The University of Calgary Dinos have a chance to make some history in 2012 as the four-time defending conference champs, and it starts Saturday afternoon when they open the campaign against the Regina Rams at McMahon Stadium.
Kickoff goes at 5 p.m. Jim Mullin and Laurence Nixon will have the call on Shaw TV and CanadaWest.tv, while Dave Rowe returns for a seventh season as the voice of Dinos Football on the radio, where he’s joined by Dinos alumnus Tony Spoletini on QR77.
Calgary Stampeders season ticket holders that their ticket books include admission to all four Dinos home games in 2012, the first year of a new partnership between the Stampeders and Dinos Football. To help celebrate the first game taking place under the partnership, former Dinos and current Stampeders Mark Dewit, Anthony Parker, and Matt Walter will be on hand to perform the official coin toss and sign autographs on the concourse during the game.
The Dinos, who were officially 8-0 last season, in reality finished 7-1 and were awarded the perfect mark after UBC forfeited six games for the use of an ineligible player. Calgary defeated the Thunderbirds 62-13 with a Hardy Cup record for points to win their fourth straight conference title, but turnovers got the best of them as they fell to their nemesis, the Laval Rouge et Or, in the Mitchell Bowl and were left waiting another year before getting the chance to hoist that elusive Vanier Cup.
On their way to the national semi-final, the Dinos dispatched the Regina Rams in the opening round of the playoffs for the third time in four years, taking a 16-4 victory with the winning touchdown scored on the Dinos’ opening play of the game. It brought to an end a difficult season for the Rams, who lost starting QB Marc Mueller on their first offensive series of the year and just snuck into the playoffs in fourth place.
Calgary won the lone meeting of the regular season 51-1 on the road and held the Rams to just five points in two games in 2011. Overall, the Dinos are riding a six-game conference win streak over the Rams – a streak that extends to nine straight if playoff contests in 2008, 2010, and 2011 are included.
The third-ranked Dinos and the unranked Rams kick off 2012 this weekend – here’s a look at the two combatants:
No. 3 Calgary Dinos (0-0)
Next week: host Alberta
The Dinos open the season ranked No. 3 in the national media poll behind defending Vanier Cup champion McMaster and finalist Laval, while the Canada West coaches’ poll has Calgary the favourites to win the conference again in 2012. They’ve been consistently one of the elite teams in the nation over the last five years, but the Dinos have yet to capture a fifth national championship for the University of Calgary and will look to begin that journey with a solid start against a tough Rams team.
Calgary didn’t have the luxury of an exhibition contest this year, instead scrimmaging against themselves last Saturday afternoon at McMahon. The Dinos return a powerful offence that is missing just one starter from the 2011 season and features four All-Canadian selections from a year ago. Quarterback Eric Dzwilewski enters his third year as the Dinos’ starter, and he’s joined in the backfield by first team national all-star Steven Lumbala.
Saturday’s game will be the first chance for fans to see Quebec sensation Elie Bouka in action for the red, black, and gold. Bouka, a speedy receiver that likes to throw a block or two as well, was a highly sought-after prospect who moved from the Montreal suburb of Laval to attend the University of Calgary, and the Dinos hope he’s the deep threat that will help balance out their offence and allow them to stretch defences – thereby opening up the vaunted running attack.
Defensively, the Dinos need to compensate for the departure of two-time Canada West defensive MVP Sam Hurl, who’s turning heads in his first CFL campaign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Redshirt sophomore Cory Roboch takes over Hurl’s middle linebacker position, while veterans Linden Gaydosh, Zach McNeill, and Jordan Verdone will also pick up some of the slack on defence.
The Dinos remain at home next week to host the Alberta Golden Bears on Friday, Sept. 7 for KICKOFF 2012, the University of Calgary’s annual homecoming game. The game will kick off at 5:30 p.m. at McMahon Stadium, with tailgate festivities – including a free barbecue – beginning in the parking lot at 3 p.m.
Regina Rams (0-0)
Next week: host UBC
The Rams entered the 2011 season full of promise with a fifth-year quarterback, a dangerous run game, and a stellar defensive line. The loss of QB Marc Mueller to a shoulder injury in the first game of the year against UBC took them from a conference contender into a 3-5 team that squeaked into the playoffs – but the fifth-year pivot is back for another shot at it and the Rams are expected to battle the Dinos for Canada West supremacy.
Despite going unranked in the pre-season CIS Top 10, the Rams were handed second place behind Calgary in the Canada West coaches’ poll released this week, returning a veteran team with plenty of weapons. Mueller’s return should be a significant one for Regina – in each of his two seasons as the Rams’ starter, he has led Canada West in passing.
Mueller is joined by four of the team’s top five receivers from last season – including Calgary native Mark McConkey, who is looking to break the conference’s all time record for receptions at some point this season. The offensive line is stacked with veterans, but the Rams’ major question mark on offence will be the run game after the graduation of All-Canadian tailback Adrian Charles.
Defensively, Regina lost the conference’s top lineman with the departure of Akiem Hicks to the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, but the defensive line remains solid with All-Canadian Stefan Charles leading the way. Steve Fabulak, Kirby Kezama, and Jamir Walker are veteran DBs in the mix, while LB Chris Sciog was Regina’s tackling leader in 2010 and recorded 29.5 of them last season.
Punter Chris Bodnar is an offensive weapon for the Rams, leading the conference in yardage last season en route to an All-Canadian selection himself.
The Rams fell 29-13 to Manitoba in a non-conference game last week at home. Regina heads back home next week to face the UBC Thunderbirds Friday night at Mosaic Stadium.
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