Two years after taking his final snap as a member of the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, Mason Nyhus still thinks about how close he came to tasting a national championship.
Not only once, but twice.
“There is a level of unfinished business at U of S for myself,” said Nyhus. “We got to two Vanier Cups my last two seasons there, we couldn’t quite get it done.
“One possession losses, those stick with you.”
That feeling has brought Nyhus back to his home province of Saskatchewan, set to reunite with his alma matter and Huskies head coach Scott Flory.
Last week, the Huskies announced Nyhus will be departing the UBC Thunderbirds coaching staff to serve as assistant head coach and passing game coordinator for the Huskies beginning with the 2025 Canada West season.
“Winning Hardy Cups, close games and beating our rivals down south,” said Nyhus. “All of those good things are important to me and that brought me back here. A big reason why I’m leaving UBC in Vancouver is because it is Sask.”
Spending five memorable seasons at quarterback for the Huskies between 2017 and 2022, the Regina product became one of the best pivots in program history, winning Canada West player of the year honours in 2022.
Get breaking National news
He’d also go on to set multiple program records at the conclusion of his time at the University of Saskatchewan, including career passing yards (9,649) and career touchdowns (66).
“It’s a recognizable name that people know and he’s got a track record of success as well,” said Flory. “A good person, track record of success, a ton of personality, he knows his x’s and o’s, and he’s a good football guy. To me, it was just one of those no-brainers.”
Following his graduation from the program after the 2022 season, Nyhus would go on to join Thunderbirds head coach Blake Nill as UBC’s quarterbacks coach.
In 2023, Nyhus would help the Thunderbirds produce some of the top offensive numbers in U Sports en route to Hardy Cup and Mitchell Bowl titles before falling in the Vanier Cup to the Montreal Carabins.
Flory said his former quarterback always had a vision for the big picture on the team and will be able to mould his new role accordingly.
“Where he grows and where he goes from it?” said Flory. “I mean he can’t have my job just yet. But there’s no doubt that he has the talent to go as far as he wants to in the coaching world.”
As part of his duties, Nyhus will help lead the Huskies quarterbacks room and more specifically his former protégée in Anton Amundrud who will be entering his third season as the team’s starting QB.
“I was successful playing because of my brain,” said Nyhus. “Hopefully I can pass that on as much as possible to Anton because he has every gift and talent in the world to be a successful, top-notch player in this country.”
Losing in the 2021 and 2022 Vanier Cup championship games to the Western Mustangs and Laval Rouge et Or respectively as a player, Nyhus has ambitions of finishing the job for the Huskies on the sideline.
Now, he’ll be doing so next to the coach and team which gave him a shot at becoming one of the greatest athletes in program history.
“I always had a goal as a player to bring a Vanier Cup back to Saskatoon,” said Nyhus. “It’s something we haven’t done in a long time. To have the opportunity to be a part of something where we can possibly do that here in the future is super exciting.”
The Huskies are coming off a 19-14 defeat to the University of Regina Rams in the 2024 Hardy Cup.
Comments