SASKATOON, Sask. - This Saturday (Aug. 31) at 2pm CT in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the Saskatchewan Huskie football team will make their official return to the field to kick off the 2024 regular season. The Dogs are set to take on the Manitoba Bisons in a rematch of the 2023 season-opener which saw the Huskies leave Princess Auto Stadium with a 30-27 win to start the campaign 1-0. They'll be looking for a similar start in 2024, as this year's group of student-athletes search for the programs 22nd conference title.
2023 Season Recap
Regular Season: 5-3 / 3rd in CW
Postseason: Loss to ALB in Semifinal 17-40
CW Team Ranks:
Offence - 28.6 PPG (3rd), 3216 Total Yards (4th)
Defence - 18.6 PPG (1st), 355.6 Yds/G (1st)
Regular Season Leaders:
Passing -
Anton Amundrud (2184 Yds, 14 TDs)
Rushing -
Ryker Frank (573 Yds, 3 TDs)
Receiving -
Daniel Perry (511 Yds, 3 TDs)
Tackles -
Nick Wiebe (61.5 Total)
Sacks -
Nathan Jule (4.0-23 Yds)
Preseason Rankings
U SPORTS Top 10: 9th
CW Coaches Poll: 4th
After reaching back-to-back Vanier Cups in 2021 and 2022, it was an uncharacteristic 2023 campaign for the Huskies, one which saw the team post a 5-3 record before falling to the Alberta Golden Bears in the Canada West semifinals. In 2024, the Huskies will look to return to their winning ways in the postseason, with a strong returning core of veteran student-athletes, complimented by an exciting 2024 recruiting class. The Dogs will be one of six varsity programs from across Western Canada competing for the 87th Hardy Cup over the course of a nine-week (8 games & 1 bye week) regular season and two week postseason. The last program left standing in the conference will then play host to the winner of the RESQ in the Mitchell Bowl to decide one of the two teams featured in the 59th Vanier Cup.
This season's national championship is once again set to be played at Queen's University's Richardson Memorial Stadium in Kingston, Ontario on November 23, 2024.
The Dogs head into the opening weekend of CW football with some strong momentum after a convincing win in their lone exhibition game against the Alberta Golden Bears.
The Huskies defeated the Bears 42-16 and we lead by several standout performances from incoming freshmen.
For Huskie Football head coach
Scott Flory, now in his eighth season as leader of the University of Saskatchewan Football program, there is plenty to be optimistic about when it comes to the 2024 edition of the Huskies.
"This team is excited for the opportunity the 2024 season presents," said Flory. "We have set some high standards and expectations in the program, and that has set us up to compete and play hard week in and week out. Our leadership group is exceptional, and the mix of our returning guys and incoming recruits have created a great atmosphere within the team. We've had a great camp and are really happy with where this group is at, especially our team speed which has been a focal point this year. Canada West football always presents a challenge, but we are excited and ready to face it."
See below for a full breakdown of the 2024 Huskie Football team.
2024 FOOTBALL ROSTER
2024 FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS
2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Quarterbacks
The 2024 edition of the Huskie quarterback room is lead by returning starter and product of Lloydminster, Alberta,
Anton Amundrud.
The 6-foot-3, 215lb field general enters his second season as the Huskie starter following a strong sophomore campaign in which he threw for 2184 yards and 14 touchdowns, both ranking second in the conference, while completing 62.7% of his pass attempts. The former Lloymindster Baron also impressed in his first appearance of 2024, showing off the results of a great off-season against Alberta going 11-for-12 for 98 yards and a touchdown in four drives. Behind Amundrud it is a battle for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart between a pair of local Saskatoon products in
Griffin Sander and
Jake Farrell. Sander, 6-foot-3 210lb a second-year student-athlete saw limited action last season as the backup, dropping back to throw just ten times and completing five passes for 56 yards. In exhibition against Alberta, the Bishop James Mahoney graduate completed one pass for 50 yards while leading a 5-play scoring drive.
