CALGARY - It's not every day the first game of the regular season has playoff implications – but in a seven team, eight game conference like Canada West, every game has playoff implications. And with the sudden emergence of the Simon Fraser Clan, who broke a 25-game losing streak last Saturday against UBC in a 24-10 victory, what was already a wide-open conference just opened up a little more.
Aaron Ifield's 51-yard, last-second field goal boot broke the Saskatchewan Huskies' hearts the last time the Calgary Dinos paid a visit to Griffiths Stadium, and the 20-19 win helped get Calgary back into the Canada West playoffs for the first time since 2004. It was Calgary's first win over the Huskies since 2002 and just their sixth in the last 20 games, stretching back to 1996. And the Dinos would dearly love a repeat performance under the lights in Saskatoon Friday night.
Calgary won its last three regular season games in 2007 to qualify for the playoffs, including a come-from-behind 41-23 victory over UBC in the final conference game. In Winnipeg a week later, the Dinos dropped a 27-5 decision to the eventual Vanier Cup champion Manitoba Bisons in a game where the visitors committed nine turnovers and actually led in most statistical categories.
Key to Calgary's resurgence last season was the top running game in the nation, provided by second team All-Canadian Anthony Woodson and Canada West rookie of the year Matt Walter, who finished one-two in the conference rushing standings. Both are back in 2008, but the entire left side of their stellar offensive line is not, with two of them – Tim O'Neill and Mark Dewit – on active CFL rosters. Early indications have shown that the running back tandem is up to the challenge – case in point Walter's 78-yard touchdown run against Regina last Saturday in exhibition action – put Calgary's success in 2008 could be tied to QB Jordan Flagel's ability to move the ball through the air.
Flagel takes over the starting quarterback's position for the second season, although this time he has a full year training at the position under his belt. After spending a year at Minot State University, Flagel transferred to Calgary in 2007, where he entered camp as a receiver. Two days into fall camp he was moved to the quarterback position and, following a knee injury to likely starter Casey Brown, was thrust into the starting role. He started five games before sustaining a thumb injury on his throwing hand, which sidelined him for the rest of the football season. Flagel, who also plays for the Dinos men's basketball team, also missed a substantial portion of the hoops season.
Brown is back in the mix too, after returning to California to rehab his knee, while Deke Junior joins the program from the Regina Thunder of the PFC, which he led in passing yards (2,488) last season.
The passing attack should be no problem for the Saskatchewan Huskies. Quarterback Laurence Nixon was the conference's most efficient passer last season, completing 104 passes on 150 attempts for 1457 yards, leading the Huskies to the top passing offence in Canada West (2461 yards). The receiving quartet of Dan Houle, Cory Jones, Scott McHenry, and Karl Phillips combined for 1236 yards through the air in 2007 – better than Calgary's team total of 1224.
It will be up to the Dinos defence, then, to smother the Saskatchewan passing game, which it did effectively against two-time defending Canada West MVP Teale Orban and the Regina Rams last week in Medicine Hat. Led by returning conference all-star cornerback Jon Waldie, safety James Green, and linebacker Chase Moore, Calgary boasts a veteran defence that should be the team's strength in 2008.
The opening game of the season for both teams – their only match-up this year – features an up-and-coming Calgary squad against the Saskatchewan Huskies, who always seem to be in the mix come playoff time.
Game on.
-UC-
