50TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: Peter Connellan, Calgary (1988)

50^TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: 1988

A conversation with...

Peter Connellan, head coach, University of Calgary Dinosaurs

In Vanier Cup XXIV, the last one played at historic Varsity Stadium in Toronto, the Calgary Dinosaurs captured their third national title in six years thanks to a spectacular 52-23 win over the Saint Mary’s Huskies, which at the time represented a record offensive output for the CIAU final. It marked the third of four Vanier Cup victories for Hall of Fame head coach Peter Connellan, who would lead the Dinosaurs to one more triumph in 1995, his final season at the helm.

After missing the playoffs the previous year, did you feel going into the 1988 season that you had a team that could compete for a Vanier Cup championship?

Looking back on it, we had played Bob Torrance, our quarterback in 1988, at the end of the 1987 season, so he got some experience as a freshman. The key for us in 1988 was how well Bob would play as a first-year starting quarterback. We had good receivers and a good offensive line, and we felt if Bob played well, we would be ok.

(Note: Torrance was named the WIFL player of the week after Calgary opened the 1988 season with a win over UBC. He was voted to the WIFL all-star team at the end of the campaign)

Explain the tough road you had to endure in the post-season to get to the Vanier Cup in 1988.

Despite going 7-1 in the regular season, we had very close games. In the WIFL final, we came from behind to tie Saskatchewan - who had a great team - in the final minute of regulation and won in double overtime to capture the Hardy Cup. That game gave us confidence for the next opponent, Western Ontario. Anytime you have to play a well-coached team like Western at their field... well, we knew we would have to play a good game to advance to the Vanier. We managed to win in London, 34-15, and that gave us additional confidence. We were battle-tested, to say the least, for the challenge to face Saint Mary’s.

What are your memories of Vanier Cup festivities during 1980s?

I always felt that the Vanier Cup committee did a remarkable job. The functions were first class and organizers did what they had to do to raise the level of the game to where it should be for a national final. From that prospective, the Vanier Cup committee did an outstanding job. It was fabulous to be a part of such a great event. 

What do you remember from the events leading up to the 1988 game?

Chris Flynn, the Saint Mary’s quarterback, was an outstanding player. He showed on many occasions what a difference-maker he could be during a game. He was injured in Saint Mary’s last game before the Vanier Cup. It was a head injury, which is difficult to diagnose. We had to practise with the mindset that he was going to play and how we were going to defend him. We didn’t know he was not playing; we had no idea he was not going to be their quarterback. But Bill Scollard came in and played very well for Saint Mary’s. He played as well as a QB could and the game was close because of him.

(Note: While Calgary ended up winning by 29 points, Saint Mary’s trailed only 31-23 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter, before the Dinosaurs scored three touchdowns in a span of four minutes to put the game away. As a replacement for Flynn, who had received the first of his three straight Hec Crighton Trophies two days prior to the game, Scollard completed 27 of 47 passes – both game records at the time - for 296 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times)   

Many people felt your Vanier Cup win over Saint Mary’s was tainted because Chris Flynn, the Hec Crighton Trophy winner, did not play. What are your thoughts on that?

Second-guessing is part of the game. We had a good defence and a strong offence. It was a very interesting game without Flynn and, had Flynn played, Saint Mary’s would have used a different kind of offence. At the same time, we were prepared for Chris Flynn being at quarterback.

What plays do you remember most from that 1988 win?

The one play that sticks out in my mind is the middle trap we ran with running back Rob Zimmerman. They took their linebacker out of the middle and we popped it for a touchdown. Another play was a QB keeper off a counter play. They bit and Bob Torrance had a great run. Biggest problem was, he ran out of gas. Finally, another big play was the interception by safety Dave Heaton, which was a momentum-killer in a close game.

(Note: Heaton’s 75-yard interception return for a touchdown made it 38-23 Dinosaurs with 6:16 remaining in the contest. It was the first of Calgary’s three touchdowns in a span of 4:13)

Who was the key player in the game?

It was a team win. We had a several players make some big plays on both sides of the ball against a good Saint Mary’s team.

(Note: Sean Furlong, a third-year wide receiver from Vernon, B.C., received the Ted Morris Trophy as game MVP thanks to his three catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Torrance was 10-of-22 passing for 198 yards, two majors and one interception, while adding 93 yards and one score on seven runs)

You had very little turnover with your coaches during your run of three Vanier Cup wins in the 1980s. Talk about the contributions of your assistants.

We were fortunate to have continuity in our coaching staff. Their contributions were immense and they provided confidence to our players. Rick Coleman, Shane Wylie and Randy Bergh were with us for many years and were a part of each Vanier Cup win. Defensively, under Tony Fasano in 1988, we were very good.

The 1988 game was the final Vanier Cup game played at historic Varsity Stadium. What do you remember about that?

Varsity Stadium was a great place to play because of the atmosphere. It provided a superb atmosphere for a college game the three times we played there. The problem with Varsity Stadium was the outdoor grass field in bad weather and when we played there the field conditions were an issue.

What is your fondest memory of the 1988 Vanier Cup win?

Coming back after a disappointing 1987 season and going all the way to the Vanier Cup was rewarding and a big turnaround for our program.

(Note: Calgary settled for third place in the WIFL with a 4-4 record in 1987 and missed the playoffs)

How often do you think back and reminisce about winning three Vanier Cups in six years?

The vast majority of our players were from Calgary and Southern Alberta and have remained in the area. I see them quite often, so we always reminisce, which is good.

MORE ABOUT PETER CONNELLAN:

One of the most successful coaches in CIS football history, Peter Connellan led the Dinosaurs to five trips to the Vanier Cup in his 14 seasons as head coach, including wins in 1983, 1985, 1988 and 1995, as well as a loss to Toronto in 1993. He was also an assistant coach with Calgary when the team lost to Ottawa in the 1975 Vanier Cup.  

Connellan received the Frank Tindall Trophy as CIS coach of the year in 1977, when he was leading the program on an interim basis, and again in 1985. In addition to the four Vanier Cup triumphs, he guided Calgary to eight conference titles and never had a losing season as head coach. He was inducted in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012, in the builder category.

He is also in the University of Calgary and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fames in the builder category, and has received the Order of the University of Calgary for his contributions to the University.