Johnson, Robustelli ruled out, Ajou and Picton slot in for Roughriders in Grey Cup

Mitchell Picton Saskatchewan Roughriders

As has been the theme for the Saskatchewan Roughriders this season, the receiver depth will be tested in the team’s biggest game of the season.

Receivers KeeSean Johnson and Joe Robustelli were both ruled out of the lineup for the Grey Cup Friday afternoon. Ajou Ajou and Mitch Picton will play in their place Sunday against the Alouettes.

“We’ve seen it all year [from our receivers],” head coach Corey Mace told reporters at a media availability Saturday. “We’ve got a wealth of more than capable receivers.”

Johnson injured his knee in Week 19 against the Toronto Argonauts and has not played a snap since. For the past month, Mace had been hopeful the 1,000-yard, all-star receiver would return to the lineup before the end of the season.

Robustelli left the West Final against B.C. with a concussion. He was a limited participant in practice Thursday after being cleared for football activity, but was unable to be well enough to crack Sunday’s roster.

“With [KeeSean] and Joe not being quite ready to go, we have so much confidence in this group,” Mace said. “With [Ajou] and Mitch and other guys, too, who aren’t going to be able to play who are more than capable as well.”

Regina kid gets the nod

Pitcton, the local product and former University of Regina Ram, will start in his first Grey Cup game Sunday.

“It’s exciting. This is a big game,” he said. “I’ve been working hard. The way the cards fall every week, knowing we have such a deep receiver room and the confidence in each and every one of those guys, to be up this week and in this game means a lot.”

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Picton this year played 14 games in the regular season, making 20 catches on 29 targets for 226 receiving yards.

“When he plays in the game, he’s almost a shoo in for like six [catches] for 80 [yards] and a touchdown,” quarterback Trevor Harris said about Picton. “He gets his depth in his routes. He’s very sudden in his routes. He’s very, very precise.”

“People don’t really expect him to win like he does, but he wins,” the pivot added.

As a Regina kid, Picton remembers being in the backyard envisioning making a Grey Cup-winning touchdown catch for the Roughriders in his backyard.

He says he found out he would likely be in the lineup earlier this week. The six-year veteran got emotional when describing the importance of playing in the Grey Cup as a player born and raised in Saskatchewan.

“I’m just thinking about my parents, my brother, my wife; they’re all very special to me,” he said. “It’s going to be cool seeing a lot of Picton jerseys, a lot of #81’s out there in the stands tomorrow. And that’s something I’m very thankful for.”

The Roughriders released their roster chart Saturday morning for the game.

Picton says when it was officially announced he was playing, he got an immediate text from his cousin, Noah, who he played with growing up and was a teammate with the Rams.

“He said, ‘I’m hitting Highway 1 tomorrow morning,” Picton said with a slight tear in his eye. “He’s going to be here.”

“Mitch works his tail off. He’s a heck of a player,” Mace said. “He can play every receiver spot and he can play multiple spots on special teams. Mitch is supposed to be playing tomorrow.”

Ajou slots in

Similar to Picton, Ajou will be making his first CFL championship game start Sunday.

“It’s a full circle moment,” he told reporters Saturday. “In peewee football, our coach took us to Calgary to watch a game. Coach [Mace], [Marquay McDaniel] and Bo Levi Mitchell were all playing. And now they are my coaches.”

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Ajou joined the Roughriders for his second season later this year after an attempt to make an NFL roster.

When he did return to the field, he suffered an injury which put him back on the sidelines.

“Watching from the sidelines, I was just being great with my feet and be a good teammate,” Ajou said.

Through that time, Ajou says coach Mace was one of his biggest supporters.

“It meant a lot,” Ajou added. “It’s cool to me, but that’s also big, bro. To be in a Grey Cup and represent this logo means everything.”

Now he’s fulfilling a childhood dream to go win a championship.

“We just have to do what we have to do,” Ajou said. “It’s going to happen.”

Coverage for the 112th Grey Cup from Winnipeg, Man. begins noon Saskatchewan time on TSN and CTV with kickoff scheduled for 5 p.m.