November 16, 2007
WESTERN OFF TO MANITOBA TO FACE BISONS IN CIS MITCHELL BOWL
LONDON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs will face an experienced Manitoba Bisons squad on Saturday Nov. 17, at the Canad Inns Stadium in Winnipeg.
The game can be seen live on The Score (Channel 54 in London) or heard live via CHRW Radio (94.9 FM in London or www.chrwradio.com online).
Riding a 10-game winning streak, the veteran-laden Bisons boast a solid one-two punch at running back with Matt Henry and Karim Lowen, while receiver Terry Firr is the go-to as slotback.
But the true success of Manitoba's offence is attributed to the play of pivot John Makie.
The Bisons are a big, strong and experienced team with both discipline and confidence. Many of their players are in the mid-20s and have played in the Canada West junior football circuit.
Brian Dobie, head coach of the Bisons football program, points out age and experience aren't always deciding factors in bowl games. He knows it gives his team an advantage in some areas over a much younger Western squad but doesn't think it will be a deciding factor.
"If you take a look at Laurier a few years ago, they accomplished their Vanier Cup victory with recruits from high school," Dobie said. "People think it's an advantage teams from Western Canada have, but really anyone can recruit these (junior) players. It's a matter of choice and philosophy."
Recent criticism directed at the Bisons program following their Hardy Cup win over Regin came from football pundits who favour a recruiting system that is based with high school graduates. The disparaging comments has the Bisons even more revved up.
"Our guys take that kind of information and eat it up and use it to fuel them," said the 54-year-old coach.
In the only meeting between the teams - a 1974 pre-season game at J.W. Little Stadium in London - Manitoba won 28-14.
Dobie was a member of the `74 Bisons and recalls a special moment, scoring a touchdown in that game, playing against one of the top defensive backs in his day, senior Don Bowman who went on to be drafted in the first round by Winnipeg in the 1975 CFL draft.
"I mean, heck, I'm so old I hadn't been thinking of anything related to that Western game. But my cousins grew up in London and we played there... they all told me about this Bowman guy and how he was one of the best in the country. It was a special moment to score by beating him in coverage with that touchdown."
Now in his 12th season at the helm of the Bisons, Dobie knows that with little history playing one another, it's going to come down to systems and not personnel in the battle between the Mustangs and Bisons.
"I'm sure (Mustangs head coach) Greg (Marshall) is no different in the way he's approaching this game," Dobie said. "You really don't worry about the personnel the other team puts on the field so much. It's about systems."
"If you look at Western's film and go ask your players 'how fast are they really', you don't know until you play against them," Dobie said. "You can't tell how powerful, how strong a guy is. You have to look at systems and let the rest sort itself out on the field."
"I know that they've got great personnel and starting players, but it's very difficult to prepare for their personnel just by watching film," Dobie said. "We have to attack to spots. We prepare for systems."
One thing Dobie has learned by watching film, he's worried about Mustangs starting pivot Michael Faulds.
"There are things we really are concerned about. Faulds really concerns us. He's a winner and an athlete. It's not just his talent as an athlete and quarterback, it's the way they use him."
Second overall in career passing yards in Western history, Faulds is a dangerous commodity and has come off a career year.
"He presents problems to us. First you know he's very good and then you compound it with how they use him, it concerns us."
Randy McAuley has also, understandably, caught the eye of the Bisons' coaches.
"With McAuley's speed that's a concern, and he runs behind what looks like a really big offensive line. So there are problems there that we're concerned about."
Dobie feels they counter Western offence well with a disciplined defence
- the Bisons took just three penalties in their 48-5 Hardy Cup victory over Regina on Nov. 10.
"On the other side of the ball we respect how they play. Their defence is different than ours in systems but philosophically they approach their defence same way as we do: they're not coming at you in your face, they're playing straight up 'you're going to have to beat us' defence."
"We're going to defend the line of scrimmage, lock you up in man and play some zone," Dobie added. "It's going to be a good football game. You're going to have to drive the whole field against these two defences, you're not going to make one pass and score a touchdown."
Dobie knows his squad, despite winning 10 straight, isn't in easy against this Western squad.
