(CJME News staff)

By Britton Gray/ CJME News

Riders extend contracts of Maas and Shivers, announce football staff

Jan 27, 2022 | 4:42 PM

There will be consistency on the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ sideline in 2022.

Offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas and defensive co-ordinator Jason Shivers have both signed two-year contract extensions with the CFL team, keeping them on head coach Craig Dickenson’s staff.

Maas is entering his second season running the Riders’ offence. Prior to joining the Riders in 2019, Maas was Edmonton’s head coach from 2016 to ’19.

His first season as the Riders’ offensive co-ordinator was a rocky one, with the unit averaging only 20.7 points a game.

Shivers is entering his third season as the Riders’ defensive playcaller. The Riders’ defence was once again one of the team’s strengths in 2021, when it gave up an average of just 20.3 points a game.

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Shivers’ defence also saw defensive end A.C. Leonard lead the league with 11 sacks and teammate Jonathan Woodard right behind him with 10.

The coaching staff will also feature some other familiar faces including Kent Maugeri (special teams co-ordinator), Stephen Sorrels (offensive line), Travis Moore (wide receivers), Deion Melvin (linebackers) and Ben Olson (defensive line) returning for another season.

Maugeri moves up to co-ordinator from his previous post as an assistant special teams coach. Dickenson had been serving as the club’s special-teams co-ordinator.

The coaching staff guided the Riders to a 9-5 record in 2021 and second place in the West Division.

The Riders hired a new running backs coach, with Kelly Jeffrey joining the staff to replace Tim Prinsen.

Jeffrey was most recently on staff with the Edmonton Elks in 2020 and was the Toronto Argonauts’ special-teams co-ordinator in 2016.

A defensive backs coach will be hired at a later date to replace Richard Kent, who left the Roughriders for a coaching job in Germany.

Assistant general manager Paul Jones also signed a two-year extension. The Riders say Jones is “widely regarded as one of the best personnel men in the CFL.”

Jones is entering his fourth year with the Roughriders and his 34th in a CFL career that includes five Grey Cup championships.

The Riders also announced Kyle Carson has been promoted to assistant general manager. Carson has been working closely with Jones on all personnel matters since joining the team in 2019.

Carson began his football operations career with the Calgary Stampeders as an intern in 2012, working his way up to scout and CFL draft co-ordinator. He’s a two-time Grey Cup champion.

The staff is rounded out with Jordan Greenly (manager of football operations), Nick Bowley (manager of video and analytics), Chase Pelletier (football operations co-ordinator), Gordon Gilroy (manager of equipment), Ryan Raftis (head athletic therapist), and Clinton Spencer (strength and conditioning trainer).