AJ Ouellette speaks with the Green Zone after joining the Roughriders. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

By CKOM News - Britton Gray

Riders

Riders’ Ouellette rushing toward start of CFL season

Jun 6, 2024 | 2:07 PM

AJ Ouellette is ready to rumble with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The 28-year-old running back will play in his first regular-season game as a member of the Green and White when the Riders open their season on Saturday in Edmonton.

Kickoff for the game against the Elks is set for 2 p.m. – a rescheduled time due to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers taking place that night.

Ouellette, known as a bruising downhill runner, said he’s excited to play more than a couple of series in a game.

“From what I’ve seen in the preseason games, we’re going to set the run game to open up the pass game,” Ouellette said.

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Saskatchewan Roughriders running back AJ Ouellette (45) is in his first season in green and white. (Britton Gray/980 CJME)

“If that means four quarters of just handing the ball off, that’s what it is going to be. I’m excited to see what that turns into in the course of a season.”

Ouellette was one of the team’s marquee free-agent signings as the Riders entered a new era with Corey Mace as the team’s new head coach. He was with Mace in Toronto with the Argonauts for a couple of seasons before both came to the Green and White in 2024.

Last year with the Argonauts, Ouellette had 1,009 yards and eight touchdowns.

Mace said he challenged Ouellette to be a more vocal leader this season.

“He’s always going to lead by example. If the guy couldn’t speak a word (and) you just follow what he’s doing, you’re going to be in good company,” Mace said.

“Asking him to take more of a vocal leadership role is only going to help our team, but help him as well, growing into being what I know he wants to be.”

Ouellette said he’s trying to speak up more during practice.

“Try to challenge the defence,” Ouellette said. “I’m not one to trash talk too much but, I’m trying to get that into me to fire up the defence a little bit more.”

As a very physical runner, Ouellete said the Riders’ coaching staff has done a good job keeping his body in good shape and ready to go for Week 1 of the CFL’s regular season.

“When I want reps, they are giving me reps. If they are like ‘You’ve had a crazy two days of workload, we are going to hold you back today,’ they are taking care of me,” Ouellette said.

Ouellette last played in the first preseason game on May 20, and said he’s excited to put the pads on again.

“Hopefully I wake up tomorrow and it’s game day,” Ouellette said. “We have a lot of work to put in, so (I’m) excited to get back in here and keep picking the brains of the quarterbacks and O-line and see what we need to work on.”