Watch above: With multiple targets, Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Drew Burko had a breakout year in 2014.
SASKATOON – After a promising freshman season, Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Drew Burko didn’t quite take the step forward many were hoping to see in year two.
Year three was a different story, although the Saskatoon product still has his doubters.
“There were a lot of people who said all year he was struggling,” says a perplexed head coach Brian Towriss.
“If he’s struggling, then there are a lot of quarterbacks in the country that struggled a lot more than he did.”
Burko’s numbers don’t lie: a conference leading 2,256 passing yards; his 21 touchdowns, second most the nation; a 60.5 per cent completion rate and eight interceptions, while leading his team to a 6-2 regular season record, their highest win total since 2010.
“I think I improved on last year. We got the ball in the end zone more as an offence in general,” Burko says.
“There are some things I just did better. I’m improving in stuff like my feet.”
Burko’s 21 touchdown tosses were the highest regular season total for any Huskies QB since Steve Bilan threw 25 in 2004. Overall, the Huskies offence was more dynamic than it’s been in years, much in part because of Burko spreading the ball around.
“We didn’t want to be just giving the ball to two guys on offence,” admits Burko. “We want to get everyone involved. We have play makers all over the field so we want to get the ball in their hands as much as possible.”
John Trumpy, Kit and Mitch Hillis, and Brydon Ozmun all finished the season with 30 plus catches. Those four and Andre Lalonde all had over 280 yards receiving, a lot of weapons which has made for a potent offence.
“Defenses can’t really key in on one guy because we are so spread out,” says Mitch Hillis, who was fourth on the team win 323 yards receiving.
“So if one guy is kind of getting stopped, we have four or five other guys we can go to.”
Towriss says spreading the ball around was a mandate from the beginning of the season.
“In the long run I think that makes us harder to defend.”
The Huskies will look to continue to build of their offensive success in the Canada West semifinal, Friday night at Griffiths Stadium against the Manitoba Bisons.
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