Frankly Speaking - Day One of Rams Fall Training Camp

By Greg Urbanoski

Paperwork, submarine sandwiches, meetings, team-building.

This was day one of the University of Regina Rams fall training camp as the team gathered at their new facilities at the University of Regina Campus to start putting together the work for the 2005 season.

The first day was spent in what is called a team retreat, and for Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal, it was a chance to see the team come together before hitting the field Saturday for the first of four two-a-day practices.

"It's a little team building that we do," said McCrystal. "We talk about goals, we set up a mentorship program where we team a veteran player with a younger guy.

"In our case now we don't have very many rookies so the mentorship, the partnership, will continue from last year. We do some of the goal setting and we make sure at the end of the day our housekeeping is complete and everybody will have their forms done and all of that."

Included in the paperwork are medicals and student information. On Saturday the two-a-days starts with the team getting on their field at the University of Regina at 8 a.m. and going until 10:30 a.m. There will be a break for players, which will include team meetings, then the team will hit the field from 3 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. After Tuesday, the team will practice once a day with a team meeting at 6 p.m., on the field at 7 p.m. and practice ending at 9 p.m. All of this is gearing up for the Rams exhibition game Friday night against the University of Manitoba.

"Really this year, because the guys are so young we have a lot of unanswered questions about how far the guys have come along," said McCrystal.

"Who is going to take the position, who is going to be the starters? This game is really going to be an indication of how this program has developed the athletes."

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Frankly Speaking - Rams Camp Day Three

By Greg Urbanoski

After two days of two-a-day practices, the University of Regina Rams are finding out it is looking after the little things that help determine how they will do in the big picture in 2005.

The little things include keeping the locker room clean, a small detail that Coach Frank McCrystal brought up at the end of practice Sunday to reinforce a point to his team.

"Locker room hygiene?" laughed McCrystal when asked about the point after practice.

"You know what it is, it is the little things. It is the little discipline thing. Are you able to keep your locker clean, are you doing the things we're asking you of your laundry bag? It sounds a little silly but its just an indication that they're on task, they're disciplined and they're focused. It's the little things we want to look after and let's look after the little things and I think we will be OK."

After two days of two-a-day practices the Rams are finding the pace is a little more hectic than spring camp and a test of their off-season conditioning program.

"Sure it is more hectic," said McCrystal. "Out here, this is our team and it has to be more physical. We have to move things more quickly.

"In the spring camp you just have a set group of plays and you go over those and over those. What we're doing here is putting a playbook installation in and making sure we are moving forward all the time."

McCrystal said the intensity in camp comes from not just putting the play book into practice, but also from players competing to determine where on the roster they will end up and whether or not they will make the team's travelling squad.

"We've got our game on Friday, but after that we're on the road for two weeks and we can only take 40 guys," said McCrystal.

"The off-season program with Shawn Kuster has really made a huge difference here. They've come back ready. When you look around the field, you don't see any fat guys, you see really athletic, strong and the key is really quick fast people. Most of our defensive backs are running 4.6's if not all of them."

Defence is usually ahead of offence and McCrystal jokes about offensive co-ordinator Bernie Schmidt being protective of the offense. The set-up for the camp is allowing the offense to get comfortable with both the passing and running plays, something McCrystal said should work well for Friday's game against the University of Manitoba Bison.

"We are emphasizing the mental part of the game as much as the physical work," said McCrystal.

"It's the little things without standing there and every day giving a Vince Lombardi speech. We are pushing them to do the little things to stay focused on the big picture."

McCrystal said there have been a few injuries, including Evan Hoffman, who went down with a knee injury Sunday morning and will require surgery.

"I think as much as anything guys are wearing out a bit," said McCrystal. "We've had some bumps and bruises and some strains, but nothing that will keep anyone out for the season."

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Frankly Speaking - Rams Training Camp Day Four

By Greg Urbanoski

It might be an exaggeration the University of Regina Rams training camp is full of players 6'4 250 pounds who can run a 4.4 40 uphill and catch everything in the air that doesn't sting.

But it wouldn't be much of one.

If there was a way to characterize day four, it would be a combination of mental toughness versus physical pressure as the toll of two-a-day practices started to catch up with the players, who responded by bearing down mentally.

There is just one more day of two-a-days before the Rams revert to one practice a day. Rams Coach Frank McCrystal let the players off a little earlier in the afternoon, after telling them to relax more on the field.

"They want to do well," said McCrystal. "They've worked really hard but everything is a process and it's a step by step. You can't expect to be at mid-season form at day three of training camp and also day three of training camp when you're doing twice a days is when you start losing your legs a little bit."

