Riley’s day – Huskies OL goes seventh overall to Roughriders

Mattland Riley will be looking to open up huge holes for the Roughriders.

    Mattland Riley will become the latest to live out the Saskatchewan football dream, and he totally deserves that opportunity.

    On Thursday, the Melfort, Sask., product and left guard with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team was selected in the first round and seventh overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL Draft. 
    Riley’s selection helps the Huskies uphold their reputation as “O-line U” as the storied U Sports program has a history of sending numerous offensive linemen to the Canadian professional ranks over the years.

    The 23-year-old becomes the latest player to go on the journey of growing up in a smaller Saskatchewan learning the game of football there, moving on to the university ranks and finding his way to the province’s CFL team.

    Riley, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 300 pounds, played high school football in the nine-man ranks with his hometown Melfort and Unit Comprehensive Collegiate Comets before joining the Huskies in the U Sports ranks.

    Over the past two seasons, Riley piled up the individual accolades with the Huskies.

Mattland Riley has been an elite pass protector.

    In 2018, Riley was a Canada West all-star and a second team U Sports all-Canadian all-star. He helped the Huskies win the Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference champions.

    In 2019, Riley was again named a Canada West all-star and a first team U Sports all-Canadian all-star. The Huskies finished second in the Canada West Conference with a 5-3 record and advanced to the Hardy Cup title game falling 29-4 to the eventual U Sports champions and Vanier Cup winners in the University of Calgary Dinos.

    Riley, who has used four years of U Sports eligibility, has all the physical tools to succeed at the professional level. He is really skilled at using his hands to tie up the hands and arms of on-rushing defensive linemen.

    The engineering major has smarts too.

    On top of all that, Riley is pretty down to earth, easy going and enjoys each day as it comes. He is pretty humble and never likes to have himself put in front of his teammates as individual awards pile up.

    When he arrives with the Roughriders, he is going to find he has a lot in common personality wise with veteran star offensive left guard in Brendon LaBatte, who grew up in Weyburn, Sask. The main difference between the two is LaBatte likes to race fast stock cars and does that as a hobby.

    Riley is one who legitimately puts the team first. He knows that if the team succeeds he will ultimately find success.

Mattland Riley, right, was a first team U Sports all-Canadian all-star.

    He always notes he plays along with some really good guys on the Huskies offensive line.

Riley will also get to renew some old football ties and seen an old friend when he begins working out with the Roughriders.

    In late November, the Roughriders signed offensive lineman and fellow Melfort product Logan Ferland to their main roster. Ferland was on the Roughriders practice roster last season and played his fifth and final CJFL campaign at left tackle with the Regina Thunder.

    Riley and Ferland were former teammates on the Comets and will now get to reunite in the professional ranks.

    While the spectre of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hangs over the world having shutdown most walks of life in Canada, Riley has continued to work out at home turning the spare room at his place into a weight room.
    On Thursday, he got to enjoy a great day as all the hard work he has put in and continues to put in has resulted in the chance to live out the Saskatchewan boyhood dream, because he will have a chance to play for the Roughriders.

Mattland Riley, right, is at locking up a D-lineman’s hands.

    Overall, Riley was one of five Huskies player to be selected in the CFL Draft. Defensive end Nicholas Dheilly, who stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 230 pounds, was selected in the fifth round and 46^th overall by the defending Grey Cup champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

    Receiver Sam Baker, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds, was picked in the sixth round and 48^th overall by the Toronto Argonauts.

    Right tackle, Nick Summach, who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 330 pounds, was selected in the seventh round and 57^th overall by the Edmonton Eskimos. Summach’s selection helps further cement the Huskies reputation as “O-line U.”

    Utility player Colton Klassen, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 200 pounds, went in the eighth round and 69^th overall to the Montreal Alouettes. Klassen made an amazing recovery from a season ending broken right leg.

    Defensive end Tom Schnitzler, who played for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and is an alumnus of the 22-time CJFL champion Saskatoon Hilltops, was selected in the eighth round and 72^nd overall by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Schnitzler, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 245 pounds, is an accomplished long snapper too.

Mattland Riley (#55) has enjoyed being part of the Huskies O-line.

    The University of Regina Rams had two players picked in the CFL Draft.

    Offensive lineman Theren Churchill, who stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 280 pounds, went in the first round and ninth overall to the Toronto Argonauts.

    Offensive lineman Andrew Becker, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 280 pounds, was selected in the sixth round and 49^th overall.

    The British Columbia Lions traded up to get the first overall selection from the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL Draft. In a trade that was announced at the draft, the Lions sent the third and 12^th overall selections to the Stampeders for the first overall pick and 15^th overall selection.

    With the first overall pick, the Lions selected linebacker Jordan Williams, who stands 6-feet and weighs 230 pounds, from the East Carolina University Pirates football team in the NCAA Division I ranks.

CFL seeks financial aid from federal government, other notes

Will the COVID-19 pandemic crush the CFL?

    On Tuesday evening, The Canadian Press broke a story the CFL was looking to the Canadian federal government for financial assistance due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

    After The Canadian Press broke that story, it blew up on all of Canada’s mainstream media outlets. It was even covered by FOX News in the United States.

    The CFL is looking for $30-million in Canadian funds now to manage the impact COVID-19 has had on league business. The circuit is asking for additional assistance for an abbreviated regular season and up to another $120-million in Canadian funds for a completely lost season.

