Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
Every Friday, Murray Wood takes a look back at the week's news and decides who's hot... and who's not. This week's list ...
Josh Woods is certainly no stranger to stepping onto a CFL field.
It’s a privilege he’s earned over five years in the league with the B.C. Lions, eventually becoming a starting linebacker for the team.
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His first few steps onto the field this season have felt a little different however, as Woods has been suiting up at training camp with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
“It’s my first time being a new kid in a while,” Woods said. “I’m just excited, learning a lot, just building and getting my chemistry right.”
Following the departure of A.J. Allen and C.J. Reavis in the off-season, the Grey Cup-winning Roughriders looked to plug holes in the linebacker position in the off-season, and targeted Woods in free agency.
Woods started 10 games at weak-side linebacker last year for the Lions, reaching a new career high with 65 tackles including a sack, a pass knockdown and a forced fumble.
The 28-year-old Woods also stood across from the Roughriders in last year’s Western Final, which saw Saskatchewan advance to the Grey Cup with a 24-21 victory.
Josh Woods has been taking starter reps at linebacker alongside Jameer Thurman and Antoine Brooks Jr. at Saskatchewan Roughriders training camp. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said the addition of Woods to the linebacker group has provided a sense of veteran leadership and guidance to others at camp.
“Just calmness and patience,” Mace said.
“There’s not anything that he’s going to be seeing that he hasn’t really seen before. It’s just maybe from different angles, different eyes and responsibility within the playbook.”
Woods is used to looking at different angles and perspectives, not only on the football field.
A graduate of the UCLA Bruins program in college, Woods earned a degree in sociology, but also developed his passion for film, television and media studies, which he minored in.
Guided by mentor Neal Moritz, who produced everything from the Fast & Furious franchise to Prison Break and The Boys, Woods said he developed a passion for the way shows and movies are made.
“It’s kind of different when I watch TV and film, because I see it with a different lens,” Woods said. “I really enjoy it, and anything Spike Lee, I’m there.”
That path away from the football field led Woods to the set of the long-running CBS television show S.W.A.T. as an intern.
From sitting in pitch meetings to being introduced to the show’s lead star, Shemar Moore, Woods said it was a peek behind the curtain into how a writers’ room operates.
“They’re showing up in jeans, sweats, Jordans, like pretty lax,” Woods said.
“Getting in the writers’ room, just how they brainstorm and feed off each other. The team chemistry part of it was really dope to see.”
While he now looks at media like television or movies a little differently, Woods said he still has strong views about what makes a good plot line or character arc.
“The chemistry between the writers’ room and the actors, building the small stories, getting people to really get into the characters and watch the development, stuff like that makes shows good,” Woods said.
“I’m rocking with this character. I want to see how far he makes it or what happens in his life.”
Woods is one character the Roughriders are eager to see on the field in 2026, especially with a pair of CFL veterans in Jameer Thurman and Antoine Brooks Jr. running beside him in practice.
Mace said he believes Woods can be a big part of the picture this summer.
“He’s handled it very well,” Mace said. “He obviously was a productive player in his previous spot.”
One familiar face Woods will be leaning on this season is Roughriders linebackers coach Travis Brown, who served in the same role for the Lions between 2019 and 2024.
“He cross-trained me over there to play multiple positions,” Woods said.
“Coming here and only having to really focus on (linebacker) right now, one spot hasn’t been too bad. I think I’m getting better every day, and I think everybody around me is making it easier.”
Woods said he’s focused on establishing his game on the gridiron this summer, but there’s another type of football which he’ll be keeping a close eye on when the new season drops in August.
“Ted Lasso is one of the best shows of all time,” Woods said. “I can’t wait for the new season. I think they’re going to venture to the women’s side of football over there. I think that’s going to be awesome.”
Rider training camp notes
The Roughriders had arguably their most uptempo and focused practice of training camp on Thursday, with the session lasting just over two hours.
Mace said with just five days between Monday’s pre-season loss to the Calgary Stampeders and the team’s next exhibition game in Saskatoon on Saturday, there was a push for their last full practice of the week to be crisp.
“We had to get two good days of practice,” Mace said.
“There’s some things we identified in yesterday’s practice we wanted to get better at today, and we did. Still obviously room for improvement, but the compete periods, everything, it was exactly what we wanted.”
Thursday’s practice included a showcase drill for linemen, as well as receivers and defensive backs matching up one-on-one in front of the entire team.
Mace called out the “main event” between veteran wide receiver KeeSean Johnson and first-round draft pick Malcolm Bell at defensive back, with Johnson getting the upper hand with a stutter-step at the line of scrimmage.
“We use that breakup in practice to put the spotlight on some guys and settle some scores,” Mace said.
“It’s training camp. There’s a couple of guys who go back and forth. Let’s put the spotlight on them, see how they can do it and handle themselves as pros.”
Zack Fry missed a second straight day at left guard, though Mace said on Wednesday he’s not concerned and expects his starting offensive lineman to be available soon.
The Roughriders will cap off their shortened week of practice with a team walkthrough on Friday morning before Saturday’s pre-season game at Griffiths Stadium against Winnipeg, with the kickoff set for 5 p.m.