"We're on the field for two and half hours in the morning and two hours and ten minutes in the afternoon. Over five and a half hours on the field and in between are meetings for 45 minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes and sometimes after practices the special teams are kicking a bit so it's been three long work days."

McCrystal said the physical toll is starting to show with some mental errors on the part of the players, hence the lecture at the end of practice to relax and take it easy on the field.

Is McCrystal aware of a tendency of the team to try to over achieve?

"There has been some practices out here that there haven't been more than a half-dozen balls hit the ground," said McCrystal.

"Our receivers are big and fast. They've been getting the ball and all three of our quarterbacks are really throwing the ball. On the other side of the ball if they are catching it that means the defensive guys aren't knocking it down but the defensive guys are in position. We are doing very well and they are way ahead of where they were."

McCrystal said the team was where he thought it would be back in 2003 when they brought 17 high school players into the Rams program. With the addition of new facilities and off-season training program, the team has become more focused and better prepared physically and mentally to take a run at the play-offs this year.

In terms of injuries, some Rams have gone down with hamstring pulls. Jonathon Baker has gone down with a knee injury and is likely gone for two weeks. Evan Hoffman is likely gone for the season with a knee injury although his status won't be determined until after he has surgery.

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Frankly Speaking - Rams Camp Day Five

By Greg Urbanoski

For the University of Regina Rams football team, today was - Thank God it's Tuesday!

Tuesday marked the end of the two-a-day sessions the team has done since Saturday, and for Rams Coach Frank McCrystal, the shift from training camp schedule to regular season schedule hasn't come a moment too soon.

"We're trying to get into a routine," said McCrystal. "We've been out here for five straight days all day, every day. It's tiring, but it should be kind of fun and you've got to find that balance.

"We feel we've accomplished some pretty good things. Our guys are getting tired and they're getting nicked up a bit here and there but for the most part we're really pleased with what happened."

The Rams have been working on putting their playbook from the book to the field on both offence and defence. McCrystal admits it's been a lot to throw at the players in a short time frame but said there is a little fine tuning and some extras that will be thrown in on defence.

The exhibition game Friday night against the University of Manitoba Bison will featured a slimmed down version of the various offensive and defensive packages the Rams will feature this year. With less preparation time for this game than for a regular season game, the slimmed down package is born more out of necessity than anything else.

Rams fans should expect to see a rotation of players who will be given an opportunity under game conditions to try and win a spot. Nothing has been finalized and McCrystal said players will be given an opportunity to show what they can do under game conditions.

"For example we will play Craig Zimmer but we won't play him for the whole game," said McCrystal. "He hasn't played football for a year and we've got to get him in for a good solid quarter.

"Some of the other guys we are going to give them a chance to win a tailback spot or a corner spot on defence that has been a real battle in this camp."

The Rams have been scrimmaging 20 plays in the morning, and some players have stepped up to the challenge. McCrystal said the tempo of the practices has been good and physical, but a game will be different.

"Jon Gartner has really stood out virtually every day making some big play or making someone miss so we'll see whether that carries over into a game," said McCrystal.

"We try to create game situations in a drill, but a game is just different and you have to be between the lines to appreciate it."

The Rams have lost Jonothan Baker for an undetermined time due to what McCrystal called a fluke injury when his knee got rolled on. Jared Ralko has a shoulder injury and will be lost to the team for a number of weeks. There are strains and pulls which are a part of training camp, but those two injuries are the only two looking at an extended absence.

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Frankly Speaking - Rams Camp Day Six

By Greg Urbanoski

Ram Touch is not just a cliché, it's a way of life for the University of Regina Rams.

On Wednesday the two-a-day sessions were reduced to evening practices, and while the wind was cold, Rams coach Frank McCrystal was telling his players to suck it up and get ready for the University of Manitoba Bison who thunder onto the University of Regina campus on Friday night.

"We're hopeful that they're focused," said McCrystal. "Once again they've become a little tired and we had to talk about it and tell them to suck it up. They can't be wimps because we've got a real tough team coming in on Friday and they're going to be older and physical and tough and athletic.

"We can't be saying we're bruised or we're hurting. We got to play. If you're injured but we have to play tough. Are they focused? I think so. We have to be a little sensitive and aware that this is a different thing. This is a different thing for the team coming in too but this is different but fun for us because this is our home and we'd be really pleased if this could be our home forever."

McCrystal said the importance of the game Friday is not just to showcase the 2005 team or the impressive new field for the Rams, but to spread the word about the University of Regina. McCystral said holding the exhibition game, with a crowd estimated at perhaps 1,500 people, will provide a different atmosphere than at Taylor Field.

