Charbel Dabire gaining hands-on experience in first CFL season

The 2019 CFL season has been an accelerated learning experience for rookie defensive tackle Charbel Dabire.

The fifth-round selection (44th overall) in the 2019 draft has been thrust from the practice squad onto the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ game-day roster with an injury to veteran defensive tackle Zack Evans.

Evans has missed the past six games with a sports hernia injury.

“(Playing a lot) has been a pleasant surprise,” Dabire said after practice Wednesday at Mosaic Stadium. “I definitely hoped I would get a couple of series or a couple plays here and there. I’ve always heard about the (practice roster) and I’ve always heard it’s hard to get in(to games in) the first year.

“Unfortunately a couple of our D-linemen went down and I got my shot to stay in there and make the best out of it.”

With the status of Evans still in question for Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Dabire could once again find himself in the trenches against the Roughriders’ rivals. Kickoff for the game at Mosaic Stadium is set for 5 p.m.

Dabire recorded his first career sack against the Toronto Argonauts last Saturday.

“It was beautiful; everybody was cheering me on,” Dabire said. “Everybody knew it was my first one and knew what it took to get there.”

Before his first sack, Dabire nearly had another one but he let quarterback James Franklin out of his grasp.

“I just pulled (Franklin) down, saw him falling and then started celebrating and then (defensive lineman Chad Geter) went and got the (sack),” Dabire said.

“(Defensive end Charleston Hughes) told me, ‘Don’t let him go down without you,’ so I learned from the first play and made sure on the second one I went down with him. I learned from my mistake.”

Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson said he has noticed the work Dabire has put in this season to get ready to face the CFL’s best.

“He’s strong (and) he doesn’t get tired for a big guy,” Dickenson said. “(Strength and conditioning coach Clinton Spencer) has been bragging him up for about a month now and you’re starting to see it.

“Usually when Coach Spencer brags a guy up, the next couple weeks you see it on the field.”

But if Dabire gets moved back to the practice roster once Evans returns, the rookie isn’t going to be mad about getting a chance to continue to learn from the veterans along the defensive line.

“This year I came in expecting to be the new guy and learn everything I can from the coaches and the players,” Dabire said. “I got the opportunity to play a couple (games) but really the main goal is to get some experience, get things right and build up.

“I’m just here to do whatever is best for the team. I’m always going to be ready for whenever my time is called but I know who’s meant to be out there is going to do their best for the team. I’m just here however I can help.”

Notes: On Wednesday, Hughes was named one of the CFL’s top performers for the month of September. He had 11 tackles and five sacks in the three games he played during the month … Defensive lineman Micah Johnson was given the day off Wednesday … Saskatchewan’s players got a post-practice pep talk from George Reed. The Roughriders legend celebrated his 80th birthday Wednesday … The Green Zone pre-game show gets underway Saturday at 3 p.m.