Nyhus’s highly anticipated time as starting
QB arrives
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| Mason Nyhus takes over as the Huskies starting quarterback. |
The
21-year-old was answering a question about not only taking over as starting
quarterback of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team, but also
being hyped as the signal caller that could potentially take the team all the
way when he first stepped foot on campus in 2016.
A quartet
of Nyhus’s teammates walked past, and they sent off good-natured shots about
him being the superstar and bowing towards him.
Nyhus
chuckled at the scene.
“I’ve got
great teammates obviously that are going to help me out,” said Nyhus. “We have
a great defence, so I basically get to go out there and make the right throws
and get the ball to my playmakers and let them do the work for sure.”
Back in 2016, Nyhus, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 195
pounds, came to the Huskies as highly-touted prospect from the Riffel High
School Royals football team in Regina. He was the gem in the final recruiting
class brought in by now retired Huskies head coach and Canadian Football Hall
of Fame member Brian Towriss.
Nyhus quarterbacked Saskatchewan’s provincial team to a
bronze medal win at the 2015 Football Canada Cup in Saint Jean, Que. At the
International Bowl series that ran Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, 2016 in Arlington, Texas,
Nyhus was calling signals for Canada’s under-18 team.
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| Mason Nyhus (#8) throws a pass in a controlled scrimmage in 2016. |
Since Nyhus stepped foot on the U of S campus, there has
been anticipation among football followers in Saskatchewan to see what he could
do as the starting quarterback of the Huskies.
There were visions of Nyhus taking the Huskies on a long
playoff run and potentially winning the Vanier Cup as U Sports champions for
the first time since 1998.
While Nyhus
does have confidence, he has humbleness too and is quick to downplay the noise. Going through his first Huskies training camp in 2016, he was playing behind
veterans Kyle Siemens and Drew Burko and ultimately red shirted that campaign.
Nyhus said
that was where he should be in the pecking order at that time.
“I just
remember they had really big arms,” said Nyhus, who is in his third year of U
Sports eligibility. “Kyle was a two-year junior guy, and then he had two years
with the Huskies.
“He was the
same age as my older brother, so I always thought that was bizarre. Burko was a
year older than him. They were just big, strong guys, you know what I mean.
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| Mason Nyhus at Roughriders training camp in 2018. |
Siemens beat
out Burko for the starting spot in 2016, and Burko exhausted his U Sports eligibility
following that campaign.
Nyhus was
the backup behind Siemens the past two seasons. Nyhus saw Siemens set the
Huskies records for most pass completions (201) and passing yards (2,570) in
one regular season in the 2017 campaign.
During his
five seasons with the Huskies from 2014 to 2018, Siemens completed 604-of-998
passes for 7,932 yards, 55 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. His 604 completions
are a career regular season record for the Huskies, and his 7,932 yards is
second on the Huskies career regular season yardage list.
Siemens
capped his career guiding the Huskies to their first Canada West Conference
title by winning the Hardy Cup and berth to a U Sports semifinal bowl game since 2006. The Huskies fell
47-24 in the Mitchell Bowl to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs in
London, Ont.
Siemens
prepared for his years with the Huskies toiling on the Canadian Junior Football
League roster of the Regina Thunder in 2012 and a CJFL championship campaign in
2013.
“I couldn’t
ask for a better guy to play with,” said Nyhus. “He (Siemens) is one of my best
friends here in Saskatoon.
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| Kyle Siemens (#19) was a big influence in helping Mason Nyhus. |
“I try to
stay calm out there, and I definitely learned a lot from Kyle (Siemens) in that
matter. He is a very poised quarterback. I definitely took that with me a lot.”
The Huskies
return a number of veterans on offence along the offensive line and at
receiver.
The running
game will be paced by running backs Adam Machart, who is in his second year
with the team and third in U Sports eligibility, and Josh Ewanchyna, who comes
over from starring with the CJFL champion Saskatoon Hilltops and is in his
second year of U Sports eligibility.
Nyhus said
he has inherited a pretty good situation.
“Our
O-line, across the board we’re big, strong and fast,” said Nyhus. “We’re going
to have time to throw the football, which is very exciting.
“We’re
going to be able to run the ball with those guys, especially with Adam
(Machart) and Josh (Ewanchyna). They are two powerful guys in their 20s. They
can run hard, (and) they are fast.
“Even at
the receiver position, we can execute out there for sure. They are running
crisp routes and catching the football. It is definitely helpful out there to
have those guys.”
Huskies
head coach Scott Flory said Nyhus is ready to be the leader of the team.
“I’m just
so excited for his opportunity to show what he can do,” said Flory. “I get
front row seats.
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| Mason Nyhus has prepared to be in the spotlight with the Huskies. |
“He is the
face of our team, and he should be. He is going to have a tonne of success.”
Flory said
Nyhus benefitted from attending two straight CFL training camps under the
Canadian quarterback internship program. Nyhus was in Saskatchewan Roughriders
camp last year and in Calgary Stampeders camp in late May and early June of
this year.
“If
anything, you are just soaking in just being around it, just being around that
high level of athleticism and guys are really preparing in what they do,” said
Flory. “Just being there helps.”
In 2017, Nyhus came off the bench completing 15 of 22 passes
for 243 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for the Huskies. Last
season, he completed 28-of-47 passes for 448 yards, three touchdowns and three
interceptions.
Nyhus said
he benefitted from the two CFL training camps he attended. He is looking
forward to the season with focus on the present and not looking too far into
the future.
With that
said, Nyhus has high expectations of what his team can do game in and game out.
“Definitely
confidence, but we respect every opponent no doubt about it,” said Nyhus. “We
expect to win every game we play in, but we have to go out there and execute.
“I think we
have a very good team. As long as we execute what coach Flory puts out for us,
I think we will be alright. We just have to play hard and let the score take
care of itself.”
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| QB Mason Nyhus is confident the Huskies will do great this season. |
U of S
opens the regular season on Aug. 30 traveling to Winnipeg to face the University
of Manitoba Bisons. The Huskies host their home opener on Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.
against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at Griffiths Stadium.
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