"If you put 1,500 people at Taylor Field, then it would be empty," said McCrystal. "If we put 1,500 people in here, then what great fun it's going to be.

"I think the new field, the lights, the excitement of the new campus and especially coming off the Canada Games will create a lot of fun. You have to balance the win though. An old coach of mine once told me fun is spelled W-I-N and that's what we got to get to."

Going to single day practices, McCrystal said he noticed a jump in the players legs. He said a lot of players on their own volition went back to work today and a handful were working out at 6 a.m. in the morning.

The Rams made an addition to their squad with Stan van Sichem, an 18-year-old product of Amsterdam who was slated to start with the Prairie Football Conference Regina Thunder before being told he could not play because of a citizenship problem.

"He's going to be a real good player for us," said McCrystal. "We're not really sure whether he'll red-shirt for us but he'll play on Friday and we'll see how he does against the big boys.

"We're really happy to have him and he's a product of Notre Dame where he was a hockey player but found his way into football. We have him playing rush end and he's just a big raw-boned guy and he stands somewhere around 6'3 and probably about 220 pounds. He's still a little light for here and he's going to have to mature physically a little bit but he's 18 years old and just coming out of high school. So if we teach him right, bring him along right and in two years he could become a real terror."

Jon Baker and Evan Hoffman are still off with injuries and Jared Ralko's shoulder injury suffered in practice will keep him out of Friday's game and if his recovery takes another two to three years, it could cause him to red-shirt this season.

"There are 68 players in camp and there are some guys who maybe don't belong here and are not going to be here because they're not ready," said McCrystal.

"There are a couple of guys who have talked to me, one who was away playing rugby on the 21 and under rugby championships and he played for the Thunder before and we might give him some consideration but there isn't anyone else right now we're looking at."

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Rams put through paces prior to pre-season opener

By Greg Urbanoski

On a cool August night the University of Regina Rams went through their final paces prior to Friday's exhibition game with the University of Manitoba Bisons.

We think this is going to be a great event," said Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal. "There's a lot of excitement around campus certainly in the community. We've been getting lots of play in the radio, TV and newspapers and it's pretty good and a pretty good stream of people getting tickets.

"The boys tonight had a lot of jump in their legs and we've been off two a days for two days now so they're getting some of that back. They're pretty excited and looking forward to the competition."

McCrystal said the amount of plays the Rams will use will be less than in their season opener in Saskatoon next weekend against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. He thinks the Rams will have enough plays in their arsenal to not only compete, but also allow coaches the opportunity to fully evaluate players prior to the September 3 game against Saskatoon.

"I think you'll see a lot of excitement around the quarterback spot," said McCrystal. "Teale Orban is really going to be a great player for us and it'll be interesting to see him coming off his rookie year to his sophomore year.

"The two guys behind him, Tim Feasby and Campbell Antonini have both really done well, but we only had three quarterbacks so they got a lot of reps. We're going to see good things from our receivers. We've got some big guys but the little guys we have like a Brent Vancise really goes hard to the ball. Defensively it is going to be interesting to see our defensive backfield group because that was an area we talked about in 2003 because we were graduating that whole crew. As a result these guys got thrown into the fire last year and we'll see how they've come around with their second year of starters."

McCrystal said interesting battles to be determined Friday include cornerback with Joel Lipinski and Aadon Fieger and Andrew Rumba vying for spots. McCrystal also singled out Carl Lanigan as a challenger.

With Jon Baker's injury on the defensive line, McCrystal said Bjorn Persson from Preecville who red-shirted last year will be tested. Paul McDill is another red-shirt who is expected to make an impact on the defensive line.

McCrystal said Orban will start a half and split the second half between Antonini and Feasby. After the game, the coaches will be looking at the film and making decisions about who will be starting and the best combination of players in any given situation.

McCrystal said by Wednesday he expects the list of players to be going up to Saskatoon will be finalized so they will be getting the most reps in practice.

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Frankly Speaking - August 29th

The day of decision for roster decisions is fast approaching for the University of Regina Rams, but as they practiced following their 24-15 exhibition game loss to the University of Manitoba Bison, they had their minds firmly set on their season opener with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

Rams coach Frank McCrystal is looking at his charges and preparing to review film and input from coaches as to who will make it on the regular roster, who can be added for home games and who will be red-shirted for the 2005 season.

"We had a real good practice tonight and I think we should make sure we move on," said McCrystal. "Identify those things we did well and more importantly identify those things we need to work on and move forward with that.

