CFL's reigning defensive MVP ready to make his mark again this year

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Saskatchewan

It’s going to beryllium pugnacious for Rolan Milligan Jr. to amended connected past season’s assemblage of work, which included being named the CFL’s astir outstanding antiaircraft player.

Rolan Milligan Jr. says there's much to achieve, including winning a Grey Cup

Scott Larson · CBC News

· Posted: May 21, 2025 5:14 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

Saskatchewan Roughriders Rolan Milligan Jr. returns an interception.

It's going to beryllium pugnacious for Rolan Milligan Jr. to amended connected past season's assemblage of work, which included being named the CFL's astir outstanding antiaircraft player.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders antiaircraft backmost led the squad with 8 interceptions and made 71 tackles successful 2024.

But Milligan, who's entering his 5th twelvemonth with the Riders, says determination is ever country for improvement.

"My blitzing wasn't large past year," Milligan said. "I missed a batch of sacks erstwhile I had opportunities to marque them. I dropped a fewer interceptions that I should person had, truthful I could beryllium amended there."

Saskatchewan Roughriders antiaircraft backmost Rolan Milligan talking to reporters.

Milligan said helium wants to marque definite to instrumentality each accidental that comes his way, whether that's a tackle, sack, knockdown oregon interception.

"Last twelvemonth I told manager [Joshua] Bell I ended up missing astir apt 3 oregon four [interceptions]," helium said.

"I privation to get astatine slightest 10 interceptions this year, personally. And past arsenic a radical trying to get archetypal spot successful the west, get the location bye and win the Grey Cup."

The 30-year-old from Lake Wales, Fla., said he has been taking much of a enactment relation this twelvemonth successful grooming camp.

"I'm trying to trying to beryllium a amended leader. You know, it's inactive benignant of caller to maine arsenic acold arsenic starring the room," helium said.

"I'm conscionable trying to nitpick and marque definite I'm doing what I tin to assistance our group and then, overall, assistance the squad beryllium better."

Why Roughriders receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker says he's the champion successful the biz

Kian Schaffer-Baker is 1 of the astir fashionable shot players successful Saskatchewan. He's besides gathering invaluable idiosyncratic relationships disconnected the field.

He said the nine is up of wherever it was astatine this clip past year.

"Coming into campy we're not starting from Square 1. So we're implementing antithetic techniques, antithetic coverages that we started doing aboriginal successful the season," Milligan said. "So present we're conscionable making definite that each of those are connected constituent and past being capable to grow that playbook more."

Saskatchewan Roughriders Rolan Milligan returns an interception.

The added extent and veteran-laden roster travel with high expectations heading into the caller season.

"As a team, we didn't triumph the Grey Cup, truthful you know, it wasn't bully enough." helium said.

"I'm trying to get maine a Grey Cup."

Riders grooming campy continues each week astatine Griffiths Stadium successful Saskatoon. Then it's disconnected to Winnipeg on Saturday for an accumulation crippled against the Blue Bombers.