VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds football team is looking to turn high expectations for the 2014 Canada West season into on-field success and capture the program's first Hardy Cup since 1997.

Head coach Shawn Olson, who was the team's starting quarterback in 1997, is looking to continue his squad's trend of improvement over the last couple of seasons. UBC went 2-6 during the 2012 regular season before clinching a playoff spot with a 4-4 mark last year. The team lost to Vanier Cup finalists Calgary 42-28 in the Canada West semifinal.

The Thunderbirds return 19 of 24 starters from last year's roster, including three CIS All-Canadians, one each on offence, defence and special teams.

"We have talent, we have work ethic and we have a lot of the character traits and values that I think are prevalent in championship-calibre teams," said Olson. "So the ingredients are all there but now we've actually got to bake a cake and make something edible."

Olson is using the term, "Leave Your Signature," as the team's motto for 2014.

"For us, leaving your signature is about the impression you leave on the people you come in contact with," he said. "The reality in this world is that you don't get to choose which moments leave the signature you want. So the only way to ensure a good impression is left in all situations is to always conduct yourself in the way that represents the person you want to be."

"The idea is that if 93 of us leave a very favourable and exciting individual signature and believe in the team concepts that we've talked about, then our team will leave a very good signature on the 2014 season."

Offensively, the team will boast a strong running game led by Brandon Deschamps, a Prince George, B.C., native entering his fourth season with UBC. His 143.9 yards rushing per game put him second in the country. He racked up 1,007 yards on the ground overall in just seven regular season games, yet was the only player who broke the 1,000-yard barrier who wasn't named a First Team All-Canadian.

Deschamps will be joined by Terrell Davis, who became a Thunderbird after playing for the Arizona State University Sun Devils of the NCAA Div. I Pacific-12 Conference. Davis was the 2011 BC 'AAA' High School Football Player of the Year at Victoria's Mt. Douglas Secondary and returns home to play with brother, Marcus, who is another star recruit for Olson.

Other running backs on the roster are newcomer A. J. Blackwell, who starred for North Vancouver's Carson Graham Secondary School last season, Damion Dorn of West Vancouver and Delta, B.C.'s Gabriel Pamintuan.

UBC will enter 2014 with Carson Williams, a fifth-year senior from Abbotsford, as the team's starting quarterback. Last year, he split time with fellow Abbotsford native and childhood friend Greg Bowcott as the team's No. 1 pivot. Williams threw for 1,012 yards and four touchdowns in 2013. Bowcott had 828 passing yards and seven touchdowns in addition to 319 yards and six majors on the ground, which highlighted his ability to make plays on the run.

The T-Birds receiving corps will be led by David Scott of El Paso, Texas, who is back for his final season of Canada West football. The wideout became the go to receiver for the Thunderbirds leading UBC wi

At the other end of the spectrum is newcomer and star recruit Marcus Davis, the two-time BC 'AAA' High School Football Player of the Year (2012 & 2013) while helping Mt. Douglas Secondary to three straight provincial championships (2011-2013). With his skill package, the brother of T-Birds running back, Terrell, can be used in all types of situations as a running back, receiver, or returner.

Other returning veterans include Alex Morrison (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.), Patrick Bull (Vancouver), Josh Kronstrom (Mission, B.C.) and Nikolaas Jakobs (Mission, B.C.). Camille Lagimordiere (Regina, Sask.), Will Watson (Surrey), David Mann (Delta, B.C.) and Carter Bilawchuk (Kelowna, B.C.) are all receivers who redshirted last season.

In addition to Davis, the newest UBC receivers also include: Ben Cummings (Abbotsford, B.C.), Josh Sangha (Richmond, B.C.) and Dylan Weyell (North Vancouver, B.C.).

H-backs Joey Gabrick (Delta, B.C.) and Ryan Couper (London, Ont.) are back for their final seasons with UBC. The hybrid position is a combination of fullback, tight end, and slot receiver.

Second Team All-Canadian Alec Pennell of Port Coquitlam, B.C., will once again anchor the Thunderbird offensive line, one that surrendered a league-low seven quarterback sacks last season. Pennell is a 6-foot-8, 320-pound player, who looks to continue his rapid ascension in 2014 as one of the best offensive linemen in the country.