"It's like the guy misses a tackle and hangs his head for the next two plays and misses two more tackles. Or drops the ball and no use throwing him the ball another two or three series. We're disappointed but so, we found there were positive things from that game."

McCrystal said the biggest thing was that the Rams need to play and be on the field to achieve success. McCrystal said the biggest positive was the Rams have a field goal kicker, something they lacked last season.

The next positive was the play of the defensive unit. The defensive flowed properly and was able to make plays and tackles. The offense provided Orban with time to throw the ball, but McCrystal said a lack of running game was something he wanted to work on this week.

"We didn't run the ball as well as we hoped to in that last game," said McCrystal. "But it wasn't a physical thing. We didn't physically get beaten. We had some guys that hadn't played like Kyle McNeil is 19 and Brandon LaBatte is 18 and they need to play some more at this level with the speed and everything else. But they didn't get physically beaten."

McCrystal said the speed of game conditions provided a good yardstick for the players. He said it was good to see the physical shape of the players and how they handled the older and physical Bisons.

In terms of team depth, McCrystal said the team is sound at defensive back and defensive line. At offensive line the team is young, and the youth may be a detriment to a unit that needs experience and age to perform better. McCrystal said Antonini played well at back-up quarterback despite not seeing much action.

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Frankly Speaking - September 1st

Taking care of their own business is job one with the University of Regina Rams.

Leading up to their first game of the 2005 regular season against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, the Rams under Coach Frank McCrystal were less concerned about what to expect from the Huskies and were more concerned about how the team would execute their own assignments during the game.

"It's important for us to concentrate on the things we need to do," said McCrystal.

"If there's thing that we would recognize that we need to improve on from the exhibition game it is to run the ball better. We have that potential to run the ball better and we are getting better. We've got these young guys in there at the guard and centre, (Brendon Labatte and Kyle McNeil) that are going to be able to move forward. They are only 18 and 19 years old and every game, every down they are going to get better."

McCrystal said patience is something else the Rams have to embrace as a team philosophy. If the Rams can eliminate their errors, McCrystal said they have a real shot at upsetting the number two ranked team in Canadian University Football.

The Rams have decided for the most part who will be making the trip to Saskatoon. As far as the number of red shirt players are concerned, 10 of the 12 high school players will be red-shirted and Stan Van Sicim and Brandon Ganne will be making the trip with the team.

Red shirt players can only play in one game without losing a year of eligibility. McCrystal said for many of the young players, the exhibition game against the University of Manitoba Bison was that game for this year.

As far as injury updates, Evan Hoffman is gone for the season, Jon Baker will be not be ready to be looked at until mid to late September. Jared Ralko will end up being red-shirted with a shoulder injury and is still in a sling. He will not be re-evaluated until after September 17.

"For these young guys, it's really physical," said McCrystal. "Coming out of high school it is very difficult and you have to be physically ready to compete and get ready for the collisions.

"I think it is important for them to stay focused and on task. A lot of times you see teams flying out of the dressing room through the smoke or whatever, but everything starts to settle down. You have got to calmly go about your business and remain focused. That doesn't mean you aren't ready or excited to play, it means you go about your task.

"We have a really good group of student athletes and had a breakfast this morning and they handled themselves well. They're really good guys and I'm excited about what's going to happen on the football field and giving them a chance to exercise some of the things about their character that they are just learning as young men. I'm excited about what they are going to do in school too."

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Frankly Speaking - September 6th

The University of Regina Rams football club have put behind their 44-7 defeat to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies and are looking to put the finishing touches on a game plan to beat the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Friday night in Vancouver.

"I think the one thing we match up relative to experience certainly better with UBC than we would have with the U of S or U of A actually," said Frank McCrystal, Rams head coach.

"UBC is a good team but they're like us. They're about our age and they've gone through an 0-8 season a couple of years ago so I think they are a pretty good team. I think we match up with them in terms of experience pretty well and we're looking forward to building on some of the good things we did in the last game. Like defensively we had three sacks in that game and we only had six sacks all of last year. Offensively we were able to protect the quarterback and get the ball off and throw the ball."

McCrystal said he hoped his receiving corps are making better reads and despite some occasional trouble on special teams against the University of Saskatchewan, rookie punter Perri Scarcelli did a great job of punting, which is not his first love compared to place-kicking.

Dwayne Benkovic has left the Rams for personal reasons which has forced some changes in the Rams running game. McCrystal said Graham Mosiondz who stepped into the starting position showed McCrystal a lot of maturity at the position.

