‘Nobody wants it as bad as us’: Huskies prepare for Vanier Cup

WATCH: The U of S Huskies will be facing off against Montreal for the Vanier Cup the weekend.

As the University of Saskatchewan Huskies prepare to play in the Vanier Cup this weekend, there’s a strong sense of both purpose and nostalgia across the team.

“I remember being a fifth-year athlete and winning your last football game, and that is something...for sure that is special,” said Scott Flory, head coach of Huskies football.

The last time the Huskies won the Vanier Cup was in 1998, and Flory was on the team to hoist the trophy over his head for that win.

“I just remember the focused team. I remember a team that was a little bit on a mission, and I see a lot of similarities in this group than to the group that we had then. There’s a core group of fifth year guys that we had back then. And I think we see now as well that are playing with an edge that are leading that locker room,” Flory said.

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While the Huskies have appeared in six Vanier Cups since that win in 1998, they haven’t quite been able to bring it home since that game over two decades ago.

The team most recently made it to the cup in 2022, and many of those who now make up the Huskies starting lineup recall that feeling of coming so close in their earlier years on the team.

“I learned it’s an honor to be there. It’s a great accomplishment just to even scratch the surface to get in there ... just super proud that we were able to execute all season long and just get to this point really. So the job’s not quite finished, so we’re still locked in on that,” running back, Ryker Frank said.

Defensive back John Stoll says it’s a different feeling going into the cup as a veteran player compared to his first year.

“As a rookie, I had no clue what was going on. I didn’t really know what a Vanier was. I didn’t realize how big it was to make one because the work that I had to put in was not the same amount of work that those guys that got us there put in,” Stoll said.

He says the lessons he has learned since that game are ones he hopes to pass on to this year’s rookie players.

“Now, on the flip version, being in this fifth-year role and having the experience I’ve been able to accumulate, I think it’s just translating that to the young guys that you got to appreciate how much work you put in the 365 that you waited to get to this moment. And really embrace that all that work is actually paying off; that you’ve done all those things to get you to it,” Stoll said.

The team expressed that they certainly have their work cut out for them as they prepare to face off against the Montreal Carabins on Saturday.

“They’re a really good football team. It shows up on the film. They’re long, they’re lean, they’re fast... you wouldn’t anticipate anything less, especially being in the championship game,” Flory said.

The Huskies quarterback echoed his coach’s sentiments, adding that he feels his team is up to the challenge.

“They’re a great team. They deserve to be to be in this position...just like we’ve seen so many weeks of a lot of great athletes and they’re very well coached. I think for us, just playing our game, and just sticking to the game plan on Saturday,” quarterback Jake Farrell said.

As the Huskies head into their final game, the entire team is very aware of who they’re playing for.

Following the announcement of starting quarterback, Anton Amundrud’s cancer diagnosis, the entire Huskies community has rallied around the all-star athlete.

“His message to the team is just, play our game. Our message to him is that we’re going to play for him ... A lot of love between us and that guy so we’re gonna play our hearts out for him,” Frank said.

Frank says the substantial highs and lows of this season have brought the team even closer together, and it will be evident on the field at Mosaic Stadium on Saturday.

“Every team at one point, they think they want it bad and they think that their group is special. But, I’m telling you, no group is as special as our group that we have right here. And nobody wants it as bad as us,” Frank said.