    In other words, the CFL is looking for $150-million in financial assistance if its nine teams are unable to play the 2020 regular season and playoffs.

    The CFL isn’t the only sports organization looking for financial assistance from a government in Canada due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On April 22, the British Columbia Hockey League, which is a junior A circuit, asked the provincial government in B.C. for financial aid.

    On Tuesday, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, which is a junior B circuit that has 19 out of its 20 located in B.C., said in a release it will be seeking financial assistance from both the B.C. provincial government and the Canadian federal government.

Will fun times like this return to Mosaic Stadium in Regina?

    On Wednesday, it came out the Canadian Premier League, which is an eight-team professional soccer league, is asking the Canadian federal government for $15-million in financial aid.

    Also on Wednesday on the profession basketball front, Devin Heroux of CBC Sports reported the Canadian Elite Basketball League is looking for a $5-million loan from the Government of Canada to help with finances.

    I have no problem with the CFL going after financial assistance from the Government of Canada. I believe the CFL is a Canadian institution that needs to be preserved.

    I could see the CFL folding if it doesn’t have a season in 2020 and doesn’t receive financial assistance.

    Actually, I do not have a problem with any sports league, sports entity or non-sports business seeking out financial assistance from the Canadian federal government of any of Canada’s provincial governments.

    In order to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, all these governments have ordered shutdowns and prevented all of these entities from doing business. The ability of any of these outlets to bring in revenue has been extremely hampered due to no fault of their own.
    It is highly unlikely any of these sports leagues, sports entities or businesses would be asking for aid if a pandemic didn’t happen. 

Will Canadians like Evan Johnson (#64) be able to show off their skill.

    If the pandemic didn’t happen, all of these entities would go on with business as usual and be healthy.

    They weren’t mismanaged, and they didn’t ask to be forced to shut down by governments.

    If you shut down the entire whole non-essential work sector in society, there will be massive consequences, and these financial aid requests are part of the consequences.

    On Wednesday, Global News national telecast said Statistics Canada had complied data with the cooperation of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, and the numbers aren’t good.

    In that story, Statistics Canada said 53 per cent businesses surveyed reported revenue decreases of 20 per cent or more during the first three months of this year compared to the first three month of last year.

    Statistic Canada said one-third of businesses surveyed reported revenues dropped by 40 per cent or more during the first three months of this year compared to the first three months of last year.

    Out of the businesses surveyed, 41 per cent of businesses have been forced to lay off some employees. In the accommodation and food services sector, 24 per cent of those businesses surveyed said they have laid off all of their workers.

Will Zack Evans, right, be able to keep playing in his home city?

    I suspect if you take out what happened in January and February out of that Global News report the gloom of those numbers would be worse.

    I have no problems with sports leagues, sports entities or non-sports businesses asking for financial assistance from governments in these COVID-19 times. I also realize that there is only so much money to go around.

    Unless the governments of Canada elects to throw open the economy for business as usual, it is hard to optimistic about what could happen to these sports leagues, sports entities or non-sports businesses on the business front.

    One thing is for certain, I can’t see life in Canada returning to what it was on March 10 of this year before all the shutdowns happened until after a lengthy stretch of time passes.

• On Wednesday, Donna Spencer of The Canadian Press wrote a story that quoted a trio of people involved with the now defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League being upset about men’s professional sports leagues asking for financial assistance. The CWHL folded on May 1, 2019 due to financial difficulties. The article quoted others who worried this will widen the gender gap in sports. Spencer’s piece can be found by clicking right here.
• On Tuesday, the 2020 Hlinka Gretzky Cup hockey tournament, which is an under-18 national team best versus best event, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup was set for Aug. 3 to 8 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alta.
• On Tuesday, the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede summer festival scheduled for July 22 to 25 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On Tuesday, the Clunie-Cooper Memorial Professional Bull Riding event slated for June 12 to 13 at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• On Tuesday, it was announced the Saskatchewan Summer Games set to run July 26 to Aug. 1 in Lloydminster have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They are now slated to be held in Lloydminster July 18 to 24 2021.
• On Monday, the Saskatoon Blades signed offensive defenceman Tanner Molendyk to a WHL Standard Player Agreement. The Blades selected the McBride, B.C., product in the first round and fifth overall in the WHL Bantam Draft held on April 22.
• On Wednesday, the Prince Albert Raiders signed defensive defenceman Terrell Goldsmith to a WHL Standard Player Agreement. The Raiders selected the Fort St. James, B.C., product in the first round and 15^th overall in the WHL Bantam Draft held on April 22.
• On Thursday, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team announced that 21-year-old forward and Saskatoon product Dawson Holt has committed to the team. Holt played for four and a bit seasons with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants from 2014 to 2019. Last season, he started the campaign in the WHL with the Regina Pats before joining Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League in the junior A ranks.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Huskies’ Lokombo named U Sports top defensive player

Nelson Lokombo (#25) is the U Sports defensive player of the year.

    Nelson Lokombo took home a U Sports honour no University of Saskatchewan Huskies football player had received in 21 years.

    On Thursday at the annual Vanier Cup gala held in Quebec City, Quebec, U Sports handed out its national awards and all-Canadian honours for football. Lokombo, who is a third year defensive back for the Huskies, was named the winner of the Presidents’ Trophy as the U Sports defensive player of the year.

