Vancouver, BC - The UBC Thunderbirds football team kicks off the second half of the season in Edmonton this Saturday with an afternoon tilt versus the Alberta Golden Bears. Both team come into the game in search of their first win of the season.
UBC (0-4) is coming off a disappointing 62-7 loss on home field to the Calgary Dinos last Saturday. Nothing went their way. Defensively they could not get a stop and offensively there were far too many two and outs.
"We are exremely disappointed in the result," said head coach
Shawn Olson. "As much as we would like to pretend it didn't exist, it is important to learn from that game. Heading into this week, we need to see more leadership from our veteran guy and some resiliency. Obviously we are dealing with a ton of injuries, especially on the defensive side of the ball, so the pressure is on our offense to perform. Considering the group we have there, I'm confident they can handle the added pressure."
Olson has had to deal with as many as 20 veteran guys hurt and unable to participate in practice on any given day. The result is a lack of reps and looks necessary to prepare for the upcoming week. Because of that, young players are being put into a position where their development has drastically been sped up in order to play.
"We need to find a way to win, plan and simple," said Olson. "The first win is the hardest, but hopefully if we can get it done this weekend it will give us some confidence and in turn will move us in a positive direction."
This season Alberta (0-4) has lost to Saskatchewan 32-0, Calgary 65-6, Regina 31-17, and Manitoba 51-38. In fact if you date it back to the 2010 Canada West final, the Golden Bears have lost 13 straight games.
This year they are led by third year quarterback Curtis Dell, who is coming off his best game of the year. Last week he threw for 335 yards and one touchdown, while rushing for 61 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to Manitoba.
"They are getting better every week, " said Olson. "Their quarterback has a strong arm and some veteran receivers to throw to, while their defence boasts a number of fourth and fifth year players."
Kickoff is set for 12:00pm PST at Foote Field in Edmonton. You can watch the game live online at
Canada West TV.
