Trevor Harris’s first week back in green and white has felt exactly how he wanted when he decided to return to Saskatchewan for a third season: surrounded by dozens of familiar faces as the Roughriders opened main training camp at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon on Sunday.
“This is the first time since 2018 I felt like I’ve come back home, from home,” Harris said. “Stepping into this province, stepping here with these guys with the coaches and whatnot, I feel like I came home and I think a lot of guys had that same sentiment.”
The veteran quarterback is back for a third tour of duty with the Roughriders after throwing for 3,264 yards, 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season in 12 games with Saskatchewan.
The season saw Harris, under rookie head coach Corey Mace, lead the Riders to the West Division final, where they fell 38-22 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
This year, Harris enters training camp under the same system as the previous season, which is a rare occurrence for the 12-year veteran.
“First time since 2018,” Harris said.
“So it’s been a relief to not have to completely learn a new system and think about what the play calls are.”
Harris inked a one-year contract last December, weeks after seeing his 2024 season come to an end, to continue his tenure with the Roughriders.
He wanted at least one more crack at chasing a Grey Cup while wearing a Saskatchewan uniform.
“Walking off the field in Winnipeg, I wasn’t sure what would happen next,” Harris said. “I had the short time to talk with my wife and whatnot. From then it was like, ‘I can’t imagine having the same co-ordinator, having the same set of main guys coming back.’ You add a healthy A.J. (Ouellette), you add back Jermarcus (Hardrick), it’s something we’ve been really looking forward to because I feel like we can really hit the ground running this year.”
Harris missed six games in 2024 with what was originally reported as a sprained MCL in an early-season contest against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, however, that was revealed this off-season to be a partial tear of both his ACL and his MCL in his left knee.
The injury required extensive rehabilitation to return to the field mid-season, which Harris was able to do while managing the pain of the injury over the second half of the year and into the playoffs.
A series of platelet-rich plasma injections this winter has Harris feeling rejuvenated, however, expecting even more mobility in his game this season.
“Most of my rehab was during the season trying to get the ACL healed, the MCL completely healed and whatnot,” Harris said. “This off-season, my brother — he’s a physician assistant — he actually did my PRP shots. Doing the PRP shots, it’s a truly amazing technology and I feel like it’s real medicine.
“Honestly, my knee feels brand new, I’ve told guys out there look for ‘Trevor Vick’ this year.”
Bringing in fellow CFL-experienced quarterbacks in Jake Maier and Tommy Stevens to bolster the quarterback room, Saskatchewan is still tabbing Harris as QB1 ahead of the 2025 season.
For Mace, it’s an encouraging sign to see his starter arrive at training camp with a clean bill of health.
“It was good for him to have a nice, full off-season,” Mace said. “Not having to deal with just complete rehab for himself, even though he was able to finish the year strong for us. Whether it was rehab or just attacking his off-season, that guy is a worker, man. He’s probably one of the best on the team, so I’m just excited to see him come out here and lead like he’s been doing.”
Harris is approaching some CFL history this season, as he sits less than 2,000 yards away from becoming the 16th quarterback all-time to throw for more than 35,000 career passing yards.
It’s a hunger to reach the mountaintop with his core of Roughriders teammates, however, that’s providing all the fuel for the soon-to-be 39-year-old.
“I think you have to ask yourself with continuity, have you reached a ceiling?” Harris said. “Have we tapped out who we are? We’re not even close to that. With this group, bringing it back, it’s almost like we just finally got to take the training wheels off towards the end of the year. Now I think we could be riding some mopeds and motorcycles by the end of the year.”
Roughriders training camp continues at Griffiths Stadium through May 23, with the team set to host its Green and White Day on Saturday at SMF Field with its annual state of the nation address.