It has been a great 2022 season for Regina born quarterback, Mason Nyhus. The University of Saskatchewan Huskie QB was named the Canada West Player of the Year, and will be the conference’s nominee for the national award, the Hec Creighton Award.
Huskies head coach and a Regina product of his own, Scott Flory joined Michael Ball on Thursday’s edition of the SportsCage to discuss the success of Nyhus this year, as well to preview the 85th Hardy Cup on Saturday as the Huskies host the UBC Thunderbirds at Griffiths Stadium.
The U. of S. QB finished first in all of U Sports in completions, pass attempts, passing yardage, and second in touchdown passes and led the Huskies to a first place finish in the Can West standings.
Flory feels that Nyhus has all the tools that are needed at quarterback.
“He’s a leader of our program, there’s no doubt about that, guys trust him, they love him, he’s got his pulse on the locker room, he knows our offence inside and out.”
The success that Nyhus has earned is something that Flory believes that the quarterback had truly earned.
“He deserves every bit of accolades that he gets.”
The Huskies head coach spent 15 years as an offensive lineman with the Montreal Alouettes and played with plenty of quality pro quarterbacks, and views the same qualities in Nyhus that elite players at the position contained.
“When you walk into that huddle, you want to have hope, you want to have trust that he knows what he’s doing, that they’re able to get rid of the football put it on time and accurately, and he checks all of those boxes.”
Even though the former three time Grey Cup champion isn’t ready to put on an evaluator’s hat for a CFL team, he does believe in Nyhus potential of moving up to the professional ranks.
“I know that if he walked into that huddle, he would give that group hope, and he would get buy in from those guys.”
Nyhus isn’t the only Regina product who has been providing a helping hand to the Huskies this season as running back Ryker Frank has provided a big boost to the Huskies ground game. Frank ended his season with 641 yards rushing which was second in the conference.
The Thunderbirds were the only team to defeat the Huskies during the regular season, although the loss for the Huskies came in their penultimate game of the regular season, while UBC was battling for a playoff spot.
Saturday’s winner of the Hardy Cup will move to the Uteck Bowl, where they will meet the Atlantic University Sport champions.
The Vanier Cup will be held at Western University this season.