"He was doing a lot of subtle things really well," said McCrystal. "We got positive yardage on first down, we were second and four, second and six which we didn't have often last year. What he also did in a subtle way you may not have noticed from the stands is he is picking up blitzes and understanding who to block on passing and what routes to get in. He made a great catch and did very well and we've got Jon Gartner in the wings we think when he gets back healthy will do a lot of good things."

Gartner didn't start because of a high ankle injury that has been diagnosed as a sprain. McCrystal said the location of the injury makes it hard to tape for game conditions and as a nagging injury, McCrystal said Gartner's condition makes him day to day in terms of whether or not he can play.

"The plan right now is to take him out to Vancouver," said McCrystal. "It's Tuesday and we leave Thursday early afternoon and maybe he'll wake up one morning and it'll be fine."

McCrystal said being tied with the Huskies 7-7 with four minutes left in the first half was a good sign, but a dropped ball by the Rams helped to kill momentum along with some penalties.

"When we opened the second half, we had trouble fielding the kick off and we punt the ball away, get them in their own end, make a great defensive stand and then we fumble the punt," said McCrystal.

"I think three out of the first four plays we had procedures and fumbles and it was not a good situation to get into against an experienced team. Some of that caught up to us, but I'm not sure the score is indicative of how the game was played because we played very physical."

McCrystal noted while Huskie quarterback Steve Bilan had over 300 passing yards, 150 yards were on three passes.

"One we took the wrong angle on, another was a push-off that the officials missed and another should have been knocked down or intercepted and we missed it," said McCrystal.

"We've got to put that behind us because whatever happened, it happened before and it's over. Right now it's 2005 and we're 0-1 and there are two other teams also 0-1 and both got beat bad and one got beat worse than us. We're going to be OK, it's going to happen for us, we need to patient and it's going to click in and happen for us. We need to keep this in perspective and not over-react in a negative sense."

McCrystal said while fans may be fixated on ended the losing streak, McCrystal said the team needs to concentrate on their goals and be focused on improvement. He said the coaches will continue to challenge the team to see who is going to perform.
"I think it is important to address those issues where we need to improve on because you can't go off and say it's OK because it's not OK," said McCrystal.

"We need to address those, but put those in their place and in perspective and move forward. This is what we need to improve on and this is what we did well and let's take the things we did well and build on that and let's work on those things we need to improve on. It's going to happen for us, we need to be patient and no need to keep beating ourselves and let's move on and get ready for UBC."

McCrystal said the addition of Scarcelli has been a welcome development. He said while the team knew Scarcelli could place kick, he punted better than anticipated.

"He wasn't particularly excited about punting," said McCrystal. "He's worked on the punting and he's confident and we're really pleased with him. He's maybe one of the best guys that we've brought in here and if he keeps steady improvement and stays consistent he's a guy who has a future kicking the ball in professional football."

The Rams had no injuries to report from Saturday's game, but McCrystal reports Chris Stevens got banged up in one on one drills this week and may not play this week due to rib problems.

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Frankly Speaking - September 14th

What a difference a week makes.

Last week University of Regina Rams Coach Frank McCrystal wore the look of someone who rather undergoes a prostate exam than answer another question about the Rams long winless streak.

A 41-23 win over the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds has thankfully taken attention off the Rams need to win a game and thankfully put it on what the team needs to do to compete in Canada West Football this year.

"We're pleased with what happened last week," said McCrystal. "I think we match up athletically with any team in the league. We don't match up in terms of experience with all the other teams in the league i.e., the U of S and U of A.

"But these other teams, Calgary, B.C., Simon Fraser we are right in there. Manitoba is an older team. So we are kind of middle of the pack. We think we match up athletically and there is a little difference in terms of experience but we are gaining experience with every play."

McCrystal laughs when asked about matching wits with Gary Etcheverry, coach of the UBC T-Birds and a defensive coach guru formerly with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and noted for his aggressive defenses.

"You're the second person to ask me that," said McCrystal. "Gary has taken some heat over this but Gary said this is not his defense. We knew him from Regina and talked to him when he was with the Renegades. He's a good guy, good coach, and all we are doing is preparing our guys to play. Coach can do only so much, guys have to play."

With the University of Alberta Golden Bears coming to play the Rams 2 p.m. Saturday at Taylor Field, McCrystal is pleased with the strides taken by his defense and the running game. But he knows the Golden Bears will be a good test for the Rams.

"We've been trying to get that running game untracked for awhile - about 10 games," said McCrystal. "It went really well for us and we feel good about this game coming up this week.