Jake Farrell, a 5-foot-11 190 lbs rookie, also had an efficient day against Alberta, going 6-of-8 for 62 yards and capped off a 13-play drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass. Finally, rounding out the Saskatchewan quarterback room are incoming rookies
Cohen Wright and
Elias Flory. Wright and Flory both showed flashes of exciting play in preseason, giving fans confidence in the depth at the position.
Running Backs
Huskie quarterbacks will have plenty of talent next to them in the backfield this year, with another season of impressive depth at the running back position, let by standout
Ryker Frank. Frank, a fourth-year engineering student standing at 5-foot-10 198lbs, returns for his senior season after finishing the 2023 campaign as one of the conferences most productive running backs with 573 yards and 3 rushing touchdowns. The product of Regina surpassed the 100-yard mark on two occasions last season which included a career-high 172-yard performance against the Regina Rams to close out the campaign. Frank should also catch the attention of scouts after he was one of five Huskies to attend the annual East-West Bowl in Waterloo, Ontario this past summer. Behind Frank is third-year
Kayden Miller, a product of St. Joseph High School. Miller has seen limited action in the past but with the departure of
Ted Kubongo, Miller should expect to see some more touches in 2024. Finally, incoming rookie
Javin Boynton rounds out a talented group or running backs. Boynton, a 5-foot-11 220lbs student-athlete from Moose Jaw impressed fans in attendance at the Huskies exhibition game, carrying the ball 12 times for 81 yards and a major. Boynton displayed fast, physical running against the Bears, demonstrating just how talented this group is.
Receivers
Another positional group full of depth is the Huskie pass catchers, led by veteran receivers and East-West Bowl participants
Rhett Vavra and
Daniel Wiebe. Vavra, a fourth-year kinesiology major from Swift Current, was the Huskies No. 2 receiver in 2023, amassing 29 receptions for 455 yards and a conference-high 5 receiving touchdowns.
His campaign included a standout performance at the 2023 homecoming game where the 6-foot 180lb receiver went for 130 yards and three scores on just 6 catches. Also returning for his fourth season is Saskatoon product
Daniel Wiebe. Wiebe brought in 20 catches in 2023 for 228 yards and two scores while appearing in five games for the Dogs, and will see a larger role in the Huskie offence following the departure of All-Star receiver
Daniel Perry. Brandon Pipko (Baalgonie, SK) and
Jesse Kuntz (Calgary, AB) will provide plenty of speed for the Huskies as experienced receivers. Pipko finished the 2023 campaign 5th in receiving while Kuntz finished just behind in 6th. Kuntz returns for his fifth season with the Huskies looking to close out a fantastic career on a high note. The 6-foot 185lbs receiver has tallied 1487 yards and 6 touchdowns in four seasons while making some important plays for the Huskie program. Finally,
Dawson Lennea (Martensville, SK) returns for his sophomore season and is primed for a breakout year after a great off-season and camp.
Offensive Line
The 2024 Huskie offensive line will see an experienced nucleus of student-athletes return to the program including
Jack Warrack and a pair of fifth-years in
John Kourtis and
Jayson Kehler.
Warrack, a 6-foot-5 285lb left tackle, has been a standout on the Huskie ever since earning a starting job as a rookie. The business major has not only grown into a stout blocker, but also the leader of the group. He is joined by
John Kourtis and
Jayson Kehler, a pair of veteran lineman who have been fantastic for the Dogs through camp and the preseason. Kourtis, a 6-foot-4 310lbs athlete was drafted to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in April's CFL entry draft but chose to return to Saskatchewan for his final year of eligibility. Kourtis offers the Huskie coaches some verasility on the line, having lined up at both centre and guard during his time in green & white. Meanwhile,
Jayson Kehler, a 6-foot-2 310 lb former Saskatoon Hilltop adds additional leadership and experience to the unit. For this group, the sky is the limit thanks to their physicality and talent as a unit.
