CALGARY – With first place and home field advantage already sewn up, the University of Calgary Dinos have the luxury of back-to-back home games to wrap up the regular season and get tuned up for the playoff push as they chase their sixth consecutive Canada West championship.
The undefeated, third-ranked Dinos (6-0) face the Regina Rams (2-4) – a team fighting for their playoff lives – Friday night at McMahon Stadium. Kickoff goes at 6 p.m. MT, live on CanadaWest.tv. In conjunction with the Dinos Fifth Quarter association, the Dinos are introducing the BADLANDS pre-game event in the Red and White Club this week, with a pre-game buffet meal available for just $15 ($10 for University of Calgary students). For more information or to purchase tickets, visitwww.dinos5thquarter.com.
It’s the second of two meetings between the Dinos and Rams this season, with Calgary escaping Mosaic Stadium with a 34-27 win back on Sept. 6. The two teams have been heading in opposite directions ever since, with the Dinos seemingly getting stronger every game while the Rams have managed just two wins over the hapless Alberta Golden Bears – needing a last-minute TD in their most recent outing to pull that off.
The Rams are expecting quarterback Cayman Shutter back in the lineup Friday night after missing the Alberta game. Shutter is the lynchpin of the pass-happy Rams offence, having thrown for more than 400 yards in the last meeting between the two teams. The Rams have the top passing attack in the conference, averaging more than 350 yards per game through the air. The Dinos are just five yards back of that mark, however – so Friday night could turn into an offensive air-show.
Mercer Timmis, of course, may have something to say about that. The sophomore Calgary tailback will look to pad his conference MVP credentials over the next two games – and his numbers are already stunning. Timmis is just 119 yards away from a 1,000-yard rushing season – a feat accomplished just nine times in school history – and could set a single-season rushing record with two solid games. Craig Kittelson’s 1992 season sets the pace with 1,248 yards – and Timmis is 367 yards back of that. Timmis already holds the school record for rushing touchdowns in a year with 14, and he’s two away from tying Don Blair’s 1995 mark of 17 all-purpose touchdowns – currently the school and conference records.
While the game has no bearing on the Dinos’ playoff positioning, it’s a must-win for the Rams: Regina must win both of its remaining games to have a shot at a postseason berth. It is, however, a must-win for the Dinos if they hope to achieve a first in school history: an undefeated record. Only a 12-7 loss to these same Rams in Week 7 last year kept that from happening in 2012.
Here’s a look at the two teams:
No. 3 Calgary Dinos (6-0)
Before bye: defeated Saskatchewan 24-12
Next week: host UBC
It wasn’t pretty, but the Dinos wrapped up first place with a 24-12 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies two weeks ago at Griffiths Stadium in Saskatoon. Led by a solid effort on special teams featuring three blocked kicks, the Dinos took the lead in the third quarter on a touchdown pass by Andrew Buckley to Chris Dobko and never looked back. Timmis added some insurance with an exclamation point, rumbling 80 yards for his longest career touchdown and giving him 178 yards on the game.
With the bye week over Thanksgiving to recuperate, the Dinos expect to welcome Jake Harty back to the lineup but lost the services of Brett Blaszko to a leg injury sustained in the Saskatchewan game.
The Dinos will face Regina’s top-ranked pass defence this weekend, but Regina is second-last in the conference in rushing yards allowed at 184 per game – so look for Calgary to establish the run early and often in the contest, with Timmis following the blocking of his standout offensive line. Defensively, Calgary will need to stop the potent Regina passing game which is the best in the conference. Shutting down Shutter and his receivers will be priority No. 1 for the Dinos, with the Rams holding the worst run offence in the conference, averaging just 94 yards per game along the ground.
Calgary wraps up the season next Friday night when they host UBC in a game that could very well be a first-round playoff preview.
Regina Rams (2-4)
Before bye: defeated Alberta 25-20
Next week: host Saskatchewan
The expected return of Cayman Shutter, a transfer quarterback from the University of Hawaii, should bolster the Rams’ confidence as they head to McMahon this weekend, looking for their first win in the building in more than a decade. Regina’s last win at McMahon Stadium came all the way back on Oct. 4, 2003 in a 37-35 triumph.
Shutter leads the conference with more than 350 passing yards per game and has attempted 224 passes in just five games – nearly 45 attempts per outing. Despite missing the Alberta game he’s only 16 yards behind Saskatchewan’s Drew Burko in total passing yards, and he has found receivers for 10 touchdowns on the year – tied for second-best in the conference.
