Source: Ben Matchett, Calgary Sports Info / Photo credit David Moll
2013 regular season record: 8-0
2013 regular season standings: 1st, Canada
West
2013 playoff record: 3-1
2013 playoff finish: Lost 25-14 to Laval in Vanier
Cup
For six years, they’ve topped Canada West and been crowned Hardy Cup champions for an entire CIS Bowl game cycle. And with a youthful team holding that much more experience and just one starter gone from the 2013 squad that went 8-0, the University of Calgary Dinos are hungrier than ever to claim the school’s fifth Vanier Cup – that elusive championship they’ve been chasing since 1995.
A year ago, the second-youngest team in the nation defied all expectations and waltzed to an unblemished 8-0 record, knocked off powerhouse No. 1 Western in the Mitchell Bowl, and held the lead late in the third quarter of the Vanier Cup before falling to hometown Laval. In 2014, Blake Nill returns 23 of 24 starters and, coupled with a solid recruiting class, the Dinos look to be contenders for the conference and national titles yet again.
Conference action for the Dinos gets underway Friday, Sept. 5 when they host the Alberta Golden Bears at McMahon Stadium.
Quote from head coach:
“We are looking forward to another big year. On the offence, you think back to 2009 with Anthony Woodson, Matt Walter, Steven Lumbala, Anthony Parker, Nate Coehoorn, the big O-line, and Erik Glavic…I don’t know if this group has received quite that much recognition as those guys, but they’ve proven they can play. And we bring back just about everybody – obviously we need to find replacements for Cuong Thai Lieu and Chris Dobko, but on paper this is a really impressive group.
Defensively, this could be the best that I’ve had in Calgary. At this point last year, the starting group had 20 games of CIS experience, and most of that was Tom Spoletini. With the experience they gained and their speed and athleticism, the competition in the secondary and at linebacker will be as stiff as we’ve ever had. There will be great football players who won’t be on the field.”
Head Coach: BLAKE NILL
- Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2014):
9
- Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2014): 16
- Career regular season record with team: 47-17
- Career regular season record in CIS: 96-32
- Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs
only): 62-24
- Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only):
123-44
OFFENCE
Number of returning starters: 11
Key returning players:
RB MERCER TIMMIS is the reigning national rushing leader and Canada West’s Hec Crighton nominee from 2013. He set conference single-season records in rushing (18) and all-purpose touchdowns (19) last year while leading CIS with 1,157 yards on the ground. Heading into just his third year of eligibility, look for Timmis to have another impact year for the Dinos.
OL SEAN McEWEN & SUKH CHUNGH are the Dinos’ two returning All-Canadians along the offensive line. Both are entering their fourth year of eligibility and will be eligible for the CFL Draft next spring – and they’ll anchor an offensive line that has long been the foundation of the Dinos’ success.
QB ANDREW BUCKLEY stepped in and won all eight conference games for the Dinos last year, earning a share of the conference’s all-star pivot position. But the man he replaced, 2012 Canada West MVP ERIC DZWILEWSKI, is also back, giving Calgary outstanding depth at quarterback.
Key recruits or transfers:
R WILL MAXWELL (St. Francis HS / Calgary, Alta.)
R GIANCARLO SPOLETINI (Rundle College / Calgary, Alta.)
QB DEONDRE TOWNSEND (Johnson C. Smith Univ. / Lawrence Central HS / Indianapolis, Ind.)
Key losses:
R CHRIS DOBKO, the Dinos’ all-time leader in receptions, graduates after a stellar five-year career at the University of Calgary, opening up a spot on the inside that will be filled by third-year slotback BRETT BLASZKO, the 2012 conference rookie of the year.
RB CUONG THAI LIEU backed up Timmis at tailback and brought a different look to the offence, in addition to his veteran presence in the locker room.
DEFENCE
Number of returning starters: 12
Key returning players:
LB DOCTOR CASSAMA is the reigning Canada West defensive MVP and returns for another season after testing the waters with the NFL, where he tried out for several teams. He was the Dinos’ leading tackler in 2013 and will anchor the strong defensive unit.
LB THOMAS SPOLETINI was drafted in 2013 by Saskatchewan and attended the Riders’ camp last year, then the B.C. Lions’ camp this past spring. The lone fifth-year player on the roster, Spoletini is a returning Canada West all-star.
DB CYRIL IWANEGBE was an all-Canadian at halfback last season, finishing the year with 33.5 tackles.
DL TYLER LANGLAIS returns after sustaining an injury early in the Vanier Cup. Another returning conference all-star, the veteran will resume his position on the defensive end in Calgary’s 3-4 defence.
Key recruits or transfers:
LB ADAM KONAR (Vancouver College / UBC / Langley Rams; Vancouver, B.C.) will make his long-awaited debut in a Dinos jersey after battling through a knee injury that sidelined him for all of 2013. A difference-maker on the defence, Konar turned heads in 2011 at UBC and earned All-Canadian status at the junior level in 2012.
DL JAMES BRADLEY (Eastlake HS; Victoria, B.C.) also joins the active roster after a year off due to injury – look for him to take his spot on the nose of the Calgary defensive line.
DB BOSTON ROWE (St. Francis HS; Calgary, Alta.) switches sides of the ball after redshirting as a quarterback in 2013.
Key losses:
None
SPECIAL TEAMS
Key returning players:
K/P JOHNNY MARK returns for another year after being drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in May. A first-team All-Canadian, Mark is second on both the Dinos’ all-time points and field goals lists.
RET RASHAUN SIMONISE was the 2013 Canada West rookie of the year for his prowess at receiver and kick returner. He had a memorable 80-yard punt return TD against Western in the Mitchell Bowl and
Key recruits or transfers:
K/P ALEC CURTIS joins the Dinos after spending some time at North Texas and plans to battle Mark for the starting kicker position.
Key losses:
None.