SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA – A.J. Ouellette, a 2014 graduate at Covington High School, is playing at a very high level in the CFL as he has helped lead the Saskatchewan Roughriders to a 4-0 record to start the season.
On Saturday against the B.C. Lions, the Roughriders were without their starting quarterback Trevor Harris, so Ouellette became the workhorse by carrying the ball 23 times and accumulating a career-high 139 yards on the ground. He also had one reception for 12 yards and scored a nine-yard rushing touchdown to pretty much secure a 37-18 victory.
“He’s the man,” said Jake Maier, who started in place of starting quarterback Trevor Harris, who was out due to illness. “He (A.J.) got the game ball after the game. He’s just again, another guy, and you can say it’s about so many guys on our team, but another great teammate, another unselfish teammate. And when those types of guys produce at an all-star level, like he did tonight, it’s a beautiful thing to see. It rallies our team. It makes my life easier. It makes our offensive line’s life easier. Obviously they did a great job as well to make sure that he was getting to the second level and once you do that with A.J., he’s going to make somebody miss and he had a heck of a game.”
A.J. now leads the CFL in rushing with 347 yards on 56 carries through four games – an impressive total in what is primarily a passing league. Still, he isn’t about individual praise as much as he wants credit provided to his teammates.
“I think no matter who’s in there, quarterback, receiver or anything, a good running game is going to help everyone. So that’s what we pride ourselves on, especially our running back room, our O-line room, on establishing run and then let the playmakers make plays,” Ouellette said.
After the game A.J. was presented with the game ball in the locker room by his coaching staff, but he handed the ball off to the offensive line who opened up huge holes for him throughout the game.
“Every game I feel like it is gonna be a big game because of the guys we have up front and the receivers out there blocking,” said Ouellette in his application to his teammates.
Ouellette and the Roughriders have had a great opening month of the 2025 season and there are 14 regular season games left.
