T-Birds, Rams kick-off CW season on Friday in Regina

The UBC Thunderbirds and Regina Rams open up the Canada West schedule on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Regina defeated Manitoba by a 15-7 score in a non-conference game last weekend and is ranked No. 6 in the first FRC-CIS poll of the new season, while UBC was defeated by Menlo (Calif.) College 39-13 last Saturday and enters the game unranked.

DATE: Friday, Sept. 2
TIME: 6:00 p.m. (pacific)
LOCATION: Mosaic Stadium
WEBCAST: Canadawest.tv

THE HEADLINES

• The Rams were ranked first in the Canada West preseason coaches’ poll, garnering four out of a possible five first-place votes, while UBC was ranked fourth
• Friday’s game marks the first time since the 2005 season that the Rams have opened up the Canada West schedule against a team other than Manitoba and the first time since 2002 that Regina and UBC have met in the first week of the season
• The Rams have won four consecutive games over UBC in a streak that dates back to 2007
• The Rams and the Thunderbirds met once last season, with Regina scoring a 41-6 win over UBC on Sept. 24 in Vancouver
• The two teams will also square off on Saturday, Oct. 15 in Vancouver

UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA THUNDERBIRDS (0-0)

Under the guidance of second-year head coach Shawn Olson, the UBC Thunderbirds are looking to get back into the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season. The Canada West preseason coaches’ poll suggests that UBC has a shot at doing just that this year, as the Thunderbirds were tabbed to finish fourth in the conference ahead of Alberta and Manitoba.

UBC’s offence is guided by fourth-year quarterback Billy Greene, who led all Canada West pivots with 564 rushing yards last season. Greene was also one of three quarterbacks in the conference to register at least 2000 passing yards in 2010, ending up with 2157 and throwing nine touchdown passes. Fifth-year running back Dave Boyd is back and healthy after missing most of last year due to injury and is just two years removed from a 2009 season which saw him finish second in Canada West with 782 rushing yards. UBC returns its top two receivers from last year, including slotback Spencer Betts and wide receiver Jordan Grieve. Left tackle Patrick Sullivan is a huge addition for the Thunderbirds, as he’ll start for UBC immediately after winning a Vanier Cup with Queen’s last season.

Two returning Canada West all-stars highlight the Thunderbird defence. Defensive end Serge Kaminsky returns for his fourth season of eligibility after registering 23 tackles and 21Ž2 sacks last season, while cornerback Sam Carino finished second on the squad in 2010 with 27 total tackles and had two interceptions. UBC has an interesting mix of experience on the defensive side of the ball – Kaminsky, Carino, Connor Flynn, Devin Kavanagh, Levar Hayden, and Chris Mark are all fifth-year players expected to start for the Thunderbirds, but UBC will also be relying heavily on the contributions of several first-year players including linebackers Alex Bojilov and Jake Woodson and tackle Geoff Piper.

After Friday’s game, UBC will prepare for another road game as the Thunderbirds will travel to Calgary for a Week 2 matchup against the Dinos on Sept. 9.

UNIVERSITY OF REGINA RAMS (0-0)

With almost their entire roster returning from last year’s squad that finished in third place in the Canada West standings with a 5-3 record, there’s high hopes for the Rams as they enter the 2011 season. The U of R’s offence, which ranked second in the conference last season with 281 points scored, will be controlled by fifth-year quarterback Marc Mueller. Mueller will again have a strong receiving corps to throw to, as Brenden Owens, Mark McConkey, and Jared Janotta all return while newcomers Ian Miller (Saskatoon Hilltops) and Jay Smith (Regina Thunder) figure to see plenty of playing time. Adrian Charles, who was a first-team All-Canadian and set a University of Regina record with 972 rushing yards last season, will again be a threat on the ground in his final season as a Ram. The offensive line should remain strong even with the loss of John Hashem and Devin Hillier, as Brett Jones will transition into a full-time starter and former Joel Hrycyk (Saskatoon Hilltops) is expected to step in immediately.

The Rams also lose just two starters from the defence. Logan Brooks, Stefan Charles, Benton Gieni, and Akiem Hicks all return on the line, while Ryan Wellman (Vancouver Island Raiders) will also be back in the mix after a season of junior football. The backfield is led by first-team All-Canadian cornerback Jamir Walker, while Kirby Kezama is expected to slide over to safety in place of the graduated Matt Yausie. Mike Kerr, Steve Famulak, and Daniel Knaus should all retain their starting positions in the backfield, while newcomer Cody Johnstone (Regina Thunder) will get the start at the corner opposite Walker.

Punter/kicker Chris Bodnar – a Canada West all-star last season – returns for his fourth season of eligibility after leading the conference in 2010 with an average of 41 yards per punt. Bodnar also threw the longest completion for the Rams last year, throwing a 73-yard touchdown pass to Yausie on a fake punt against UBC in Week 4.

The Rams hit the road for the first time in 2011 next weekend, as provincial rivals Regina and Saskatchewan will meet next Friday at Saskatoon’s Griffiths Stadium.

Ben Schach with files from Regina SID