ROBSERVATIONS: Trevor’s TD-throw trifecta … Coan is in legendary company … Montreal Canadiens legend played rugby in Regina

Trevor Harris, who lightheartedly refers to himself as “T-Mobile,” has just shattered a long-standing Saskatchewan Roughriders speed record.

Fastest three touchdown passes in one game: Two minutes 42 seconds.

The previous best of 4:30 was set by Ron Lancaster and friends in 1966.

Lancaster’s grandson — Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller — called the plays when Harris rang up a breezy hat trick against the Calgary Stampeders on Oct. 2 at Mosaic Stadium.

“I think it’s pretty cool, because Trevor’s were all to the Riders,” Mueller said. “With Ronnie’s, at least one was probably to the other team. I think that makes it even better.”

Lancaster, for the record, served up 26 interception-return touchdowns (including four in the playoffs) over 16 spectacular seasons with the Roughriders.

In 1966, he became the first Grey Cup-winning starting quarterback in franchise history. That season began with a 40-13 victory in Edmonton — a game in which No. 23 launched five touchdown passes.

Saskatchewan’s 1966 season was barely eight minutes old when Lancaster unfurled his third TD pass.

He started off with a six-yard payoff pitch to Paul Dudley 3:36 into the game at Clarke Stadium.

Then came a 56-yard scoring connection with Ed Buchanan at 6:42.

Tack on Lancaster’s 20-yarder to Hugh Campbell at 8:06 and you have a trifecta of TDs in just 4:30.

Lancaster’s grandson and Campbell’s daughter were both at the Oct. 5 game. Mueller has already been referenced. Molly Campbell travelled with the Stampeders in her capacity as their Director of Football Administration.

They saw Harris and associates pare 1:48 from the 1966 record.

In the fourth quarter against Calgary, Harris produced six points by collaborating with Daniel Wiebe (13 yards at 12:18), Dhel Duncan-Busby (five yards, 13:56) and Johnny Johnson III (eight yards, 15:00). The latter major concluded the scoring in a 37-31 Stampeders victory.

“If you go through that game, there’s something good that came of it, I guess,” Harris said.

“That late drive, especially, was what I like to call YAB — Yards After Beatdown. My son could have gone in and thrown a short pass and done that.

“The two drives prior, I thought we did a tremendous job executing and we were able to get in the end zone a couple of times and at least make it interesting.”

The record, to this time-worn historian, is definitely interesting.

Taking all scoring plays into consideration — not strictly those of the aerial variety — Harris helped the Roughriders register the fourth-fastest three TDs in franchise history.

The record of 2:30 was set against Calgary on Oct. 23, 1993. During the second quarter, Kent Austin ran for short TDs at 11:39 and 12:44 before throwing an eight-yard TD pass to Bruce Boyko (14:09).

(Austin and Calgary’s Doug Flutie combined for a CFL-record 1,093 passing yards in that classic contest, won 48-45 by Saskatchewan. Later that day, Joe Carter hit a World Series-winning home run for the Toronto Blue Jays.)

Saskatchewan was just off the record pace on Oct. 30, 2004 against the host B.C. Lions (2:34) and Sept. 3, 1995 versus the visiting Winnipeg Blue Bombers (2:37).

The third rapid fire TD against Winnipeg was scored by Dan Farthing, who is now the Roughriders’ Head of Strength and Conditioning. On a trick play, Farthing caught a 45-yard scoring pass from receiving cohort Don Narcisse.

GOOD OMEN?

In 2007, a promising young quarterback dressed for every Roughriders game without receiving as much as one snap.

His career turned out rather well.

Remember Darian Durant?

He was on the roster as an understudy to veteran signal callers Kerry Joseph and Marcus Crandell for the Roughriders’ 23-19 Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg on Nov. 25, 2007.

Fast forward to 2026. Entering Monday’s game against the host Montreal Alouettes, Harris has thrown all 543 of the Roughriders’ passes.

Never before in Roughriders history has the team proceeded this far into a season without anyone else throwing the football. But if called upon, Jack Coan is ready.

“It has been a really fun year,” the third-year Roughriders quarterback said. “I’m just trying to prepare every single week as if I’m the starter and trying to find ways to get better every single week, mentally and physically, and staying ready for whenever my time comes.”

Harris is confident Coan will seize any opportunities, having praised him effusively for his skills, understanding of the game, and dedication to the fine art of film study.

“I think he’s being nice,” Coan said with a smile. “He’s super smart.

“One of the things I try to do is provide value in any way I can, whether that’s finding something on film or something little during the game. If I see something, I try to tell him or give Coach Mueller some ideas.

“I want to help this team get better, because that’s what it’s all about. I just embrace the role and help the team in any way I can.

“Obviously, I hope this pays big dividends in the future. I guess one day we’ll find out. We’ll see if all the work behind the scenes is good or if I need to do something different.”

