VANCOUVER – The UBC Thunderbirds took a big step in their development last week with a 31-30 come-from-behind overtime win in Regina. But attention has quickly turned now to the next challenge in the form of a strong Manitoba Bisons team which makes their lone visit of the regular season to Vancouver for a battle at Thunderbird Stadium this Saturday, October 23rd.
The T-Birds (1-2) garnered plenty of attention for their fourth quarter rally against the Rams that ended with UBC's first win of the season following a gutsy two-point conversion in overtime. And while that moment justified plenty of elation, nearly as soon as the 'Birds' plane landed in Vancouver Saturday night, the focus shifted to the only undefeated team remaining in the conference.
"As a coaching staff we have to make sure we stay real in our preparation for this Manitoba program which is having just an incredible season," said UBC Head Coach Blake Nill. "(Head Coach Brian Dobie) has done an amazing job with his group and they're going to come in here as a program built on a culture of success. We've got to be able to match that type of culture when they're here on Saturday."
The No. 4 ranked Bisons (3-0) have so far dominated the conference out of the gate, especially on the defensive side of the ball where they are allowing an average of just 18 points against per game and are coming off a 28-20 win over the defending Vanier Cup champion Calgary Dinos.
In fact, Manitoba's stellar start has been heavily reliant on their staunch defence. The Bisons have averaged 352 yards on offence through the first three weeks of the season compared to UBC's 488.
The T-Birds' offence came alive late in the game in Regina, showcasing just how dangerous this young team can be. Rookie pivot Garrett Rooker continues to prove he's a special talent as he sits atop the Canada West in passing yards (991), completions (88) and completion percentage (69.8). Rooker also leads the league with three rushing touchdowns.
Rooker's also getting plenty of help from a balanced receiving corps, led by sophomore Edgerrin Williams who leads the conference with 25 catches and enters this weekend third in receiving yards with 261.
Rookie running back Isaiah Knight has also burst onto the scene, currently one yard off the conference lead having put up 296 including a 145 yard effort last week in Regina which also featured his first career touchdown.
Not to be overlooked, UBC's defence also stepped up to the plate last week, showing they too can be a force to be reckoned with. In fact, the 'Birds limited the Rams to just 46 yards of offence in the final quarter while Keijaun Johnson stepped up with a key interception, the first of his T-Birds career.
"Coach Tracey and his staff are doing yeoman's work with that young group," said Nill. "The defence is always under the spotlight but they played very well in that fourth quarter. There are some young athletes there who are just gaining a little bit of confidence and comfort and you're going to see some really exciting defensive play within this program."
The Bisons enter the second half of the shortened Canada West season alone at the top of the standings while UBC, Alberta, Calgary, and Regina are all tied at 1-2 behind 2-1 Saskatchewan. It all makes for an exciting finish to the season as each game remains critically important in the race for the post-season.
"We need to learn you have to take control of your opportunities. We capitalized last week in the fourth quarter and again hopefully it becomes more of a routine for us. Our whole year has been a test of our consistency, and most of the time, inconsistency. As a young team you expect to see a little bit of that but it would be nice to get better each and every week. Maybe that fourth quarter in Regina can be a little bit of a stepping stone for us to becoming more consistent over 60 minutes."
Kickoff Saturday is set for 1:00 p.m. PT at Thunderbird Stadium. Limited tickets remain available, but must be reserved in advance. The game will also be streamed live on Canada West TV.
