Landry: Riders’ Roosevelt, Holley working together like brothers

Naaman Roosevelt might get even better. If he does, at least part of the reason will be that he is being pushed by “little bro.”

Think about that, football fans, as the CFL season winds down and the Saskatchewan Roughriders look to salvage something from what’s been a dismal 2016 so far; An even better Naaman Roosevelt.

If the Roughriders do start to put some wins together, a number of factors will come into play. One of them will be the continuing rise of a dynamic receiving duo, one that is powered by not only skill, speed and hands, but by a fierce and friendly rivalry as well.

Naaman Roosevelt has a little brother, of sorts, nipping at his heels; Caleb Holley.

RELATED:
» Bios: Naaman Roosevelt | Caleb Holley
» Watch: Durant double dips to Caleb Holley
» Game Notes: All you need to know for Week 13
» Nye: Quarterbacks a hot topic for Argos, Als and Riders

“Right now he’s probably big brother,” says Holley, jovially insisting that he is going to catch up to Roosevelt. “Everyday we work together to do whatever it takes to both be big brother.”

The recent addition of Holley is opening up the playbook for the Riders and adding a little more incentive to Roosevelt’s life, as the two old chums engage in a little game of one-upsmanship.

“It’s always competitive with us,” says Holley, the 25-year-old who played his high school football in Anchorage, Alaska. “If Naaman makes a play, it’s my job to top that play. That’s what I feel like. If he makes a big play I’m like ‘okay, now I’ve gotta make a big play. I gotta show him up ‘cause he made a big play.’”

“There’s so much competition between us,” says 28-year-old Roosevelt, echoing the sentiments of his pal. “It’s just so fun. Every time one of us makes a play we’re looking at each other like ‘okay, okay, now it’s my turn.’ It’s just fun to have somebody out there that’s just so competitive and ready to make the plays that come to him.”

Roosevelt and Holley are pushing each other and if they each reach greater heights because of it, so much the better for the Roughriders.

With a history between them – both were with the Buffalo Bills in 2014 – they are happy to be together again, ready to go all Butch and Sundance on the Canadian Football League. Their shared competitive nature could be a key ingredient in really igniting that Saskatchewan offence.

“Everyday we work together to do whatever it takes to both be big brother.”

Caleb Holley

They’d gotten along well in Buffalo. “We were close when we were there,” says Holley of their time with the Bills, speaking not only of he and Roosevelt but of all the receivers on the roster.

They went their separate ways after a season. Roosevelt signed with Saskatchewan in the spring of 2015, appearing in 10 games last season and giving a fans a little taste of what was to come, with 25 catches for 488 yards and five touchdowns. Holley went on to play arena league football with a couple of teams before being signed as a free agent by the Riders last month.

The new guy is set to play the fifth game of his CFL career this Sunday when the Roughriders tackle the Eskimos in Regina. So far, Holley is complimenting Roosevelt very well, hauling in 27 catches for 307 yards and a major.

Numbers like that will mean a receiver gets a little more attention from defensive backs, so you’d expect the other guy in this story to get a little more breathing room and Roosevelt says that is exactly what is happening. He’d noticed the clamps being squeezed down on him as the season was progressing, with more double teams and defensive backs bracketing him on his patterns.

“I definitely think Caleb opened up a lot (of room),” he says, thankful for the extra space provided. “With Caleb out there it makes it harder for them to keep an eye on just one guy because he’s out there, running deep routes and catching over people. He’s so athletic that you’ve gotta watch out for him. Him coming made it easier for me to get open and for me to do what I do. Having him around is definitely a big help.

“For him to come up here and us to reconnect like this has been awesome.”

Roosevelt’s season is absolutely the brightest spot for a ‘Riders team that has struggled to a record of just 1-10 in 2016. His 76 receptions and 1,095 yards are eye-popping stats, just a hair off the league lead in both categories. He’d already been on a sensational pace before Holley joined the Riders and with his new teammate’s presence, there is the feeling that Roosevelt might be able to shine even more brightly, given the extra room another game-breaking receiver affords him.

For his part, Holley is feeling very comfortable after making a nervous debut against Hamilton back in August. His Labour Day Weekend performance against Winnipeg – 10 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown – signalled to the rest of the league that he is feeling smooth.

“You get the jitters out,” Holley says. “The confidence starts building.”

RELATED
CFL Insights: Roosevelt approaching presidential status

Confidence is something both he and Roosevelt have in abundance now and in separate conversations, each of them pointed the finger at their quarterback, Darian Durant, saying that the veteran pass slinger is a big, big reason why they feel that way.

“Even if I do drop a pass, he says ‘I’m still gonna come to you,’” says Holley. “Him having faith in me is the biggest thing.”

“It gives you confidence when you’ve got a quarterback like that that believes in you,” says Roosevelt, who met up with Durant this past off-season in order to work out with the 2013 Grey Cup Champion, having never seen game action with him before.

That extra work, obviously, has paid off, as has having a locker stall right beside Rob Bagg, the eight-year vet who’s seen everything the CFL can throw at a guy.

“We’re talking all the time,” says Roosevelt. “He’s telling me stuff that he sees, just helping me out a lot. Even from last year to this year, I’ve improved so much from having him around.”

“We all talk, we all hang out,” says Roosevelt, when asked to describe the relationships he has with the rest of the Saskatchewan receiving crew, including Ricky Collins Jr., Shamawd Chambers and Nic Demski.

“We’re all friends. It just makes it easier.”

So does having an old pal, who really pushes him, lining up in the same offence. Caleb Holley’s rise as another deep threat in green can only serve to help Roosevelt in the stretch of the 2016 season.

Asked whether Holley can actually surpass him as the top target in Sasky, Roosevelt is diplomatic, but leaves no doubt that the new guy’s going to have to work for it.

“He might,” says Roosevelt, laughing.

“But right now I’m big brother, he’s little bro.”