"U of A doesn't particularly like that bus ride. It's a long bus ride when you are not used to it. They fly to Saskatoon, Calgary, everywhere else but here so an eight hour bus ride is something new for them. They haven't had a lot of success coming into Regina and they have only won once at Taylor Field since we came into the league."

McCrystal said after two road games, the Rams are excited about being home and playing the fourth-ranked team in Canada.

"One thing we can do well defensively is run," said McCrystal. "We run to the ball really well and we need to defend against the run against them. If you force them to the pass, if they get hot and hit receivers, it is difficult to defend.

"Those are two big challenges for us defensively. Offensively we need our young guys to take another step forward to understand the offense and what we are trying to do. Recognizing defenses is the biggest thing. You can know your plays running against pylons and bags out here but when those bags and pylons start moving around, that's a little bit different."

McCrystal said within the Rams organization there is a lot of confidence about the program the coaches have brought in for the players. If the players accept the support, the coaches were confident the success would soon follow.

"From within the program we feel satisfaction and feel good about the win," said McCrystal.

"Was it a big thing on our shoulders? Probably only in the sense we had to answer questions about it all the time. Maybe it is our playing that is answering the questions."

McCrystal said the Rams have enjoyed great leadership on the defensive line from Sean Brimacombe and great performances from young players such as Paul McDill.

"We need that again if we are going to defend against the run and we confident we can make that happen," said McCrystal.

"We've played four games and we really haven't lost anyone in a game because they got beat up. Chad Goldie took a hit on the thigh and has a charley horse but that is something that just happens in a game. Physically we really took it to BC and physically we've been knocking around teams we've been playing the last two years."

McCrystal said the physical play of Rams like Steve Wilson, who had 12 tackles against UBC and Tyler Pokoyoway, is setting the tone for the team. McCrystal said the play of Perri Scarcelli who went four for four on field goals after missing his first attempt has given the Rams new confidence on special teams.

With a home game this week after starting the season with two road games, McCrystal and his staff have more time to prepare for the visit from the Golden Bears. McCrystal said the extra time means the coaches need to be focused to teach the players and make their time on the field more effective.

There will be more Rams on the sidelines for this game. For road games, the Rams can dress 40 players, but for home games, they can dress 50 players.

"That gives us a chance to get more guys into the game," said McCrystal. "Some of those guys who red-shirted last year and didn't make the traveling roster will dress here at home. We want to make sure these guys are also committing to academics and when this exercise of football is over, there is a degree in their hands.

"We red-shirt a guy for a year and unless there is a medical thing, the next year we put them in. We haven't talked about it completely but we want to get some offensive linemen like Devin Hillier and Jordan Higgins, Nick Hutchins. somebody has to come in and take over (Jeff) Yorga and (Sean) Kent's spots next year because they are in their fifth year of eligibility and you want to get these guys in and get some playing time. In the defensive backfield we have Ryan Moore probably getting dressed and running backs Raymond Robertson will get dressed and Tim Feasby will get dressed at quarterback and try to get him in."

McCrystal said on the injury front, Chad Goldie's status is not yet determined for Saturday's game. Other than that, there are no injuries of note for the Rams.

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Frankly Speaking - September 19th

Monday night for the University of Regina Rams means another edition of Locking Horns, an Access Communications production that takes a weekly look at the Rams.

The show is shot in the Lazy Owl on the University of Regina campus, with the television set arranged on a dance floor. A long table of Rams are chowing down on wings, ribs and anything else that may come out of the kitchen while watching it all is Rams coach Frank McCrystal.

McCrystal will be appearing on this edition of Locking Horns to give his take on the University of Alberta Golden Bear game to viewers. McCrystal laughs about the finger food being described as some sort of Atkins-style diet plan, but he is serious when it comes to talking about football tonight.

The Rams face the University of Calgary Dinosaurs at 3 p.m. Saturday. This is a must win for the Rams, who have a record of 1-2 and are looking to return to the playoffs. Following the game against the University of Calgary, the Rams will have a bye week, then return with a road trip to Winnipeg to play the University of Manitoba Bisons, on October 8, then a home game against UBC Thunderbirds on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. followed by a visit from the University of Saskatchewan Huskies on Oct. 22 before finishing their regular season with a trip out to Vancouver on Oct 29th to face the Simon Fraser Clansmen.

The Rams are approaching the mid-point of their season and for them to be seen as contenders, they have to take the next step which is beating the University of Calgary Dinosaurs. McCrystal knows this, and more importantly, the players know it too.

"I think it is important for us to keep things in perspective," said McCrystal. "We really played very well and it was a game we should have won. Our young guys made some mistakes and they make mistakes because they're not on the field enough and they're getting on the field more and more.

