Jack Coan to start on Saturday versus Edmonton
Rob Vanstone
Jack Coan is poised to become the 106th starting quarterback in Saskatchewan Roughriders history.
Coan, a third-year Roughrider, will receive his first CFL start when the Edmonton Elks visit Mosaic Stadium for Saturday’s regular-season finale.
With a playoff spot clinched and the certainty of a road trip for Round 1 of the playoffs, Head Coach Corey Mace has decided to rest 2025 Grey Cup MVP Trevor Harris.
“In this situation, I just thought it was the right decision,” Mace told reporters on Wednesday, “and I think Jack has earned an opportunity.”
Coan has dressed for the Roughriders’ first 17 regular-season games but has thrown only two passes — both completions. Harris has attempted the other 615 passes.
In all likelihood, the Roughriders’ record for fewest passes thrown in a season by everyone except the featured QB will remain at nine. Ron Lancaster threw 464 of Saskatchewan’s 473 passes over 16 games.
Since each team began playing 18 games in 1986, the fewest passes thrown by the non-starter is 14. Darian Durant attempted 644 of the Roughriders’ 658 passes in 2010.
Harris has a league-high 5,370 passing yards entering the final weekend of regular-season play.
With 32 touchdown passes, he is three shy of the Roughriders’ single-season record of 35, set by Kent Austin in 1992.
“Trev has had a great year,” Mace said. “He’s leading the league in passing. He has played in every game and he has been available.
“But we didn’t put ourselves in position to get a bye week (for Round 1) and let the body rest up, so we made that decision this week.”
The decision to rest Harris could create an opportunity for Brayden Schager, who has spent the season on the reserve roster.
When Harris was rested late last season after the Roughriders clinched first place, No. 2 signal-caller Jake Maier received a start and Coan also saw action.
Coan, in fact, scored the 2025 Roughriders’ final three regular-season touchdowns — all on one-yard runs.
Also worth watching: Quarterback Tommy Stevens, the Roughriders’ short-yardage specialist, has one more game in which to tie George Reed’s franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a season. Reed ran for 16 scores in 1968. Stevens has 15 TDs.
With three three-TD games this season, Stevens could also take a run at the Roughriders’ record of 18 scores, set by Ken Carpenter in 1955. Carpenter rushed for 12 TDs and scored on six receptions during his landmark season. Carpenter set his record in 16 games.
The list of 106 starters, by the way, dates back to the Roughriders’ inception as the Regina Rugby Club in 1910.
Coan will become the third University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish alumnus to start at quarterback for Saskatchewan, following Frank Tripucka (1953-59, 1963) and Tom Clements (1979).
THUNDER TRAVELS
Two members of the Roughriders’ practice roster have a road trip this weekend.
Receiver Ben Walz and running back Peter Boersch, both of the Regina Thunder, are to play for the newly crowned Prairie Football Conference champions in a Canadian Junior Football League national semi-final on Saturday night in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
The Sault College Cougars are the Ontario Football Conference champions.
The Thunder captured the PFC title on Sunday at Leibel Field by defeating the Saskatoon Hilltops 44-19.
Boersch carried the ball 19 times for 154 yards — with a long gain of 78 — and one TD. Walz caught seven passes for 111 yards, with a long gain of 54.
“Sunday was a big game for Peter and I,” Walz said after practising with the Roughriders on Wednesday.
“It’s always nice beating Saskatoon, especially at home, and now we get to do something no Thunder team has ever done — to play in Ontario and fly to a game, which has never happened in Thunder history. We’re all super-excited.
“Peter and I have to make sure our bodies and minds are fully ready to go come Saturday night.”
The victorious team in Sault Ste. Marie will advance to the Canadian Bowl, to be held on Nov. 8 at the stadium of the British Columbia Football Conference champion.
Boersch and Walz attended the Roughriders’ training camp as junior-eligible players. They were placed on the practice roster after the pre-season. Throughout the 2026 football team, they have practised with the Roughriders during the day and with the Thunder at night.
“It has helped us a lot, with confidence and skill-wise,” Walz said. “We started in May and now we get to learn every single day from the best in the country.
“We’re also able to bring some of the things we’ve learned here back to the Thunder and help our position groups, the offence, and the team as a whole. It’s not just helping me and Peter individually, but helping the Thunder as a whole get better.”