Rams Hold First National Signing Day

By Greg Urbanoski

University football is more than just X’s and O’s for the University of Regina Rams.

While fielding a competitive team is first and foremost on the minds of Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal, Wednesday’s National Signing Day event at the Rams clubhouse is the first look Rams fans will get of the incoming class of recruits for the 2008 Rams.

“Instead of announcing recruits a little at a time we thought we’d bring a group of them in and introduce them to Ram fans and the football community,” said McCrystal.

“That’s sort of the purpose of this. We may not have all of them but we’ll have most of them. There are some guys who are working out things with school and choosing teams that may be best for them but there are also a number who have committed to us and I think it’s important to get those names out there.”

In recruiting for the 2008 Rams, McCrystal went for a combination of getting the best athletes and to fill needs on the Rams roster for both this year and in the future.

“Certainly there are some areas you always find you need some help because of graduation, school eligibility and sometimes guys going off to play professional football,” said McCrystal.

“We would have liked to have picked up an offensive lineman, although we had two great recruits last year. We need to look at some linebackers, some defensive backs and we have three guys who are spending their eligibility this year. We need another running back and we are probably a little light in running backs, not in terms of quality but quantity because ideally you’ll have six running backs and get them into a rotation so you have guys in their late years, guys in their middle and guys just coming in.”

The Rams are looking at losing potentially two people on their offensive line. Ryan Ackerman will go to training camp with the Riders while Brendon LaBatte is draft eligible and likely to go to a Canadian Football League camp.

“That is something we felt we needed to pay attention to and we did last year with bringing in two guys,” said McCrystal. “(Max) Ivanov also exhausted his eligibility last year and there is no question he won’t be back. Last year when we picked up Bennett and Stefanuk they red shirted and we have seen them come along quite well and we’re confident in them for the future.

“Then you have guys like Hutchins and Hashem and they have come along and we expect big things from them as well as Hillier. We got some guys there with experience and we’ve got some guys who have played but we would like to pick up another guy as well.”

The Rams defensive line is an experienced bunch with Bjorn Person coming off of surgery. McCrystal said the Rams have looked after the middle with James Moore who red-shirted last year and Matt Grado who is coming in from Kelowna. Monroe is expected to come in and contribute this year while Grado is expected to make an impact next year. Mike Pickens adds versatility by playing inside and outside positions on the line.

“Part and parcel of recruiting is retention and it’s very important to keep these guys,” said McCrystal. “We’ve got a good football team and I think we have some depth, we have to pay attention to recruiting and retention of these guys.”

“Retention is two-fold. School is very important in CIS football and the jump from high school to university is challenging and guys moving away from home and coming here is an additional challenge. Take those two elements and put them with this level of football, the intensity, the study of the game the commitment off the field to physically preparing themselves, there is a lot of things they get hit with, especially after the first week of school when they do everything together.

“Some of them are able to deal with it, some are more able to accept and ask for help and some can’t find it within themselves. That’s OK. Not everyone is cut out to do these things and that certainly is a factor.”

McCrystal said students find their grades drop from high school from 12-15 per cent in their first year of university. The Rams have an academic support team, a tutorial system and support system that can identify problems. But the onus is on the players to realize their potential and meet their academic challenges.

“We forget they are only 17-18 years old,” said McCrystal. “You have to be patient. They are going to have their ups and downs and they are going to level out at some point during their academic athletic careers. Just as they level out during their 40 time or the bench press, they are going to level out academically and need a boost, support or attention to get to the next stage or level.

“Older players have their own challenges because they have been away from school for awhile. They weren’t necessarily thinking about school, and that is a challenge getting them ready.”

McCrystal said the recruiting challenge was the same this year as in previous years. He said graduating players are more informed than they were five to 10 years ago. They want to know how the program will train them, look after them within training during the season and after the season, where the school is academically for what it offers them.

”I think parents are more involved now than they were five years ago,” said McCrystal. “They are aware of the cost of education and the challenges of the real world, finding employment and you have got to be prepared to talk to student-athletes, parents and bring to them a knowledge of the university as well as the program.”

The Rams get players recommended to them from coaches and former alumni who are working to find avenues for their players. McCrystal said the Internet has opened up great avenues of communication not available 10 years ago and the Rams hear from hundreds of players who want to be involved with the program.

“You want to visit younger players in Grade 11 because seniors generally want to come here because they don’t make decisions on a wing and a prayer,” said McCrystal. “They will come here on their own dime to see the place.

“You are pretty elite to be chosen for CIS sports and this football team is selective in its recruiting and who they offer spots to. These guys will be very good players with great potential and only time will tell if that potential is realized.”

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