Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
The timing, unscripted as it was, could not have been better to herald the return of Trevor Harris to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Friday’s announcement took place on the 18th anniversary of Kent Austin being named the CFL team’s head coach.
Austin, who wore No. 5 in fine style while quarterbacking Saskatchewan to a Grey Cup victory in 1989, coached the 2007 edition to another title.
Harris, for his part, hopes to play a primary role in bringing another championship — No. 5 — to Saskatchewan.
“Win a Grey Cup,” he stated when asked about his goals for 2025. “I’ll keep it short and concise.”
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Harris signed a short-term contract (one year) within a month of calling signals for the Roughriders in the 2024 Western Final.
“Based on the exit meetings that I had and how I felt toward the end of the season, it was pretty much a no-brainer,” he said.
“I feel like I’m playing some of the best football of my career. I think some of the best football that I’m going to play is right in front of me.”
Harris is also excited to continue his association with President-CEO Craig Reynolds, Vice-President of Football Operations and General Manager Jeremy O’Day, Head Coach Corey Mace, Offensive Co-ordinator Marc Mueller, Assistant GM Kyle Carson and an offence that is replete with “budding stars” throughout the receiving corps.
“As soon as I knew that I felt like I had multiple years left in the tank, I was like, ‘This is where I want to be,’ ” Harris said.
At 38 this past season, he was named West Division All-CFL at quarterback.
He threw for 3,264 yards and 20 touchdowns in 11 regular-season starts, with only nine interceptions. He threw for 300-plus yards six times.
His quarterback-efficiency rating (108.4) was the league’s best.
As well, Harris established a franchise single-season record for completion percentage (72.4). He was at or above 75 per cent in four of his starts. The Roughriders’ previous season standard in that category was two.
“This is my first time since 2018 going into an off-season where I have the same offensive co-ordinator and the same system,” Harris said. “That’s a tremendous advantage.
“I’m going to be able to hit the ground running. We can talk about 301-level football stuff as opposed to having to introduce me to what each formation is, so there’s a different level to that.
“I think with that, we can have higher expectations for a regular season. Going undefeated at home is something that I think is important for us.
“We want to provide the fan base with what they deserve, which is a team that goes undefeated at home. I know that they’re going to be packing the stands next year and making it difficult for teams.
“Getting that home playoff game in the Western Final, as opposed to the Western Semi-Final, is going to be a big thing in our minds.
“There are several things, but really what it starts with is the knitting together of the brotherhood. To me, the best teams are the closest teams. As long as we can start there, knowing that we’re building something special together, then we can start building on the schematic things.”
Harris has been part of the building process in Saskatchewan since Feb. 14, 2023, when he signed here as a free agent.
As a Roughrider, he has fattened his career passing totals to 33,148 yards (16th All-Time), 2,749 completions (13th), 3,886 attempts (18th) and 180 touchdowns (20th).
His career completion percentage (70.7) is the second-best in league history.
In 2024, Harris helped the Roughriders return to the playoffs after a two-year absence.
Saskatchewan sported a 7-4-0 record in games he started. Overall, the team’s 9-8-1 slate was good for second place in the West Division.
He then went 26-for-33 for 279 yards and one touchdown as Saskatchewan won a home playoff game — defeating the BC Lions 28-19 on Nov. 2. His QB rating in that game: 113.1.
Following the Western Final in Winnipeg, Harris told the media he would take some time to consider his future.
“After the game, I was like, ‘OK, do I still want to do this?’ ” he said. “It was a pretty short conversation with myself. Then it was just about having the respect for my wife and my family to make sure they were OK with it.
“I said, ‘Kalie, what do you think?’ She said, ‘You need to keep playing football. That’s the best I’ve ever seen you play.’
“When my wife said that, I was like, ‘OK … pretty quick conversation.’ ”
