Manitoba enters at 1-3 while Saskatchewan at 2-2
Game Day Notes: University of Manitoba Bisons (1-3) vs. University of Saskatchewan Huskies (2-2)
Friday, October 1 2010
When the two teams last met on October 17/09 at Manitoba, the Bisons will now return seven defensive (Everton Black, Thomas Hall, Andrew James, Teague Sherman, Pete Adams, John Tietzmann and Adam Hindley) and four offensive (Scott Johnson, Justin Yakiwchuk, Sam Nemis and Matt Henry) starters plus Louie Richardson (defensive end), Justin Clayton (linebacker), Mike Taylor (linebacker), Adam Mazowita (cornerback), Khaleal Williams (quarterback), Kevin Hayes (quarterback), Chad Young (fullback), James Gerardy (tailback), Kris Semple (receiver) and Stu Schollaardt (slotback) were in a backup position in that game. Last season, the Bisons and Huskies played once and Saskatchewan prevailed by a 31-11 score at Manitoba on Oct. 17/09. Manitoba has not visited Saskatoon since the 2006 season, when they won 35-16 (Oct. 7/06).
In the last 14 seasons, the Bisons sport an overall regular season record of 11-10 versus the Huskies and 5-3 record at Saskatoon.
After a tough end to the 2009 season, the Manitoba Bisons football seek to regroup and make a run into the playoffs for the first time since winning the Vanier Cup Championship in 2007. In 2009, Manitoba had a 4-4 record on the field but finished with an official Canada West record of 2-5 due to using an ineligible player.
Heading into the 2010 season, Manitoba had 85 players in training camp with almost half (39) being new players to the program. There are eight of 12 starters on the defence and five of the 12 starters on offence returning to the Bison squad. Three years removed from winning their third Vanier Cup Championship in team history, the Manitoba Bisons football team only has three players left on this year’s edition that dressed in the 2007 Vanier. The Herd looks to bounce back from missing the playoffs for only the fourth time in the last 11 years. This is the only match-up between the Huskies and the Bisons during the 2010 season.
These two teams played once during the 2009 season:
October 17, 2009 Saskatchewan 31 Manitoba 11 at Manitoba Last season, the then #7 ranked Saskatchewan Huskies registered a road victory by a 31-11 winning margin over the host Manitoba Bisons. It is not often in a game decided by a 20 point margin that a turning point occurs only 20 minutes into a football game but this is what happened in the sixth match of the 2009 season for both teams. After Saskatchewan scored first with two field goals from kicker Grant Shaw from 20 and a boomer from 55 yards in the first quarter, the Bisons responded with their lone touchdown drive of the contest. It went six plays for 62 yards and ended when RB James Gerardy scampered into the end zone from ten yards out. As Manitoba seemed to have all the momentum, kick return Jeff Hassler found a seem on the ensuing kickoff and bolted for 86 yards and with an unnecessary roughness penalty tacked onto the end of the play, the Huskies were set up on the Bisons’ one yard line and punched in the go-ahead touchdown by RB Tyler O’Gorman at the 5:50 mark of the second. Saskatchewan had the lead right back after only a mere 34 seconds and Manitoba could never recover from the rapid touchdown. A close second for a game turning point happened late in the first half as Huskies QB Laurence Nixon was intercepted by DL Adam Hindley on the Huskies 22 yard line. On the next drive, the home side was stopped on 3-and-1 on the Huskies 11 yard line and came away with no points before halftime and the score remained 13-7. For the Huskies, Nixon went 20-30 for 209 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs. The game-high rusher was O’Gorman with 68 yards on 15 carries followed by Nixon and Hassler at 23 yards apiece. In receiving, Scott McHenry had four receptions for 62 yards. On defence, DB Bryce McCall led the team with 6.5 tackles along with LB Peter Thiel with six tackles and one break-up plus DB Harley Irwin notched six tackles and one interception. Shaw had a 39.0 punting average on 11 punts and two FGs despite strong wind conditions.
For the Herd, QB Nathan Friesen was 15-36 for 176 yards and 1 INT. On the ground, Gerardy led with 55 yards on 11 carries with RB Matt Henry held to 17 yards on eight rushes. SB Clancy Doiron had four receptions for 52 yards while WR Jeremy Botelho had three catches for 42 yards and Stu Schollaardt with three grabs. On defence, nose tackle Eddie Steele registered a game-high nine tackles and one forced fumble. LB Thomas Hall had 7.5 tackles while Hindley had one interception, one sack and five tackles along with Everton Black with one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one break-up with five tackles.
Points of Interest
Since Brian Dobie took over as head coach at Manitoba, the Herd has a 11-10 regular season record and holds a winning 5-3 road record against the Huskies over the last 14 seasons. Over the last five seasons, Manitoba has won three of five meetings.
Last season, Manitoba finished with a 2-5 regular season record and sixth place in the conference with four points. Saskatchewan was 7-1 for 14 points and first place and made the playoffs. Saskatchewan beat Regina 53-23 at home in the 2009 Canada West Semi-Final and then lost a squeaker 39-38 against Calgary at home in the Canada West Final (Hardy Cup). Manitoba did not play a pre-season game this season while Saskatchewan won 40-12 over the visiting University of Western Ontario Mustangs in a non-conference game at Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park on August 27. Manitoba went 1-3 on the road last season while Saskatchewan was 4-0 at home during 2009 season.
This season, Manitoba is 1-1 on the road and the Huskies are only 0-1 at Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park.
In 2010 regular season, in scoring offence, Saskatchewan is second (26.2 points per game) while Manitoba is tied for fifth (20.5 ppg), while in scoring defence, the Bisons are fifth with 29.8 ppg and the Huskies are tied for second at 22.5. In total offence, Sask. is first with 461.0 yards per game and Manitoba is sixth at 365.5. In total defence, Manitoba is fifth with 442.0 yards per game and the Huskies are second at 395.2.
