Calgary Dinos 2010 preview: ready to take it all the way

CALGARY – Erik Glavic has won virtually every award imaginable.

He’s a two-time Hec Crighton trophy winner as the most outstanding player in Canadian university football and the reigning Canadian Interuniversity Sport athlete of the year after winning the BLG Award in 2010. He’s a perennial all-star and All-Canadian and a two-time Uteck Bowl champion.

But there’s one empty spot right in the middle of his trophy case – a spot he has just one more chance to fill.

Glavic will lead the University of Calgary Dinos into their 47th season of Canada West football this fall with just one goal in mind: hoisting the Vanier Cup in late November at PEPS Stadium in Quebec City. And the long road to that goal begins Saturday when the Dinos open their fall training camp, presented by KPMG, at McMahon Stadium.

TRAINING CAMP ROSTER (.pdf, updated Aug. 18)

Getting back on the field will finally give the Dinos a chance to remove the bitter taste of a national championship that got away last season, when Calgary gave up an 18-point halftime advantage to lose the Vanier Cup 33-31 to the Queen’s Gaels. That loss provided motivation for the Dinos’ off-season workouts, and Glavic says his team is ready to make another run.

“Of course the Vanier is the ultimate goal, but there’s so much you have to do before that,” said the fifth-year quarterback. “We have to take it one game at a time. I think we’ve done a good job of getting past last year and putting all of our focus on the year coming up. We have a very good squad coming back, and I think everybody’s excited to make another run.”

Head coach Blake Nill enters his fifth season at the helm and will field a deep, talented team featuring eight All-Canadians. As two-time defending conference champions, there’s no question the Dinos will be considered a favourite in 2010. But when the 95 players hit the field on Saturday morning, Nill will be preaching against complacency – especially because Calgary opens the season for the third straight year against their number one rivals, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

“There are a lot of expectations this year, and rightfully so,” said Nill. “We’ve definitely made strides, but at the same time Canada West is so tough that you’re going to have to play to your best every week. Starting against Saskatchewan, you’ve got to be ready to go right now.”

“If we go out and execute and play the way we know that we can, I really think we’ll be in good shape,” said Glavic. “But if we go in arrogant and cocky, there are some great teams in this league who are capable of beating us. To play Saskatchewan in week one, you can’t ask for anything more. That game has been circled on our calendar since the schedule came out, and I’m sure it was on theirs too. We’re looking forward to that game.”

That Sept. 4 clash with the Huskies will take place at McMahon Stadium – the first time in three seasons the Dinos will entertain Saskatchewan on their home turf. The two rivals will meet in Saskatoon on Oct. 15.

Nill and his staff will put the players through their paces with seven days of two-a-day practices at McMahon Stadium, followed by an exhibition game against the Alberta Golden Bears on Saturday, Aug. 28 at Shouldice Park’s Hellard Field.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the 2010 edition of the Dinos as training camp approaches.

OFFENCE
The Calgary offence was at the very top in CIS last season, averaging an incredible 581.5 yards per game during the Canada West regular season. Five All-Canadians are back from last year – QB Erik Glavic, RB Matt Walter, SB Anthony Parker, WR Nathan Coehoorn, and RT Kirby Fabien – while the only losses on the offensive side of the football are utility receiver Taylor Altilio and backup quarterback Deke Junior.

The embarrassment of riches on offence doesn’t end there. The last three Canada West rushing leaders have worn the red ‘UC’ helmet, and the 2007 champ, former All-Canadian Anthony Woodson, is back after sitting out last season with a broken foot. Expect Woodson to be used in a variety of positions in the offence.

“I’m expecting it to be another breakout year for the whole offence,” said Glavic. “We put up some big numbers last year, and hopefully we can meet or beat those again this year.”

Offensive Coordinator Greg Vavra returns, supported by Joe Dodd (quarterbacks), Gino DiVincentis (running backs), Bob Kydd (receivers), and Rohn Meyer (offensive line) as the lead position coaches. Pierre Lefebvre, the 2009 Gino Fracas award winner in recognition of his many years as a volunteer assistant coach, returns to be special teams coordinator.