Not surprisingly, the Rams have three receivers in the top 10, led by Addison Richards who tops the list with 90.3 yards per game. Kolten Solomon and Jared Janotta also crack the 10 best receiving yards list, while Mark McConkey joins that trio on the total receptions leaderboard.
All that offence hasn’t been enough for the Rams, however, who have managed only to beat Alberta twice en route to their 2-4 record. The Rams have allowed 33.3 points per game on the season – second-worst in the conference – largely due to their run defence. Their pass defence, on the other hand, has been stellar: Regina is allowing less than 270 yards per game through the air and leads the conference with six interceptions.
The Rams should take some confidence from the fact that they only fell to the Dinos by a touchdown back on Sept. 6, with that game going down to the wire before a Shutter incompletion in the end zone ended the game.
Regina closes the regular season next week when they host the Saskatchewan Huskies in a provincial battle at Mosaic Stadium.
Photo credit: David Moll
Source: Ben Matchett, Calgary Dinos Sports Information
DATE: Friday, Oct. 18
TIME: 6:00 pm
LOCATION: Calgary, Alta.
VENUE: McMahon Stadium
RADIO: 620 CKRM
WEBCAST: canadawest.tv
Facing a must-win situation, the University of Regina Rams travel west for a Week 7 matchup against undefeated and No. 3-ranked Calgary this Friday night (6:00). Michael Ball and Marco Ricci will have the call live on 620 CKRM, while canadawest.tv will webcast the game.
PLAYOFF POSSIBILITIES: For the Rams, it’s this simple – win this week and next week, or be eliminated from postseason contention. And even that might not be enough, as both Manitoba and UBC hold tiebreakers over the Rams and come into Week 7 one win up on the U of R. The Rams’ playoff chances depend not only on them winning their last two games, but also on either Manitoba or UBC losing out or Saskatchewan losing its final two games while avoiding any other teams at 4-4. If the U of R pulls off the road upset on Friday, the Rams immediately become the biggest University of Alberta fans this side of Sherwood Park as the Golden Bears match up against UBC on Saturday.
AGAINST CALGARY: The Rams have played no Canada West team more often over the past five years than Calgary, as the two squads will clash for the second time this season and the 14th time since 2008. The Dinos have won 12 of the last 13 meetings with the Rams, with the U of R’s lone win in that span coming in a 12-9 home victory last season that featured a lengthy interception return touchdown by Joey Dwyer. Overall, Calgary comes into the game with a 13-6 all-time advantage in conference games and a 4-2 edge in postseason contests.
LAST GAME: Making his first career start with Cayman Shutter injured, Rams quarterback John Kiesman engineered a late drive that he finished off himself with a one-yard plunge inside of a minute remaining to give the team a 25-20 home win over Alberta back on Oct. 5 in Regina. Taylor Wandler was named the Canada West Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting all three of his field goal attempts, including tries from 36 yards and 40 yards out.
NEXT WEEK: The Rams finish off the Canada West schedule next Saturday afternoon against the University of Saskatchewan in a game that will be featured on Canada West Football on Shaw. The teams will be meeting for the second time this season and the Rams will be hoping to avenge a seven-point Week 1 road loss that saw a big U of R comeback fall just short.
McCONKEY MAKES HISTORY: Fifth-year slotback Mark McConkey became Canada West’s all-time leading receiver in Week 5 and continues to add to the record. His 22 catches this season give him 179 for his career, six more than more than former teammate Chad Goldie who had held the record since completing his CIS eligibility after the 2008 season. The CIS career record is held by former McGill receiver Charles-Antoine Sinotte (251).
BROOKS TAKES OVER ALL-TIME SACK LEAD: Logan Brooks became the University of Regina’s all-time leader in career sacks after taking down Alberta quarterback Ryan Schwartz in the third quarter of the team’s Week 6 win over the Golden Bears. It was the 14th sack of Brooks’ career, giving the fifth-year defensive end one more than former lineman Stan Van Sichem. Brooks is tied for fourth in Canada West with 3½ sacks this season.
RICHARDS LEADING CANADA WEST: Addison Richards caught three passes for a total of 83 yards in the Week 6 victory over Alberta. That gives the third-year wide receiver a Canada West-leading total of 542 receiving yards this season, nine more than Alberta’s Tylor Henry and 16 more than Calgary’s Chris Dobko. Richards, who had seven catches for the Rams in 14 games played over his first two seasons, also ranks second in the conference with 42 catches.
SHUTTER RETURNS: Rams quarterback Cayman Shutter was injured in Week 5 at Manitoba after suffering a concussion due to a helmet-to-helmet hit at the end of a 16-yard scramble. Shutter missed the Alberta game, but is expected to return under centre for the Rams on Friday at Calgary. Despite missing six quarters of action, Shutter still ranks second in the conference in passing yards (1754), is tied for second in touchdown passes (10), and ranks third in pass completions (127).
