‘A lot of knowledge to pass on’: Former rival Andrew Harris joins Roughrider coaching staff

Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Andrew Harris (33) evades a tackle from Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive end Ja'Gared Davis (56) during first half football action in the 108th CFL Grey Cup in Hamilton, Ont., on Sunday, December 12, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Four-time Grey Cup champion Andrew Harris is joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders' sideline as a running backs coach, the team announced Monday.

In his first media availability since being named to the position, Harris said he was in talks with multiple teams for a variety of roles.

“When I spoke to [Corey] Mace, I found a good opportunity and the right group of guys I could gel with,” he said. “I know a good handful of the staff [with the Riders] from playing against or with them.”

Harris, who played 15 Canadian Football League (CFL) seasons with the B.C. Lions, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts, is the league’s all-time leading Canadian rusher with 10,380 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Winnipeg product is one of six players in CFL history to have eclipsed the 10,000-yard mark as a rusher and he currently ranks sixth in career rushing in Blue Bombers history, with 5,402 yards.

“[The job] is not one that I would ever have expected, being a Winnipeg guy. That rivalry is thick with Saskatchewan but at the end of the day it’s football,” Harris added.

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Harris was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2017, the CFL rushing leader for four seasons , including three straight from 2017 to 2019, the Grey Cup’s Most Outstanding Canadian in 2011 and 2019 and the Grey Cup’s Most Outstanding Player in 2019.

He was named All-CFL five times (2012, 2015-2018) and West Division All-CFL six times (2012, 2015-2019).

He won four Grey Cup Championships — one with B.C. in 2011, two with Winnipeg in 2019 and 2021 and one with Toronto in 2022.

Both current Rider head coach Corey Mace, who was defensive coordinator, and running back A.J. Ouellette were a part of that Argos Grey Cup team in 2022.

“There’s a bigger purpose [here] because you got people expecting you to win,” Harris said. “That pressure makes diamonds and I’m just looking forward to getting with the group.”

Prior to joining the coaching staff, Harris was serving as the Director of Football Operations for the Vancouver Island Raiders of the Canadian Junior Football League, the same team with which he had starred as a running back. He won national championships as a Raider in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

He says this is just the next step in his post-playing career with the goal of more responsibility in the future.

“I want to be either a [general manager] or head coach in this league,” Harris said. “I played 14 years and I got a lot of knowledge to pass on.”

“I felt like if I were to wait any longer, then maybe they maybe this opportunity would have went away,” he added.

Harris also said he will be staying on with the Raiders in some capacity.

He also relished at the opportunity to coach his former teammate in Ouellette.

“When I was with Toronto, I was almost like a player-coach in a way,” Harris said. “So for me, I was passing nuggets, information, tips and little things down to A.J. and kind of being in his ear on the sideline with the iPad.”

“But there definitely has to be a line there,” he added.

Harris will take the place of former Running Backs Coach Anthony Vitale, who will not be able to return to the Club for personal reasons.

“We wish to thank Anthony for his last two years of hard work and dedication to the Roughriders,” the team said in a media release.