Huskies look to lock up playoff spot

Game Date: Friday, October 17, 2014, 6 p.m. (SK time)
Game Location: Investors Group Field

Live Radio Broadcast: CK 750,www.ck750.com

Live Stats/ Live Webcast: canadawest.tv

THE GAME
The No. 8 University of Saskatchewan Huskies will look to secure a 2014 Canada West football playoff spot with a road win over the University of Manitoba Bisons in the first game after bye-week.

BROADCAST INFO
Kickoff is 6 p.m. Saskatchewan time on Friday. It is also available live on CK750 or www.ck750.com or via webcast at canadawest.tv.

THE HEADLINES

• Saskatchewan (No. 7) is one of two Canada West teams to hold a spot in the CIS Top 10. Calgary (No. 2) joins the Huskies in the national rankings.
• With a win on Saturday night, the Huskies can secure one of four playoff spots. To secure a home playoff date, the Huskies must win two games combined with an Alberta loss.
• Third-year starting quarterback Drew Burko is steadily moving up the Huskies’ all-time career lists in yards, pass completion and touchdowns (see media notes page 8).
• Manitoba quarterback Jordan Yantz will battle against brother Tristian Koronkiewicz, a first-year defensive lineman for the Huskies.

BISONS/HUSKIES SERIES
Including playoffs, the Huskies are 13-13 against Manitoba since 1999. Saskatchewan won the first meeting between the two teams, 44-24, to open the season in Saskatoon.

No. 8 UNIVERSITY OF SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (4-1)
The Huskies enter Week 6 on a two-game winning streak after wins over the Regina Rams and UBC Thunderbirds in their previous games.

Saskatchewan’s defence staved off a UBC Thunderbirds comeback at Griffiths Stadium in PotashCorp Park on October 4^th to secure the 31-25 win. With the Huskies holding a 29-10 lead early in the fourth quarter, UBC tallied two touchdowns in the frame to cut the lead to six. But Saskatchewan was able to run out the clock using the ground game to secure the win.

In the game, third-year running back Shane Buchanan rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Burko completed 19-of-33 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown.

Saskatchewan’s defence continued to force turnovers with four by the T-Birds in the game. The group has five fumble recoveries, nine interceptions and six sacks.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA BISONS (2-3)
The Manitoba Bisons look to find a winning stride in the second half after suffering a 38-31 loss to the Alberta Golden Bears in Week 5.

Regrouped after the bye-week, Manitoba will look to improve stopping the run game. In the loss, Alberta’s Ed Ilnicki scopred a trio of touchdowns including the game-winning touchdown with three minutes left in the game. Alberta had 271 yards on the ground.

Manitoba quarterback Jordan Yantz has completed 96-of-177 passes for 1430 yards and nine touchdowns in five games. He also adds 207 rushing yards and five touchdowns of his own on the ground. Kienan Lafrance adds another four touchdowns on 436 yards on the ground and 219 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

DJ Lalama leads the team on defence with 32.5 tackles, while Evan Foster has a league-leading four sacks.

Photo credit:  Craig Hiscock

(Source:  Saskatchewan Huskies Sports Information)

Bison returns home to host the No.7 Huskies on Friday

The Manitoba Bisons look to get back to their winning football ways after a conference bye and two straight losses on the road (Sept. 26: L 42-41 at Calgary; Oct. 4: L 38-31 at Alberta). The Bisons will host the #7 Saskatchewan Huskies on Friday, October 17 with kickoff at 7 p.m. CT and held at Investors Group Field (U of Manitoba campus). The game will be shown on live webcast at canadwest.tv website.

This is the second meeting of the season between the two football rivals as the Herd lost 44-24 on the road to start the 2014 season on September 5. In the earlier road loss to Saskatchewan, Manitoba were led by QB Jordan Yantz who went 20-38 for 310 yards while RB Kienan LaFrance had two touchdowns and 72 rushing yards and eight different receivers caught a ball.

