While many positions have some good battles for the number 1 spot, the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Huskies seems to be locked up.
Last season, Kyle Siemens fought fifth-year Drew Burko to earn the starting spot.
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Fourth-year Siemens now has the job but knows that if he lets his foot off the gas pedal, second-year quarterback Mason Nyhus will accelerate.
“I’ll have to be working really hard to keep my job, he’s going to be pushing me and we’ve kind of talked about it,” Siemens said.
“He’s kind of even joked about it – ‘he’s going to take my job.’ I don’t think I’d have it any other way. I expect him to push me and I expect him to challenge me for the position.”
Nyhus, a second-year product from Regina, earned the number 2 spot after impressing coaches at spring camp.
“I’m happy to get rewarded for my hard work last year, but obviously nothings given, everything’s earned. I just want to work hard and push Kyle to be better and that’ll make me better as well,” Nyhus said.
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Last year, Siemens was fifth in the conference for passing yards per game and threw 13 touchdowns, good for fourth in the Canada West division. The Saskatoon product still recognizes that he can improve on the field.
“Controlling the ball and not turning it over is a big thing,” Siemens said.
“Being more efficient and just scoring when you have the chance, there’s so many things that I could say that I can be better at so I’m looking forward to starting to work on those.”
For a U Sports team still searching for their first playoff win since 2009, training camp at Griffiths Stadium will provide valuable time for the quarterbacks to show they can flip the script.
“The skies the limit with both those guys. They are both elite-level. They’re both championship quality calibre quarterbacks,” Huskies head coach Scott Flory said.
Saskatchewan will test their skills in a non-conference game against the McMaster Marauders in Hamilton on Aug. 25.
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