    Lokombo topped the Huskies with four interceptions, and he returned two of those interceptions for touchdowns during the regular season.

    The Abbotsford, B.C., product posted 23.5 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and four pass breakups during the regular campaign as well.

    Lokombo was the first Huskies player to win the Presidents’ Trophy since current defensive coordinator Warren Muzika claimed that honour as a Huskies linebacker in 1998. Muzika was playing in his final season with the Huskies in 1998 and helped them win the Vanier Cup as U Sports national champions with a 24-17 victory over the Concordia University Stingers.

    On top of winning the Presidents’ Trophy, Lokombo was named a U Sports first team all-Canadian all-star. He was one of five Huskies players named first team all-Canadian all-stars.
    The Huskies first team all-Canadian all-stars included running back Adam Machart, left guard Mattland Riley, centre Connor Berglof and defensive tackle Evan Machibroda.

Nelson Lokombo, right, returns an interception for a touchdown.

    Running behind an offensive line that contained Riley and Berglof, Machart carried the ball 156 times for 1,334 yards and eight touchdowns during the regular season. He also hauled in 20 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

    His total of 1,334 yards rushing and 1,538 all-purpose yards are new Huskies team records for one regular season. Machart led U Sports in rushing.

    Machibroda, who was playing out his final season of U Sports eligibility, piled up 22 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during the regular season.

    The Huskies finished second in the regular season standings of the Canada West Conference with a 5-3 mark and fell to the University of Calgary Dinos 29-4 in the Canada West final – the Hardy Cup.

    Fifth-year quarterback and U Sports all-time great Chris Merchant of the University of Western Ontario Mustangs won the Hec Crighton Trophy as the most outstanding player in U Sports. Merchant beat out Machart for that honour.

    McGill University defensive tackle Andrew Seinet-Spaulding claimed the J.P. Metras Trophy as the most outstanding down lineman. Seinet-Spaulding beat out Machibroda for that award.

    Concordia University Stingers receiver Jeremy Murphy was named the winner of the Peter Gorman Trophy as the top rookie in U Sports. He beat out Huskies linebacker Ramsey Derbas for that honour.

Nelson Lokombo, right, secures one of his four interceptions this season.

    York University Lions free safety Jacob Janke captured the Russ Jackson Award for excellence in football, academics and citizenship in U Sports.

    Mustangs head coach Greg Marshall took the Frank Tindall Trophy as the U Sports coach of the year. Marshall beat out Huskies head coach Scott Flory for that award.

    Veteran University of Regina Rams defensive line coach Greg Nesbitt took the Gino Fracas Award as the volunteer coach of the year for U Sports. Nesbitt has been on the Rams staff for a lengthy stretch of time.

    The U Sports football season concludes on Saturday, when the Dinos (9-2 overall) face the University of Montreal Carabins (9-2 overall) in the Vanier Cup at the Universite Laval in Quebec City.

Hilltops’ “Sarge” still should have been CJFL coach of the year

Tom Sargeant was passed over for CJFL coach of the year.

    Saskatoon Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant will take CJFL champions over individual honours any day.

    Last Saturday, the Hilltops won their sixth straight CJFL championship downing the host Langley Rams 11-6 in the CJFL title game – the Canadian Bowl. The Hilltops have won nine of the last 10 CJFL crowns and have been CJFL champions 22 times.

    While the Hilltops have piled up all these titles, Sargeant, who has been the team’s head coach since 1998, continually gets shutout in winning the CJFL coach of the year award.

    At the CJFL awards banquet last Friday in Langley, the CJFL coach of the year award was given to Rams head coach Howie Zaron. The Rams finished the 2019 campaign with a 12-1 overall record after falling to the Hilltops in the Canadian Bowl.

    Sargeant claimed CJFL coach of the year honours on two occasions in 2000 and 2003.

    It has to be noted the CJFL looks really bad not naming Sargeant the coach of the year on the national level even just once during the Hilltops current run of winning nine of the last 10 CJFL titles.

    Last year, there was a huge opportunity to correct that oversight as the Hilltops won the Canadian Bowl posting a perfect 11-0 record. They were so dominant in the 2018 campaign they trailed on the scoreboard for a total of just 81 seconds in all their games.

    This season, the Hilltops went through a huge amount of turnover in starters on both offence and defence. They needed fourth quarter comebacks to pull out victory in a couple of contest.

    Incredibly, the Hilltops put together another perfect season with a 12-0 record. Sargeant picked up his 200^th career victory in Week 2 of the season, and he later became the all-time wins leader in Canadian amateur post-secondary football.

    Sargeant currently has a career 210-30-2 in the CJFL’s regular season and post-season.

    If Sargeant wasn’t have to claim CJFL coach of the year honours after either of those campaigns, one has to wonder if he will ever receive that honour again.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Huskies play coy over Hec Crighton talk for Machart

Pickett only football national player of the year for U of S

Adam Machart is having a stellar season for the Huskies.

    The Hec Crighton whispers are starting to come Adam Machart’s way.
    Machart is having a dream season at running back with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team. In helping the Huskies amass a 4-2 U Sports regular season record, Machart has already posted the third best rushing regular season in the history of the program.

    He has carried the ball 109 times for 931 yards and scored seven touchdowns. With the Huskies having two games left on their regular season schedule, there is an outside chance Machart could break the Huskies record for most rushing yards in one regular season set by Doug Rozon in 1999, when Rozon carried the ball 151 times for 1,267 yards and five touchdowns.

