Under Corey Mace's new regime, the Saskatchewan Roughriders finished the CFL 2024 pre-season with a 2-0 record.
Rider legend Darian Durant was on Monday's edition of the SportsCage for his weekly radio segment, Double Talk, and was on the fence about the Fines' performance.
"Well, I thought he did pretty good… When you complete nine out of eleven passes, you know you're pretty efficient," Durant said to Host Barney Shynkaruk."
Durant would clarify his position on Fine later, hoping he would show more due to his more extended status with the team.
"I think for a guy in his position, you know, who's had some real game experience, you just want to see him take that next step," Durant said. "And I am not sure if he (Fine) showed that."
Fine has been with the Saskatchewan Roughriders since 2021 after going undrafted in the NFL 2020 draft.
The concern for a solid backup for the Riders is warranted because last season, the Riders were 3-1 before starter Trevor Harris got injured on July 15, 2023. The Riders would finish the season with a 6-12 record and miss the playoffs.
Another topic Durant discussed during Double Talk was giving RIder Nation reassurance after their lackluster running game for a second week in a row.
"It's so hard to really show what you can do in the run game in the pre-season," described Durant.
He elaborated further by explaining that situations you deal with in the pre-season will not be in the regular season.
During the Riders' game against the Elks last Saturday, Frankie Hickson and Clint Ratkovich were tied with 27 rushing yards.
The Riders prioritized the run game this off-season when they signed running back AJ Ouellete from the Toronto Argonauts and offensive lineman Jermacus Hardrick from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in free agency.
The regular season for the Saskatchewan Roughriders kicks off on June 8 when they go to Edmonton and take on the Elks.
Double Talk with Darian Durant is heard on Mondays at 5 pm on 620 CKRM
