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Isaac Harker is the rare miner who would rather operate without a pick.

Harker, who erupted for 39 touchdown passes in 12 games with the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers last year, has cracked the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ opening-day roster after an impressive, interception-free CFL pre-season.

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“This has been the dream since I was really little, so it means everything to have the opportunity to play football and affect people in positive ways and play a game that I love so much with people I really enjoy being around,” Harker said after Sunday’s practice at Mosaic Stadium. “So I’m lucky.”

And the Roughriders are fortunate, in that much-needed clarity exists with regard to the all-important quarterbacking position.

“If I’d said at the start of training camp, ‘What do we want to have accomplished at the end of training camp?’, comfort level at quarterback would probably have been the highest one,” general manager Jeremy O’Daysaid Saturday after announcing the final cuts.