Roughriders Plaza of Honour Class of 2025 announced

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The Saskatchewan Roughriders have announced the latest inductees set to be enshrined into the CFL club’s Plaza of Honour.

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Former offensive lineman and two-time Grey Cup champion Chris Best and longtime assistant coach Alex Smith Sr. make up the Class of 2025, along with former running back Steve Molnar, who will be formally inducted this year after being announced in last year’s class.

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Best, Smith and Molar will be formally enshrined during a halftime ceremony at Mosaic Stadium during Saskatchewan’s game against the Montreal Alouettes on Sept. 13.

After being drafted by Saskatchewan with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 CFL draft, Best, who attended the University of Waterloo, played 10 seasons with the Roughriders, which included Grey Cup championships in 2007 and 2013.

In 2011, Best, who played right guard, was also named the team’s most outstanding offensive lineman. In his career from 2007 to 2016, the Calgary native played 114 regular season games, all with the Green and White.

Being inducted as a builder, Smith was on the Roughriders coaching staff for four West Division titles (1997, 2007, 2009, 2010) and one Grey Cup championship (2007).

Having worked for the club for 16 seasons from 1997 to 2012, Smith is the longest-serving coach in team history. Over his career, he was a special teams coordinator, running backs coach and linebackers coach while also being involved in the CFL draft process.

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Alongside Best and Smith, Molnar will be formally enshrined this year after having his induction deferred due to an illness in the family last year, when he was announced as the Class of 2024 alongside former quarterback Darian Durant and former general manager Roy Shivers.

Suiting up for the Riders from 1969 to 1978, Molnar, a Saskatoon product who was the team’s top Canadian in 1976 and 1977, led Saskatchewan in rushing yards with 822 in 1976 after replacing legendary fullback George Reed. His most memorable game came in the Western final that year when he rumbled for 144 yards in a 23-13 victory over Edmonton to send Saskatchewan to the Grey Cup. Molnar died in 2021 at the age of 73.

More to come…

tshire@postmedia.com

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