T-Birds vying for second straight win of 2010 at Homecoming (olsen interview video)

VANCOUVER- The 2010 Homecoming football game goes this Saturday as UBC hosts Manitoba in one of the most popular T-Bird events of the year. More than 3,000 fans came out in 2009 and this year, with another rocking party before hand beginning at 11:30 a.m., promises to be an awesome event. Kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. and the T-Birds will be looking to build off their massive win last weekend.

HD VIDEO interview with UBC head coach Shawn Olson

A LOOK AT THE T-BIRDS

The Thunderbirds enter Week 3 coming off a huge 31-12 road win over the then no. 2 Saskatchewan Huskies. The victory was UBC’s first since the 2009 season opener and the first under rookie head coach Shawn Olson. Given the Huskies’ dominant week one win over the then top-ranked Calgary Dinos, UBC’s week two result is especially impressive.

All-star running back Dave Boyd made his return to action last week in Saskatoon, posting 115 yards on 24 carries. He will be the central figure in UBC’s rushing attack versus the Bisons, but don’t discount the legs of quarterback Billy Greene. Greene has 168 rushing yards in two games so far this season.

Among UBC receivers, Spencer Betts has played a big role in both games this year. The Surrey, B.C., product leads the Thunderbirds with 11 receptions for three touchdowns. Ryan Couper has also caught a touchdown pass in both games this year, while Victor Marshall has been a downfield threat, catching three 40+ yard balls in the young season.

Defensively, Chris Mark has been a standout in the secondary, snagging three interceptions in two games, while linebacker Nathan Kanya leads all T-Birds with 17 tackles and two sacks. Kanya earned Canada West defensive player of the week honours on Monday and is tied for first in Canada West in tackles and tackles for a loss (5.5).

The UBC pass rush, which was ineffective in week one made a huge leap forward last week, posting six sacks. The Thunderbirds defense also recovered four fumbles to go with two interceptions versus the Huskies and notched a safety. That level of improvement from week to week bodes well for the ‘Birds.

A LOOK AT THE BISONS

The University of Manitoba is off to a tough start in 2010. The Bisons have posted back-to-back lopsided defeats – a 45-11 loss to Regina in week one, followed by a 31-6 loss to Alberta in week two.

The young Manitoba squad was held without a touchdown last week and has struggled to generate offense so far this season. The passing offence, helmed by second-year quarterback (and first-year starter) Khaleal Williams has yet to score, but has been intercepted six times. The Bison offensive line has also yielded seven sacks.

Receivers Xavier Johnson and Stu Schollaardt have been Williams’ favorite targets, posting seven and eleven receptions respectively over two games.

Manitoba’s rushing game has been a bit more successful. Running back Matt Henry is averaging over six yards per carry, which resulted in a 136-yard performance last week.

On the other side of the ball, the Manitoba defense has given up 698 yards of total offense. Defensive lineman Everton Black leads the Bison with 13 tackles.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Thunderbirds dropped both decisions last year to the Bisons, but the second of those was one of UBC’s most closely contested matches. A year earlier, the ‘Birds earned one of their two wins of 2008 at Manitoba. However, that win aside, the Bisons have made a habit of trampling the Thunderbirds in recent history. The ‘Birds lost every meeting with Manitoba for three seasons leading up to 2008’s win. Before that, UBC came out on the winning side of both 2004 meetings with the University of Manitoba. Overall, UBC is 3-6 against the Bison over the past five seasons.

COACH OLSON ON…

Facing a hungry team:
“Every week in Canada West is a dogfight. Manitoba is a team that has some talent and they don’t want to go 0-3. They’re going to lay everything on the line, and they’re going to be very dangerous. We need to make sure that we’re focused and ready to go.”

The key to continued improvement:
“Last week, our pass rush was better and we didn’t allow the big play. Those were the main differences. Confidence is an important part of production in sports, so hopefully our guys can understand what made us successful in week one and continue to build off that. But we approach wins and losses the same way – we look at areas where we did well and areas we need to fix, and we coach our players on those things.”

SHRUM BOWL 33
Despite SFU’s move to NCAA Division II, the biggest football rivalry game in the lower mainland is still on. UBC hosts Shrum this year on Friday, October 8 with Canadian rules the name of the game. Tickets are available for $15 or as part of a T-Bird football season’s pass ($25).

THIS GAME: Manitoba at UBC, Sat., Sep. 18, 1:00 p.m., Thunderbird Stadium
RADIO/WEB: 101.9 CiTR FM, www.citr.ca
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