"We're not making excuses for them but what we're trying to do is make sure we keep this in perspective and build on the things we are doing well. Instead of tearing them down, let's give them an opportunity to move forward."

McCrystal said he feels physically the Rams are pushing teams around, including the University of Alberta. The mistakes being made are mental and McCrystal describes it as guys for whom the game hasn't slowed down enough because of a lack of experience.

Against the University of Calgary, which features a potent running attack including a quarterback who enjoys scrambling more than a short-order cook at Denny's, the big key to victory Saturday for the Rams will be discipline in their defensive assignments.

"It is going to be very key to be disciplined and not over-pursue, and discipline is a good word, Guido," said McCrystal. "He's very good, he's very good as a running quarterback. I don't think he can necessarily beat you on the pass but he can run very well.

"They have a very good running game, no question about that. But I think they may have a better running game when you throw the whole package in than maybe even the U of A."

The Rams are approaching this game as a playoff game.

"This game is important," said McCrystal. "We had a shot at going three and one and that's gone, but it's important for us to be two and two. Let's see if we can split at home like we have on the road.

"We're at a bit of a disadvantage because of our youth but we're playing a team that is right around the same age as we are."

McCrystal said there will be some new players off the roster who will dress for the game. As far as injuries go, Clark Gates at linebacker has a swollen ankle and is doubtful for the game.

For the bye week, the Rams will re-assess their players physically and give them the bye weekend off. There will also be an opportunity for the players to be introduced to the directors of the Rams and other events.

"We evaluate their play on an ongoing basis but we want to see how the maintenance plan is working for them," said McCrystal.

"Everybody in this program is doing the best they can and doing what they can to give us the opportunity to be successful."

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Frankly Speaking - October 4th

The casual observer of the University of Regina Rams practice on Tuesday night could be forgiven for a moment if they felt they had wandered onto the set of the Trailer Park Boys.

Rams Head Coach Frank McCrystal was wearing his toque and everyone else was bundled up while running routes and brushing up and rushing the passer.

It's definitely football weather in Saskatchewan.

The Rams are coming out of their bye week ready to take on the University of Manitoba Bisons at 1 p.m. Saturday, a game that will be broadcast on CKRM Radio and might also be carried by Access Communications from a feed in Winnipeg. The Rams met some of the club directors last week, a move designed to let the players know about the many volunteers who put up their time and effort to making the Rams a success on the field. The Rams also had their rookie night last Thursday, a karaoke singing session after which the line between rookie and regular got erased, or at least forgotten in the fun.

Now they are back to business, and McCrystal is putting them through their paces getting them ready to take on the Bisons, the first of four games which will decide where the Rams will be playing in November and whether they will make the playoffs.

"I think the guys have responded pretty well," said McCrystal. "We've stayed healthy and we've done some team things and got some things out of the way.

"We've done some testing on the bye week and the one encouraging thing is that we've haven't fallen off very much relative to our strength and verticals and 40 yard times. It's all be a pretty positive thing at least to this point."

McCrystal said Manitoba is very good defensively with good athletes and are much older than the Rams. They have 12 starters who are 25 years old or better. Offensively the Bisons are pretty big but perhaps are not as quick as their defense.

The Bison have a pretty balanced attack of passing and rushing, but McCrystal cautions what they do will depend on the game situation. If the Bison fall behind early, they are not afraid to pass. A lot of their passing game depends on a three step drop and getting the ball away quickly.

"Defensively we have to be physical but certainly it is important to use our athleticism," said McCrystal.

"We have to be quick, we have to go to our responsibilities and play fundamental football. That is what we have to do on both sides of the ball is play fundamental football in hanging on to the ball. If we want to stop the run we have to attack the line of scrimmage. If we want to stop the pass, we have to make sure we have the proper drops and go to the middle of the hub of the zone."

With a quick passing game, the Rams coverage has to be exceptional. McCrystal said when the defensive backs go their zones, they have to set up and react to the ball. He said the corners have to be using the proper techniques both in man and zone coverage.

"Offensively we are telling them to make good choices and know their plays," said McCrystal.

"I think we can do some good things offensively. Our offensive line is pretty big and strong. They haven't played much with Brandon Labatte and Kyle McNeil but we also have Sean Kent and Jeff Yorga at the tackles. Max Ivanov is in the middle but they have to make sure they are using their strength and quickness. If Teale (Orban) can make good choices and if we can hang on to the ball and deliver it to the spot its supposed to be we'll be fine."