"They've won seven in a row and beat No. 2 in the nation, they're a good squad."
A Western squad that will lose seniors McAuley and receiver Dave Clayton, defensive end Tom Dolezel and linebacker/defensive back Nick Kordic. They could also lose fourth-year players including offensive linemen Scott Nason and Richard Zulys, tight end Ryan Clutterbuck, and defensive backs Matt Carapella, Andrew Bain and Corey McNair.
But Western is still relatively younger than the Manitoba team with an average age around 25 or 26.
"Seven of the 24 (junior transfers to the University of Manitoba) are completing their second degree," Dobie said. "And junior football a viable option in the Western Canadian provinces, many of them take that route before university."
Dobie knows that junior-league experience provides the players with better skill-sets and experience for the collegiate game.
"There's definitely an advantage of getting the guy who's played three years of junior football before coming to university than someone fresh out of high school," he said.
"But the accusation is that we don't recruit 18 year olds coming out of high school. The fact is, we recruit them, too. Every coach in the country has access to those players, those players are up for grabs."
As Dobie explains, the low concentration of population in the Province of Manitoba makes it necessary for them to recruit nationally - and in every possible league.
"Ten years ago, we decided to start recruiting harder with junior players. We were 0-8 to 1998, improved to .500 in 1999 and since we've been the third winningest program in the nation over that time."
"Can you win without the junior experience? Sure you can. But I'm just saying that's the way we choose to approach our recruiting."
Western is riding a seven-game winning streak and has knocked off two nationally ranked teams in Queen's and Ottawa in the process.
On the defensive side of the ball, Manitoba boasts star defensive end Justin Cooper along with Canada West all-stars Simon Patrick (Defensive Line), Brady Browne (Defensive Back) and Mike Howard (Defensive Back). Their top offensive lineman is captain Ryan Karhut.
Dobie knows that all variables aside, one thing both teams might have to compete with is the Canadian winter. The forecast calls for wet snow and cold winds.
But weather is always a factor in Canadian football playoffs.
"It can get a little windy here in Manitoba here with nasty wind chill," Dobie said with a laugh. "I hope it goes down to -12 and there's lots of snow... some great Manitoba weather might just give us an edge."
(Source: Andy Watson, Western Mustangs, Sports Information)
The game can be seen live on The Score (Channel 54 in London) or heard live via CHRW Radio (94.9 FM in London or www.chrwradio.com online).
Riding a 10-game winning streak, the veteran-laden Bisons boast a solid one-two punch at running back with Matt Henry and Karim Lowen, while receiver Terry Firr is the go-to as slotback.
But the true success of Manitoba's offence is attributed to the play of pivot John Makie.
The Bisons are a big, strong and experienced team with both discipline and confidence. Many of their players are in the mid-20s and have played in the Canada West junior football circuit.
Brian Dobie, head coach of the Bisons football program, points out age and experience aren't always deciding factors in bowl games. He knows it gives his team an advantage in some areas over a much younger Western squad but doesn't think it will be a deciding factor.
"If you take a look at Laurier a few years ago, they accomplished their Vanier Cup victory with recruits from high school," Dobie said. "People think it's an advantage teams from Western Canada have, but really anyone can recruit these (junior) players. It's a matter of choice and philosophy."
Recent criticism directed at the Bisons program following their Hardy Cup win over Regin came from football pundits who favour a recruiting system that is based with high school graduates. The disparaging comments has the Bisons even more revved up.
"Our guys take that kind of information and eat it up and use it to fuel them," said the 54-year-old coach.
In the only meeting between the teams - a 1974 pre-season game at J.W. Little Stadium in London - Manitoba won 28-14.
Dobie was a member of the `74 Bisons and recalls a special moment, scoring a touchdown in that game, playing against one of the top defensive backs in his day, senior Don Bowman who went on to be drafted in the first round by Winnipeg in the 1975 CFL draft.
"I mean, heck, I'm so old I hadn't been thinking of anything related to that Western game. But my cousins grew up in London and we played there... they all told me about this Bowman guy and how he was one of the best in the country. It was a special moment to score by beating him in coverage with that touchdown."
Now in his 12th season at the helm of the Bisons, Dobie knows that with little history playing one another, it's going to come down to systems and not personnel in the battle between the Mustangs and Bisons.
