CFL.ca Staff
WINNIPEG — After a tough end to the 2009 season, the Manitoba Bisons football seek to regroup and make a run into the playoffs for the first time since winning the Vanier Cup Championship in 2007. In 2009, Manitoba had a 4-4 record on the field but finished with an official Canada West record of 2-5 due to using an ineligible player.
Heading into the 2010 season, Manitoba had 85 players in training camp with almost half (39) being new players to the program. There are eight of 12 starters on the defence and five of the 12 starters on offence returning to the Bison squad. Three years removed from winning their third Vanier Cup Championship in team history, the Manitoba Bisons football team only has three players left on this year’s edition that dressed in the 2007 Vanier. The Herd looks to bounce back from missing the playoffs for only the fourth time in the last 11 years.
Head coach Brian Dobie on the 2010 season: “It has been an exciting off-season with the movement of a new stadium and the impact on the Bison program for the future. This season feels like a beginning of a new era as we have a relatively young team coupled with experienced vets who can provide leadership as we move forward. I expect a competitive team in a tough conference. This year’s team provides a foundation for the next three seasons with one of the targets playing in the new stadium on campus by the 20112 season.”
2009 in Review:
2009 regular season record: 2-5* (*forfeited games due to ineligible player)
2009 regular season standings: 6th
2009 playoff record: Did not play in playoffs
2009 playoff finish: Did not play in playoffs
Head Coach – Brian Dobie
Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2010): 15th
Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2010): 15th
Career regular season record with team: 60-50-1-1
Career regular season record in CIS: 60-50-1-1
Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 69-56-1-1
Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): 69-56-1-1
OFFENCE
Offensive coordinator: Vaughan Mitchell
Key returning players: QB Khaleal Williams, QB Kevin Hayes, RB Matt Henry, RB James Gerardy, SB Stu Schollaardt
The battle for the starting quarterback position has heated up between third year incumbents Khaleal Williams and Kevin Hayes. Williams tweaked an injury early in camp and Hayes took more reps as both try to be the first starting quarterback for the Manitoba Bisons not named John Makie (2006-08) or Nathan Friesen (2009) since 2005.
Both players have had limited action during their CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) career so far. For Hayes, he has been with the Bisons since his red-shirt season in 2007 but has not seen the field with no passes thrown in 2008 and only one incompletion in a Sept. 11 game at Simon Fraser in 2009. For Williams, his first season with Manitoba was in 2009 where he was regularly slotted as the backup QB on the depth chart. In some action, he went 6-19 or 57 passing yards and three interceptions plus two rushes for ten rushing yards in two regular season conference games.
Along with QB battle, the return of the tandem of fifth year running backs Matt Henry and James Gerardy will assist the rushing offence ranked third last season in Canada West. Last season, Henry led the team in rushing for the second consecutive season and rushed for over 600 yards in the regular season for the fourth straight season plus is now second in all-time Bison rushing yards. Gerardy added 166 yards in six games in 2009.
At receiver position, SB Stu Schollaardt is the only returning vet as he was third on the team with 218 receiving yards with 2 TDs.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers): RB Anthony Coombs, WR Quincy Hurst, SB Jared Ralko, WR Xavier Johnson, SB Tyson Hinds, SB Tyson Takasaki, QB Cam Clark, K Nick Naylor
The real changes will be at the receiver position with only one incumbent returning to this year’s squad. The Bisons recruited numerous receivers and have several ready to make an impact this season.
Hurst played last season with the College of the Desert in SFCA (Southern California Football Association) while Ralko played last season with the Vancouver Island Raiders as part of the 2009 CJFL National Championship team where he was tied for sixth in BCFC with five receiving TDs and finished with 12 receptions for 273 receiving yards. Johnson finished last season with the Big Kahuna Rams (Surrey) and was tied for fifth in BCFC with 609 receiving yards and 37 receptions while Hinds played last season with the Calgary Colts in Prairie Football League. Takasaki had a record setting-season with the Victoria Rebels in 2009 as he was first in CJFL and BCFC for receptions with 50 and touchdowns with 17 (and established new CJFL receiving TD mark) plus broke CJFL record for most TD receptions in a game with six; second in receiving yards with 845 plus BCFC All-Star.
Coombs was part of high school ‘AA’ Champion with Sturgeon Heights and second in league rushing with 46 carries for 652 yards with 10 rushing touchdowns in 2009. Clark will red-shirt this season after last season with the Big Kahuna Rams (Surrey). Naylor played last season in high school with the W.J. Mouat Secondary Hawks in BC and named to all-conference team.
Key losses: QB Nathan Friesen, OL Kurtis Stolth, OL Ryan Karhut, WR/KR Returner Jeremy Botelho, SB Clancy Doiron, WR Rory Anderson, FB Will Sheils, K Scott Dixon
All seven players were starters at their position last season and everybody but Botelho were part of 2007 Vanier Cup winning team.
DEFENCE
Defensive coordinator: Stan Pierre
Key returning players: DL Everton Black, DL Adam Hindley, DL Lou Richardson, LB Thomas Hall, DB Pete Adams, DB Grayson Wells, S Teague Sherman
The defence was ranked fourth overall and third in pass defence in Canada West last season. Returning vets include Canada West All-Star DL Everton Black plus DL Adam Hindley and Lou Richardson who will bring a strong rush in the front four. At linebacker, 2009 Russ Jackson award winner Thomas Hall led the team in tackles while vets John Tietzmann and Justin Clayton return to solidify the linebacker position.
The secondary had nine interceptions and 17 break-ups during the season. The core remains intact for this season and led by Canada West All-Star DB Pete Adams plus experienced vets DB Grayson Wells and S Teague Sherman.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers): LB Thomas Miles, DL/K Evan Gill, DB Mitchell Harrison
Both LB Thomas Miles and DL/K Evan Gill are high school players from Churchill High School and part of Manitoba H.S. Champions in 2008. Miles was a member of Team Manitoba Provincial Teams (U17) during 2007, 2008 and U19 team in 2009 and team captain in 2008 and 2009 plus Defensive MVP and All-Star while leading in defensive tackles at U17 Football Canada Cup in 2008. In addition, Miles was a First Team All-Canadian in 2009 and was high school All-Star in 2008 and 2009. Gill was a member of Team Manitoba Provincial Teams (U17) during 2007, 2008 and 2009 and team captain in 2008 and 2009 plus named as a Third Team All-Canadian while in high school All-Star in 2009 and 2008.
Harrison has been battling for a starting spot all training camp and finished his career at Sisler H.S. with several honours. In 2009 season, he led Sisle
r with three interceptions plus starter for the U-17, U-19 Manitoba provincial football team and high school All-Star in 2009 and 2008.
Key losses: DL Eddie Steele, DL Wyatt Jacobi, DB Owen Fergusson, LB Jim Jeavons,
Steele was a CIS All-Canadian last season while Jeavons was part of 2007 Vanier Cup winning team.
-With files from the University of Manitoba Bisons
