The Saskatchewan Roughriders will be without a key defender when they face the Calgary Stampeders in Week 3 of the CFL season. Halfback Rolan Milligan Jr. suffered a shoulder injury during the team's season-opening win against the B.C. Lions on Saturday and will not play this week.
Milligan's Injury and Expected Absence
Milligan, the CFL's top defender in 2024, injured his shoulder while delivering a massive hit on a Lions receiver in the first half of Saskatchewan's 31-27 comeback victory. Head coach Corey Mace indicated the absence could extend beyond one week.
"It might be a couple weeks … but that guy is superhuman, so whatever the timeline is, that's for the average Joe," Mace said Tuesday as the team returned to practice. "I wouldn't put it past Ro to be back sooner than expected."
Defensive Adjustments
After Milligan went down against B.C., safety Nelson Lokombo moved to halfback, and Jaxon Ford entered the game at safety. However, as the Roughriders resumed practice this week, American rookie JuJu Hughes was working with the first-team defence at Milligan's spot and is expected to make his first career start at halfback on Saturday at McMahon Stadium.
"It's a blessing," said Hughes, 27. "It's just what I worked for (and) what they brought me here for; just to be prepared to be ready for when my number's called."
Hughes added that the team's preparation philosophy keeps him ready. "We go into every day ready to play. They prepare us like you're going to be playing that day, so it's no real change in preparation or anything like that. It's just the same thing. I'm next man up. I'm ready."
Hughes' Background
Hughes signed with the Roughriders in March and earned a practice roster spot out of training camp after recording six defensive tackles and one special teams tackle in Saskatchewan's first pre-season game. Before turning pro, the California native played four seasons at Fresno State, amassing 247 tackles, 30 pass deflections, seven interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in 52 games for the Bulldogs.
Although undrafted, the 5-foot-11, 290-pounder signed with the NFL's Los Angeles Rams as a free agent, playing 19 games over two seasons, and later appeared in seven games for the Detroit Lions in 2022. He attended training camp with the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 before a stint with the United Football League's Birmingham Stallions in 2024.
"Ball player," said Mace. "He worked (at halfback) throughout training camp. We moved him some other places as well."