Manitoba has won both games at home this season as they won 20-10 over UBC (Sat. Sept. 20) and 42-18 against Regina (Fri. Sept. 12).

In the conference standings, Manitoba is now in fourth spot (four make the playoffs) with a 2-3 record while Saskatchewan is tied for first with Calgary at 4-1. The lone loss for Saskatchewan was against Calgary (Sept. 19: L 38-24 at home) while they have wins over the Bisons, at Alberta (W 42-41 in overtime on Sept. 13), at Regina (W 21-16 on Sept. 27) and at home over UBC (W 31-25 on  Oct. 4).

Last season, the two teams met three times (twice in regular season) with Manitoba winning on the road in regular season and then victorious in a home playoff game as they lost 36-34 at home (Sept. 7/13), won 33-26 at Sask. (Oct. 18/13) and in the first ever CIS playoff game at Investors Group Field, the Herd prevailed in an exciting 37-36 post-season win. Overall, head coach Brian Dobie has a 13-14 regular season record during his 19 seasons at the helm and Manitoba hold a 7-8 home record against the Huskies in the last 19 years.

In 2014 conference regular season team stats, Manitoba is third in offence with 31.6 points average per game while Saskatchewan is second at 32.4 points per game. In offence yards per game, the Bisons are third with 448.4 while the Huskies are fifth at 428.4. On defence, Manitoba is third with 30.4 points allowed per game while Sask. at second at 28.8 pts/game. In yards allowed, Manitoba is second (423.0) and Sask. is fifth (485.6).

(Source: Chris Zuk, Manitoba Bisons Sports Information)

Rams, UBC to square off in Week 6 battle

KICKOFF: Saturday, Oct. 18 (2:00 p.m. PDT / 3:00 p.m. Saskatchewan)
SITE: Thunderbird Stadium (Vancouver, B.C.)
CAPACITY: 3500
RANKINGS: Regina NR, UBC NR
TELEVISION: Canada West Football on Shaw (Jim Mullin/PxP, Jesse Lumsden/CC) – live on Access7
RADIO: 620 CKRM (Mitchell Blair/PxP, Marco Ricci/CC)
LIVE VIDEO: www.canadawest.tv

Highlights
• The Rams are expected to make a change under centre this week, with fifth-year QB Cayman Shutter likely to return after missing two games to injury
• With the conference looking like it could produce its first three-win postseason team since 2010, both teams will be desperate for a win on Saturday to climb back into the playoff hunt
• The two teams met back in Week 1 in Regina, with the Rams emerging with a 33-23 win over then-No. 7 UBC

THROUGH THE AIR: Noah Picton and Cayman Shutter have essentially split the season under centre for the Rams, but the result has been the same – an offence heavily reliant on the passing game, with the Rams averaging a CIS-leading 376 yards per game through the air. In terms of total offence, the Rams average 456 yards per game – a total which ranks ninth in the country.

THE RICHARDS REPORT: Addison Richards again went over 100 receiving yards in Week 5 at Calgary, finishing in triple digits for the fourth time in five Canada West games this year. Richards now has 664 receiving yards this season, already the seventh most in University of Regina single-season history. He’s still on pace to join Don Blair (Calgary) and Brian Fryer (Alberta) as the only players in Canada West history to register 1000 in a year. Blair actually accomplished the feat twice, collecting 1033 in 1994 and setting the conference record with 1112 the following season.

JANOTTA WATCH: Jared Janotta caught five passes for 83 yards last week at Calgary and now ranks third in Canada West in both receptions (32) and receiving yards (472). With 171 career receptions the fifth-year SB is within striking range of the conference’s all-time record, as he trails only former U of R receivers Mark McConkey (180) and Chad Goldie (173) in the category. Janotta passed Jason Clermont during the Calgary game for second on the U of R’s all-time list with 2225 receiving yards and needs 234 to overtake Chad Goldie for the school’s lead.

