Physical football in the forecast for 2021 Vanier Cup
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huskiTiming is everything. Just ask Huskies linebacker Nick Wiebe. The Okotoks, Alberta product transferred from Oregon to the University of Saskatchewan for the 2021 season, and now finds himself on a team competing for the Vanier Cup. “It’s awesome, I got here at the right time. A happy coincidence” said Wiebe after the indoor portion of Tuesday’s practice in Quebec City. (The Huskies face the Western Mustangs for the Canadian College Football Championship on Saturday at 12pm on the free HuskieFAN app, and HuskieFAN.ca.) Wiebe, who spent his high school years at IMG training academy in Florida, senses something special about this 2021 edition of the Huskies. “This is the closest group I’ve been around. These guys are my brothers. I love everyone to death.”
The Huskies will see a lot of Western’s ground game on Saturday. “These guys run the ball.” said Wiebe, who is in his third year of USports eligibility. “It’s no secret. They run the ball probably 65 to 70% of the time.” Mustangs’ feature running back, Keon Edwards, rushed for an average of 137.4 yards/game in the OUA regular season. Zack Fry is the right tackle on a very talented Mustang’s offensive line. Fry, who was an OUA all-star in 2021 weighs in at 300 pounds, and was on the CFL’s scouting bureau’s top 20 for 2021. Wiebe admits he has seen this style of power running in his time in the PAC-12. “Stanford has that full back look. They bring in a couple of wings. They’re a pound of rock kind of team.” In some defensive formations this season, Wiebe has moved up for a 4-3 defensive look with the Huskies. Expect more of that on Saturday from Saskatchewan’s linebackers.
Facing an offense with multiple backs, isn’t always the norm in Canada West Football, so the Huskies will also make some alterations in the secondary. Defensive half back Aidan Sommacal is expected to spend more time “in the box” for this game. Sommacal, who played linebacker in high school with the St. Joseph Guardians, is up for what ever Mustangs bring offensively. “I’m just getting ready for my most physical game of the year.”
The Huskies enter this game on an eight game win streak, after putting up five straight regular season victories, before defeating UBC and Manitoba in the Canada West playoffs. That was followed by last Saturday’s 14-10 victory over the Montreal Carabins in the Uteck Bowl. “I believe every one of us has every body’s back for this game” said Sommacal. The Huskies are looking end a three game losing skid to Western. The Mustangs defeated Saskatchewan in the 1989 and 1994 Vanier Cup games, and in the 2018 Mitchell Bowl.
