VANCOUVER — How do you flush the feeling of last week’s season-opening 36-20 loss at Regina?If you’re the UBC Thunderbirds (1-1), you usher in the home portion of the 2017 Canada West season Saturday with a decisive 32-18 win over the Manitoba Bisons (0-2) at Thunderbird Stadium.Here’s my four biggest takeaways from Saturday’s win:
University Football
The Man of Steele: UBC running back Glenn Steele picked No. 1 on list of ‘Birds all-time 100 players
VANCOUVER — The greatest player in the history of UBC Thunderbirds football is asked to remember his favourite moment from the game which propelled his team into the 1982 Vanier Cup national final.All these years later, Glenn Steele remains the ever-humble ‘Bird, yet even his best attempt at a simple recollection winds up sounding a […]
SFU’s makeshift O-line, QB Richardson impress, but Clan football falls in season opener
In keeping with the theme of last-minute school supply shopping, you could say that the offensive line that the Simon Fraser Clan debuted Saturday night in Phoenix was being held together by paper clips and scotch tape.Except when Clan head coach Kelly Bates marched out two pure freshmen and two converted defensive linemen, the makeshift […]
‘Birds boss Nill pulls no punches, announces gut-check time after UBC falls in penalty-fest fashion at Regina
It was a conference-opening effort that tried to dispel the notion that the UBC Thunderbirds had actually held practices before they took to the field on Friday night at Regina’s new Mosaic Stadium.Of course they had, and of course they remain one of the nation’s most talented teams.Yet the No. 7-ranked ’Birds (0-1) can’t exactly […]
Soaking it all up, Clan senior linebacker Leech brings patience, Herdman-mentality to new starting role
BURNABY MOUNTAIN — As a health sciences major at Simon Fraser University, Clan middle linebacker Jordan Leech is aware of two different definitions of the word ‘osmosis’.
UBC’s Alex Morrison returns to ‘Birds for football ‘finishing school’, new tight end gig preps him for CFL future
VANCOUVER — UBC’s Alex Morrison may not have made the final cut with the Montreal Alouettes this past June, but he’s determined to make the CFL his future, and the big man in his corner back home at Thunderbird Stadium is doing everything he can to help ensure that happens.To that end, ‘Birds head coach […]
TSUMURA: My ‘Top 5 takeaways’ from ‘Birds preseason football opener as UBC tops Alberta 33-30
The UBC Thunderbirds’ youthful ways led to some anxious moments on Wednesday.Yet its first-unit players, in all three phases, looked as devastating as they ever have as the Blake Nill-era entered its third season in the Southern Interior.With quarterback Michael O’Connor and a healthy UBC offence, bolstered by a deep core of running backs and […]
‘Sugar Shane’ brings sweet feet to Thunderbird Stadium, ex-STMC back ready to take flight with ‘Birds
VANCOUVER — If the reports from training camp carry over into the regular season, then a popular touchdown anthem at Thunderbird Stadium this fall is going to be a sound bite of the line ‘Sugar, Sugar’ from that infectious 1969 bubble-gum pop smash by The Archies.
Varsity Letters’ B.C. Recruits List 2017: Football
Welcome to Day 2 of Varsity Letters’ 2017 Recruits List week.Yesterday, we opened with soccer. Today, it’s time to look at football.The following is our schedule for the rest of the week:Thursday, July 6 — VolleyballFriday, July 7 — BasketballSaturday, July 8 — The entire list, including baseball, cross-country, field hockey, golf, hockey, lacrosse, rowing, […]
Michael O’Connor: UBC’s QB-1 on how his humbled ‘Birds prep for redemption in 2017
VANCOUVER — In those on-field moments, when he breaks contain and puts his feet to work, UBC Thunderbirds’ quarterback Michael O’Connor is a guy that can make you miss.