    When the Huskies thumped the University of Manitoba Bisons 49-21 on Oct. 4, Machart had the third best rushing game in the history of the Huskies program carrying the ball 23 times for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

    Through the air this season, Machart has caught 16 passes for 153 yards and hit the end zone twice.

Adam Machart has rushed for seven touchdowns this season.

    Thanks to those efforts, supporters of the Huskies football program have started to float talk and discuss the chances that Machart could win the Hec Crighton Trophy as the U Sports football player of the year.

    For his part, the 22-year-old isn’t concerning himself where he could be in the race as far as individual awards go.

    “I try not to think about it,” said Machart, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 185 pounds. “We have a couple of games here left, so we can’t start looking too far ahead.

    “We just have to keep winning games as an offence and as a team, so we’re just going to keep doing that.”

    Machart is in his second season with the Huskies after spending three campaigns from 2015 to 2017 with the venerable Saskatoon Hilltops.

Adam Machart (#20) has rushed for 931 yards in six games.

    He helped the Hilltops win CJFL national titles in each of those seasons.

    Before joining the Hilltops, Machart played high school football with Saskatoon’s Centennial Collegiate Chargers.

     While the Huskies have had many great seasons including winning the Hardy Cup as Canada West champions 19 times and the Vanier Cup as U Sports national champions three times, only one member of the football squad has ever won the Hec Crighton Trophy since it was first awarded in 1967.

    That one Hec Crighton award win came way back in 1973, when quarterback David Pickett was the U Sports national player of the year for football leading the Huskies to a 6-2 regular season record.

Adam Machart, right, has the Huskies third best rushing season.

    In 1973, Pickett completed 162-of-268 passes for 2,251 yards, 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

    At the time, Pickett’s completions, passing yards and touchdown passes were all Huskies records for one regular season and were numbers that were way beyond what anyone else put up in the Canada West Conference in that campaign.

    It took 15 years before Pickett’s regular season team records for passing yards and touchdown passes were surpassed. His mark for completions in one season stood until 2010.

    Huskies fell in a one-game playoff for the Canada West title 21-8 to the Bisons in 1973.

    Knowing how long the odds can be when it comes to winning the Hec Crighton Trophy, Huskies head coach Scott Flory said the team’s focus is on finishing the regular season strong before heading into playoffs.

    “We don’t worry about any of that stuff,” said Flory, whose Huskies are the defending Canada West champions. “We wanted to make sure we get back here and get these two games.

Adam Machart has caught 16 passes for 153 yards and two TDs this season.

    “We’ll take the back half of this season when it comes.”

    The Huskies will be guaranteed a second place finish in Canada West and will host a home playoff game, if they win their last two regular season outings.

    The Dogs return to action on Saturday, Oct. 19, when they travel to Vancouver, B.C., to face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (1-5).

    U of S closes the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 26 by hosting the University of Alberta Golden Bears (4-2) at 2 p.m. at Griffiths Stadium.

    Huskies star left guard Mattland Riley said it would be nice if Machart could win the Hec Crighton Trophy, but added individual awards are far from the first concern of the squad.

    “That would be great, but to be honest, we’re focused right now on UBC,” said Riley. “All the awards and stuff like that, that will come when our team succeeds, but it is the team.

Adam Machart (#20) hopes to enjoy my team success with the Huskies.

    “It is all about the team. It is always about the team.”

    For now, Machart wants to help the Huskies win their last two games and become the third player in team history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in rushing.
    He believes that would be a good way to pay tribute to the offensive line that blocks for him including starters in left tackle Noah Zerr, Riley, centre Connor Berglof, right guard Tanner Secord and right tackle Nick Summach.

    “It would be a huge honour,” said Machart about the possibility of getting to 1,000 yards rushing. “Obviously, I’m just going to take it one game at a time.

    “If I were to reach that milestone, it would be a huge honour.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Huskies bash Bisons 49-21, Machart amasses milestones

Adam Machart (#20) piled up 219 yards rushing for the Huskies on Friday.

    Whether it was over land, sea or air, it felt like Adam Machart wouldn’t be stopped.
    Running behind the road grater of an offensive line, Machart piled up the third best rushing game in the history of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team on Friday night.
    The 22-year-old running back carried the ball 23 times for 219 yards and scored two touchdowns as the Huskies thumped the University of Manitoba Bisons 49-21 before 2,412 spectators at Griffiths Stadium.

    Thanks to that monster game, Machart has posted the third best rushing regular season in the history of the Huskies program. In the Huskies six games to date, Machart has carried the ball 109 times for 931 yards and seven touchdowns.

Adam Machart has run for 931 yards in six games.

    “I try not to worry about that kind of stuff,” said Machart, who had two catches for 16 yards to go with his rushing total. “At the end of the season, it would be cool to reflect on that and see where I am at.

    “For now, I think we have like bigger goals set for ourselves as a team.”

    The victory in the U Sports regular season clash allowed the Huskies to win the season series with the Bisons and earn the head-to-head standings tiebreaker between the two clubs.

    The Bisons thumped the Huskies 43-19 at IG Field in Winnipeg, Man., on Aug. 30, which was the regular season opener for both squads.

