Riders' Ouellette sheds pounds in the offseason, gets faster

A hip injury limited Saskatchewan Roughriders' A.J. Ouellette's playing time to just eight games in his first year with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

"It kind of sucked because it was my first time here, so I had to kind of prove myself," Ouellette said Tuesday after Day 3 of the Riders' full training camp at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon

"New team, new coaching staff. You're just trying to show that you are the person that everybody kind of writes about, so you're trying to do everything extra," he said. "You're not really protecting yourself out there. This year the coaches are doing a little bit better at protecting me so I don't have to."

Ouellette, who rushed for 550 yards in 2024, has come into this year's training camp about 30 pounds lighter and with expectations of staying on the field.

The weight loss started when he took part in a challenge at the sports performance facility he owns back in Piqua, Ohio.

"I was sitting in a sauna and people were talking about not being able to stick to a diet or something like that," said Ouellette, who grew up just down the road from Piqua in the small town of Covington, Ohio.

"So we were like, everybody throw $100 in, let's see who has the best transformation in two months."

He came in second, but also noticed another transformation.

"After I got going, I realized I was getting a little bit faster, a little bit quicker on my feet," he said. "It's going to help out with the game, keep me on the field longer, and hopefully here in the Green and White for a few more years."

Riders offensive co-ordinator Marc Mueller, who is also in his second year with the team, said Ouellette will play a major role in the offence.

He said Ouellette is impressive on the field with or without the ball in his hands.

"He's great in protections, he's great with helping people, he's great in the huddle," Mueller said.

"He understands all 12 people [on offence] and all the 12 people on defence as well."

On Day 3 of training camp, the offence had a solid day in scrimmages against the defence, yielding several big plays.

That shouldn't be too much of a surprise, as the offence has most of its starters from last year.

Mueller, a former University of Saskatchewan quarterback, said everyone is on the same page going into training camp.

"It's smoother," Mueller said. "We can focus on, maybe, the more minor details than just what you're supposed to do on a piece of paper.

"Hopefully we can continue to build and continue to work hard."

Head coach Corey Mace said Mueller lives and breathes football.

"He's a football junkie," Mace said, adding Mueller lives five minutes away from him and they've been constantly talking.

"He's been doing nothing but working his tail off."

Ouellette said having almost everyone back working in the system feels like they are starting from where they left off last year, adding his role hasn't changed.

"Still be the best pass blocker I can be, make my productivity better in the run game," he said.

"We were looking at my stats from a few years ago to this past year, and we're just trying to get back to some old numbers and just try to win every game."

Rider notes

• A pair of players, offensive lineman Julius Buelow and defensive lineman Justin Jefferson, were sent to the locker room early after coming to blows on the field.
• Saskatchewan signed American offensive lineman Yoesph Carter. The 6-foot-4, 295 pound Carter spent two seasons with the University of Findlay, a Division 2 school in Ohio.
• American defensive back Mark Webb has been released and American receiver Ja'Marcus Bradley has been removed from the suspended list.
• Training camp continues all week at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon.