Expect bandwagon to fill for Huskies football

Noah Zerr gets family time with the Hardy Cup.

If you have the urge to jump on the bandwagon for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Football team, follow the old Nike slogan and “just do it.”

For the first time since 2006, the Huskies (8-1 overall) will play in the U Sports championship game – the Vanier Cup. They will take on the University of Western Ontario Mustangs (9-1 overall) in the U Sports title game on Saturday at Stade Telus – Universite Laval in Quebec City, Quebec (12 p.m. Saskatchewan time, CBC TV).

As the week goes and the time for the championship clash nears, you can expect more and more people in Saskatoon and likely the province of Saskatchewan will jump on the Huskies bandwagon.

They should jump on the Huskies bandwagon, and that goes for anyone that wants to back the Dogs.

The players and coaches on the team are incredibly likeable.

The team has been building to this moment with a journey that included winning the Hardy Cup as Canada West Conference champions in 2018 as well as this season.

Plus, the nostalgia factor will come into play when it comes to jumping on the bandwagon. The Huskies have made nine previous trips to the Vanier Cup and come out the victors on three occasions in 1990, 1996 and 1998.

Adam Machart has piled up big yards at running back.

Current Huskies head coach Scott Flory and current defensive co-ordinator Warren Muzika were players at right tackle and linebacker respectively on the Huskies 1998 Vanier Cup winner.

As all nine of those championship appearances were shown on national television and the Huskies made other regular national TV appearances during the 1990s and 2000s, a lot of people carry warm memories from those years.

Legendary Huskies head coach Brian Towriss oversaw all of those runs to appearing in the Vanier Cup championship game before retiring after the 2016 season. He became the all-time leader in U Sports head coaching victories at 196 in both regular season and post-season play.

Towriss found his way to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. He is accompanying the current Huskies on the road in the post-season.

Towriss is one of the great storytellers you will find anywhere at any level of sports. During down moments, it would be a great experience for any current players to squeeze in a visit with Towriss to hear those tales.

There have been a number of opportunities to hear those old stories too.

After Huskies beat the University de Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl last Saturday in Montreal, Quebec, the team elected to stay in the province. They bussed to Quebec City the next day to being preparing for the Vanier Cup.

Colton Klassen has been a heart and soul player for the Huskies.

The current players are a great bunch. They are group that is easy to get behind.

While the 2020 Canada West season and the Vanier Cup was cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that has gripped the world, a large number of players that were on the roster in 2019 returned to the Huskies this season. That development is a testament to how good the culture is on the squad.

The Huskies will try to help seven players in their fifth and final seasons of eligibility graduate as U Sports national champions in Colton Klassen, Kyle Newton, Carter Dahl, Finley Easton, Clovis Lumeka, Nick Summach and Yol Piok.

Klassen is arguably the best known of the group. The 2020 CFL Draft selection of the Montreal Alouettes is the Huskies star utility player and a three time Canada West all-star.

Back on October 26, 2019, Klassen went down with a gruesome dislocated right ankle near the end of the first quarter in a 22-9 victory over the University of Alberta Golden Bears.

He hit the comeback trail and recovered to the point the Alouettes were comfortable with selecting him in the eighth round and 69^th overall in the CFL Draft held on April 30, 2020.

Piok has become a mental health advocate after coming forward with his own story of his battles with mental health. Behind the scenes, the Regina product has made a big positive impact off the field.

Fans at cheer on the Huskies at the Hardy Cup.

When it comes to excitement on the field, the Huskies most exciting player is arguably star quarterback Mason Nyhus. The fourth-year signal caller plays in the gun slinging mold of Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre of the NFL.

Nyhus puts up numbers and wins. His decision making has also been top notch this season, and he has been calculated when it comes to taking chances to win games.

Star running back Adam Machart has solidified himself as one of the Huskies all-time greats. He can run with speed, finesse and power and catch passes out of the backfield like a standout receiver.

He is also one of the game’s top true gentlemen.

Sure handed receiver Sam Baker might be the most consistent pass catcher in U Sports. When the stakes get higher, he becomes a bigger playmaker.

Throughout their history, the Huskies have been known for their great offensive lines, and the U of S can rightfully be dubbed “O-line U.”

Riley Pickett has piled up the sacks this season.

This year’s starting line has been stellar once again with Summach at right tackle, Connor Berglof at right guard, Oluwayombo Olabimtan at centre, Derek Beaubien at left guard and Noah Zerr at left tackle.

Of course, the guys on the offensive line are some of the most down to earth persons you will meet anywhere.

On defensive, defensive end Riley Pickett likely received some extra notoriety in being named the defensive player of the game in the Uteck Bowl recording two sacks and six total tackles. Pickett was the target of boos and taunts from the Carabins faithful in Montreal, and he took it all in stride.

Always an upbeat and highly positive person off the field, Pickett knows that boos in opposing team stadiums are as good as cheers when he is at home and also come as a sign he is playing well. He doesn’t get phased by whatever the game throws at him.

Nathan Cherry had a strong season playing the other defensive end spot for the Huskies to form a great pass rushing duo with Pickett.

At linebacker, the Huskies are so deep you could argue they have nine guys who could be starters. Lumeka and Nick Wiebe are viewed as arguably the biggest playmakers.

Mason Nyhus is the Huskies gunslinger at quarterback.

Sophomore outside linebacker Ramsey Derbas has already been entrusted to be a team captain, which shows the leadership ability he has at a young age.

At defensive back, Charlie Ringland goes about the game in a quiet businesslike fashion, and he has the ability to creep up and play in the box as well as cover top receivers. He has great politeness off the field too.

Place kicker and punter David Solie might be the most easy going player on the team. He doesn’t get rattled in crazy situations or when the pressure is on.

Overall, the players, coaches and staff of the Huskies football team are all the perfect persons you would want representing the U of S, Saskatoon as a city and Saskatchewan as a province.

They allow alums of the program and fans to live out great moments in the present and remember great moments of the past.

At the moment, it feels like everything with the Huskies experience of being the Vanier Cup is new again, because it has been so long since the program has been in this game and even longer since the Dogs have won that contest.

The Huskies have a group that deserves to be cheered on.

QB Mason Nyhus (#8) makes a young fan’s day after a win.

If they can win this last game and go all the way, you likely won’t be able to find the words to describe how special that would be.

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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