Ken Miller is loving his new job even though it means longer days and dealing with an overwhelming weight of expectation.

Miller is in his first year as the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Not only is he beginning his first-ever season as a CFL head coach, Miller has the added pressure of leading the defending Grey Cup champions.

“Being the head coach is a lot different,” Miller said. “The biggest difference last year is I could come into the office at 5 or 6 a.m., get my work done than go home.

“Now, though, there’s a lot more things to do like interviews and stuff like that. This morning, for example, I got in at 4:30 a.m., watched video for a bit then got to signing thank-you letters to our guest coaches. But you know, other than not getting any sleep, I’m loving it.”

The Riders will begin their Grey Cup defence Saturday night hosting the Edmonton Eskimos (7:30 p.m. ET). The ‘08 season officially kicks off with the Montreal Alouettes in Hamilton to meet the Tiger-Cats (7 p.m. ET). It will mark the first time the CFL season has opened in Steeltown since 1977.

The Toronto Argonauts are in Winnipeg for an East Division final rematch with the Blue Bombers on Friday night (8 p.m. ET) while the Calgary Stampeders host the B.C. Lions at McMahon Stadium on Thursday night (10 p.m., ET).

Miller said one of the challenges of his new job has been continually reminding his players the importance of looking ahead, not behind.

“We had tremendous celebrations here,” Miller said. “But from a football point of view I’ve tried to put it all behind us and take away the perspective of living in the past.

“It’s difficult to defend. Players must understand that there are no short cuts and being the defending champion doesn’t automatically give you the pole position. We kind of snuck up on people last year and I don’t think we’ll be able to do that this year.”

Miller takes over coaching duties from Kent Austin, who left the Riders shortly after their Grey Cup win to become the offensive co-ordinator at Ole Miss, his alma mater. But it wasn’t the only off-season fire GM Eric Tillman had to put out.

During the off-season Tillman dealt quarterback Kerry Joseph, the CFL’s outstanding player last year, to the Toronto Argonauts. He also sent defensive end Fred Perry (who led the Riders in tackles and sacks last year) to Edmonton and also released popular kick returner-running back Corey Holmes to help the club get under the league’s $4.2-million salary cap.

The Riders also released offensive lineman Jermese Jones and linebacker T.J. Stancil while losing linebacker Reggie Hunt to Montreal as a free agent. As well, receiver Yo Murphy, offensive lineman Val St. Germain and defensive linemen Terrell Jurineack and Tim Feiszer all retired.

Backup Marcus Crandell, who led Calgary to the ‘01 Grey Cup, will replace Joseph under centre. However, despite the roster changes, Miller said the Riders will field a similar team to the one that posted a 12-6-0 record last season to finish second in the West Division.

“Our offence will be out of the same mould,” he said. “Defensively, (defensive co-ordinator) Richie Hall has been here for some time and so going in I don’t think there will be much difference there as well.”

Miller will be one of four head coaches making his CFL debut Thursday. Longtime defensive co-ordinator Rich Stubler has replaced Mike (Pinball) Clemons in Toronto while Marc Trestman will be on the sidelines for Montreal at Ivor Wynne Stadium. And in Calgary, John Hufnagel will be on the sidelines for the Stamps.

Miller also has some familiar faces returning to Regina, including offensive lineman Wayne Smith, running back Wes Cates, receivers Mike Palmer and Matt Dominguez as well as fullback Chris Szarka, defensive backs Eddie Davis, James Johnson and Tad Kornegay. The Riders also bolstered their secondary by re-signing cornerback Omarr Morgan, who left to go to Edmonton as a free agent last season.

But the CFL season does begin under somewhat of a black cloud.

The Buffalo Bills will play two games in Toronto this year, the first of a five-year plan that will see the NFL club play eight games at Rogers Centre. It’s an agreement that many see as the first step in the Bills relocating to southern Ontario.

Recently, B.C. senator Larry Campbell tabled a bill that would prevent the NFL from playing regular-season games in Canada. But the move isn’t expected to stop the Bills from staging regular-season contests in Toronto.

CFL commissioner Mark Cohon doesn’t believe the staging of NFL games in Canada has negatively affected the Canadian league.

“If anything, it’s rallying Canadians around our great game and that’s not rhetoric,” he said. “I know there’s a feeling among Canadians that this league is important.

“I don’t believe we’re anywhere near a crisis mode. It’s one game and an exhibition game this year. That’s not going to erase 100 years of tradition.”

TSN will kick off the ‘08 season as the CFL’s sole television broadcaster. Under terms of the five-year deal it signed with the league after last season, TSN has the broadcast rights to the CFL’s annual 77-game package: 72 regular-season games, four playoff contests and the Grey Cup.

CBC had carried CFL games for more than 50 years but finds itself on the sidelines this season.

And there will be no shortage of stories to follow. For example:

-Can Joseph duplicate his magical ‘07 season in Toronto this year? The Argos hope Joseph can take the load off a stellar defence that all too often had to anchor victories because of an inconsistent offence.

-Will Mike Vanderjagt be able to regain his form? After helping Toronto win consecutive Grey Cup titles in ‘96-‘97, Vanderjagt bolted to the NFL, where he became the most accurate kicker in league history. But he didn’t play football last year and returns to Toronto having not punted since ‘97, and struggled with kickoffs south of the border.

-The B.C. Lions were the CFL’s top club last year with a 14-3-1 record but had their season end with a loss to Saskatchewan in the West final. Many familiar faces return - including head coach/GM Wally Buono - and it will be interesting to see if the Lions can finish what they started last season.

-In Edmonton, head coach/football operations director Danny Maciocia is in the hot seat after having missed the CFL playoffs the last two years. The Eskimos were active in the off-season and if Maciocia can’t get the team into the playoffs, there’s a good chance he will be replaced.

-Finally, a feel-good story. Montreal quarterback Anthony Calvillo is back playing football after leaving the game late last year to be with his wife after she had been diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, she’s doing much better and Calvillo can again concentrate on playing. That’s good news for first-year coach Trestman.

-Winnipeg isn’t sure when veteran slotback Milt Stegall will return to the lineup. He missed all of training camp recovering from off-season knee surgery. But when Stegall does return, he will have one of the CFL’s top receiving records in sight. He enters the season needing just under 200 yards to break Allen Pitts’ career receiving yards mark of 14,891.

All questions, Cohon says, that will be answered on the field.

“It’s time now to play football,” he said. “There’s no shortage of good storylines this year.

“It’s an exciting time for fans once again.”