RAMS IN THE PROS: The Rams currently boast three former players in the NFL, including P Jon Ryan (Seattle), DL Akiem Hicks (New Orleans), and DL Stefan Charles (Buffalo). Four University of Regina products are currently on CFL active rosters, including OL Brett Jones with Calgary and SB Chris Getzlaf and OL Brendon LaBatte with Saskatchewan. FB Neal Hughes was placed on Saskatchewan’s six-game injured list in late July and was expected to be activated for Sunday’s game before suffering a setback in practice on Friday. DL Micheal Dadzie (Ottawa), OL Chris Mercer (Edmonton), and DL Ryan Wellman (Saskatchewan) remain on practice rosters.

FAMILY TIES: OL Aaron Picton and SB Mitchell Picton are brothers, and their cousins QB Noah Picton and RB Blake Anaka are both in their first seasons of CIS eligibility with the U of R. There’s also a pair of Wilsons, as Riley is a third-year slotback with the Rams and his younger brother Luke is a rookie defensive back. Defensive coordinator Paul Dawson has a son (RB Dillon Dawson) and a nephew (LB Danny Nesbitt) on the team, while head coach Frank McCrystal‘s son Charlie McCrystal is on the staff as a defensive backs coach. If that isn’t enough, QB Cayman Shutter is a first cousin of starting WR Mitch Thompson.

CONFERENCE LEADERS: Richards leads Canada West in two major receiving categories including receptions (37) and yards (664), while his 85-yard touchdown reception from Noah Picton late in the Alberta game is the longest play from scrimmage in a conference game this season. Kicker Andrew Fabian is 9-for-10 on field goal attempts for the year to lead the conference with a 90% success rate, while defensive end Tyler Perkins is the only Canada West player with multiple fumble recoveries this season.

QUARTERBACKS
• After missing the Saskatchewan and Calgary games due to an injury suffered in Week 3 at Alberta, Cayman Shutter will likely return as the team’s starting QB on Saturday
• Shutter will make his fourth start of the season and is 54-for-93 (58.1%) this year with 688 yards and two TD passes
• First-year QB Noah Picton started both games in Shutter’s absence – combined with plenty of playing time in Week 2 and Week 3, he’s completed 61.7% of his passes this season for 1194 yards and 7 TDs
• Frankie Gray is third on the depth chart at QB, while fourth-year SB Landon Buch often serves as the team’s quarterback in short-yardage situations

RUNNING BACKS
• Dillon Dawson has started all five Canada West games for the Rams, but is out for the UBC game due to an injury suffered at Calgary – either Atlee Simon or Jens Johnson will get their first start of the season at RB
• Simon has 21 carries for 144 yards this season and has also handled kickoff duties for the Rams in all five games this season, averaging 49.3 yards per kickoff
• Johnson has 22 rushes this season for 127 yards, including his first career TD in Week 3
• With Dawson out, expect either Josh Koshman or Parker Scott – both rookies – to dress for their first career Canada West games for the Rams

RECEIVERS
• WR Addison Richards leads Canada West in receptions and receiving yards – he’s on pace for over 1000 yards, a mark which has only been surpassed three times in conference single-season history (see Page 2)
• WR Mitch Thompson starts opposite Richards and is third on the team in receptions (21) and fourth in receiving yards (176) while serving as the team’s holder and primary return man
• SB Jared Janotta is second on the Rams in both receptions (32) and receiving yards (472) – see Page 2 for more as Janotta approaches school and conference records in two major receiving categories
• Like Janotta, Riley Wilson has started all five games at slotback for the Rams – he has 17 catches for 256 yards this season
• SB Mitchell Picton made his first career start last week in place of Landon Buch, who remains questionable for this weekend
• Picton had four catches for 46 yards last week and now has six receptions for 120 yards and two TDs on the year
• Second-year WR Richard Sindani is the only other non-RB with a reception this season – he has four catches for 46 yards

