Saskatoon drops
heartbreaker in Winnipeg 19-16
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| Hilltops LB Konner Johnson attended Roughriders training camp. |
Johnson, who will turn 22-years-old in early September, attended training camp with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders this past May and June as a territorial junior before being returned to the CJFL’s Saskatoon Hilltops for the 2022 campaign. During his preparations in the off-season, the outside linebacker was informed by Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant that there could be an opportunity with the Roughriders.
“I talked to coach ‘Sarge,’ and he said that it was going to be a possibility,” said Johnson, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 220 pounds. “He didn’t guarantee anything, because it wasn’t up to him.
“He said just be ready in case. I trained my butt off and got the phone call about three weeks before camp started. That is when I found out.”
As the start of the rookie part of Roughriders camp approached on May 11, Johnson began to feel like a kid right before opening gifts at Christmas.
“I was really nervous but also really excited,” said Johnson. “I didn’t really know what to expect.
“I didn’t know what I was walking into. It was a great experience, and I learned a lot.”
Johnson’s experience with the Roughriders helped give him a boost upon rejoining the Hilltops. He helped the Hilltops get off to a 2-0 start in the 2022 regular season.
On Sunday, the Hilltops dropped their first game of the 2022 campaign falling 19-16 to the Rifles in Winnipeg. With the two sides locked in a 16-16 tie, Rifles kicker Donavon Downing booted a 10-yard field goal with 36 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to deliver the Winnipeg side to victory at East Side Eagles Field.
The Hilltops fell to 2-1 with the setback, while the Rifles improved to 1-2.
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| Konner Johnson was a PFC all-star in 2021. |
“It is quite a bit different,” said Johnson. “The speed is a lot different.
“They don’t practice like physically, because they have to save themselves for game day and they are professional athletes. Just the speed at practice was crazy. They go full speed on everything.
“That is what we are trying to replicate here is just practising full speed. It helps a lot on game day.”
Johnson enjoyed getting reps as an outside linebacker with the Roughriders and learning the CFL club’s defensive system.
“I didn’t know how they played their linebackers,” said Johnson. “Here (with the Hilltops) I am a weak side linebacker, and that is what I ended up doing there too.
“Their schemes were a lot different, so you had to learn a lot of that stuff at the linebacker side.”
When it came to long snapping, Johnson got to work with Roughriders long snapper and Hilltops alumnus Jorgen Hus. Hus also played for the University of Regina Rams in the U Sports ranks and spent time as a long snapper with the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs before joining the Roughriders before the start of the 2015 season.
Hus often helps coach various long snappers throughout Saskatoon during the off-season, and Johnson found Hus genuinely wanted to help the long snappers that came to the Roughriders.
“I got to learn from Jorgen (Hus) a bit,” said Johnson. “He, obviously, came from this program, went to the Rams and made the whole route there.
“He taught me a few things. I hope to just keep snapping well here and see what happens.”
Johnson said there is a big focus on the technical part of the long snapping skill at the professional level to ensure punters and holders for field goals get the ball exactly as they want it.
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| Konner Johnson said Roughriders camp was a great experience. |
“You just have to keep doing it and keep practising until it becomes automatic for you.”
Sargeant was pleased to see Johnson got a chance to go to Roughriders training camp. The legendary sideline boss said the playmaking linebacker earned that opportunity with his performance in the 2021 season.
Over eight regular season games in the 2021 campaign, Johnson recorded 26 defensive tackles, 13 defensive tackle assists, 12 special teams tackles, three special teams tackle assists, one quarterback sack, five pass knockdowns, one fumble recovery and five interceptions. Johnson was named a PFC all-star for the 2021 season.
“We’re always excited when someone from the blue and gold gets an opportunity to fulfill a dream, when you play the game of football at such a high level,” said Sargeant. “We knew Konner (Johnson) had some long snap ability.
“He was an all-star last year in the league. It was amazing to see the confidence that he brought back. He had a great experience.”
Before coming to the Hilltops, Johnson played high school football in the nine man ranks with his hometown Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate Comets. Sargeant said the Hilltops have been fortunate to get numerous high quality character players from the Comets program guided by head coach David Rogers, and those players know how to work hard and have a solid base in playing the game.
