Every Monday afternoon on the SportsCage, join Barney Shynkaruk and members from the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ coaching staff with a breakdown of game match-ups and the very latest from inside the Riders’ locker room.
Barney Shynkaruk
Young Josh Donnelly with the hat on man. You look even younger. Do you ever walk around the halls there and they're like oh I think uh I think some kid from uh one of the field trips is uh missing the group.
Josh Donnelly:
All the time yeah getting mistaken for people's kids and stuff.
Shynkaruk:
It's Monday, so you guys usually have your team debrief. You guys are the players, offering treatments and that, but you guys are grinding away already when you watch the tape. When you go through things, what happened against Hamilton offensively? What do you see in Josh? What do you guys like?
Donnelly:
Well, I think there's lots of good, but Mace, you know, always preaches. He does a really good job of this is there's always things to work on and improve and even with uh you know what we would consider a successful outing I think there's always little details and and different things that you can clean up so um we're really happy with the effort and and you know the the physicality that the guys played with um but there's always you know like I said between Mueller and Mace and the rest of the coaching staff we're finding ways to continue to improve. You know, realizing that we still have a long way to go to get where we want to go.
Kris Mazurak:
All right, who's going to take credit? Is it you, is it Mueller, is it somebody else? How is Dante Myers so open for his 8 30th yard big play catch of the season? No one's ever around him.
Donnelly:
That's definitely Mueller, and I mean, Dhonte, you know, he's a special player, he's got a burst that uh, you know, a lot of guys don't have. Um we're just continuing to try to put him in in different positions to get open and use his talents um you know kind of how as he as he is there and um taking advantage of maybe the soft spots and the defenses and continuing to give him a chance when he has those one-on-ones or those different you know opportunities for big plays.
Shynkaruk:
How many things are scripted when it starts a game offensively, when you know you're coming from USports too, right and then how does it differ from uSport to the pro league, you know
Donnely:
I think it more so varies between coordinator play caller I think there's um you know no one right way to do it and there's no one set way to do it I think um you know you'd be naive to say that coaches don't go into a game without having a couple plays you know we want to get too early or I mean we want to get in these situations but um it all really depends on you know what the game plan is what the situation is are you getting the ball first are you getting the ball second where are you getting it on the field um what's the win like you know that was a big factor in the last game and and that changed play calling you know drastically because going into the wind versus going with the wind um you know even decision making like you know kick and field goals and stuff like that like that you know has a lot to do with it so um I know my process was as a play caller last year with the Rams was different than Mueller's is this year but um you know it mine was also different than McConkey's was you know when he was a play caller with the Rams so I don't know if it's uh as league dependent I mean I'm sure there is variables you know within the leagues but I think the big one is it's really just unique to each individual play caller.
Mazurak:
Now, Josh, one of the things that you've had to contend with all year is a rotating cast of players in and out of the lineup. Still, the playbook doesn't change. The expectation is that if that's you and you are that guy, that's all right. If your number's called, your number's called; it doesn't matter who you are. If you're good enough to be in on the play, you're good enough to be in on the action.
Donnelly:
I think that's the expectation across the board um and I think we're blessed that we we have a group of professionals that are um you know for the team and they see that you know that's the case and Mace preaches it every day that you know it's very much a next man up mentality and you know we're we're ready and excited when you know that next guy is coming in and and you know he can play he has this skill set so we can utilize him here and this next guy is powerful in this area so we can use him here so um it's it's always a matter of you know these are the players we've got and we're going to make the best of it and the players are always very professional in the sense that you know now it's my turn and I have to you know be ready for when my time is called and then make the most of that opportunity,
Shynkaruk:
Back to the coaching philosophies and things that may be different. I've coached high school football and flag right, so you'll see a matchup. It's football in general; it happens in other sports, too. You see a matchup. Then you exploit it, you say Okay, we've got to go We're going to go to this because we can. This guy turns his hips here; he does whatever. Then we'll see if it's a slow go. Does it happen more in pro, college, or even as a filter down when you're coaching high school? Where does it happen more? You look at a matchup early and then try to exploit it.
Donnelly:
You know, I think it happens everywhere. I will say I think, um, having been in university. You know, in high school as well, um, I think the gap is bigger between the really good players and the maybe weaker players, just because in the professional, they're all very good, you know, there's talent everywhere, everybody has you see the experience and the skill set. Hence, it's harder to find those significant gaps between one-on-one matchups, but um it's still a thing that you know all coaches look at and um and I would say it happens on a weekly basis with every game.
Mazurak:
It already happened today or, obviously, in the next couple of days. When will the tape from the Calgary game from about a month ago come out to get ready for Saturday? The only blemish on the schedule is the stamps. It seemed that day, they had an answer for what you were trying to do, so how much time over the next 72 hours will you guys be putting into the Calgary game plan?
