‘I’ve wanted to do this for a long time’: Riders kicker to make first pro start

Saturday’s Saskatchewan Roughriders game will be a decade in the making for kicker Michael Hughes.

“I started in eighth grade back home and in middle school. I wanted to play professional ball, I just didn’t know what sport,” Hughes said. “Moving forward in life, you feel like you have a think for it and feel you could do it at the next level. You get to college and you have a great career, and that’s the only thing you can do — treat it day by day.

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“Ever since 10th or 11th grade, I’ve been saying I’ve wanted to do this for a long time and have a long career.”

Hughes will make his first career pro start as the Riders welcome the Lions to Mosaic Stadium. Kickoff for the game is set for 5 p.m.

“I’m super excited. First professional start and I couldn’t think of it in a better way. Everyone’s path is different,” the 22-year-old product of Charleston, W.Va, said. “Just putting my best foot forward every day— no pun intended.”

Hughes signed with the Riders on Oct.7 after a collegiate career at Appalachian State University where he connected on 35 of 42 field goal attempts. He said things moved quickly once the Riders showed interest.

“I got a call from my agent saying, ‘Hey, the Riders want to bring you up and work you out, they are looking to bring a guy in for the rest of the year,’ and I told them I was interested. An hour later, I got a call and we booked a flight the next Monday morning,” Hughes said. “I drove four hours north back home, got about three-and-a-half hours of sleep, got on a plane and three flights later I was here.”

He gets the start ahead of Brett Lauther, who has been listed as out with a back injury. Hughes said the veteran kicker has been a big help for him.

“I have leaned on him a lot over the last two or three weeks I have been here, just seeing how he moves on a day-to-day basis and how he treats every single rep,” Hughes said.

That even included kicking towards Pil Country, where the winds can have an effect on kicks.

“Pil Country is a different breed. It’s different down there on that end zone because the wind is in your face so you really have to stay true to who you are and trust it — that’s all you can really do,” Hughes said.

Hughes admits he will take some time before the game to appreciate the moment.

“You have to. The last thing you want to do is go out there and have a big adrenaline rush and just be like, ‘Holy crap, what is going on.’ If I go out there and kick the game off, I’ll probably do a full 360 (degree turn) and I’ll take in the moment and then I’ll take a deep breath and I’ll do my job because that’s what I am here to do,” Hughes said.

But Hughes won’t have any family there for his first start — he told them to save up for November.

“I told them to hold off because if we are going to make the Grey Cup —well, we are — but that’s the end goal. I told them to hold off, save their money and come to Winnipeg,” Hughes said.

Some other moves for the Riders this week include safety Nelson Lokombo making his return to the lineup. Quarterback Trevor Harris and running back AJ Ouellette are back as well, but could be on a snap count.