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During a time of transition, one thing has not changed. The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ special teams units, assessed as a whole, continue to be among the CFL’s very best. “I’m very pleased with the effort — the buy-in from our team,” Special Teams Co-ordinator Kent Maugeri said after Friday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “Our culture is strong and I think you see that by how hard we play in each phase.” The special teams have evolved to the point where a check mark can be applied to every facet. Take punt returns, for example. Saskatchewan leads the league in average return (16.6 yards) and, on top of that, has allowed the fewest yards per return (10.7). The punt returns have been explosive even though James Letcher Jr. and Mathew Sexton have been sidelined by injuries for much of the season. In their absence, rookie Daniel Wiebe has averaged 12 yards per return — even with a 70-yarder being called back due to a penalty. “It has been a bit of a revolving door, but the standard has stayed the same,” Maugeri said. Letcher Jr. averaged 13.9 yards on seven punt returns before suffering a forearm injury. He has been a full participant in practice this week and is listed as available for Sunday’s game against the host B.C. Lions. (The depth chart is to be released on Saturday morning.) After Letcher Jr. was sidelined, Sexton handled the Roughriders’ next seven punt returns— averaging an eye-popping 31 yards. The highlight was a 101-yard touchdown. An ankle injury to Sexton opened the door for Wiebe, a former University of Saskatchewan Huskies star. “(Punt returns) were a focus for us this off-season,” Maugeri said. “It’s really about buy-in. “You have guys like Letch and Sexton who can really create. We knew Wiebe was going to be good and that he was going to have a chance to be special, but he is ballin’. He is a good player. “Even when you lose those all-star-type returners, it’s ‘next man up.’ It’s the same thing with the kickoff return unit.” Saskatchewan is second in average yards per kickoff return for (24.9) and against (19.3). The injuries to Letcher Jr. and Sexton led to another first-year Roughrider, Johnny Johnson III, becoming the team’s third primary kickoff returner of the season. His fourth kickoff return in green and white was an 87-yarder that set up a touchdown in Edmonton on Aug. 1. “That’s also a credit to the guys who are doing the blocking,” Maugeri noted. “It doesn’t matter who is back there. They feel like we can score or affect the game or create a momentum play. “An explosive return is that. A great cover is a momentum play. So is a turnover or a blocked punt.” Coverage-wise, Aubrey Miller Jr. is tied for third in the league in special teams tackles (12). Jonathan Edouard (10) is in a tie for sixth. Miller, a linebacker, is a returnee from the 2025 Grey Cup championship team. Edouard, who starts at defensive halfback in addition to sparkling on special teams, is among 27 first-year Roughriders who have played in at least one game. In other words, 43.5 per cent of this season’s active-roster players are new to the team. The list of 2026 arrivals includes three key specialists — placekicker Alex Hale, punter/holder Oscar Chapman and long snapper Mike Benson. Dating back to the 2025 Grey Cup, Saskatchewan has used three long snappers in the past 10 games. Jorgen Hus, a mainstay in that role, retired in May. Aaron Crawford performed the long snapping in the season opener, only to suffer a knee injury. A call was then put out to another accomplished CFL veteran, Mike Benson, who is poised to play in his ninth game with Saskatchewan. “We were so fortunate that Mike was available, because Aaron was doing great,” Maugeri said. “It’s time on task, just like anything. You build the rapport with the holder and the kicker. It’s the same guys we were going with the entire camp. Then, in Game 1, Aaron gets hurt. Now you’ve got a new guy and everything is different. “It takes time, but Mike is doing great. He’s a vet. He’s good in protection. He’s got good velocity, good accuracy, and he’s making some plays in coverage.” Benson’s snaps are routinely fielded by Chapman, who is averaging 46.8 yards per punt and excelling directionally. Chapman won a springtime competition with Jesse Mirco, who was the Roughriders’ punter during the stretch run last season. “I’m really enjoying myself here,” Chapman said. “I love all the guys and the coaches. “Everyone here is so close. For a team to be that close is really cool, especially in such a professional setting. Going out there each week and getting to practise with such a close group is unreal.” Chapman has formed a close bond with Hale, a fellow Australian who has succeeded Brett Lauther — now of the Ottawa REDBLACKS — as the Roughriders’ placement specialist. Hale is coming off his best game as a Roughrider. He was 4-for-4 on field goal attempts on Saturday against the host Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Included were successful kicks from 41, 48 and 52 yards. Thirty-three-yard converts included, Hale has made all 11 of his kicks over the past two games. “That looks like Alex in camp,” Maugeri said. “He’s a smooth operator. He’s fluid. I really think his best is yet to come. “He’s got a strong leg. He’s got very good accuracy. He’s just learning the conditions and what it’s like up here. He’s progressing nicely.” The 52-yarder in Hamilton is an example to that effect. “We know we can send him out here (for lengthy field goals), because today he ripped one from 55 and he had six or seven yards to spare,” Maugeri said. “He does it in practice, so I’m confident in him. “Hopefully stacking those two games like he has and hitting those long ones are helping.”