harris popped off for a total of 311 rushing yards on 34 carries and a touchdown.

Harris was asked what the recipe for success is against the Riders.

“I think just being patient. They play the gaps well and you can’t just try to run to the open gaps,” Harris said after Thursday’s practice. “You got to be patient and let the O-line do the work for you up front and then pick your gaps and lanes to run through. As long as the O-line is firing off and doing their thing, I’m able to be patient and pick my spots. So, that’s absolutely crucial for us.”

It’s also crucial the Bombers will have Harris in this meeting with Saskatchewan, as the team is looking to snap a two-game losing skid after falling to the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats in recent weeks. According to Harris, the team has responded well this week.

“Honestly, the last few days have been pretty light around here. Guys are having fun again. Obviously, after losing two games, it’s going to be tough to deal with and the coaching staff is going to be on us. It’s never fun to lose games, obviously, right? We’re in the business of winning and continuing to win is absolutely crucial. But for us, still being able to have fun here and still enjoy ourselves and kind of keep things on the lighter side of things. Football is still supposed to be fun. It’s a game. We just gotta get back to having fun and playing our brand of football,” said Harris.

Despite the fact the Bombers are coming off two tough losses, the confidence in the locker room is still high, Harris said. They’re aware they have four games left in the regular season and don’t need help from other teams to decide their playoff positioning. The West Division playoff race will be a photo finish as both the Calgary Stampeders and Roughriders sport 9-4 records with a game in hand on the Bombers (9-5). Saturday’s meeting in Regina will decide the season series between the Bombers and Riders. The Bombers close out the regular season with a home-and home series against the Stamps.

“If it was a situation where we couldn’t control our destiny, it might be a bit of a different vibe,” said Harris, the CFL’s rushing leader with 1,021 yards. “But the work we put in throughout the week and the product we put out on game day is what we need to do and that needs to be in a winning fashion. So, for us to be able to control that destiny and control our own outcome, is crucial and an opportunity we’re proud of and excited about.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31

Taylor Allen

Taylor Allen
Reporter

Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.

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