In 2010 regular season, in pass defence, Manitoba is first (218.5 yards); the Huskies are third (249.0). In rush offence, Manitoba is fifth (155.8 yards per game) and Sask. is third (167.5). In rush defence, the Huskies are second (146.2) and Manitoba is last (223.5).
Last week for Manitoba, the Bisons second half comeback fell short as the lost to #4 ranked Calgary by a 26-25 score at the annual Bisons Homecoming game on Saturday, September 25. Calgary was dominant on the ground as they had three different players churn up more than 100 yards in the game and the Dinos outrushed the Bisons by a wide 355-42 yard margin. The visitors held a 20-3 halftime lead with TDs from Steven Lumbala (19 yard reception) and Matt Walter diving in from one yard out. At the half, Calgary already had a large 268-9 rushing yard margin and had 17-5 advantage in first downs. Manitoba saw life at the start of the second half when Bison QB Khaleal Williams marched the team to two TD drives but could not get the lead and lost by one point. For Manitoba, Williams had his best statistical game in his CIS career with 308 yards on 25-40 with 2 TDs and two picks plus 28 rushing yards. Henry, Bisons top rusher, was grounded with only six yards on four carries. On defence, fourth year DB Pete Adams with a game-high 12.5 tackles (11 solo), third year LB Thomas Hall recorded 7.5 tackles and two sacks and third year DL Adam Hindley with 7.0 tackles in the home loss.
Last week for Saskatchewan, Jade Etienne hauled in six passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns as the visiting Huskies defeated the then No. 7 Alberta Golden Bears by a 33-9 score on Friday, September 24 night at Foote Field in Edmonton. Veteran Huskies’ QB Laurence Nixon connected on 25 of 34 attempts for 423 yards and three touchdowns in the win, with sophomore receiver Mitch Stevens also catching a major, and running back Ben Coakwell with a TD. Coakwell finished with 21 carries and 98 yards, while also rambling for 41 yards on passing plays.
The Bisons are scheduled to have, on their 40 man travel roster for game five at Saskatchewan, a couple of changes from game four. For Bison starters, there is no change on the offence side while on defence, DT Jesse Schryver, DE Kyle Bracken will both be the starter and Nick Naylor will handle double duty as placekicker and punter.
Players for Manitoba on the roster vs. Calgary include two straight out of high school: Thomas Miles (Churchill) and Nick Naylor (W. J. Mouat) with Naylor starting as placekicker. Last season, Manitoba had four Canada West All-Stars. On defence, interior lineman Eddie Steele (first time), defensive end Everton Black (first time), halfback Pete Adams (first time) plus kick returner Jeremy Botelho (first time) while Saskatchewan had three. The Bisons have allowed ten sacks (fourth in conference) in four games while Saskatchewan has allowed 16 sacks (sixth best in Canada West). Manitoba has sacked the QB six times (fifth in conference) while the Huskies are last with five QB sacks. In penalties, Saskatchewan is ranked second and Manitoba ranked third in Canada West for least amount. The Huskies have 34 penalties for 79 yards average per game while the Bisons have been flagged 44 times (80.2 avg.). In turnover margin, Saskatchewan is tied for second in the conference at +1 while Manitoba is last at -5.
In red zone offence, the Bisons are third at 91.7% (seven TDs and four field goals) while Saskatchewan at 88.9%. Manitoba has now scored nine touchdowns in the first four games after only scoring once after the first two games of this season. Their nine touchdowns breakdown as: five rushing and four passing TDs. RB Matt Henry notched his 25th overall touchdown with the Bisons during his five year career, good for second all-time in the program’s history. Henry is now only 138 rushing yards away from 3000 career rushing yards at Manitoba and would only be the second Bison to achieve that feat since records were kept from 1968 season (Dominic Zagari 4738 yards from 1991-95).
Last week, DB Pete Adams established a new team mark in combined tackles (solo and assisted) with 12.5 tackles in the home loss to Calgary. In total tackles, Everton Black (87.5), Pete Adams (78.0) and Thomas Hall (68.0) are all closing in on the top 10 of career tackles totals inn the program’s history.
Last week, QB For Manitoba, Williams had his best statistical game in his CIS career with 308 yards on 25-40 with 2 TDs and two picks plus 28 rushing yards. Williams threw to seven different receivers against Calgary. In conference stats, Henry is fifth with 329 rushing yards, QB Khaleal Williams is fifth with 833 yards, Schollaardt is tied for fourth with 16 receptions, K Nick Naylor is eighth with 23 points. In total offence, Williams is fourth (1034 yards), Henry is also is tied for fourth with three touchdowns. WR Quincy Hurst is first in kick return with 24.8 avg. yards and fifth in punt return at 7.9. In all-purpose yards, Hurst is third in Canada West at 581 yards. Brendon Bowman is sixth with 36.4 punting avg.; Naylor is tied for fourth at 4-5 on FGs.
In conference stats, on defence, DB Pete Adams is sixth at 22.5 tackles while LB Thomas Hall is tied for seventh with 22.0 total tackles. DL Adam Hindley is 14th in Canada West with 19.5 tacklers; DE Louie Richardson is tied for 17th at 18.5 tackles while DE Everton Black is tied for 22nd at 17.0. Hall is tied for fourth with two sacks and tied for eighth with 3.5 tackles for a loss. DB Grayson Wells and Adams are tied for seventh with three passes defended and Wells is tied for fifth in Canada West with two interceptions. DL Clifton Lewis and Adams have one fumble recovery each plus Hall and Richardson have one fumble recovery each. Adams also has one block kick.
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