    The Huskies, who are rated seventh in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, claim the head-to-head series with the Bisons holding a 68-64 edge in points scored in the two encounters between the two sides.

    U of S sits third in the Canada West Conference with a 4-2 record.

The Huskies offensive line cleared the way for a successful night on Friday.

    The Huskies, who are the defending Canada West champions, secured a playoff berth with Friday’s win.

    The Bisons fell to 3-3 to sit third in Canada West.

    Going into Friday’s game, Machart said the Huskies weren’t thinking about getting the head-to-head standing tiebreaker with the Bisons.

    “You have to go into the game just hoping to get the win,” said Machart, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs 185 pounds. “That is the first thing you have to do.

    “Towards the end of the game, then we can start thinking, ‘OK, pile on some points.’ It worked out.”

Adam Machart, centre, powers in for his first touchdown on Friday.

    While the Huskies never trailed on the scoreboard in Friday’s encounter, much of the contest was tightly contested. The host side led 14-8 after the first quarter, 28-18 at halftime and 35-21 after three quarters.

    Early in the fourth quarter, the Bisons were driving with the ball, and it appeared they were going to score to make the contest a one-possession game. U of M elected to gamble on a third-and-five situation from the Huskies 18 yard line.

    Huskies defensive back Bowan Lewis broke up a throw from Bisons star quarterback Des Catellier to force a turnover on downs.

    The Huskies earnestly started thinking about scoring enough points to get the standings tiebreaker late in the fourth.

Trysten Dyce celebrates a TD in classic Bisons style.

    With 2:50 remaining in the fourth, Machart ran home a touchdown 14 yards up the gut to extend the Huskies lead to 42-21.
    On the second play of the ensuing Bisons offensive series, Catellier was intercepted by Huskies defensive back Josh Hagerty at the U of M 41 yard line. Hagerty gained a couple of yards on the return to set the Huskies up at the Bisons 39 yard line.

    It took the Huskies three plays to get the ball down to the Bisons one yard line. From the one, Huskies reserve rookie running back Keagan White creased his way into the end zone to put the Huskies up 49-21 with 1:59 remaining in the fourth quarter.

    The Bisons drove the ball 49 yards in eight plays on their final series, but the clock expired causing the series to stall on the Huskie 28 yard line. U of M converted one third down play on that final march.

    “It was a great play by Hags (Hagerty),” said Huskies head coach Scott Flory, who doubles as the team’s offensive coordinator. “We need a play at that point.

    “The game plan it is what you saw. I think our defence executed it. We didn’t give up a lot big strikes.

Josh Hagerty secures an interception for the Huskies.

    “We’ll give up some of those chunk plays and that kind of stuff. A whole part of the game plan going in offensively was just to keep grinding and keep grinding. I got away from that in the second quarter, and then I got back to it and I think you see the results.”
    Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus completed 16-of-28 passes for 182 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

    Nyhus threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Sam Baker, a five yard scoring toss to Joseph Trumpy and hit star utility player Colton Klassen with a 31-yard pass for a major score.

    Klassen topped the Huskies in receiving hauling in five passes for 84 yards to go with his major score.

The Huskies celebrate a touchdown from Keagan White (#34).

    Running back Josh Ewanchyna had the Huskies first major score on a one-yard run in the first quarter.

    Catellier completed 23-of-42 passes for 271 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He was the Bisons leading rusher as well piling up 67 yards on eight carries.

    Trysten Dyce led the Bisons in receiving with six catches for 76 yards and one touchdown. He hauled his touchdown reception from 15 yards out with 22.9 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

    Near the end of the first quarter, Bisons receiver Colby Kyliuk blocked a Huskies punt and recovered the ball in the U of S end zone for a U of M touchdown.

    Bisons kicker Matt Riley made a 17-yard field goal and scored two singles off missed field goals both from 28 yards out.

Colton Klassen, left, ensures the ball gets into the end zone.

    The Huskies conceded a safety in the contest to contribute to the Bisons point total.

    Huskies defensive ends Riley Pickett and Nicholas Dheilly combine on one sack. Linebackers Ben Whiting, Tom Whiting and Ramsey Derbas each had nine total tackles for the host side.

    Defensive end Derek Dufault had the lone sack for the Bisons. Linebacker Julian Luis had an interception for the visitors.

    Defensive end Brock Gowanlock topped the Bisons with nine total tackles.

    The only two running backs to rush for more yards than Machart did in a game for the Huskies were Doug Rozon and Morrie Norsten.

The U of Saskatchewan Cheer Team entertains the crowd.

    Rozon piled up 292 yards in a game against the University of Alberta Golden Bears in 1999, while Norsten had 244 yards rushing in a game against the University of Calgary Dinos in 1994.

    Huskies left guard Mattland Riley, who was a second team U Sports all-Canadian all-star last season, said the team’s offensive line enjoys blocking for Machart.

    “It is absolutely awesome,” said Riley. “Machart, he is just such a good guy.

    “All the offensive line love him. We just love blocking for him. We do our job a little bit, and then he goes and gets another four or five or 10 yards.

    “It is great. We love it.”

    At the moment, only Rozon and David Stevens have rushed for more yards in one regular season for the Huskies than Machart has.

Sam Baker, left, secures a touchdown reception for the Huskies.

    Rozon piled up 1,267 yards on 151 carries and scored five touchdowns in 1999. Stevens ran for 1,229 yards on 174 carries and scored 12 touchdowns in 2005.

