Blocking is best for Riders running back Cameron Marshall

Can he block?

That might be the most appropriate question to ask when talking about a Roughrider running back.

It’s one of the top things that Chris Jones is looking for in a tailback – an extra set of eyes looking out for the quarterback.

Cameron Marshall is off to a good start.

“He blocked tremendously,” Jones said about Marshall in the Montreal game. “They sent us a lot of different combination of blitzes and he was able to pick it up and he was physical enough to step up … and keep people blocked.”

That part of the game is something that Marshall has always taken pride in since he started playing the position.

“You learn pretty much in high school and college that if you don’t know how to block you’re not going to be on the field for very long … so that’s something I want to be able to showcase I can do,” he said after practice on Wednesday.

Marshall also rushed for 84 yards – the third-best running back performance in the league – really finding his groove in the second half of the game. Marshall said he couldn’t have done it without the solid work by the offensive line in front of him.

“Definitely shout out to the whole O-line, they did a great job … They’re always handling that first and second level and making me able to run through holes.”

That, according to guard Peter Dyakowski, is exactly what they’re supposed to do.

“It’s the most important thing to us. We love run blocking when you get to put all the chip on the table, that’s football. There’s no trick, you’re just giving ‘er,” he said.

“He has to know that we’re going to open up that hole for him so that he knows he … doesn’t have to make things happen on his own.”

Marshall said overall he’s happy with his performance, save that fumble, which he said he can’t have again.

Playing football sure beats the “six-to-six” job as a recruiter he was doing waiting for a phone call to come back to the game.

“(I’m) glad to be out here on the field instead of in the office,” he said. “I missed playing football.”