Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

On Grey Cup day, the Saskatchewan Roughriders fielded one of the least-remarkable five-man units since the Bay City Rollers.

The Roughriders’ receiving corps was not what one would normally associate with a champion. For the Nov. 25 matchup with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan deployed two above-average receivers — D.J. Flick and Andy Fantuz — alongside three guys who had scored a combined zero touchdowns for Saskatchewan in the regular season.

Non-imports Corey Grant and Michael Palmer are serviceable receivers, but defensive backs do not tremble at the notion of facing them. The Roughriders’ receiving corps also included one of the CFL’s all-time nice people, Yo Murphy, who was 36 and hobbled.

Miraculously, Saskatchewan won 23-19 — thanks largely to a sterling effort by cornerback James Johnson, who made three interceptions (including a game-saver in the final minute). During the Grey Cup, Johnson caught more passes than any Roughrider except, predictably, Flick and Fantuz.

Little did anyone suspect that quarterback Kerry Joseph would play his final game as a Roughrider on that day, or that head coach Kent Austin would soon be destined for the University of Mississippi as the offensive co-ordinator.

In the wake of those departures, much of the offseason chatter has pertained to whether Marcus Crandell can replace Joseph, or whether Ken Miller can capably succeed Austin.

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