Huskies, Dinos ready for Mitchell Bowl

Courtesy of U of Calgary sports information

CALGARY (CIS) – The Saint Mary’s Huskies arrived in Calgary Thursday morning to prepare for the Mitchell Bowl on Saturday – and the icy weather in Southern Alberta dominated discussion at the traditional Meet the Teams press conference.

The national semi-final between the Huskies and the Canada West champion University of Calgary Dinos is set for 1:30 p.m. local (3:30 ET) Saturday afternoon at McMahon Stadium, broadcast live nationally on TSN and live Manitoba-west on Radio-Canada (tape delay Ontario-east). After significant snowfall blanketed Calgary in white Tuesday, the visitors were bundled up before heading to the field for their first on-site practice.

With kickoff temperature forecast to be minus-12 degrees Celcius, Saint Mary’s quarterback Micah Brown, a native of Tampa, Fla., was inundated with questions about the frigid temperatures and the snow.

“The coldest game I’ve been in was probably about 50 degrees Fahrenheit and then when we got here, it was minus-1 Fahrenheit (-15 Celcius),” laughed the fourth-year pivot. “This is the coldest weather I’ve ever been in, not just played in. It’s going to be different and challenging with the snow.”

Steve Sumarah, the 2009 CIS coach of the year, readily agreed with his quarterback.

“The reality is the punting game is especially impacted,” Sumarah said. “You have a poor punter on the sideline that gets out there nine, 10 times where he has to kick a brick. It’s going to affect the return games as well, and the throwing of the ball…I think both teams are going to run the ball probably a little bit more than originally planned.”

Calgary’s run game was the story when they faced the Huskies under more favourable conditions in last year’s Uteck Bowl in Halifax. The Dinos were able to rack up 426 yards along the ground in their 38-14 victory, with 235 of those coming from Matt Walter.

“They (Saint Mary’s) put a lot of weight on the shoulders of their defence, and we have some things in place to try to move the ball,” said Calgary head coach Blake Nill, who has led the Dinos to three straight Canada West championships in five seasons after spending eight years at the helm in Halifax. “You’re probably going to see the ball being run a lot more, and both teams have the ability to run and aren’t afraid to run. It’s something that we’re going to have to do offensively and something we’re going to have to defend, and that’s something we’ve been working on all week.

“Offensively, they have a couple of guys on their offence that are difference-makers,” Nill went on. You’re not going to be able to stop them completely, but we’re going to have to do a good job limiting the damage they do.”

Two-time Hec Crighton winner Erik Glavic, who was named national MVP once each with the Huskies and the Dinos, said his team is preparing well and will be ready for kickoff on Saturday.

“This team is focused, and it’s all about one goal, which is to get back to the Vanier Cup,” said the fifth-year quarterback. “You have to stay hungry and look at the task at hand. Last year in the Uteck Bowl we got a lot of individual efforts, which helped us win that game, but we can’t expect that to happen all the time.

“We can’t take this team lightly – they’re a good team, and from studying on film their defence is very good. We’re going to have to work hard to put some points on the board.”

In Saturday’s other national semi-final at PEPS Stadium in Quebec City, the No. 1 Laval Rouge et Or host the No. 2 Western Mustangs in the Uteck Bowl at noon Eastern, live coast-to-coast on TSN and Radio-Canada.

The winners of the Bowl games advance to the Desjardins Vanier Cup, Saturday, November 27 in Quebec City, live on TSN and Radio-Canada at 11:30 a.m. ET.

MITCHELL BOWL

When: Saturday, Nov. 20, 1:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (3:30 p.m. Eastern)
Where: McMahon Stadium, Calgary
Who: No. 9 Saint Mary’s Huskies (6-3) at No. 5 Calgary Dinos (8-2)
TV: Live on TSN (Radio-Canada: live in Western Canada / tape delay in Eastern Canada)

SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY HUSKIES (AUS champions)

2010 season summary
Overall record: 6-3
Regular season record: 5-3
Regular season standing: 1st
Playoff record: 1-0
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 2): No. 9
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 4 (2 weeks: first 2 polls)
Lowest Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): Unranked (5 week: polls 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 5
Regular season offence points (28.5 ppg): 1st AUS / 10th CIS
Regular season offence total yards (369.9 ypg): 1st AUS / 14th CIS
Regular season offence passing (186.5 ypg): 2nd AUS / 22nd CIS
Regular season offence rushing (183.4 ypg): 1st AUS / 6th CIS
Regular season defence points (15.5 ppg): 1st AUS / 3rd CIS
Regular season defence total yards (259.1 ypg): 1st AUS / 2nd CIS
Regular season defence passing (153.1 ypg): 1st AUS / 1st CIS
Regular season defence rushing (106.0 ypg): 1st AUS / 3rd CIS