McCrystal said there are a lot of expectations surrounding the Rams and he feels other teams often play over their heads when they face the Rams.

"They want to beat us because we have a very long history and tradition of success and winning and that is what we are known for," said McCrystal.

"Everyone inclusive of coaches, directors and these players feel that pressure. We have to keep our perspective and let that maturing process set itself up and work its way through."

The Rams will be taking their traveling squad which is smaller than the numbers allowed for a home game. McCrystal said the team will have to wait until Thursday night before making a decision on who will be going to Manitoba. The Rams will leave for Winnipeg 9 a.m. Friday.

"Some guys we're not sure of," said McCrystal. "Jon Gartner is still nursing that charley horse. We've got Paul Grondin with a cracked thumb. Clark Gates is back and that will bump somebody from the roster because he wasn't able to dress the last game.

"For the most part we are waiting for those two guys. Steve Ryan is ready to go and he's running around out here. If the guys are out here Thursday night we'll see how much attention they've paid and whether they are able to get through the thing. If they haven't been able to and don't know their stuff we'll go with the guys who have practiced Monday and Wednesday."

McCrsytal said Manitoba will need one more win to make the playoffs and will likely clinch a spot with a win, likely third place. The Rams are looking to take four games, but said it is possible they can make the playoffs with three games.

"It just drives you nuts thinking about those scenarios," said McCrystal. "Sometimes you get lost and have a tendency to not focus on what we have to do.

"The simplest thing we have to do is go out and play football weekend in and out and get those four wins and that's a done deal - we're in."

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Frankly Speaking - October 26th

The University of Regina Rams would like to wrap up their 2005 season Saturday against the Simon Fraser Clansmen with a bang.

This week the Rams are working on fundamentals and shaking off the 57-8 loss Saturday against the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.

"We're concentrating on fundamentals," said Rams head coach Frank McCrystal. "Obviously we made some errors and they were fundamental errors.

"We didn't tackle well and that is something we need to do better. We made real errors on both sides of the ball that resulted in errors for them. I think we've put that game aside. We played very poorly - we did some really good things. Our youth was exposed but we're getting better. Last year at this time we were 0-7"

McCrystal said he thought it was reasonable for the Rams to win four games this season. He said the expectations within the Rams organization and the community are high for the team, but things need to be put in perspective - especially after an 0-8 season in 2004.

"We're doing the right things," said McCrystal. "We're moving forward. We're progressing.

"If we didn't win four games and we only win three, so we were a game off. We were a play here and there from making the playoffs. If we knock the football down against Calgary we win that game. Against UBC a couple of things go our way, we win that game. Against Manitoba we don't give Manitoba points when we throw the interception because they don't get that point for the overtime loss. I think we have done some good things this year so I think we should build on those things and finish strong in Vancouver."

McCrystal said the difference between the Rams 0-4 record at home versus a 2-1 record on the road is hard to explain.

"I think there is no question from time to time there is a lack of focus," said McCrystal. "That's youth and you see that in pass receiving with guys dropping balls. That is easy to recognize.

"I think that the expectations are high, but we have to be guarded that we don't put expectations on ourselves. When you talk about emotion, Steve Wilson played until the bitter end. Campbell Antononi wants to win. Teale Orban wants to win. Joel Lipinski and Aadon Fieger wants to win. Sean Brimacombe plays to the bitter end."

McCrystal said running Graham Mosoindz has better running statistics than University of Saskatchewan Huskies running back David Stevens did in his first season. Which is encouraging when you think about how Stevens ran for 185 yards in the first half of the last game against the Rams.

"David Stevens is a great player," said McCrystal. "We need to be patient and work with these guys.

"They are trying hard, no question about it. They are working hard and things will fall into place. I don't think we are far off. We are a little bit off here and there but that will come from playing games."

Simon Fraser is winless and is looking to avoid going winless this season. McCrystal points out their offensive line has played together for while and a good running game.

"They don't want to go winless," said McCrystal. "It happens though. It happened to us, it happened to UBC, it should happen to Simon Fraser and it will happen to Alberta.

"It will be tough. They are going to battle us because they don't want to go winless. We want to come off what was an embarrassing game and go out with a good showing. It should be a real classic Canada West football game."

McCrystal said the Rams will go with their regulars for the game instead of experimenting with inserting new players here and there. He said the team has a responsibility to the program to put out the best possible team on the field.

If Teale Orban is ready to play following his separated shoulder, he will play against Simon Fraser. Jon Labonte is having his knee scoped and is unlikely to be ready for Simon Fraser. Ryan Ackerman has an ankle sprain and is uncertain.

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