Mace, Milligan, Ferland named West Division award winners

Rolan Milligan Jr. set goals for himself back in 2022.

“My first one was defensive player of the year and then my second one was five-plus interceptions,” Milligan Jr. said. “Once my season was cut short, I had the same goals in mind — it was just getting back to being able to play first and then picking up where I left off.”

Now in 2024, he’s reached those lofty expectations.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back is one of a trio who will be up for awards during the 2024 Grey Cup Week.

While the CFL club hopes to be preparing for a championship game during that week, Milligan Jr., offensive lineman Logan Ferland and head coach Corey Mace could also leave with some hardware of their own.

Milligan has been named the CFL West Division’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player, while Ferland will be up for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman and Mace is up for Coach of the Year.

The trio will look to help the Riders advance even closer to the Grey Cup this weekend when Saskatchewan hosts the B.C. Lions on Saturday in the CFL West Division semifinal. Kickoff for the game is set for 4:30 p.m.

Mace is in his first year as a CFL head coach after successful tenures as a defensive line coach with the Calgary Stampeders (2016-’21) and the Toronto Argonauts defensive co-ordinator (’22-’23). Mace’s presence on the sidelines and the staff he brought into Saskatchewan has the Riders at a 9-8-1 record and hosting a playoff game for the first time since 2021.

Mace guided the team through a seven-game winless slide after a 5-1 start, ending the year with a 4-1 record over the team’s last handful of games.

He said one of the most important parts of coaching is to make sure the players never lose belief in themselves when things get tough.

“If you lost that faith in yourself or faith in your teammates, you don’t find yourself in this position (qualifying for playoffs),” Mace said. “Credit to the guys in continuing to believe what it is we are trying to accomplish here and what they are trying to accomplish in their role to help push this team forward.”

Milligan said that right from the start Mace earned everyone’s respect and trust.

“He’s won before so he knows how seasons goes with the ups-and-downs and the winless streak and just telling us to keep believing in what we are doing — things will get better. You just can’t give up and quit, it’s a long season,” Milligan said. “He makes you want to run through a wall for him. He’s one of those coaches that make you want to play for them.”

The Port Moody, B.C. product has turned the Riders into the CFL’s leaders when it comes to opposition rushing yards allowed (80.3 yards/game), turnovers (49), turnover ratio (+26), forced fumbles (17) and fumbles recovered (14).

Under Mace, eight Riders have been named West Division All-CFL players, including quarterback Trevor Harris, wide receiver Samuel Emilus, Ferland, defensive tackle Micah Johnson, linebacker Jameer Thurman, linebacker C.J. Reavis, Milligan, and Marcus Sayles.

Mace said the best part about coaching is seeing the guys celebrate together.

“There’s nothing that makes me smile more when it comes to this job — whether it’s staff, players, anyone in the organization, fans — everyone understands the work that everybody puts in, and seeing everybody else’s success, it brings an incredible smile to my face,” Mace said. “I love that — that’s the most rewarding thing ever.”

Milligan, who was the Riders’ nominee for Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player, bounced back from season-ending foot injury he suffered in 2023 to become one of the best players in the league.

The 30-year-old Lake Wales, Fla. product recorded 111 defensive plays this season, ranking fifth in the CFL. His eight interceptions were the most by any player this year to go along with 10 pass deflections. Milligan Jr. also made 71 defensives tackles, including two for a loss, in 16 regular-season games. This is the first time he has been the West Division award winner.

With the Riders’ offensive line ravaged by injuries, Ferland was called on to do a lot for the team. The Melfort product suited up for all 18 regular-season games in 2024 and played every position along the line except left guard.

Ferland was the opening-day starter at right guard, where he made 11 starts, but he also started one game at right tackle and the past six games at centre.

“It’s a big honour. I think it really speaks to the group we have because I think every O-lineman who has gotten it, it goes back to the group you play with,” Ferland said. “We continue to make each other better every day, especially with everything we have been through as an offensive line.”

The 27-year-old has been the Riders’ nominee for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman for three straight seasons.

Since 2021, the offensive line received a bunch of criticism over the large amount of sacks the team had been giving up. In 2022, the team had given up a CFL-high 77 sacks that year. This season the Riders have only surrendered 35 sacks — fourth fewest in the CFL.

Ferland was with the team during those years and had to hear those criticisms. He said he learned how to block out the noise.

“Just focusing on what is in the room and in the stadium. That’s one of the main things I learned — I built up a lot of callouses through the years and there’s nothing that really gets to me anymore because of that,” Ferland said. “As unfortunate as some of those situations were, they put me in the place I am today and everything I think is a lesson and that was definitely lesson learned.”