    Flory said Machart has meant a tonne to the current Huskies.

    “He (Machart) is, number one, a special young man, and obviously, an incredible football talent,” said Flory. “He has a good offensive line in front of him, don’t kid yourself.

    “He makes things right. People make mistakes. I make bad calls. Players make mistakes.

    “That happens, but he is the corrector. He just makes it right. You see what he does; it is a joy to watch.”

The Huskies enjoy their win on Friday night.

    Machart said the Huskies offensive line has allowed him to have the success he has had. The Huskies starting O-line of left tackle Noah Zerr, Riley, centre Connor Berglof, right guard Tanner Secord and right tackle Nick Summach were steamrolling Bisons defenders on Friday night.

    “All five of those guys, it is a lot of fun,” said Machart. “When they make holes like that, it makes being a running back quite a blast.
    “We are getting more comfortable with each other. It just starts flowing a little bit better as the season goes on, so it has been good.”

    The Huskies return to action on Oct. 19, when they travel to Vancouver, B.C., to face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds (1-5).

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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“O-line U” – Huskies tradition of greatness in trenches continues with Riley

Mattland Riley (#55) was a U Sports all-Canadian all-star last year.

    Mattland Riley knows playing on the offensive line for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team is a good different from most programs in Canada.

    The Huskies are renowned for producing great offensive linemen, who have gone on to lengthy careers in the CFL. Riley, who is in his fourth year of eligibility with the team, seems tagged to be the next one to continue the legacy of great Huskies O-linemen who have gone on to careers in Canada’s top professional level.

    Last season, Riley, who plays left guard on the Huskies offensive line, was a first team Canada West all-star and a second team U Sports all-Canadian all-star.

    The 22-year-old knows the pedigree that is set from facts like his head coach in Scott Flory had a Canadian Football Hall of Fame career with the Montreal Alouettes that included three Grey Cup victories.

Mattland Riley, middle, clears the way for Adam Machart (#20).

    When Flory played with the Huskies in the 1990s winning Vanier Cup titles as U Sports national champions in 1996 and 1998, he played alongside Kevin Lefsrud and Kelly Bates, who went on to be CFL regulars.

    In the current day, Patrick Neufeld of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Evan Johnson of the Ottawa Redblacks carry the pride of being Huskies O-line grads in the ranks of the CFL.

    “I think that there is the expectation to be great,” said Riley. “You have a head coach who was a Hall of Famer CFL offensive lineman.

    “Of course there are expectations to be great there. I think that is team wide. I don’t want to say that there is any extra pressure on us (as offensive linemen).

Mattland Riley is stellar at left guard.

    “It is team wide. Everybody wants to be the best.”

    With that said, Riley believes there are extra eyes on the Huskies offensive line, when the professional scouts come to town.

    “I’d say that there is scope on us for performing and doing well,” said Riley, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 300 pounds. “We want to be known for really good offensive linemen.

    “Obviously, everybody wants to be the best at what they do.”

    Riley and the Huskies aim to be at their best on Friday, when they host the University of Calgary Dinos at 7 p.m. at Griffiths stadium. That last time these two twos met the Huskies downed the Dinos 43-18 in the Canada West Conference final in Calgary on November 10, 2018 to capture the Hardy Cup.

    The Huskies (2-2) head into this clashed rated ninth in the U Sports Top 10 rankings, while the Dinos (4-0) are rated fourth in those very same rankings.

    Riley, who is in his fourth year of U Sports eligibility, played high school football with his hometown Melfort and Unit Comprehrensive Collegiate Comets. The engineering major’s head coach with the Comets was David Rogers and one of the assistant coaches was Jarod Koroll, and both were former Huskies offensive linemen.

Mattland Riley (#55) credits his O-line teammates for his success.

    Rogers played for the Huskies from 1992 to 1996, while Koroll was with the Dogs from 2004 to 2009. While played for Rogers and Koroll, Riley’s urge to play for the Huskies grew.

    “You have a great mentor like Scott (Flory) to learn from,” said Riley. “It is just lots of reasons.”

    Flory has enjoyed coaching Riley. The Huskies sideline boss having Riley back on a veteran offensive line is a huge benefit for the team.

    Riley is part of a starting offensive line unit that includes left tackle Noah Zerr, centre Connor Berglof, right guard Tanner Secord and right tackle Nick Summach, while Andrew Serke is a versatile sub.

Mattland Riley (#55) can withstand a blow for a D-lineman.

    “All those guys are back up front there,” said Flory. “We’ve got some really good depth in behind.

    “Expectations are high for those guys coming together last year and having a really good year. I expect our offensive line to take another step forward here this year as well.”

    Flory was pleased Riley received all-star honours last year, and he said that was a reflection on how well the whole offensive line as a unit did.

    “That individual stuff, those things will always come,” said Flory. “It is team first, and those guys all know that.

    “They sacrifice. It is all about the team. When the team has success, the individual accolades those will come.”

    It may sound like a cliché, but Riley really does buy into the team-first mentality.

    “Honestly, it is not about me,” said Riley. “It is about the whole line.

    “You’re only as good as an offensive line as the guy you play beside. I play beside some good guys. The expectation for all of us is to win games.”

Mattland Riley knows how to neutralize a D-lineman’s hands.

    Riley was elated that his Huskies were able to get wins in the post season last year and take the conference title.