AUREL HISTORY

My great friend Dale Richter, an esteemed football historian, passed along a timely nugget the other day.

With the Roughriders poised to visit Montreal, Dale pointed out that Canadiens legend Aurel Joliat once played football in Regina.

Joliat was a fullback with the Saskatchewan Rugby Football Union’s Regina Boat Club in 1921.

“Joliat came west to play football at the request of Piffles Taylor, who had organized the Regina Boat Club team,” Tom (Scotty) Melville wrote in the Regina Leader-Post on May 15, 1958.

During the 1921 season, the SRFU also consisted of the Regina Rugby Club (the forerunner to the Roughriders), Moose Jaw Millers, Saskatoon Quakers and the University of Saskatchewan entry.

All-Regina matches were played at the RCMP Barracks on Oct. 1 and 22.

Joliat was a starting fullback for the Regina Boat Club in the Oct. 1 contest and, in fact, registered two singles to account for all his team’s points in a 9-2 Regina Rugby Club victory.

He missed the Oct. 22 rematch due to a broken leg.

Joliat’s other connection to Saskatchewan: His Western Canada Hockey League rights were held by the Saskatoon Crescents — a team for which he never played.

The Canadiens obtained Joliat’s rights from the Crescents in 1922, sending Newsy Lalonde to Saskatoon.

Joliat and Lalonde both ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame. They were inducted in 1947 and 1950, respectively.

SPEAKING OF HALL OF FAMERS …

Weston Dressler has just been enshrined … again.

The legendary Roughriders receiver entered the University of North Dakota Hall of Fame last weekend. He had previously been enshrined in the Roughriders’ Plaza of Honour (2022) and the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (2024).

And there’s this: Future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees played at Taylor Field in back-to-back Roughriders home games in 1980.

On July 16 of that year, Warren Moon (PFHOF, 2006) visited Regina as a third-year CFLer with Edmonton. Fred Biletnikoff (PFHOF, 1998) was with the Alouettes for their Aug. 6, 1980 game at Taylor Field.

TOUCHDOWN TIDBITS

• Entering the Aug. 6, 1980 game, a linebacker (Bill Manchuk) was tied for the Roughriders’ team lead in touchdowns (two). He scored on a blocked field goal return in the first game and an interception return in Week 4. The latter major tied Manchuk with receiver Dwight Edwards and running back Jay Washington atop the Roughriders’ TD table.

• Oddity: The 1970 Roughriders, who compiled a franchise-best 14-2 record, were held without a touchdown in both of their losses and one of their victories.

• Craig Ellis, such a fantastic player, had all six of the Roughriders’ touchdowns in September of 1985.

• In 1984, the Roughriders scored at 15:00 of the fourth quarter — see also: Johnny Johnson III, Oct. 2, 2026 — three times in a span of four games. One of those final-play TDs was a game-winner by Ellis. He caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Joe Paopao to give Saskatchewan a 21-18 victory over the host Toronto Argonauts on Sept. 16, 1984.

• Mike Strickland scored the Roughriders’ first five TDs in 1979. Joey Walters scored five of the team’s final eight TDs that season.

• The Roughriders’ first three TDs in 1982: (1) Jimmy Edwards, one-yard run; (2) Jimmy Edwards, one-yard run; (3) Jimmy Edwards, one-yard run. Consistency is everything.

• Over a two-game span in 1959, Saskatchewan scored three TDs — all on fumble returns. Jack Hill, Frank Fraser and Bob Golic did the honours.

• Lancaster began and ended his final season as a Roughrider (1978) with one-yard TD runs.

HEREDITY AT WORK

The Roughriders are poised to face one of the pass-catching Philpot brothers for the second game in succession.

Jalen Philpot caught a touchdown pass for the Stampeders at Mosaic Stadium on Oct. 2.

Tyson Philpot and the Alouettes will welcome the Roughriders on Monday.

Both players are enjoying remarkable seasons.

Jalen has 79 catches for 1,114 yards and eight TDs. Tyson has league-high totals of 119 receptions, 1,735 yards and 12 TD catches.

The Philpot brothers and Saskatchewan’s Samuel Emilus were all first-round selections in the 2022 CFL Canadian Draft.

One more note: The Philpot family has a connection to the Roughriders.

Running back Cory Philpot, the father of Jalen and Tyson, was on the Roughriders’ practice roster for two weeks in the autumn of 1998.

ROLL CREDITS …

• Nice people who deserve a plug: Lisa Donnelly, Fred Biletnikoff, Craig Ellis, Weston Dressler, Colson Schulz, Craig Reynolds, Herb Zurkowsky, Elijah Klyne, Yvonne Klyne, Marc Mueller, Mirabel Crevier, Kolten Bridgeman, Molly Campbell, Jean Lefebvre, Miles Brown, Jack Coan, Mathew Sexton, Craig Dickenson, Godfrey Onyeka, Dale Richter and, with best birthday wishes, Arielle Zerr.