Watch above: The Saskatchewan Roughriders have dipped into the Saskatchewan Huskies talent pool for their latest signings. Kim Thue catches up with the newest Riders.
SASKATOON – For the two newest Saskatchewan Roughriders, Denton Kolodzinski and Brad Nehring, signing a deal with the Green and White is nothing short of a dream come true.
“You work so hard to get somewhere and you end up with the team you want. I couldn’t be happier,” said Nehring, who wore a grin, ear to ear.
Kolodzinski, who is from Regina, shared the same sentiment.
“It’s been a dream since high school. I always thought there was a possibility. If I could play, I’d always wanted to play for the Riders.”
Nehring and Kolodzinski both just wrapped up their five years of eligibility at the University of Saskatchewan. Neither heard their name called during the 2014 CFL draft which, they admit, provided motivation during their final CIS season.
“I wanted to leave football knowing that I gave everything I got,” explained Nehring. “If I trained everyday and did everything I could and didn’t end up getting signed, I’d be alright with that. But it (pays) dividends just getting signed.”
“It was a little bit disappointing,” admits Kolodzinski. “But a lot of the drafted players don’t sign contracts and don’t stick with CFL teams, so I knew my opportunity was somewhere, it just wasn’t that day.”
READ MORE: Saskatchewan Roughriders sign Saskatoon-born Keenan MacDougall
Kolodzinski finished his CIS career as a Canada West all-star in 2014. The Regina product connected on 81 per cent of his field goals last year and although he would like to do both, it’s his punting, (which he averaged 40 yards a boot) that could give him the best opportunity to succeed at the next level.
“I just have to punt better than I’ve ever punted before,” Kolodzinski said of his opportunity to compete for a job.
Nehring will head to Riders camp in the spring to battle it out for a spot on the teams’ new look offensive line. He couldn’t be coming from a better situation.
The University of Saskatchewan provides a pipeline straight to the CFL when it comes to offensive lineman. The program has produced the likes of Makowsky, Flory, Bates, Neufeld and Heenan.
“It’s been a factory for offensive lineman,” said Riders assistant general manager Jeremy O’Day, a former all-star o-lineman in his right. “I think that’s no secret.”
“I came to the U of S knowing that they produce great o-lineman for the CFL. One of the goals coming into that was to be one of them in the end,” Nehring, the latest Huskie export to the CFL, said proudly.
Riders training camp kicks off in June at a place both Nehring and Kolodzinski are very familiar with; Griffiths Stadium.
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