[HR][/HR] Quarterback
Key returnee: BLG Award and Hec Crighton winner Erik Glavic
Key loss: Backup Deke Junior
Key additions: Eric Dzwilewski (Boise, Idaho), Adam Ballingall (Kamloops, B.C.), Kiefer Olson (transfer, Regina)

The main storyline on offence during camp should be the battle for the backup quarterback position. Glavic is, of course, firmly entrenched as the starter, but he is in his fifth year of eligibility and the Dinos will be looking for their pivot of the future.

Coach Nill: “We have two first-year guys (Dzwilewski and Ballingall) who are very good athletes and the kind of quarterbacks we’re looking to run this style of offence. Then, we have a young man named Kiefer Olson who is composed, has some experience, has a very good arm, and will bring a different dimension to the game. I think he’s going to be the kind of guy who could surprise some people.”

[HR][/HR] Running Back
Key returnees: All-Canadian Matt Walter, Steven Lumbala
Key losses: none
Key additions: former All-Canadian Anthony Woodson, Keaton Jones (Waterloo, Ont.)

Walter was the only 1,000-yard rusher in the conference last season, while Lumbala put up 310 in just 49 attempts. Calgary led the nation in rushing in 2009, averaging more than 100 yards per game better than their closest conference opponent (Simon Fraser). The reinsertion of Woodson into the lineup along with Glavic’s outstanding scrambling ability indicate that the Dinos are set to churn up the yardage along the ground once again.

Coach Nill: “Woodson coming back is going to create a little bit of a logjam there. He’s going to be used as a hybrid of sorts and we’ll be able to move him in and out of the receiving corps, but he’s still going to get his carries out of the backfield. We’ll have two All-Canadians there along with Steven Lumbala, another tremendous athlete.”

[HR][/HR] Receivers
Key returnees: All-Canadians Nathan Coehoorn and Anthony Parker
Key loss: Taylor Altilio
Key additions: former All-Canadian Anthony Woodson, Braden Heffernan (Calgary), Milos Zivkovic (transfer, SFU)

Parker and Coehoorn finished one-two in Canada West last season in total receiving yards, splitting their catches virtually up the middle. They’re the key guys in a deep, experienced receiving corps, with the likes of Chris Dobko, Taylor Nill, and Richard Snyder in the mix as well. Woodson will move in and out of a slotback position, while a group of redshirt freshmen and newcomers will battle for reps as well.

Coach Nill: “You’ll probably see the group that started in the Vanier Cup (Coehoorn, Snyder, Parker, Nill) get most of the reps coming in, but we have two very good young men out of Calgary – Braden Heffernan and Adam Osterling – who are the kind of athletes who fit this offence very well. We’ve been impressed with Milos Zivkovic out of Simon Fraser so far, and then you have a whole group of kids who came in last year who are going to be very good as well.”

[HR][/HR] Offensive Line
Key returnees: All-Canadian tackle Kirby Fabien, all-star centre Alex Krausnick-Groh
Key losses: none
Key additions: Grant Potter (Calgary), Branden Stevens (Winnipeg)

Fabien has the distinction of being one of just a handful of players to earn All-Canadian status in his first year of eligibility, anchoring an experienced offensive line that paved the way for Walter and Lumbala to churn up rushing yards while giving Glavic the opportunity to pass for nearly 2,200 yards. All-star centre Krausnick-Groh, guards Quinn McCaughan and Reed Alexander, and six-foot-nine tackle Paul Swiston round out the probably starting group.

Coach Nill: “Everybody’s back from last year’s offensive line, with Carson Rockhill and Sean Gott right there as well. We’ve also brought in two guys who I believe are blue-chip linemen: Branden Stevens out of Oak Park in Winnipeg and Grant Potter from Beaverbrook in Calgary. Potter is a gem. He’s six-foot-five, 315 pounds, and I think he’s going to be the next guy for us.”

[HR][/HR] Kickers
Key returnee: Aaron Ifield
Key losses: none
Key addition: Andros Agathos (London, Ont.), John Mark (Peterborough, Ont.)

The University of Calgary’s all-time leading field goal kicker is Aaron Ifield, and he returns for one more season – but his competition will likely be better than ever. Andros Agathos and John Mark are both highly-touted high school kickers out of Ontario and will look to become Calgary’s kicker of the future.

Coach Nill: “I’m looking forward to this competition. Aaron is back, but Andros and John are both very good kickers as well and I think it will be good for Aaron to have that kind of competition every day in practice.”

