Frankly Speaking: Game of Inches Puts
Rams in Playoffs
By Greg Urbanoski
Sometimes clichés turn out to be
true.
Football is a game of inches.
The University of Regina Rams
benefited from that when the University of Manitoba Bison,
defending Vanier Cup Champions, went for an end zone pass on
third and short in the Rams end of the field. The incomplete
pass allowed the Rams to clinch third place in Canada West
and a playoff spot.
On that final play Rams player
Jordan Sisco turned away from the action in the tense,
hard-fought game.
"I can’t watch this," he said.
"It’s too much."
Seconds later he exploded with
joy as the Rams defence held and the team celebrated another
playoff appearance.
The game was billed as "Win or
Go Home" and for the Rams, beating their long-time nemesis
to clinch a playoff spot had more than a bit of redemption
considering the Rams loss to the Bisons last year in the
Hardy Cup.
"We’re in the playoffs and we’re
five and three," said Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal after
the game. "Five and three is a heck of a record for this
league because it is really tough.
The Rams benefited from the
absence of Bisons starting quarterback John Makie who was
injured in the second quarter. Nathan Friesen went in and
did well in the third quarter until he got hit by Stanley
van Sichem on a quarterback keeper. That hit forced a
fumble, the Rams recovered, snuffing out a potential Bison
scoring drive.
"The big thing is to match up
with turnovers and that’s what we did," said McCrystal. "If
you turn the ball over in this league more than the other
guy you are going to lose.
"We turned the ball over early
and they turned the ball over later."
McCrystal said while the Rams
improved their discipline, they did incur an unnecessary
roughness penalty near the end of the game which helped to
sustain a Bison drive.
"You can’t do that, you just
can’t do that," said McCrystal. "That was second and ten and
it was an incomplete pass. But we are better and we are
going to Saskatoon or Calgary."
One of the surprises in the game
was the success Rams Quarterback Teale Orban had in running
the ball against the Bisons. Orban ended up with two
touchdowns, but Orban’s running was not by accident said
McCrystal.
"They were prepared for our
passing game so if they had us in second and long situation
they dropped off. They did a good job and they knew what
they were doing," said McCrystal.
"So when they dropped guys off
and we ran a quarterback draw they know that’s something out
of character for us. At least it’s out of character for us
now with Teale, but it was there so we took it and got some
important yards."
The Rams special teams coverage
were improved. McCrystal said the Rams worked on securing
the football and were good on their special teams coverage.
So any preference between
Calgary or Saskatoon?
"It doesn’t matter to us," said
McCrystal. They are both tough teams and they both beat us
during the regular season. We are looking forward to playing
either one of those teams and putting on a better show this
time."