OFFENSIVE LINE
• The Rams have gone with the same starting five on the line in each of the last four games and are expected to trot out Jeremy Zver (LT), Kyle Paterson (LG), Aaron Picton (C),Tristain Hoath (RG), and Matt Degelman (RT) again on Saturday
• Picton, who will be eligible for the 2015 CFL Draft, is the team’s most experienced lineman with 16 career Canada West starts and two postseason starts
• The durable Zver will make his 14th consecutive start at left tackle for the Rams
• Degelman comes into Saturday with 12 career starts, while Paterson has 11
• Nathan Cugnet and one of Keenan Carrier or Brandon Williams dress as backups – Carrier and Cugnet both dressed at Calgary
• Lyndon Smith is back practicing, but remains out after being injured in August

DEFENSIVE LINE
• With defensive coordinator Paul Dawson moving from a 42 defence to a 33 defence this season, the Rams will have a three-man front under most circumstances
• The Rams have gone with the same starters on the line in all five Canada West games with Dean Viena at rush end, Bryce McKinnon at nose tackle, and Tyler Perkins at defensive end
• The only player in Canada West with multiple fumble recoveries this season, Perkins also has a pass breakup and 13½ tackles including three tackles for loss and a sack
• Viena has a team-leading two sacks this year and is tied with Perkins with 13½ tackles and a pass breakup
• McKinnon has nine tackles (6 solo, 6 assisted) and one tackle for loss this year
• Eric Wicijowski will play in his sixth game of the year, while Grey McKen will also dress with Thomas Lill out indefinitely

LINEBACKERS
• After going with the same starters at linebacker for the first four Canada West games, Zack McEachern started at SLB last week at Calgary with Connor Ketchen (MLB) andMichael Stefanovic (WLB)
• McEachern started in place of redshirt freshman Dylan Minshull – Minshull is expected to step back in as the team’s starting SLB but McEachern is expected to again see plenty of playing time
• Ketchen and Minshull were teammates in high school (Neelin HS in Brandon, Man.)
• Stefanovic is the team’s leading tackler (22 solo, 12 assisted) and also has a pair of tackles for loss, while Minshull is third on the team with 23½ tackles and leads the Rams with 3½ tackles for loss
• Ketchen has 13½ tackles (10 solo, 7 assisted), while McEachern now has 11½ tackles (7 solo, 9 assisted)
• Cody Kezama (6 tackles) and rookie Danny Nesbitt (3 tackles) have also dressed for all five Canada West games

DEFENSIVE BACKS
• The Rams are expected to go with the same starting backfield as the Calgary game, including Tevaughn Campbell and Ryan Serbu at cornerback, Jeff Propp and Patrick MacDonald at halfback, Justin Edralin at safety, and Joey Dwyer at dimeback
• Look for three of Kahlen Branning, Kadeem Ellis, Korey Greene, and Jordy Kibamba to dress as backups – it was Ellis, Greene, and Kibamba in Week 5 at Calgary
• Edralin, MacDonald, and Serbu each have an interception this season, while MacDonald also has a team-high four pass deflections
• Dwyer is second on the team with 25½ tackles and is the only defensive back on the Rams with a sack this year (he’s got 1½)
• Propp is fourth on the team with 23 tackles (19 solo, 8 assisted) while MacDonald is fifth with 20 tackles (17 solo, six assisted)

PUNTERS/KICKERS
• Former Calgary Colts kicker Andrew Fabian leads the conference with a 90% success rate (9-for-10) on field goal attempts – he’s also averaging 38.4 yards per punt

RETURNERS
• WR Catlin Schneider is expected to return both punts and kickoffs for the Rams – he’s averaging 5.5 yards on eight punt returns this year and has one KO return for 36 yards
• DB Tevaughn Campbell and WR Mitch Thompson – who leads the team in both punt returns and kickoff returns – will also factor into the return game for the Rams

HOLDER / LONG SNAPPER
• WR Mitch Thompson will hold on field goal attempts, with DB Justin Edralin to snap for punts and LB Danny Nesbitt on FG attempts

(Source: Braden Konschuh, Regina Rams Sports Information)

Thunderbirds need win this weekend to keep playoff hopes alive

Vancouver  – The UBC Thunderbirds (1-4) return to action after a conference bye last weekend. Playoffs are still a possibility for the ‘Birds but a win this weekend against Regina (1-4) is a must. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm at David Sidoo Field at Thunderbird Stadium. The game will also be shown live on Shaw TV.

