How Corey Mace changed his coaching approach in West Final to send Riders to Grey Cup

Corey Mace is at peace with himself.

Wearing a green bunnyhug and sitting in front of media the Saskatchewan Roughriders coach is smiling.

With his team down by 7 and with three minutes left on the clock, Mace chose to settle for a field goal from the B.C. Lion's five-yard line.

A soldout crowd at Mosaic Stadium erupted as they saw the Riders kicking team head out onto the field. Some choice words from a member of the 33,350-person crowd were loud enough to be heard in the press box.

Instead of potentially tying the game, kicker Brett Lauther's 13-yard field goal cut the Lion's lead to 21-17.

With 2:42 minutes left on the clock the Riders would need to get the ball back and still score a touchdown. It was a choice Mace said he had no issue making.

"I've made aggressive decisions, I think, before on for this team and it hadn't worked out for us in games prior," Mace said.

"I totally get [the booing]. Just have faith."

Riders head coach says Grey Cup game will be a full team effort

The decision would ultimately pay off for the Riders. The Saskatchewan defence would hold the B.C. lions to back-to-back two-and-out possessions.

Then, with 1:03 left in the fourth quarter, Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris would drive the team 74 yards down the field in just seven plays.

A game winning touchdown to wide receiver Tommy Neild would follow. There were just 11 seconds left on the clock.

While Mace's decision may have drawn condemnation from the crowd the players on the field say there was no moment of hesitation.

"I trust Corey Mace. He knows what he's doing," said Harris.

"I'm sure that there was people at home going, 'What are you doing?' And now they're like 'Mace is the man.'"

That level of confidence and trust