Other returning linemen who saw action on the field last year include Logan MacLeod (Mission, B.C.), Tony Ganton (Surrey, B.C.), Chris MacPhie (Hamilton, Ont.) and Brydon Cotter (Vancouver).

Windsor, Ont.'s Dakoda Shepley, a 6-5, 300-pound redshirt player, is an outstanding athlete and had an impressive offseason as did incoming recruit Callum Williamson, a 6-6, 280-pound graduate of Pitt Meadows Secondary. Anthony Balce, who redshirted last season, will compete for playing time at centre.

Experienced offensive linemen joining UBC from the junior ranks include Kenton Boote of the Calgary Colts and Shawn Mellesmoen of the Langley Rams.

The defensive line continues to be one of UBC's deepest positions.

Fourth-year Regina, Sask., native Donovan Dale was named the Canada West's top lineman and the league's J. P. Metras Award nominee last season. Senior defensive end Kareem Ba, of White Rock, B.C., tied with Dale for second in the Canada West in sacks with five. Defensive tackle Steve Mawa (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) was selected by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the 2014 CFL Draft and Spencer Wilson (Arnprior, Ont.) played in the 2014 East West Bowl, which showcases the best prospects heading into their CFL draft year. Other returnees include Boyd Richardson from Regina and Ethan Sadowski of Delta, B.C.

The defensive line is also where some of UBC's most intriguing additions play.

Treymont Levy is 6-2, 235-pound defensive end who joins UBC from the Langley Rams. Emmanuel Koleosho is a 6-3, 295-pound transfer. He was an All-Conference selection at College of the Canyons before spending time at Missouri Southern St. University, an NCAA Div. II school. Levi Hua is a strong and athletic high school recruit out of Abbotsford's W. J. Mouat Secondary.

Another Prairie star, Yianni Cabylis of Regina, Sask., established himself as the anchor of UBC's linebacking corps finishing the 2013 campaign with 42 tackles, three tackles for a loss, and a fumble recovery touchdown. He saved his best game for the playoffs where he led the Thunderbirds with 16 tackles in an opening-round loss to Calgary.

Riley Jones is another player who developed into a difference maker last season at linebacker. The Delta, B.C., native enters his third season with UBC.

Shane Garza of Keller, Texas and Warren Reece of New Westminster are two players looking to replace Thomas Harris as the team's SAM backer, a cross between a linebacker and a defensive back

Other players who will battle for playing time include Texan Pierre Lacerte from El Paso as well as Ian Henderson from New Westminster and Mark McCutcheon of Abbotsford, B.C.

UBC's defensive backfield will miss the graduated Miguel Barker but will return a large number of players with CIS experience.

Burnaby's Jordan Bosa bulked up in the offseason and the fourth-year free safety is one of the main leaders in the secondary as is Victoria native Bryan Rideout.

UBC will look to Dominique Termansen (North Vancouver, B.C.), who had two interceptions and 32 tackles last year at cornerback, to shut down top opposing receivers in 2014.

Other backs competing for positions are Chris Adams (Delta, B.C), Kehl Snyder (Calgary), Dallas Yassinsky (Abbotsford, B.C.), Kevin Wiens (Mission, B.C.), Adam Senuik (Sherwood Park, Alta.) and Shaquille Davis-Ramlochan (Richmond Hill, Ont.), all of whom had time on the field last season.

On special teams, Quinn van Gylswyk (Victoria) had a spectacular first season with UBC, earning CIS First Team All-Canadian honours. He led the entire country in punting with a 43.1-yard average. Keegan Lensink (Delta, B.C.) will back up van Gylswyk.

Alex Morrison proved to be a game breaker in 2013 setting a new Canada West record for kickoff return yards with 679 yards, including a 102-yard run for a touchdown. He also led the conference in punt returns with 424 yards, averaging 12.1 yards per return.

UBC will open the season on Friday, Sept. 5 at Regina. You can watch the game live at canadawest.tv beginning at 6 p.m. (PT).

The team's first appearance at Thunderbird Stadium will be the Homecoming Game on Sept. 13 against Calgary at 2 p.m.