With three weeks remaining in the Canada West regular season, the UBC Thunderbirds need wins and they need them now. Starting with Regina this weekend, the Thunderbirds will also face Calgary and Saskatchewan down the stretch. With Manitoba currently sitting in the fourth and final playoff spot in the conference with a 2-3 record and UBC and Regina both a game back at 1-4, this could be the first post season since 2010 where a team with just three wins makes the playoffs.

Saturday will mark the second meeting of the season between the Thunderbirds and Rams. Regina defeated UBC 33-23 back on the opening weekend of the season. Quarterback Cayman Shutter threw for 430 yards and two touchdowns, while Addison Richards racked up 133 yards receiving and caught two touchdown passes in the victory.

UBC is coming off a disappointing 31-25 loss to Saskatchewan two weeks ago. The Thunderbirds had their chance to come away with a victory, but sloppy mistakes, mental miscues, and untimely penalties cost them.The highlight was once again the play of rookie returner/receiver Marcus Davis. He finished the night with over 300 all-purpose yards, including a 107-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The first-year player from Victoria leads the Canada West in all-purpose yards with 924 on the season (102 rushing yards, 124 receiving yards, 367 kickoff return yards, and 331 punt returns yard). He also has four touchdowns on the year.

Offensively the Thunderbirds have been inconsistent this season, however, the breakout performance of Brandon Deschamps two weeks ago against Saskatchewan has to be a major positive. The fourth-year back ran for over 100 yards for the first time this season, finishing with 129 yards on the ground.

Meanwhile, the defence continues to improve. They lead the league in forced turnovers (14) and Chris Adams has led the charge, leading the team in tackles (26.5) and interceptions (2).

After defeating the Thunderbirds in the first week of the season, the Rams have lost four straight games, including a 59-7 loss at the hands of the Calgary Dinos in their last game two weeks ago. The Rams are expected to welcome Shutter back to the starting line up after missing the previous two games due to injury. He no doubt will be looking to the Canada West’s leading receiver Addison Richards. He leads the league in receptions, yards and yards per game.

Other games this week across the conference will see Manitoba play host to Saskatchewan Friday night, while Calgary heads to Edmonton to take on the University of Alberta on Saturday.

The game will be broadcast live by Shaw TV. Kickoff is 2:00 pm Saturday, October 18th at David Sidoo Field at Thunderbird Stadium.

Photo credit:  Rick Lam

Source:  UBC Thunderbirds Sports Information

Provincial battle opens stretch drive

CALGARY – With bye week in the rear-view mirror, Canada West football begins the playoff push this weekend – and the University of Calgary Dinos are going bear hunting.

The second-ranked Dinos (4-1) will look to clinch a playoff spot and possibly a home playoff date Saturday when they head up the QEII to face the Alberta Golden Bears (3-2) at Edmonton’s Foote Field. Game time is 2 p.m., live on CanadaWest.tv (pay-per-view).

A victory would guarantee a postseason berth for the Dinos and, pending the result of Friday night’s Manitoba-Saskatchewan contest, could clinch at least second place and a first-round home playoff date. Either way, the Dinos remain in full control of their playoff destiny: if they win out, they’ll finish first and enjoy home-field advantage through the Hardy Cup.