[HR][/HR] DEFENCE
Blake Nill takes on the additional role of defensive coordinator in 2010 and has a solid group of returning players to build his new defence around. However, the defence is where the Dinos suffered most in off-season departures – DL Andrew Obrecht, LB Chase Moore, and DB Matt Grohn all graduated after five seasons, while DL Deji Oduwole made the jump to the Canadian Football League after impressing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ coaching staff.

The main focus of rebuilding will be the secondary, anchored by the newly arrived All-Canadian free safety Anthony DesLauriers who transfers from Simon Fraser. Doctor Cassama is an impressive athlete from Kristianstad, Sweden who could be a dark horse to start in the defensive backfield.

Nill will be joined on the defensive coaching staff by Mitch Beazer (defensive line), Wayne Harris (linebackers), and Marcello Rapini (defensive backs).

[HR][/HR] Defensive Line
Key returnees: CIS rookie of the year Linden Gaydosh, Carlos Guglielmi, Josh Symons, Byron Roberts
Key losses: Andrew Obrecht, Deji Oduwole
Key additions: Ian Shaw (transfer, Manitoba), Mike Forzani (Calgary Colts)

The Dinos lost both starting defensive ends in Obrecht and Oduwole, but the position enjoyed arguably the greatest depth of any Calgary had last season. CIS rookie of the year Gaydosh along with Guglielmi and Symons are all back, joined by Roberts, Kelly Temple, and Mike Klassen.

Coach Nill: “We’re looking for a big year from Guglielmi after an injury-plagued year last season. He along with Linden and Josh Symons are big, strong men and pretty good athletes, and then you add Byron Roberts and Mike Klassen. I’m also looking for Kelly Temple to have a breakout year, he’s in pretty good shape and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can bring.”

[HR][/HR] Linebackers
Key returnees: All-Canadian Andrea Bonaventura, Geoff Paiement, Julian Simmerling, Travis Payne, Matt Prete
Key losses: Chase Moore
Key additions: Zack Agathos (transfer, Saint Mary’s), Chris Folk (transfer, SFU), Craig Adamson

The graduation of Chase Moore kicks off a changing of the guard for the Dinos at linebacker with Andrea Bonaventura, Geoff Paiement, and Julian Simmerling each set to complete their eligibility this year. Travis Payne and Matt Prete are young players looking more and more ready to step in, while R.J. Bond returns for his second season and Craig Adamson makes the jump to linebacker after starting his career at defensive back in 2008, when he was the Dinos’ nominee for rookie of the year before sitting out the 2009 season. The transfer of Chris Folk from Simon Fraser brings Calgary’s total of fifth-year linebackers to four.

Coach Nill: “I think Payne, Prete, and Adamson are going to have terrific years and really compete for playing time. Folk from Simon Fraser and Zack Agathos from Western Ontario are two transfers coming in as well, and it will be interesting to see what they can bring.”

[HR][/HR] Secondary
Key returnees: Steve Truzak, Tye Noble, Sam Hurl, Brian Hagen, Thomas Spoletini
Key losses: Matt Grohn
Key additions: All-Canadian safety Anthony DesLauriers (transfer, SFU), Doctor Cassama (Kristianstad, Sweden)

The defensive backfield was identified as the Dinos’ greatest need for improvement, and Nill certainly wasted no time overhauling. Fifth-year safety DesLauriers will make Calgary his third and final stop in Canada West after stints at UBC and Simon Fraser and was a first-team All-Canadian last season, bringing valuable experience and leadership to a young group in the secondary. The young talent is there with the likes of Tye Noble, Sam Hurl, Brian Hagen, and Thomas Spoletini, while Michael Lau and Steve Truzak are fourth- and fifth-year players, respectively, who return after starting at corner in the Vanier Cup.

Coach Nill: “We need better play out of the secondary. Cassama is a great athlete, and then there’s a whole list of second- and third-year guys. Hagen, Hurl, Spoletini, and Noble are all great athletes and I think you’re going to see those three guys really step up this year. But the key will be DesLauriers. When CIS made the ruling that SFU players could transfer right away, he was the guy I thought could help us right away. He’s going to be the leader, and he’s probably the single most important addition to our team this year.”