REGINA 2015 RAMS FOOTBALL GAME NOTES 2015 SCHEDULE ALBERTA WEDNESDAY, AUG. 26 • L, 25-9 (0-0) CALGARY DINOS at MEDICINE HAT, AB • NON-CONFERENCE REGINA FRIDAY, SEPT. 4 - 7:00 PM (0-0) ALBERTA (0-0) GOLDEN BEARS MOSAIC STADIUM • CANADA WEST WHAT TO WATCH FOR SETTING THE SCENE • It’s the start of a new era for the Rams, KICKOFF: Sept. 4 (7:00 p.m.) SATURDAY, SEPT. 12 - 6:00 PM as they play their first Canada West game under the direction of first-year head SITE: Mosaic Stadium (Regina, Sask.) 7UBC THUNDERBIRDS coach Mike Gibson CAPACITY: 33,427 VANCOUVER, BC • CANADA WEST • The two teams played twice in each of RANKINGS: Alberta NR, Regina NR the last three seasons, but Friday’s meet- TELEVISION: Access7 (Mitchell Blair/ ing will be the only Canada West game PxP, B.K. Woldu/CC) FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 - 7:00 PM between Alberta and Regina this year 8SASKATCHEWAN • This will be only the second time in his- REGINA RADIO: 620 CKRM (Michael HUSKIES tory that Alberta and Regina have opened Ball/PxP, Luc Mullinder/CC) SASKATOON, SK • CANADA WEST up the season against each other - the EDMONTON RADIO: TSN 1260 (Dustin only other time was in 2004 Nielson/PxP, Jay Milne/CC) • After this game, the Rams will be on the SATURDAY, SEPT. 26 - 4:00 PM LIVE VIDEO: www.canadawest.tv ($) road two straight weeks for games at UBC 4CALGARY DINOS (Sept. 12) and Saskatchewan (Sept. 18) MOSAIC STADIUM • CANADA WEST RAMS RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS FRIDAY, OCT. 2 - 7:00 PM 10MANITOBA BISONS WINNIPEG, MB • CANADA WEST SATURDAY, OCT. 17 - 4:00 PM 10MANITOBA BISONS PASSING RUSHING RECEIVING TACKLES MOSAIC STADIUM • CANADA WEST NOAH PICTON ATLEE SIMON MITCH THOMPSON MICHAEL STEFANOVIC 2029 yds (11 TDs) 524 yds (81 att.) 363 yds (31 rec.) 39½ tackles (27/25) SATURDAY, OCT. 24 - 1:00 PM 4CALGARY DINOS CALGARY, AB • CANADA WEST FRIDAY, OCT. 30 - 7:00 PM 8SASKATCHEWAN SCORING QB SACKS TACKLES FOR LOSS INTERCEPTIONS HUSKIES ANDREW FABIAN TYLER PERKINS TYLER PERKINS J. DWYER / R. SERBU MOSAIC STADIUM • CANADA WEST 61 pts (11 FG, 26 PAT, 2 RG) 2 sacks (11 yds) 5 TFLs (22 yds) 1 INT 2015 RAMS FOOTBALL - OFFICIAL GAME NOTES BENCH BOSS: Friday will be the first meaningful game for the Rams under first-year QUICK NOTES head coach Mike Gibson. Gibson coached in the Canadian Football League as an as- UNIVERSITY OF REGINA sistant for a decade prior to taking the Rams post in December, including most recently as the Ottawa REDBLACKS’ offensive coordinator. Though he has a litany of experience Location ................................................... Regina, Sask. at the professional and NCAA levels, Gibson says it’ll actually be his first game as a head Enrollment ............................................................ 12,612 coach since leading the freshman team at Cornell in the early 190s. Founded (Regina College) ................................... 1911 Founded (University of Regina) .........................1974 ALL-TIME SERIES: Both of last year’s games between the Rams and Alberta were Conference ..............................................Canada West settled by less than a touchdown. Alberta won 44-42 on Sept. 20 in Edmonton, but the Rams replied with a 35-31 win on Nov. 1 in Regina that qualified them for the postsea- Colours ....................................Green and Vegas Gold son. The Rams hold an 18-6 all-time edge in the series and have won 12 of 14 meetings Nickname .............................................................. Rams since 2006. President ....................................Dr. Vianne Timmons Acting Athletic Director ...................Curtis Atkinson THE TARGETS: You’d think that with the Rams losing Landon Buch, Jared Janotta, and Addison Richards from last year, the receiving corps might be a question mark this RAMS HISTORY season. But the coaching staff certainly doesn’t think so, with Mitch Thompson and Riley First Season (CJFL) ................................................1954 Wilson both returning and a number of players graduating to prime-time roles after being in the program for multiple years. That group is likely to include WR Andrew Ben- First Season (CIS) ................................................. 1999 nett, WR Richard Sindani, SB Davin Johnston, and SB Mitchell Picton. All-Time Canada West Record ................ 60-67-1OTL All-Time Postseason Record ...............................7-12 MAKING THEIR DEBUTS: No less than 14 Rams are likely to dress in their first Canada West Championships ..................... 1 (2000) meaningful game on Friday, including five that were in high school just a few short months ago - DB Polis Koko, DL Matt Moore, WR Adam Rask, SB Ryan Schienbein, and Atlantic Bowl Victories ................................. 