Much has changed since the Dinos and Bears met up to open the season in a 71-3 victory for Calgary – including the score of that game. Now officially a 1-0 Alberta victory, the Sept. 5 result threw a wrench into the playoff picture and the Golden Bears come into the game at 3-2 on the season after subsequent home wins over Regina and Manitoba. Thanks to that, the Bears hold a one-point edge in the season series, so the Dinos would need to win by at least a deuce to earn the tiebreaker outright.

There are plenty of storylines on both sides of the ball in this one, and there’s always a little added emotion anytime the provincial rivals meet. And for the first time in a very long time, there are added stakes in the Battle of Alberta. Here’s a look at the two teams:

No. 2 Calgary Dinos (4-1)

Last week: defeated Regina 59-7; next week: host UBC

After squeaking past Manitoba at home, the Dinos headed into the bye week on a winning note with a comfortable 59-7 win over Regina back on Oct. 4.

Quentin Chown was the main offensive catalyst for Calgary, rushing for 95 yards in relief of Mercer Timmis, who sustained a leg injury in the opening minutes of the game after running for 77 yards as the Dinos thundered downfield for 393 yards in that contest. Timmis will sit one more week for Calgary in preparation for the playoff run, giving Chown his first career start at tailback for the Dinos this week in Edmonton.

While Timmis remains sidelined, however, Calgary will be as healthy as they’ve been all year at receiver – and it’s a dangerous group. Jake Harty is back after missing the Regina game, as is Brendon Thera-Plamondon – giving Andrew Buckley plenty of options behind the Dinos’ solid offensive line.

Also on the offensive side, Calgary kicker Johnny Mark is two points from history: already the all-time leading scorer in University of Calgary history with 355 points, Mark needs just two more to become Canada West’s all-time leader – surpassing Jamie Boreham’s career total of 357. The national record is 422, held by Western kicker Lirim Hajrullahu (2009-13).

Also key to the bounce-back performance against Regina was the Calgary defence’s performance, allowing the pass-happy Rams offence just 277 yards through the air and only 72 along the ground. The Dinos remain the top defence in the conference, allowing just 17.2 points per game on average and allowing fewer total yards, rushing yards, and passing yards than any other squad in Canada West.

The Dinos return home next week to face the UBC Thunderbirds before wrapping up conference play Nov. 1 at Manitoba.

Alberta Golden Bears (3-2)

Last week: defeated Manitoba 38-31. Next week: at Saskatchewan

The Golden Bears have held serve at home all season, and but for a bounce here or there could easily be 3-0 at Foote Field. This week, they’ll face their biggest test as the Dinos come north.

For their part, the Bears believe they’re ready. After being whitewashed by the Dinos 71-3, Alberta returned home and took Saskatchewan to overtime before succumbing to the Huskies – and they had their chances to win that one. A week later, the Regina Rams fell victim to the hard-working Bears and, after a road loss to UBC, Alberta stunned No. 10-ranked Manitoba before the bye with a 38-31 win to improve to 3-2 – and Alberta could be playoff-bound, with a very plausible scenario meeting Calgary in the opening round.

The Bears boast the second-best run game in the conference, averaging better than 170 yards. While that’s still 120 yards less than Calgary’s average, it’s a big step forward for the Bears, with second-year tailback Ed Ilnicki leading the way with 80 yards per game and a conference-best seven rushing TDs.. The Bears have given up more than 200 rushing yards per game, however, and they’ll need to tighten up the line of scrimmage to limit Calgary’s potential along the ground.

Fifth-year Calgary native Curtis Dell, who missed the season-opener against the Dinos, is right in the thick of it with 272 yards per game and is third only to Calgary’s Buckley and Regina’s Noah Picton in completion percentage at 59.1. Adam Zajdel has been his top target, averaging better than 50 yards per game on 14 receptions.

Alberta heads on the road for its final two games to wrap up the season. Next week they visit Saskatchewan, followed by a season-ending trip to Regina that could decide the final playoff spot.

Photo credit:  David Moll

Source: Ben Matchett, Calgary Dinos Sports Information