Dissecting the Canada west conference
Can the Saskatchewan Huskies continue their dominance?
ROMER BAUTISTA STAFF
Another year is on the horizon for the Canada West Conference of the CIS. The defending champions, the Saskatchewan Huskies, are looking to once again remain on top of the heap, but there are a couple of talented teams that are ready to take their place. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a couple of teams that are in for a tough season. Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the conference.
University of Alberta Golden Bears
2005 record: 7-1, second in conference
Although the Golden Bears have gone two straight years with backto- back 7-1 records, the team has undergone several big changes. Alberta will be missing a lot of key pieces on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball from the team that was a Hardy Cup finalist last year. They are especially going to miss the leadership of former quarterback Darryl Salmon, who has graduated. If the Golden Bears expect to remain competitive, they will need to rely on what appears to be their best offensive line in recent history. The o-line is returning four starters from last year, including conference all-star centre Sean Brown.
University of British Columbia Thunderbirds
2005 record: 4-4, fourth in conference
2005 was a tale of two seasons for the Thunderbirds. Their first three games of the season were a nightmare, as they lost all three, and things looked bleak. However, they were able to right the ship, and win four of their final five games. Of course, their reward for showing such a gritty effort was a playoff loss to the conference powerhouse Saskatchewan Huskies. So which team should we expect to show up this year? The offence will try their best to make sure it is the team from the second half of last season. They will be returning eight offensive starters from last year’s team, including senior quarterback Blake Smelser, and his favorite target, receiver Alan Pepper. Look for these two to be a lethal combination all season.
University of Calgary Dinos
2005 record: 2-6, sixth in conference
There is a renewed sense of hope on the University of Calgary campus. Dinos fans are hoping that new head coach Blake Nill can turn the program around, just as he did when he took a one-win Saint Mary’s Huskies team to the Vanier Cup the following year. Unfortunately, leading the Calgary Dinos to the Vanier Cup will be a much harder task. This is a very inexperienced team, especially on offence. The team’s hopes are pinned on the shoulder of rookie quarterback Dalin Tollestrup and an offensive line with three new starters. A defence led by linebacker David Gruninger, however, should be solid for the new coach.
University of Manitoba Bisons
2005 record: 4-4-0-1, third in conference
The boys in black are back Manitoba’s imposing defence will be returning most of their starters from last year. Up front, the defensive line will be anchored by two of the nation’s best, Simon Patrick and Justin Cooper. They will have help behind them, with all-stars Cory Huclack and Khari Joseph returning. On offence, the Bisons will miss the play-making ability of Ryan Zahara, but with two talented quarterbacks — John Mackie and Nathan Friesen — waiting in the wings, the Herd should be fine. The two pivots will benefit from the team having depth at all positions on offence.
University of Regina Rams
2005 record: 3-5, fifth in conference
If you’re betting on a Rams game, you better bet on the over, because you can expect a high-scoring game each and every time Regina steps out onto the field. Their high-powered offence is led by returning starter Teale Orban. He will have three of his favorite targets back for another year: Chris Getzlaf, Chris Bauman, and Chad Goldie. On defence, the Rams are led by two All-Canadians, linebacker Steve Wilson and cornerback Joel Lipinski, but that’s as far as their defensive play makers go. Regina would pose a threat, if their defence could ever hold up its end of the bargain.
University of Saskatchewan Huskies
2005 record: 8-0, first in conference
The Saskatchewan Huskies may still be the best team in the Canada West conference, but they will have a tougher time matching last season’s undefeated record. Several key pieces on offence from last year’s team are gone, including two former Hec Creighton award finalists, running back David Stevens and quarterback Steve Bilan. Replacing Bilan under centre is the talented Bret Thompson, who led the Saskatoon Hilltops to the Canadian Junior Football League national title three consecutive years. The defence is in a similar situation. Several starters from last year’s team are now gone, but their replacements look to be just as talented.
Simon Fraser University Clan
2005 record: 0-7-0-1, seventh in conference
After last year’s disappointing winless campaign, the SFU Clan underwent a coaching change. Enter former Alberta Golden Bears assistant coach Frank Boehres to take over head coaching duties. He and his coaching staff have quite the task ahead of them, turning around this struggling program. The team will be leaning on returning quarterback Jason Marshall to help lead the rebuilding phase. Marshall won’t have much help, however, as the team will have four new offensive linemen in the fold, as well as a new running back. Look for linebackers Tim Smith and Mike Little to make big plays for the defence.
