Riders confirm the hiring of new head coach Corey Mace.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have named Corey Mace, the defensive coordinator for the Toronto Argonauts, as their 48th head coach.
“Saskatchewan is an incredibly special place, and I could not be more excited to be the next head coach of this storied franchise,” Mace said in a statement released by the team Thursday afternoon.
“I am committed to bringing Rider Nation a team they can be proud of both on and off the field, and to give back to this province that gives our organization so much.”
According to the team, Mace is now in route, travelling to Saskatchewan with his family.
“From the start, Corey blew me away with his strong vision for leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders, his exceptional communication skills, and his laser-focus on winning,” Riders General Manager Jeremy O’Day said in the release.
“But beyond his proven record as a top coach in the CFL, he also demonstrated a deep understanding of Saskatchewan and its people and a commitment to give back to our community.”
TSN’s Farhan Lalji previously reported (opens in a new tab) that the team reached an agreement with Mace late Wednesday evening.
According to Lalji, the Green and White had limited their search to Mace and Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive coordinator Buck Pierce on Tuesday.
Mace has been with the Argos since January 2022.
“I think in Corey Mace – the entire province of Saskatchewan is going to get somebody with tremendous leadership skills and big time presence,” Lalji told CTV Morning Live Saskatchewan. “He’s going to have the ability to command a locker room and demand accountability from his players.”
Prior to his stint in Toronto, Mace spent 12 years with the Calgary Stampeders, six as a player and six as a defensive line coach.
Mace played 40 games for the Stampeders. He retired after missing the full 2015 season with an injury.
Originally from Port Moody, B.C., Mace has carried the Grey Cup in win three times—in 2014 and 2018 as a Stampeder and in 2022 as
Mace’s employment marks his first time as a head coach in the CFL.
Despite being only 37 years old, Lalji believes Mace’s presence will bring out the best in the Riders.
“This is a no brainer…” Having a player coach like Corey will attract even more top-tier players to Saskatchewan who will want to play for him,” he explained. “There’s a lot of speculation of how this went down – I believe that this was the favourite going into the process quite frankly.”
Lalji also predicted that Marc Mueller, the Stampeders’ current quarterbacks coach, will join the Green and Whites.
Mueller’s probable move would represent a return. Mueller played six seasons with the University of
Mueller is the grandson of Ron Lancaster, a CFL Hall of Fame quarterback and Saskatchewan Roughriders great.
In October, the Riders announced that they would not renew the contract of previous head coach Craig Dickenson, who had been in the position since 2019.