STEFANOVIC LEADING THE DEFENCE: He’s only in his first season of eligibility after redshirting last season following a fine high school career at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw, but linebacker Michael Stefanovic has been impressive for the Rams. He is the conference’s outright leader with eight tackles for loss and has been in on 48 tackles this year, a total which ranks second in Canada. Stefanovic even put points on the board for the Rams in Week 5 at Manitoba, scoring on a 53-yard fumble return which stands as the second longest in U of R history.
TEVAUGHN ON THE RETURN: Second-year cornerback Tevaughn Campbell not only starts for the Rams on the defensive side of the ball, but has also been one of the most dynamic returns in Canada West this season. He’s second in Canada West with an average of 11.7 yards per punt return and would be the conference’s leader in yards per kickoff return (26.2) if he had enough to qualify. He now holds the school’s single-season record for punt return yards, as his 303 yards eclipse the old record of 302 set by Chris Ashman (2002).
JANOTTA MOVING UP THE CHARTS: Jared Janotta is having another fine season for the Rams, ranking second on the team in receptions (34) and receiving yards (429) and is tied for second in Canada West with four touchdown catches. The fourth-year slotback is also making his mark on the University of Regina’s career receiving charts, including pass receptions where he already ranks sixth with 129 catches and needs just three to pass Brenden Owens for fifth, 10 to pass Cory Olynick for fourth, and 13 to overtake Jordan Sisco for third. Janotta is also tied for sixth in U of R history with 11 touchdown catches and is eighth with 1651 receiving yards.
SWITCHING SPORTS – TAKE 1: Followers of U of R sports might see a familiar name starting for the Rams on the offensive line, as Jeremy Zver has been a key reserve for the men’s basketball team over the last two years and returns to football for the first time since starring for Balfour Collegiate in 2010. Zver has appeared in 36 Canada West hoops games in his career.
SWITCHING SPORTS – TAKE 2: Running back Jens Johnson is in his first year with the Rams after playing a Junior A career that spanned three full seasons in the SJHL. Johnson spent two years with the Weyburn Red Wings before splitting the 2012-13 season between Weyburn and Notre Dame. A defenceman, Johnson collected 48 points in 150 career regular season SJHL games and played in a total of 24 postseason games with the Red Wings and Hounds.
SWITCHING SPORTS – TAKE 3: Defensive back Jeff Propp has appeared in all six games so far for the Rams and got his first career start in Week 6 against Alberta. Propp, who was a multi-sport standout for Michael A. Riffel HS in Regina, redshirted last season with the U of R’s men’s basketball team and is in his first season with the Rams. He’s expected to play for the Cougars again this year under new head coach Steve Burrows.
SWITCHING SPORTS – TAKE 4: We might just have a fourth addition to this section, as Jared Janotta suited up for the Cougar basketball team on Oct. 4 against Medicine Hat College. Janotta had six points in 10 spirited minutes off the bench for the U of R, which took out the Rattlers by a 78-69 count.
THREE RAMS EARN WEEKLY HONOURS: The Rams have collected a total of four weekly awards this year, most recently Taylor Wandler. Wandler was named the Canada West Special Teams Player of the Week after hitting a trio of field goals in Week 6 against Alberta. All three other awards came following the team’s Week 3 win over Alberta, as Cayman Shutter was named the CIS and Canada West Offensive Player of the Week and Michael Stefanovic was the Canada West Defensive Player of the Week.
RAMS IN THE NFL: The Rams have three players currently in the NFL, led by defensive tackle Akiem Hicks (New Orleans) and punter Jon Ryan (Seattle). Defensive tackle Stefan Charles is also on Tennessee’s practice roster. Only eight non-NCAA Div. I schools have at least three current NFLers, led by five each from the California University of Pennsylvania and Grand Valley State. Mount Union (NCAA Div. III) and NCAA Div. II schools Midwestern State, Missouri Western, Valdosta State, and Washburn join the U of R with three players apiece.
RAMS IN THE CFL: In addition to their three NFL players, the Rams also have seven players currently on CFL rosters. That list is highlighted by Chris Getzlaf and Brendon LaBatte of Saskatchewan and Calgary rookie Brett Jones, who’s starting at centre for the West Division-leading Stampeders. The list of 10 former Rams in the professional ranks doesn’t include long snapper Jorgen Hus, who attended camp with St. Louis (NFL) but was waived after the preseason.
Source: Braden Konschuh, Regina Rams Sports Information
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