According to Farhan Lalji of TSN on Wednesday. the Saskatchewan Roughriders have named Corey Mace of Port Moody, British Columbia as their next head coach. At 37 years of age, Mace takes over from Craig Dickenson, who was the head coach of the Roughriders since 2019.
Mace is one of three Canadian coaches in the Canadian Football League at the moment. The others are Mike O’Shea of North Bay, Ontario, who coaches the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Bob Dyce of Winnipeg, Blue Bombers, who coaches the Ottawa Redblacks.
As a coach, Mace spent five seasons as the Calgary Stampeders defensive line coach from 2016 to 2021. He then has been the Toronto Argonauts defensive co-ordinator over the last two years. In that time, Mace has won two Grey Cups as an assistant coach. In 2018, the Calgary Stampeders defeated the Ottawa Redblacks 27-16 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, and in 2022, the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24-23 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan.
As a player, Mace was a defensive tackle. After playing for the University of Wyoming, he played two seasons in the National Football League with the Buffalo Bills in 2008 and 2009. In five games, Mace had two combined tackles (one solo tackle and one assisted tackle), one interception and one pass deflection. The solo tackle came in a 30-23 Bills win over the Denver Broncos on December 21, 2008. The interception, pass deflection, and assisted tackle came in a 31-14 Bills win over the Miami Dolphins on November 29, 2009.
From there, Mace played five seasons with the Calgary Stampeders from 2010 to 2014. He had 44 defensive tackles, two fumble recoveries for 70 yards, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, and four sacks for 15 yards. From an offensive perspective, Mace did have one reception for one yard and one touchdown in 2012. Injuries were a factor in Mace’s playing career. He missed most of the 2011 CFL season with a ruptured Achilles tendon, and most of the 2013 CFL season with a torn labrum. As a player, Mace won a Grey Cup for the Stampeders in 2014, Calgary beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 in Vancouver.