2010 results
Sept. 11 (away): Acadia 17, Saint Mary’s 7
Sept. 18 (home): Laval 45, Saint Mary’s 7
Sept. 25 (away): Mount Allison 23, Saint Mary’s 21
Oct. 1 (home): Saint Mary’s 45, Acadia 10
Oct. 8 (away): Saint Mary’s 43, StFX 16
Oct. 15 (home): Saint Mary’s 41, StFX 6
Oct. 23 (home): Saint Mary’s 43, Mount Allison 7
Oct. 30 (away): Saint Mary’s 21, Acadia 0
Nov. 13 (home): Saint Mary’s 37, Acadia 8 (AUS final)

2010 AUS individual honours
Major awards: Jahmeek Taylor (MVP)
All-stars offence: Craig Leger (RB), Jahmeek Taylor (IR), Kevin Walsh (WR), Adam Baboulas (T)
All-stars defence: Dan Schutte (T), Jeff Hecht (LB), Mark Holden (DB), Fraser Vrenjak (CB)
All-stars special teams: Jahmeek Taylor (RET)

All-time head-to-head vs. Calgary
Overall record: 1-3

2009 (home): 38-14 loss (Uteck Bowl)
1993 (home): 37-23 loss (Atlantic Bowl)
1992 (home): 21-11 win (Atlantic Bowl)
1988 (neutral site: Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 52-23 loss (Vanier Cup)

Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 9-12
All-time Bowl record on the road: 1-2
Mitchell Bowl record: 0-2
Mitchell Bowl record on the road: 0-2

2009 (home): 38-14 loss vs. Calgary (Uteck Bowl)
2008 (away): 28-12 loss vs. Western (Mitchell Bowl)
2007 (home): 24-2 win vs. Laval (Uteck Bowl)
2004 (away): 31-16 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Mitchell Bowl)
2003 (home): 60-9 win vs. Simon Fraser (Uteck Bowl)
2002 (away): 36-25 win vs. McMaster (Churchill Bowl)
2001 (home): 48-8 win vs. Laval (Atlantic Bowl)
2000 (home): 40-36 loss vs. Regina (Atlantic Bowl)
1999 (home): 21-14 win vs. Waterloo (Atlantic Bowl)
1994 (home): 35-24 loss vs. Saskatchewan (Atlantic Bowl)
1993 (home): 37-23 loss vs. Calgary (Atlantic Bowl)
1992 (home): 21-11 win vs. Calgary (Atlantic Bowl)
1990 (home): 31-30 win vs. Western (Atlantic Bowl)
1989 (home): 38-33 loss vs. Western (Atlantic Bowl)
1988 (home): 44-10 win vs. Bishop's (Atlantic Bowl)
1987 (home): 30-29 loss vs. McGill (Atlantic Bowl)
1974 (home): 45-1 loss vs. Toronto (Atlantic Bowl)
1973 (home): 19-17 win vs. Laurier (Atlantic Bowl)
1972 (home): 50-17 loss vs. Waterloo Lutheran (Atlantic Bowl)
1971 (home): 44-13 loss vs. Western (Atlantic Bowl)
1968 (home): 37-7 loss vs. Waterloo Lutheran (Atlantic Bowl)

Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 3-6

2007 (Rogers Centre, Toronto): 28-14 loss vs. Manitoba
2003 (SkyDome, Toronto): 14-7 loss vs. Laval
2002 (SkyDome, Toronto): 33-21 win vs. Saskatchewan
2001 (SkyDome, Toronto): 42-16 win vs. Manitoba
1999 (SkyDome, Toronto): 14-10 loss vs. Laval
1992 (SkyDome, Toronto): 31-0 loss vs. Queen's
1990 (SkyDome, Toronto): 24-21 loss vs. Saskatchewan
1988 (Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 52-23 loss vs. Calgary
1973 (CNE Stadium, Toronto): 14-6 win vs. McGill

Head coach: Steve Sumarah
Year: 5th
Career regular season record: 29-10
Career playoff record: 6-4
Career overall record (season and playoffs): 35-14
Career overall record vs. Calgary: 0-1
Bowl record: 1-2
Bowl wins: 2007
Bowl losses: 2009, 2008
Vanier Cup record: 0-1
Vanier Cup wins: None
Vanier Cup losses: 2007

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY DINOS (Canada West champions)