    The Huskies fell in a U Sports semifinal game – the Mitchell Bowl – to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs 47-24 in London, Ont., on Nov. 17, 2018.

    Before that post-season run, U of S’s previous Hardy Cup win came in 2006 and last playoff victory was in 2009. Riley said putting an end to those droughts was a big breakthrough for the program.

    “It was a sense of relief in one aspect, because all that hard work that the guys put in the off-season had paid off,” said Riley. “We’d accomplished our goal.

    “Moving forward in the off-season, once we got there, it is like ‘Hey, let’s keep going. Let’s keep winning games.’”

Mattland Riley, right, locks up on a block.

    Looking towards the future, Riley would like to play in the CFL one day, but his focus at the moment is on his current team.

    “Those aspirations are there,” said Riley. “For me, that is going to be after the season is over.

    “I’m right here and right now for the Huskies. I’m all in for my team. I focus on what is ahead of me one day at a time.”

    In order to repeat or improve on the success of last season, Riley said everyone on the team has to stay focused on the present and work to improve every day. While that is another cliché, he said it is bound in truth.

    On top of that, Riley notes you could miss out on the day-to-day fun regarding the lighter moments with your teammates, if you are looking too far ahead.

Mattland Riley (#55) plans to soak in every moment with his teammates.

    “Exactly, that is it,” said Riley. “During (training) camp here, that is one of the best parts at camp besides playing football is just getting to be around the guys every day.

    “Like these guys are going to be some of the best friends for the rest of our lives that we have here. Just soaking that all in and enjoying every minute of it, that is the whole point of this.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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The great Canadian football weather dilemma

Slight cold keeps fans away in droves

The Eskimos and Roughriders play a bad weather game Nov. 4, 2017.

    When it gets cold, they won’t go.

    If you’re a football team at any level in Canada, you fear cold weather of any type, because it keeps the fans away. If fans don’t come to games, they don’t spend money on concessions, merchandise or donate to scholarship programs in the case of university and junior teams.

    There was a time cold and snow didn’t keep fans away in Canada. During the past two seasons, it is apparent the social media age has played a part in changing this dynamic.

    People would prefer to sit in the comforts of home and see a quick hit of a football highlight on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat versus watching a game live for three hours in the cold. If you add in you pay anywhere from $15 to $27 to see a post-secondary game and $100 for a prime seat at a CFL game, you ask yourself why would you pay that type of money to go sit in the cold and snow for three hours and be uncomfortable.

Fans enjoy the CFL West final in 2013 in Calgary.

    These days, cold weather doesn’t have to be that cold. It seems like ticket buyers in Canada for outdoor sports are looking for the weather to be 20 C with sun and no wind. You are basically looking to be seen in nice weather at a sporting event, and you have prime conditions to use your mobile phone.
    If the weather is around even 10 C and still sunny, but you can feel the cold, ticket buyers in Canada won’t go to a football game. The efficiency of the mobile phone is hampered the colder it gets too.

    Unfortunately, that is the reality football teams in Canada are dealing with these days. Judging by crowds on televised NFL and National Collegiate Athletic Association football contests, the football culture in the United States isn’t deterred by bad weather games.

    For some early season football games in the United States, weather can go too far the other way where it is 40 C and sunny and spectators have to worry about health problems related to the heat.

The Roughriders Cheer Team is ready for the cold in 2017.

    With all that said, football teams Canada, where the citizens seem really addicted to social media, face a current country trend that any type of cold keeps people away.

    The Saskatchewan Roughriders, who are the CFL’s most popular team, even feel the effects of colder temperatures hurting attendance. Their last sellout at Mosaic Stadium of 33,350 spectators came on Sept. 15, when they fell 30-25 to the Ottawa Redbacks. The daytime temperature in Regina was 19 C.
    Saskatchewan’s last two regular season home games were played in October and they hosted a CFL West Division semifinal game in November.

    On Oct. 8, the Roughriders downed the Edmonton Eskimos 19-12 and 31,335 was the announced attendance at Mosaic Stadium, and the daytime temperature in Regina was 9 C. On Oct. 27, the Roughriders beat the British Columbia Lions 35-16 with an announced attendance at Mosaic Stadium was 30,091, and the daytime temperature was 13 C in Regina.

    On Nov. 11, the Roughriders fell 23-18 in the West Division Semifinal to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers with an announced attendance of 30,609 spectators and the daytime temperature is Regina was 4 C.

    In the week leading up to each of those games, I was looking to possibly impulse purchase a ticket, if my busy schedule lightened up to allow for a drive from Saskatoon to Regina for one of those contests. My schedule didn’t lighten up, so I didn’t go.

Christion Jones heads upfield for the Roughriders on Nov. 4, 2017.

    When I was looking for tickets, I couldn’t believe how easy it would have been to purchase a good seat even on the day before the game, if I was able to go.

    This was for a Roughriders team that went 12-6 during the regular season. In the past when the Roughriders had that strong of a regular season record, it was almost impossible to get tickets to games.

    On a side note, the Grey Cup in Edmonton, Alta., held last Sunday that saw the Calgary Stampeders down the Redblacks 27-16 was deemed a sellout at 55,819 spectators in cold conditions at Commonwealth Stadium.
    At the university level in the U Sports ranks, the University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team, who have had average attendances around 6,000 in some recent seasons, saw their crowds at Griffiths Stadium shrink, when it got cold.

