Craig Dickenson out as Riders head coach, O'Day remains general manager

Craig Dickenson is out as the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, as the team announced his contract will not be renewed on Monday. Jeremy O’Day will remain as the Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager.

“I just wanted to thank Coach Dickenson for all his hard work and dedication. He really worked his butt off the last number of years and he gave the last ten years of his career to the Roughriders,” O’Day told reporters a Riders press conference Monday.

“I also just ask that everyone respects the type of person he is because he certainly showed it back … He’s just a great man ... It was the best decision to move our team forward was to make the decision to not bring coach Dickenson back.”

Dickenson has served as the green and white’s 47th head coach since 2019.

He previously worked as the Riders’ special teams coordinator from 2016 to 2018.

The announcement comes as the Riders wrapped up their regular season with a loss against the Argonauts on Saturday.

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The green and white ended the 2023 season with a record of 6-12 – missing the CFL post season for the second year in a row. It also marked back to back seasons the team lost seven straight to close out the season.

Dickenson was informed of his departure Monday morning.

According to O’Day, the search for a new head coach will begin immediately.

“That process will happen over the next number of weeks,” he said. “I can’t give you a definite time of when we’ll have our head coach in place because we’ll have to go through the process of requesting permission to talk to staff members from other teams.”

A thorough evaluation of the Riders football operations department is also planned.

But while the organization has moved on from Dickenson they have re-signed O’Day to a three-year contract extension. 2024 will mark O’Day’s 26th season with the Riders and his sixth year in his current roles.

He began his time with the green and white as a player in 1999 and joined football operations in 2011.

“I’ve had a lot of opportunity to talk with players in our league, players on our team, coaches, other personnel in the league and the one thing that comes through over and over again is the amount of respect Jeremy has. There’s probably half a dozen things that a general manager needs to be successful in this league and Jeremy is the best I’ve seen in all of those areas,” said Craig Reynolds, Roughriders’ CEO.

“I think things can be turned around quickly. I think we have a very talented roster first and foremost. And I think we’ll have a new voice, new head coach. I have a lot of confidence people are going to want to work with Jeremy and be the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders,” added Reynolds.

“The fact that they believe in me and believe that I’m going to be part of turning this around means the world to me,” said O’Day on the extension.

In his remarks to reporters, O’Day offered an apology to the fans – and a promise of brighter days to come.

“I just want to say to the fan base that we appreciate the support that they show us. We know that we let you down this season and last season. We need to be better and we will be better,” he said.

“We just ask for the continued support, the same support that they’ve shown us for as long as I can remember. We’ll work our butts off and make sure they have a team on the field that they can be proud of.”

More details to come…