2010 season summary
Overall record: 8-2
Regular season record: 6-2
Regular season standing: 2nd
Playoff record: 2-0
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 2): No. 5
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 1 (1 week: first poll)
Lowest Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 7 (1 week: 8th poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 10
Regular season offence points (26.0 ppg): 3rd CW / 11th CIS
Regular season offence total yards (447.9 ypg): 3rd CW / 8th CIS
Regular season offence passing (199.6 ypg): 6th CW / 21st CIS
Regular season offence rushing (248.2 ypg): 1st CW / 2nd CIS
Regular season defence points (22.3 ppg): 2nd CW / 9th CIS
Regular season defence total yards (422.8 ypg): 3rd CW / 18th CIS
Regular season defence passing (267.1): 6th CW / 21st CIS
Regular season defence rushing (155.6): 3rd CW / 14th CIS

2010 results
Sept. 4 (home): Saskatchewan 34, Calgary 13
Sept. 10 (home): Calgary 24, Regina 21
Sept. 18 (away): Calgary 23, Alberta 14
Sept. 25 (away): Calgary 26, Manitoba 25
Oct. 2 (home): Calgary 33, UBC 16
Oct. 15 (away): Saskatchewan 36, Calgary 17
Oct. 22 (away): Calgary 35, Regina 27
Oct. 30 (home): Calgary 37, Alberta 5
Nov. 6 (home): Calgary 40, Regina 33 (CW semifinal)
Nov. 13 (home): Calgary 56, Alberta 3 (CW final)

2010 Canada West individual honours
Major awards: Sam Hurl (defensive MVP), Paul Swiston (outstanding down lineman), Eric Dzwilewski (rookie of the year)
All-stars offence: Matt Walter (RB), Anthony Parker (IR), Nathan Coehoorn (WR), Paul Swiston (T), Reed Alexander (G), Alex Krausnick-Groh (C)
All-stars defence: Sam Hurl (LB), Tye Noble (HB)
All-stars special teams: Aaron Ifield (PK)

All-time head-to-head vs. Saint Mary’s
Overall record: 3-1

2009 (away): 38-14 win (Uteck Bowl)
1993 (away): 37-23 win (Atlantic Bowl)
1992 (away): 21-11 loss (Atlantic Bowl)
1988 (neutral site: Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 52-23 win (Vanier Cup)

Bowl history (since inception of national semi-finals in 1967)
All-time Bowl record: 6-4
All-time Bowl record at home: 2-0
Mitchell Bowl record: 0-0
Mitchell Bowl record at home: 0-0

2009 (away): 38-14 win vs. Saint Mary’s (Uteck Bowl)
2008 (away): 59-10 loss vs. Laval (Uteck Bowl)
1995 (home): 37-7 win vs. Ottawa (Churchill Bowl)
1993 (away): 37-23 win vs. Saint Mary's (Atlantic Bowl)
1992 (away): 21-11 loss vs. Saint Mary's (Atlantic Bowl)
1988 (away): 34-15 win vs. Western (Western Bowl)
1985 (home): 56-14 win vs. Carleton (Central Bowl)
1984 (away): 12-7 loss vs. Guelph (Central Bowl)
1977 (away): 24-22 loss vs. Western (Forest City Bowl)
1975 (away): 38-13 win vs. Acadia (Atlantic Bowl)

Vanier Cup history
All-time record: 4-3

2009 (PEPS Stadium, Quebec City): 33-31 loss vs. Queen’s
1995 (SkyDome, Toronto): 54-24 win vs. Western
1993 (SkyDome, Toronto): 37-34 loss vs. Toronto
1988 (Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 52-23 win vs. Saint Mary's
1985 (Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 25-6 win vs. Western
1983 (Varsity Stadium, Toronto): 31-21 win vs. Queen's
1975 (CNE Stadium, Toronto): 14-9 loss vs. Ottawa

Head coach: Blake Nill
Year: 13th (5th at Calgary / 8 at Saint Mary's 1998-2005)
Career regular season record: 73-31 (24-16 with Calgary)
Career playoff record: 19-8 (7-3 with Calgary)
Career overall record (season and playoffs): 92-39 (31-19 with Calgary)
Career overall record vs. Saint Mary’s: 1-0
Bowl record: 5-3 (1-1 with Calgary)
Bowl wins: 2009 (with Calgary), 2003, 2002, 2001, 1999
Bowl losses: 2008, 2004, 2000
Vanier Cup record: 2-3 (0-1 with Calgary)
Vanier Cup wins: 2002, 2001
Vanier Cup losses: 2009 (with Calgary), 2003, 1999

-CIS-