Donnelly:
I mean, it's a factor. Um, you know, we're going to look at that and see what went wrong and where we can improve from that game, but um, it's also a fine balance between that. You know how Calgary has developed over the last couple of weeks because they're not the same team they were in week six, nor are we, so it's a matter of you know making sure we have answers for all of the things that you know they did. They may be uh you know anything that we struggled with um but it's also understanding that they're not going to be the same team that they were in week six and um you know we have to be ready for what they've shown in the last couple weeks.
Shynkaruk:
What's what's the one thing you've been most impressed with with Andrew Harris because I showed the shot on the tv and and he's sitting there with AJ and Trevor he looks like the youngest one out of the three he's on the bench um you know a guy that you watched growing up to maybe studied even back in the day a bit what's been the most impressive having you know the 38 year old former running back on the Riders sideline
Donnelly:
I think just the way he sees the game, having you know, I spent a lot of time with Mueller. I think we both see it very similarly as former quarterbacks, but talking to a guy who is, you know, such a skilled and experienced former running back, you know, he sees it differently. It's something that I've learned to appreciate the nuances and the details that he has. It's not just a matter of run left or run right that goes into their mindset and how they're reading out the play and how they're looking to you know attack each different run scheme and all this sort of stuff, so um he's he's I've learned lots from him in the last couple weeks. It's something that I've learned to appreciate a lot.
Mazurak:
What's one of the things that you've um maybe are mildly surprised going from the uh the college ranks into uh pro football with the Saskatchewan Roughriders because we're always curious about the behind the scenes stuff because when you're first doing it like Barney talked high school and flag you're doing it for the love of the game. You want to give back. This is professional football now; you get paid to do this. There's got to be some things that you've gone all right. This is okay.
Donnelly:
Yeah, I think you know working with Trevor, um, Trevor Harrison and the quarterback room as a whole, has been, you know, very eye-opening. It's something that you know is almost humbling in the sense that you realize how little you know when you're around those guys who are as experienced and competent as he is, and even working with Mueller, I mean, just being able to be a fly on the wall in those conversations. You know, have them. Oh yeah, we did this in 2015, and we did this in 2018. It's just like how did you guys even remember that, and that you know they've seen so much and um been exposed and experienced so much, that that's something that I've really um I don't know if surprise is the right word. Still, I've been impressed by that, and it's been a humbling couple of weeks being with those guys and just realizing how much more I can learn.
Shynkaruk:
You're so young. We've talked about that at the beginning, and you're learning, and you're good. I'm sure at some point, the end goal would be to be a head coach in the CFL or maybe even more, whatever. How much are you learning about the defensive side of the game when it comes to the CFL, watching your defence, which is, as they say, absolute ballin right now? How much are you learning there?
Donnelly:
Lots um you know between being in our you know offensive staff meetings and learning from Mueller and the other coaches um but even when I can I try to jump into you know other um you know whether it's walkthroughs or just you know listening to coach mace and other coaches talk and trying to pick their brains as much as I can because obviously they're doing some amazing things. You know, watching their film every week, and seeing how they can get to the quarterback or make things look different. You know, get to the ball, they always are somehow getting their hands on the ball, it's been really impressive, and you know I'm trying to learn as much as I can from those guys as well.
Mazurak:
Going to Calgary on the road rider nation travels well there's going to be a lot of fans at McMahon Stadium uh it should be a nice day for football I was checking the forecast I think it's gonna be 24 25 five o'clock kickoff there may be a little pregame drinking going on or whatever uh festivities it's got to be nice when the team travels to know that rider nation has always got your back there's usually a good chunk in the crowd to um always giving a little bit of a home a little bit of a flavor of a home game no matter where you've been so far.
Donnelly:
Absolutely. I mean, I was. I couldn't believe it was my first time playing in Montreal, and you know, to see the green out there on a long trip, like every week, there's been you know, looking out into the crowd. It's green everywhere, so it's impressive. I know you know we appreciate it immensely, and it makes our lives easier as well, so you know we love to see it.
Shynkaruk:
It's not that you didn't have long days when you were with the Rams. You guys were making the run last year, which was magical, awesome, but so far, we're in the pros with the right. What's been the longest day for you, hours-wise?
Donnelly:
Well, I don't know hours, as we had a short week a couple of weeks ago; that was a long one. Still, you know honestly the days go by fast you know you're always you know on to the next thing whether you're in meetings or or on the practice field or whatever it is and um you're doing stuff that it's pretty enjoyable work so um to be around you know a good group of coaches and then you know the players like I mentioned earlier they're they're great. You know I'm always learning things, so the days go by quickly. That you know they might be long on the clock, but um, they don't feel that long.
Shynkaruk:
Do you ever walk down the hallway and say, "Hey, you guys weren't eight and one until I got here?"
Donnelly:
So that's a common joke in my family, though. Yeah, you know one variable to change.
Shynkaruk:
Right on, Josh, uh, thanks so much for doing this today, and uh, continued success
Donnelly:
Thanks for having me, guys.
