After resting last week, some Riders starters return to practice

Trevor Harris is ready to go this week for the Saskatchewan Roughriders—and if he gets his way, he will play the full four quarters.

“Any time you get the opportunity to play, it’s always important,” the 39-year-old quarterback said. “The more reps, the better. I’ve told you guys in preseason and I’ve told (head coach Corey) Mace, let me play three-and-a-half quarters and if it’s close, leave me in and it’s how I feel now.”

Harris never saw a snap in last week’s 17-16 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as the team rested several starters. The Riders have already clinched first place in the CFL West Division and will host the West Final on Nov. 8 at Mosaic Stadium.

But before that can happen—the team has a bye week prior to the playoff game—the Riders will close out the CFL regular season on Saturday against the B.C. Lions. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.

Harris admitted he wanted to play in last week’s game but knows the coaching staff had a plan.

“You have a role every week, but whatever the role the team asks you to play, make sure you do it to the best of your ability,” Harris said. “That was where my mindset went as soon as (Mace) told me I wasn’t playing. I was disappointed, but I get it, I understand.”

So does Mace have a plan for the starters this week as well?

“We have a plan in place and similar to last week, we identified what we wanted to do and we stuck to it. We have a different one set in place this week and we will stick to that,” Mace said.

“You want to be able to keep the guys around the game and you can’t mimic live reps. I think it’s crucial for our guys to be able to go out there and do that. At the same time, you want to make sure you are putting the vision on for the future but have the balance of having the right guys on the roster to go win a game.”

It looks like Harris won’t be the only starter returning to the lineup this week, as running back AJ Ouellette, as well as the normal starting offensive line group, appear to be getting ready to go this week.

The team is still without defensive backs Rolan Milligan Jr., short-yardage quarterback Tommy Stevens, slotback KeeSean Johnson and slotback Dohnte Meyers.

Mace said they haven’t been ruled out of playing in the West Final.

“That’s part of the strategy in being smart in how we were going to conduct business but some of those guys, we had to gear up to make sure they are going to be available for that week of practice leading into the West Final and they are all on track to do that, which is great,” Mace said.