'Every game to me means a lot': Riders QB Fajardo excited for pre-season start against BC Lions
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are on the road to take on the BC Lions in their final pre-season game Friday night.
Quarterback Cody Fajardo is eager to finally hit the field for the first time in 2022. The starter did not play in the team’s first pre-season matchup against Winnipeg on Tuesday.
Head coach Craig Dickenson wanted to see what other plays could bring to the field and wanted to give veterans a little more rest heading into the regular season.
Fajardo is expected to play the first half among other regular starters and noted his excitement of having Shaq Evans and Duke Williams back at the helm. Even though he won’t play an entire game and it is pre-season, Fajardo still plans to give it his all.
“Every game to me means a lot and you never know when your last football snap is going to be. So I am going to go out there and give it everything I have just like it’s the Grey Cup,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo is also excited to play a game with the new field layout after the Canadian Football League (CFL) moved the hash marks closer to the centre of the field to allow the teams to take the ball at the 40-yard line instead of the 35 following a field goal. The hash marks are now 28 yards from each sideline instead of 24.
“The pre-season is something where you try can try some new things. With the new hash marks, I am really excited to see it with some live bullets,” said Fajardo. “There’s some things I’ve been eager to try and just do something a little different than I wouldn’t do in regular season. I want to see what I can and can’t get away with.”
With the regular season just over a week away for the Riders, Dickenson will look to this game for one more chance to create his active roster of 46.
“I’d like to see a little more offensive rhythm and I’d like to see our special teams play a little better. I thought we were just okay there. And finally I’d like to see us win some matches in the pass rush,” he said.
Kickoff is 8:00 p.m. on TSN. The Roughriders first regular season game is June 11 at home against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
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