COREY MACE NAMED 2025 COACH OF THE YEAR; RIDERS CLAIM TED GOVEIA AWARD
Honours presented ahead of CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness
EDMONTON (March 25, 2026) – Corey Mace has been named the 2025 Canadian Football League (CFL) Coach of the Year. The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Head Coach received the Annis Stukus Award for the first time in his career after being nominated in back-to-back seasons.
The Roughriders also have received the inaugural Ted Goveia Football Operations Award, which recognizes a club’s football operations department for outstanding achievement in scouting, player identification, roster building and leadership.
The awards were presented in Edmonton at the first annual Coach of the Year Celebration ahead of the 2026 CFL Combine presented by Anytime Fitness from March 27-29. As part of the fundraising event in support of Football Alberta, Ron Foxcroft was also presented the Hugh Campbell Distinguished Leadership Award.
In his second year at the helm, Corey Mace led the team to a CFL-best 12-6 regular season record to capture the team’s ninth West Division title. Saskatchewan allowed the fewest points (22.7 per game) and rushing yards (76.0 per game), while registering the second-best net offence (382.6 yards per game).
The award recognizes regular season performance. Mace went on to lead the Roughriders to victory over the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup for the fifth championship title in franchise history.The Coach of the Year was selected by the national and local members of the Football Reporters of Canada, and the league’s nine head coaches. Of the 53 completed ballots, Mace received 39 votes. He is the eighth Saskatchewan Head Coach to capture the honour and the first since Chris Jones in 2018.
Presented in remembrance of its namesake, who passed away in 2025 following a courageous battle with cancer, Saskatchewan has been recognized with the first-ever Ted Goveia Football Operations Award.
In keeping with Goveia’s philosophy that teams are built collectively, the honour is presented to a group rather than an individual. The celebrated leader in the Canadian football community and a significant member in building three Grey Cup championship teams (2012, 2019 and 2021) did not believe in sole responsibility in player acquisition, preferring to acknowledge the many contributions needed to identify, scout and sign new additions.
The award is voted on by the football operations departments of the nine CFL clubs. Out of a total pool of 54 points to be allocated, a single team can receive a maximum of 24. The Roughriders received 15 points, followed by the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats with 13 each, and the Montreal Alouettes with 12.
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS – 2025 FOOTBALL OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT
(Position | Name)
- Vice-President, Football Operations and General Manager | Jeremy O’Day
- Assistant General Manger | Paul Jones
- Assistant General Manger | Kyle Carson
- Director, Football Operations | Jordan Greenly
- Coordinator, Player Personnel | Larry Dean
SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS – 2025 NOTABLE ACQUISITIONS
- Tevaughn Campbell | Signed in free agency, Campbell was named All-CFL after notching a career-high six interceptions to finish tied for the league lead.
- Payton Collins | Signed via the negotiation list, Collins made 12 starts and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year.
- Mike Rose | Signed in free agency, Rose made 17 starts to form an imposing tandem with Micah Johnson, while notching his fifth consecutive campaign with six-or-more sacks.
- Jesse Mirco | Selected in the second round, 15th overall, of the 2025 CFL Global Draft, Mirco claimed the starter’s role in Week 17, averaging 47.4 yards on 28 punts.
- Ali Saad | Selected fourth overall in the 2025 CFL Draft, Saad played in all 18 games, registering 19 defensive tackles and one sack.