1 (2000) DL Ajai Washington. OL Roe Borgmann, SB Kyle Moortgat, and DB Luke Wilson should all COACHING STAFF play in their first game after redshirting with the Rams last year, while QB Tyler Vieira and RB Michael Webber come to the U of R from CJFL programs. QB Ben Bucholz, DB Head Coach ......................Mike Gibson (1st season) Preston Paulson, and RB Jayde Rowe are all transfers, while OL Braydon Johnson didn’t Canada West Record ..............................................0-0 play last season after graduating from high school in 2014. Postseason Record .................................................0-0 Defensive Coordinator ......................... Paul Dawson YOUTHFUL IMPACT: The Rams have one player in his first season of CIS eligibil- ity projected to start in Week 1 - and that’s rush end David Julé, who redshirted with Offensive Coordinator ................... Mark McConkey the Rams last year. Julé got the start in the non-conference game against Calgary and TEAM INFORMATION picked up a pair of assisted tackles against the Dinos. 2014 Canada West Record ..................................... 3-5 RAMS IN THE PROS: The Rams currently boast four former players in the NFL, in- 2014 Canada West Finish....................................4th/6 cluding DL Stefan Charles (Buffalo), DL Akiem Hicks (New Orleans), OL Brett Jones (NY Giants), and P Jon Ryan (Seattle). Five former Rams are currently in the CFL, including 2014 CANADA WEST FINAL STANDINGS LS Jorgen Hus and OL Brendon LaBatte who are both on Saskatchewan’s active roster. W-L PF PA WR Addison Richards is on Winnipeg’s 1-game injured list, while SB Chris Getzlaf is on Calgary 6-2 419 179 Saskatchewan’s 6-game injured list and CB Tevaughn Campbell is on Calgary’s PR. Saskatchewan 6-2 249 226 RAMS FAMILY TIES: Manitoba 4-4 290 247 • OL Aaron Picton and SB Mitchell Picton - brothers Regina 3-5 239 294 • DB Luke Wilson and SB Riley Wilson - brothers Alberta 3-5 230 363 • OL Aaron Picton/SB Mitchell Picton, QB Noah Picton, RB Blake Anaka - cousins UBC 2-6 175 293 • Defensive line coach Greg Nesbitt and LB Danny Nesbitt - father/son • Greg Nesbitt and defensive coordinator Paul Dawson - brothers-in-law START CHART Opponent QB RB LT LG C RG RT WR-W WR-Z SB-X TE TE Calgary (non-conf.) N.Picton Simon Zver Paterson Cugnet A.Picton Degelman Bennett Sindani Johnston J.Johnson M.Picton Alberta at UBC at Saskatchewan Calgary at Manitoba Manitoba at Calgary Saskatchewan Opponent RUSH DT NT END MLB OLB DIME CB-B CB-C HB-F HB-H S Calgary (non-conf.) Julé Wicijowski McKinnon Perkins McEachern Morrison Dwyer Branning Serbu Greene Rossler Avram Alberta at UBC at Saskatchewan Calgary at Manitoba Manitoba at Calgary Saskatchewan 2 2015 RAMS FOOTBALL - OFFICIAL GAME NOTES 2015 RAMS FOOTBALL - OFFICIAL GAME NOTES PLAYER NOTES #1 Jens Johnson (FB • 4th • 5-10/205 • Regina, Sask.) #22 Ben Lane (FB/LB • 3rd • 6-0/200 • Calgary, Alta.) #55 Kyle Paterson (OL • 5th • 6-3/275 • Weyburn, Sask.) 22 rushes for 127 yards and 1 TD last season ... is Spent most of camp at linebacker to help with Canada West all-star in 2014 ... drafted in the 2014 expected to see major playing time at fullback ... numbers there ... utility player who can be used at CFL Draft by Saskatchewan ... attended training could also see snaps at slotback ... team captain. fullback or linebacker ... had a forced fumble for camp with the Roughriders in both 2014 and 2015 the Rams last week against Calgary. ... including postseason, has 29 career games #2 Andrew Fabian (K • 5th • 6-0/195 • Tilley, Alta.) played and 15 games started. 11-for-15 on FG attempts and averaged 38.8 #24 Polis Koko (DB • 1st • 5-9/155 • Regina, Sask.) yards per punt last season ... expected to handle Three-time provincial champion at Dr. Martin LeB- #57 Thomas Lill (DL • 3rd • 6-4/330 • Aurora, Ont.) all placekicking and punting duties again for the oldus HS … on the depth chart as a backup at both Missed half of last year due to injury ... No. 2 on Rams. cornerback positions. the depth at nose tackle heading into Week 1. #3 Michael Webber (RB • 2nd • 6-3/245 • Guelph, Ont.) #26 Davin Johnston (SB • 3rd • 6-0/190 • Regina, Sask.) #58 Nathan Cugnet (OL • 4th • 6-0/285 • Weyburn, Sask.) Comes to the Rams from the Windsor AKO Frat- Has spent most of his first two seasons with the Backup lineman last year, but is expected to move men ... expected to play a major role at kickoff re- Rams as a backup receiver … expected to start into a starting role at centre in 2015 ... including turn and should see some carries at running back. at one of the slotback positions ... had the team’s postseason, has 15 career games played and four lone TD last week against Calgary. games started. #4 Noah Picton (QB • 2nd • 5-10/180 • Regina, Sask.) Became the first Canada West rookie ever to throw #27 Joey Dwyer (DB • 4th • 6-2/200 • Regina, Sask.) #64 Keenan Carrier (OL • 5th • 6-1/300 • Tisdale, Sask.) for over 2000 yards last year, finishing with 2029 One of the team’s two returning Canada West In his second year with the Rams after a junior … also had a 64.1% completion rate and 11 TD all-stars from 2014 ..