Photo: Tanner Piper/Piper Sports Photography/3DownNation. All rights reserved.
Canadian receiver Samuel Emilus tied his single-game CFL career-high with three touchdown receptions in Week 2 against the B.C. Lions.
Let’s break down how he completed a hat trick for the second time in his five three-down league seasons.
Trevor Harris to Samuel Emilus.
We’ll probably be saying that a lot this season.#Riders #Saskatchewan #CFL pic.twitter.com/LFoAStrf21
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) June 13, 2026
Touchdown number one
First quarter, ball on the 11-yard line, less than 10 minutes left
Play 10
Saskatchewan breaks the huddle with the ball on the right hash in a two-by-two set. Fullback Morgen Runge jogs up as if he’s going to line-up as a tight end to the left, but quickly runs down the line of scrimmage to set himself as the wideout to the field side; linebacker Darnell Sankey chases him.
A.J. Ouellette briefly shows a single-back set to Trevor Harris’ left, but as the snap count starts he motions strong to weak behind his quarterback as the third target into the boundary; Canadian linebacker Ben Hladik follows Ouellette.
Sankey and Hladik trailing eligible pass-catchers provides Harris with a tell: B.C. is likely in man coverage.
Indeed, that’s the case. The 40-year-old QB could also likely tell it was man coverage from each defender’s coverage alignment — one-on-one responsibilities with their eyes locked on the man they are supposed to shadow.
B.C. defensive coordinator Mike Benevides has called what appears to be cover-one with five defensive linemen on the field and five defensive backs, as Jackson Findlay provides deep help as the single-high safety.
As the ball is snapped, left tackle Payton Collins and right tackle Jermarcus Hardrick chop Mathieu Betts and Sione Teuhema to the turf simultaneously. This creates clear sight-lines and throwing lanes for Harris, if he needs to use those avenues. But he doesn’t, as it’s obvious Marc Mueller’s play design is to isolate Emilus on rookie American defensive back Tyson Russell.
Runge, Dhel Duncan-Busby, Ouellette, Kian Schaffer-Baker, and KeeSean Johnson run approximately five-yard hook routes as Emilus beats Russell to the inside on his seam route. No. 19 high-points the football as Findlay watches him haul in a touchdown after he was caught flat-footed in the middle of the field.
Samuel Emilus… again!#Riders #Saskatchewan #CFL pic.twitter.com/kfNYe9eReQ
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) June 13, 2026
Touchdown number two
Second quarter, ball on the three-yard line, less than 14 minutes left
Play 31
The Roughriders send three receivers to the right and two left with Ouellette on the field. Duncan-Busby moves from the boundary to the field-side and Findlay follows — Harris might have his man coverage tell.
However, No. 18 stays in the backfield to help protect his quarterback with Ouellette doing the same on the right side as B.C. rushes four defensive linemen. This appears to change Findlay’s responsibilities, as he opens his hips to the boundary as Harris looks that way first.
No. 7 pumps quickly backside to Schaffer-Baker and Findlay fully commits to him on his post pattern. Harris flips his hips front side and fires a strike to Emilus, who executed an excellent deep hook route in the end zone against Robert Kent Jr. to free himself up for his second touchdown.
The 28-year-old sold a vertical route enough to create space, then sneaked back inside towards his passer to secure the football.
THE RIDERS TAKE THE LEAD BACK 🌾#Riders #Saskatchewan #CFL pic.twitter.com/TNsggByr5g
— 3DownNation (@3DownNation) June 14, 2026
Touchdown number three
Fourth quarter, ball on the six-yard line, less than one minute left
Play 135
Saskatchewan comes to the line with three receivers left and two right with the football on the right hashmark, plus Ouellette in the backfield.
Jaylen Johnson starts about two yards away from Collins at his left tackle spot, but turns and runs down the line to end up as the wideout with Emilus and Duncan-Busy in the slot spots on the field-side.
Schaffer-Baker and KeeSean Johnson are into the boundary, but Harris never looks that way because he sees Findlay walk down to cover Duncan-Busy, and that gives him an indication it’s cover zero — man-to-man with no safety help over the top.
Jaylen Johnson runs a two-step slant route, which pulls Russell with him in man coverage. Duncan-Busby runs an outside release go a few yards outside the seam as Findlay follows him. That leaves a large end zone chunk for Emilus.
The 2025 Grey Cup Most Valuable Canadian presses Kent Jr.’s inside shoulder off the line of scrimmage and tries to release cleanly to the corner, but he has to fight through some contact. He still creates separation for Harris to comfortably drop a ball in over his upfield shoulder for the game-winning major.
Arguably, Ouellette made the scoring play possible. Strong-side linebacker Deontai Williams supplied pressure off the left-hand side and No. 45 put his shoulder pads into Williams’ thigh as he jumped to try and knock down the pass, sending Williams head over heels. He landed in a heap at Harris’ feet after the ball was thrown.
Emilus put on a route-running clinic with his end zone catches against B.C. and helped the Riders win 31-27.