    The Huskies best attendance of 5,114 came when they fell 37-28 to the U of Calgary Dinos on Sept. 14. Weather at game time in Saskatoon was reported at 7 C and cloudy, but attendance was boosted by the fact Huskies honoured legendary retired head coach Brian Towriss before the contest.

Huskies DE Riley Pickett ready for a cold game on Sept. 21.

    When the archrival U of Regina Rams paid a visit on Sept. 21, it was a different story. The Huskies won 33-20, but the game drew 2,715 spectators in conditions that were -1 C and lightly snowing at game time. It snowed for maybe a quarter of that contest.

    For the Huskies final home game Oct. 20, they downed the visiting U of Manitoba Bisons 27-4 and drew 2,440 spectators to Griffiths Stadium. Temperature at kickoff was 3 C and sunny.

    On the Canadian Junior Football League front, the Saskatoon Hilltops hosted the league championship game – the Canadian Bowl – and elected to keep tickets prices the same as their regular playoff games at $20 per adult for the Nov. 17 league title contest.
    In the Canadian Bowl, the venerable Hilltops, who relish playing in cold weather games, drew their biggest crowd of the season of 1,465 spectators to Saskatoon Minor Football Field as they claimed a fifth straight CJFL title thumping the Langley Rams 58-21. The temperature in Saskatoon that day was -7 C and sunny. They likely would have drawn a lot more fans had it been warmer.

    There are no easy fixes when it comes to drawing fans in adverse weather to football games in Canada. By nature, football is an outdoor game made to be played in the elements, which adds to the challenge of the sport.

Fans at Griffiths Stadium are bundled up for a cold clash on Sept. 21.

    In Canada, cold weather and even snow can strike in summer months. You could move up the schedule, but that might not be practical in some leagues, and you will still get bad weather.

    You could give discounted ticket prices for games that will be played in months when the weather is cold. The Roughriders tried that out with walk up tickets in 2017 for games played in October and November.

    You could spend hundreds of millions of dollars collected from taxpayers to build domed football stadiums for everyone. That wouldn’t go over well with a sizable portion of the public, especially when you see the ongoing talks in Calgary about getting a new NHL rink and CFL stadium.

    Unfortunately in Canada, there aren’t that many good-hearted deep pocketed good Samaritans out there willing to build multiple domed football facilities.
    It has to become cool again in Canada to head out to bad weather football games. During the 1980s and early 1990s, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers teams led by iconic head coach and general manager Cal Murphy were seen as “bad ass,” because they played in the snow and cold in the same gear they used in summer.

The family of Hilltops LB Bobby Ehman enjoys a cold Canadian Bowl win.

    The Ron Lancaster, George Reed and Ron Atchison era of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 1960s excelled in bad weather games and were deemed cool.

    When you went out to see cold weather games to see those teams play, you viewed yourself as being as tough as the players you watched.

    Unless heading out to cold weather football games becomes cool again, a large number of fans will remain plugged into their mobile phones and stay at home when conditions become slightly adverse.

    Unfortunately, there is no answer for how to bring back the feeling that it is cool to go to bad weather football games.

Four named all-Canadians for Huskies

Huskies OG Mattland Riley (#55) was a second team all-Canadian all-star.

    The University of Saskatchewan Huskies football team received some final nods for a fantastic year with four players being named U Sports all-Canadians all-stars.

    Last Thursday at an awards gala in Quebec City, Que., Huskies fifth-year running back Tyler Chow was a first team all-Canadian on offence and fourth-year defensive lineman Evan Machibroda was a first team all-Canadian on defence.

    Third-year offensive guard Mattland Riley was a second team all-Canadian on offence and fifth-year defensive end Tristian Koronkiewicz was a second team all-Canadian on defence.

    During the Huskies eight regular season games, Chow carried the ball 100 times for 640 yards and scored two touchdowns. During his regular season career with the Huskies, Chow carried the ball 385 times for 2,372 yards and scored 13 touchdowns to finish as the third all-time leading rusher in the program’s history.

    Machibroda had 14 total tackles, three sacks, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble for the Huskies in regular season action.

    Riley helped power a strong offensive line that allowed the Huskies to top the Canada West Conference with 1,376 yards rushing and place third with 2,565 yards passing as a team in the regular campaign.

Tristian Koronkiewicz (#90) was a first team all-Canadian all-star.

    Koronkiewicz topped Canada West with seven sacks to go along with 24 total tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for the Huskies in regular season play.

    The Huskies finished third in Canada West with a 5-3 regular season record. In a Canada West semifinal contest on Nov. 3 in Vancouver, B.C., the Huskies upset the host University of British Columbia Thunderbirds 31-28 in overtime. That win ended an eight-game post-season losing streak for the Huskies.

    On Nov. 10, the Huskies upset the U of Calgary Dinos 43-18 in the Canada West final in Calgary, Alta., to capture the Hardy Cup. That marked the first time the Huskies had won the Canada West title since 2006.

    The Huskies post-season game to an end in a U Sports semifinal contest on Nov. 17 in London, Ont., when they fell 47-24 to the U of Western Ontario Mustangs in the Mitchell Bowl.
    Last Saturday, the Mustangs fell in the Vanier Cup in Quebec City, Que., 34-20 to the host Universite Laval Rouge et Or.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.