After the 2020 CJFL season was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, Sargeant said you could tell Johnson put in quality work to prepare for the 2021 campaign that resulted in a breakout season.
“In our defence, that ‘will’ linebacker position there has always been great players who have come through there,” said Sargeant. “Usually at ‘will’ linebacker there is someone good in front of him.
“They do a lot of learning from that. At the end of the day when you look at Konner (Johnson), he put in the time there he got bigger, stronger and faster. He got smarter through the process, and what has that led to.“It has led to him being a natural playmaker on the field, a big time player. He does everything right. He is a great captain and leader for our program.”
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| Konner Johnson is more confident about playing in the CFL one day. |
“I hadn’t talked to him in years,” said Johnson. “I remember him beating up on me when he was in Grade 12 and I was in Grade 9.
“He used to throw me around a bit. We talked about that at camp a bit.”
After being at Roughriders camp, Johnson said it is in the back of his head that playing with the Roughriders or in the CFL is more of a real possibility in the future.
“It is definitely a hope for the future,” said Johnson. “Every kid that grows up playing football in Saskatchewan wants to play for the ’Riders one day.
“I’m worried about this season right now. After that, I definitely hope to see where the doors open up.”
Playing in his final season of CJFL eligibility with the Hilltops, Johnson said he wants to have a memorable campaign. He believes the Hilltops on 2022 have potential to do great things.
“I think we have a very high ceiling,” said Johnson. “I think we have to work our butts off.
“We have a lot of fifth year guys, a lot good leaders on the team, but we have a long ways to go. We just have to take it week by week right now.”
On Sunday’s clash with the Rifles, Winnipeg held a 13-10 lead at halftime thanks to two field goals from Downing and a touchdown run on a jet sweep by receiver Adam Fast. Saskatoon responded with a field goal from Connor Green and a rushing touchdown from power running back Boston Davidsen.
The Hilltops got a field goal from Green in the third quarter to pull even at 13-13. Green hit his third field goal of the game to push the Hilltops in front 16-13 at the 3:45 mark of the fourth quarter.
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| Konner Johnson (#42) believes the Hilltops can have a great 2022. |
It is believed this marked the first time the Rifles have beaten the Hilltops since 2005, when the Winnipeg side finished first in the PFC for the only time to date in team history with a 7-1 record. The Rifles in 2005 fell in the PFC final 35-17 to the Edmonton Huskies, who advanced on to win the CJFL title.
The entire PFC now heads off on a bye week. The Hilltops return to action on Saturday, Sept. 10, when they host the 3-0 Thunder at 7 p.m. at Saskatoon Minor Football Field.
Roughriders alum
Hughes coming to End Zone Dinner
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| A Roughriders promo picture of Neal Hughes. |
The End Zone Dinner will be held on Saturday, September 10 at the Gordie Howe Sports Centre building on the Gordie Howe Sports Complex grounds. Doors open for the dinner at 4:15 p.m. with food to be served at 5:15 p.m. The funds raised at the dinner go towards the Hilltops scholarship fund.
Hughes, who is from Regina, played 11 CFL seasons at fullback for the Roughriders from 2004 to 2014 helping the team to Grey Cup wins in 2007 and 2013. The 2013 championship was won at the Roughriders historic home park in Taylor Field.
During his time with the Roughriders, Hughes mainly focused on blocking duties as a fullback or from a tight end position and covered kicks on special teams. He also showed his versatility in being able to make big plays running the football, catching it out of the backfield or punting it when required.
Before joining the Roughriders, Hughes played six seasons with the Regina Rams as their star running back. He suited up for the Rams as a rookie in 1998, when they played their final season in the CJFL capturing their 15th and final CJFL championship.
Hughes played with the Rams during their first five seasons in the U Sports ranks as the University of Regina Rams helping them advance to the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup – in 2000. The Rams fell 42-39 in that contest to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.
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| Neal Hughes gets pictured with a couple of small fans in 2011. |
Single tickets for the dinner are $100 or a table of eight can be bought for $725.
Tickets can be purchased online by clicking on a link right here.
If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.
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