Defensive Line
Another group full of depth is the Huskie defensive line, featuring a mix of talented returning players and exciting incoming rookies. Returning to the defensive line in 2024 is
Chaz Walker, a 6-foot-5 295 second-year athlete from Lloydminster, Alberta. Walker is looking to return to where he left off in 2023 after a strong start to the season. Joining Walker is incoming rookie and former Saskatoon Hilltops standout
Riece Kack. In three seasons with the Hilltops, Kack appeared in 28 games and recorded 108 total tackles and 25.5 sacks which included a jaw-dropping 2023 campaign where the local product totaled 16 sacks in 12 games. Another pair of incoming rookies have that coaches excited, is
Jaxson Kramchynsky (Saskatoon, SK) and
Brady Johansen (Strathmore, AB). Both Kramchynsky and Johansen impressed in exhibition play on the defensive line, each getting involved and recording a tackle in the win over Alberta.
Linebackers
A trio of fourth-year student-athletes lead the Huskie linebacking corps in
Seth Hundeby (Saskatoon, SK),
Lane Novak (Balgonie, SK), and
Jayden Engel (Brandon, MB).
The three veteran players all came into the program together and now look to lead a stout Huskie defence. Last season
Seth Hundeby finished second in team total tackles with 41 while getting into opposing backfields on several occasions for 5.5 tackles-for-a-loss (TFLs) and 3 sacks. Similar to teammate
Ryker Frank, Hundeby is also expected to be a high-interest player after attending the East-West Bowl. Joining Hundeby in Waterloo this summer was
Lane Novak, a vocal leader on the green & white defence. The 6-foot-1 225 lbs linebacker had a standout season in 2023, finishing 5th in the conference in tackles per game (5.7) while earning 2.5 TFLs, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Rounding out the trio is
Jayden Engel, a 6-foot-1 235 lbs business major who earned 15 total tackles in 2023. A cohesive unit, the Huskie linebackers are sure to make themselves known to opposing offences this season. Adding depth to the group is incoming recruit
Jacob Goldstone, who joins the Huskies out of Regina. The Huskies believe Goldstone has the athleticism to be high-impact player in the middle of their defence.
Defensive Backs
Similarly to the the Huskie linebackers, the defensive backs return an experienced and talented group for the upcoming campaign. Leading the way is veteran
Katley Joseph who is back for his final season in green & white.
The former transfer form the University of Maine totaled 13.5 tackles in 2023 while adding an interception returned for 57 yards and a team-high 7 pass break-ups. One of the premier defensive backs in the conference and a two-time all-star, Joseph will be looked to to help lock down opposing receivers. Also in the Saskatchewan secondary with Joseph is
Finn Marcotte-Cribb, a 6-foot-2 190 lbs defender and former member of the Regina Thunder of CJFL. Marcotte-Cribb will look to return to his 2023 form after the arts & science student captured 15.5 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass break-ups. Leading the Huskie DBs in tackles in 2023 was veteran
John Stoll of Melville, Saskatchewan. A 2022 CW All-Star, Stoll totaled 28 tackles last season while adding a sack, a pick, and three pass break-ups. Finally,
Lucas Scheck enters his second year with the program but first of eligibility after a great camp. The 5-foot-9 170lbs engineering major is looking to make the transition from rugby to football and has Huskie coaches excited for what he can bring to the table.
Kicking
Following the departure of standout kicker
David Solie, the Huskies bring in rookie
Lukas Scott to take over kicking duties for the 2024 season. Scott, a 6-foot-3 190lbs graduate of Holy Cross, impressed in his first action in green & white during the Huskies exhibition game. The kinesiology student punted four times for 146 yards, pinning one inside the 20 yard-line. On kickoff Scott totaled 111 yards while adding a perfect 2-for-2 on PATs to his stat line for the game. Fans can expect to see no drop off in the kicking game this season, as he brings a powerful leg to the Huskie special teams unit.
Season tickets for Huskie football are available now at
huskietickets.com, with single-game tickets also available. Fans unable to catch the action live can view all eight Huskie games on
CanadaWest.TV.
