VANCOUVER – As training camp winds down and the focus for the UBC Thunderbirds shifts to the opening week of the 2023 Canada West season, it's becoming abundantly clear just how deep and talented this year's squad is.
While much attention naturally gets focussed on the team's offensive prowess, veteran head coach
Blake Nill is just as excited about what's happening on the other side of the ball.
The 2022 Thunderbirds were led defensively by linebacker
Ryan Baker who racked up a Canada West leading 59.5 total tackles. Fellow All-Canadian
Kyle Samson is back for his fourth season as the defensive linemen topped all returning T-Birds with three sacks and added an interception. And that's just the start of it.
"In 2022
Ryan Baker was the best player for us on that side of the football," said Nill who expects even more from the converted quarterback this year. "He needs to just grow as a leader, become consistent as an athlete which he's totally capable of doing. You might see another All-Canadian year from him in 2023."
Nill mentions Samson and Mitch Townsend as defensive linemen who will also be key to UBC's defensive success this season. But beyond these three standouts lies a deep field of athletes with some staunch internal competition developing during training camp.
"The one thing that's becoming more and more obvious is the competitiveness on the field is at or near the highest since I've been here," said Nill who is into his ninth season at UBC. "Defensively we have competition at almost every spot with veteran players involved. So we're seeing a lot of effort trying to solidify a position on a travel roster, on a dress roster. You're seeing a higher level of urgency all around and as coaches we just got to try and keep that culture as long as we can."
When it comes to the secondary, a young group in 2022 has a lot more experience entering this season, along with increased expectations. Second year defensive backs
Ben Sangmuah and
Daniel Joseph will be expected to carry heavier loads and so far have shown their coach they're ready to do just that.
While the T-Birds didn't lose a large number of graduating athletes from last year's team, the most notable turnover comes at the linebacker position with
Lake Korte-Moore and
Luke Burton-Krahn both now playing in the CFL. But despite those big holes, Nill feels there won't be a drop off.
"
Taaj Jhooty I feel is going to be a name in our sport. I just feel he's working hard, he's trying to become a better football player but in terms of his size and strength, he's already at a very high level.
Luke Pearson, who's an Abbotsford kid, goes out there every day and battles, he's motivated. And the young man that I'm really excited to see develop in this program is Kendrick Diedrick. He comes from a football family and has tremendous athleticism, tremendous effort. He's a little raw but a combination of physical ability and determination will get him through the early learning years."
The T-Birds open the 2023 Canada West season in less than a week. Their first test is a significant one next Friday, September 1 when they head back to Regina to face the Rams in a rematch of last year's Hardy Cup semifinal where UBC defeated the hosts 28-14.