"I'm sure (Mustangs head coach) Greg (Marshall) is no different in the way he's approaching this game," Dobie said. "You really don't worry about the personnel the other team puts on the field so much. It's about systems."
"If you look at Western's film and go ask your players 'how fast are they really', you don't know until you play against them," Dobie said. "You can't tell how powerful, how strong a guy is. You have to look at systems and let the rest sort itself out on the field."
"I know that they've got great personnel and starting players, but it's very difficult to prepare for their personnel just by watching film," Dobie said. "We have to attack to spots. We prepare for systems."
One thing Dobie has learned by watching film, he's worried about Mustangs starting pivot Michael Faulds.
"There are things we really are concerned about. Faulds really concerns us. He's a winner and an athlete. It's not just his talent as an athlete and quarterback, it's the way they use him."
Second overall in career passing yards in Western history, Faulds is a dangerous commodity and has come off a career year.
"He presents problems to us. First you know he's very good and then you compound it with how they use him, it concerns us."
Randy McAuley has also, understandably, caught the eye of the Bisons' coaches.
"With McAuley's speed that's a concern, and he runs behind what looks like a really big offensive line. So there are problems there that we're concerned about."
Dobie feels they counter Western offence well with a disciplined defence
- the Bisons took just three penalties in their 48-5 Hardy Cup victory over Regina on Nov. 10.
"On the other side of the ball we respect how they play. Their defence is different than ours in systems but philosophically they approach their defence same way as we do: they're not coming at you in your face, they're playing straight up 'you're going to have to beat us' defence."
"We're going to defend the line of scrimmage, lock you up in man and play some zone," Dobie added. "It's going to be a good football game. You're going to have to drive the whole field against these two defences, you're not going to make one pass and score a touchdown."
Dobie knows his squad, despite winning 10 straight, isn't in easy against this Western squad.
"They've won seven in a row and beat No. 2 in the nation, they're a good squad."
A Western squad that will lose seniors McAuley and receiver Dave Clayton, defensive end Tom Dolezel and linebacker/defensive back Nick Kordic. They could also lose fourth-year players including offensive linemen Scott Nason and Richard Zulys, tight end Ryan Clutterbuck, and defensive backs Matt Carapella, Andrew Bain and Corey McNair.
But Western is still relatively younger than the Manitoba team with an average age around 25 or 26.
"Seven of the 24 (junior transfers to the University of Manitoba) are completing their second degree," Dobie said. "And junior football a viable option in the Western Canadian provinces, many of them take that route before university."
Dobie knows that junior-league experience provides the players with better skill-sets and experience for the collegiate game.
"There's definitely an advantage of getting the guy who's played three years of junior football before coming to university than someone fresh out of high school," he said.
"But the accusation is that we don't recruit 18 year olds coming out of high school. The fact is, we recruit them, too. Every coach in the country has access to those players, those players are up for grabs."
As Dobie explains, the low concentration of population in the Province of Manitoba makes it necessary for them to recruit nationally - and in every possible league.
"Ten years ago, we decided to start recruiting harder with junior players. We were 0-8 to 1998, improved to .500 in 1999 and since we've been the third winningest program in the nation over that time."
"Can you win without the junior experience? Sure you can. But I'm just saying that's the way we choose to approach our recruiting."
Western is riding a seven-game winning streak and has knocked off two nationally ranked teams in Queen's and Ottawa in the process.
On the defensive side of the ball, Manitoba boasts star defensive end Justin Cooper along with Canada West all-stars Simon Patrick (Defensive Line), Brady Browne (Defensive Back) and Mike Howard (Defensive Back). Their top offensive lineman is captain Ryan Karhut.
Dobie knows that all variables aside, one thing both teams might have to compete with is the Canadian winter. The forecast calls for wet snow and cold winds.
But weather is always a factor in Canadian football playoffs.
"It can get a little windy here in Manitoba here with nasty wind chill," Dobie said with a laugh. "I hope it goes down to -12 and there's lots of snow... some great Manitoba weather might just give us an edge."
(Source: Andy Watson, Western Mustangs, Sports Information)
