Lions look to build on foundation laid last year - BERITAJA

VANCOUVER – Last season, the BC Lions were conscionable 11 seconds distant from advancing to their first Grey Cup since 2011.

A Trevor Harris walk to Tommy Nield successful the dying moments of the Western Final gave the Saskatchewan Roughriders a 24-21 victory. The Riders would spell connected to conclusion the Montreal Alouettes for the CFL championship, while the Lions had a agelong wintertime to deliberation about what mightiness person been.

With a caller run approaching, B.C. protect extremity Mathieu Betts said the Lions person moved connected from past season’s heartbreak and are focused connected what lies ahead.

“If you suffer connected the past play of the game, aliases you suffer by 30 points … we didn’t get it done,” said Betts, the first Canadian to triumph the CFL’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player grant twice. “To beryllium that close, it’s frustrating.”

“For me, the information is to triumph the Grey Cup. It’s a cleanable slate. We’re moving forward. We cognize we person to play bully shot consistently passim the year, commencement early and make judge we decorativeness fast.”

Buck Pierce, the Lions’ caput coach and violative co-ordinator, believes the squad is building connected past season’s progress.

“Some of the things that we did passim the people of the season, the lessons we learned, wherever we sewage to, was bully growth,” said the erstwhile CFL quarterback. “What I’ve been preaching to the guys is that we’ve learned those lessons past year. We’ve sewage to make judge we don’t repetition immoderate mistakes.

“I deliberation there’s an knowing of what winning shot needs to look like, what our regular process needs to look like. The expectations successful the gathering rooms, the expectations for practice, I deliberation those are established now.”

After an up-and-down first half of past season, the Lions won their last six games to decorativeness 2nd successful the West pinch an 11-7 record, past hit Calgary successful the convention semifinal.

B.C.’s high-octane offence led the convention successful nett offence (7,743 yards), points (559) and touchdowns (59), but the defence gave up the third-most points (499) of immoderate CFL team.

Quarterback Nathan Rourke was named the league’s Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian aft completing 353 of 500 passes for 5,290 yards, 31 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. He comes into the play having signed an hold that will support him pinch the nine done 2028.

One of Rourke’s favourite targets past twelvemonth was Keon Hatcher Sr., who led the convention pinch 102 catches for 1,688 yards. Canadian Justin McInnis was 3rd wide pinch 76 catches for 1,256 yards.

The Lions besides person American Stanley Berryhill (54 catches, 715 yards) and nationalist Jevon Cottoy (55-681).

While the Lions mislaid American receiver Ayden Eberhardt to free agency, they took Mississauga, Ont., autochthonal Nate DeMontagnac from the University of North Dakota seventh wide successful this year’s draft.

Running backmost James Butler, who was 3rd wide past twelvemonth pinch 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns connected 229 carries, re-upped connected a two-year deal.

“He is simply a awesome portion of our offence,” said Pierce. “We’re continuing to create him successful different facets, to beryllium capable to do much things and utilize him successful aggregate ways.”

In a move to stiffen their defence, the Lions dipped into free agency for American linebacker Darnell Sankey, who spent past play pinch the Montreal Alouettes and erstwhile Hamilton Tiger-Cats protect lineman Casey Sayles.

Bettes said Sankey, who had 101 tackles and 2 sacks past year, is simply a proven veteran.

“He’s an elite linebacker,” said Bettes, who led the convention pinch 15 sacks past year. “He’s coming successful pinch the task to study the defence. I consciousness for illustration he’s going to beryllium really bully for america starting pinch our first game, but he’s only going to amended passim the year.”

Last play served arsenic a learning curve for some the coaching unit and players. Pierce and protect co-ordinator Mike Benevides were successful their first years successful those roles, introducing caller terminology and processes.

Rourke said everyone has a amended grasp of the playbook this season.

“I’m excited about the opportunity again to activity pinch Buck, return this offence to the adjacent level,” said the 28-year-old Victoria native. “Hopefully to proceed to build connected what we did past year.”

The Lions will besides look an different schedule to commencement the play because of the FIFA World Cup. With BC Place hosting 7 tourney matches, B.C. won’t play successful Vancouver until July 25 against Toronto.

The Lions, who held training campy successful Kamloops and played an accumulation crippled successful Langford, will unfastened the regular play pinch roadworthy games successful Regina connected June 13 and Hamilton connected June 18. They will big Calgary and Edmonton successful Kelowna earlier returning to BC Place.

Rourke said the squad will request to adapt.

“Guys emotion a regular astatine this level,” he said. “It’s going to beryllium challenging. You person to beryllium flexible.”

SEASON SNAPSHOT

2025 record: 11-7, second, West Division

Did you know?: Kelowna’s Apple Bowl is being expanded from its regular capacity of 2,314 to much than 17,000 for the Lions’ first 2 location games connected June 27 and July 4. BC Place is unavailable because of the World Cup.

Key additions: LB Darnell Sankey (Montreal); DL Casey Sayles (Hamilton); OL Joshua Donovan (Toronto); WR Nate DeMontagnac (University of North Dakota).

Key losses: OL Jarell Broxton (Winnipeg); WR Ayden Eberhard (Ottawa); LB Josh Wood (Saskatchewan); LB Micah Awe (Montreal).

Players to watch: QB Nathan Rourke; RB James Butler; WR Keon Hatcher; WR Justin McInnis; DE Mathieu Betts; K Sean Whyte.

This study by BERITAJA was first published June 2, 2026.