'The beauty and the heartbreak of sport': Huskies football coach reflects on special season
The University of Saskatchewan football team returned to Saskatoon on Sunday to clear out their lockers for the last time this season.
While the sting of the 30-24 Vanier Cup loss is still fresh in their minds, the Huskies looked back with pride on a season that had just two losses.
While there’s the frustration of coming so close to a championship, head coach Scott Flory says they have a lot to be proud of.
“It’s tough,” said Flory outside Griffiths Stadium. “It’s the beauty and the heartbreak of sport. There’s a winner and a loser and there’s finality to it. I’m incredibly proud of our guys for responding the way we did during the season with the ups and downs and everything we had.”
Other than four graduating players, most of the squad is expected to return a year older and more experienced.
For fifth and final year quarterback Mason Nyhus, who set the school’s all-time passing record and was named 2022 Canada West Player of the Year — he’s got one last chance to impart some wisdom on the returning players.
“It’s funny, we’re going to have a team meeting here this week, but it’s always the fifth-year guys go up there and do their speech to the team,” Nyhus told CTV News. “It’s all, ‘don’t blink, it goes by too fast.’ And it’s the same thing every speech, but it really does fly by.”
Five years of excellence on the field may fade in his memory, but the moments away from the stadium with teammates are the ones he’ll cherish the most.
“Great memories, there’s some great times on our road trips,” Nyhus said with a smile. “Just hanging with the guys, watching the Thursday night football games usually before Friday games. Going to Deano’s for some wings with the receivers and quarterbacks, just a lot of fun stuff, so I’ll definitely cherish those memories.”
Second year running back Ryker Smith broke into a major role this season, including being named a Canada West all-star and the Community Service Award winner for 2022. He admits his body is ready for a short break before he gets back to work.
“I’m sure everyone’s going to take some time to recover, take a few weeks to get back on our feet,” said the engineering student. “But then we’re on to next season unfortunately. We had a wild ride this season, it was a lot of fun, but a couple weeks and we’re on to next season.”
The 2022 Huskies football team can look back on the season that included a Hardy Cup and a UTECK Bowl victory, and look forward to coming back next season even hungrier for the Vanier Cup.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Woman detained in Syria says Ottawa is forcing her to make agonizing choice in order to get her kids to Canada
A woman held in a detention camp in Syria, along with her three Canadian children, says the federal government is forcing her to make an agonizing choice: relinquish custody of her kids so they can be repatriated to Canada, or keep them in the camp where the conditions are dire. Her children are eligible for repatriation but she is not a Canadian citizen.

Loblaw ends No Name price freeze, vows 'flat' pricing 'wherever possible'
Loblaw will not be extending its price freeze on No Name brand products, but vows to keep the yellow label product-pricing flat 'wherever possible.'
Still no answers on yearslong bread price-fixing scandal: law professor
More than five years since Canada’s Competition Bureau began an investigation into an alleged bread-price fixing scheme, no conclusions have been drawn nor charges laid. As the watchdog is now probing whether grocery stores are profiting from inflation, one expert says the effectiveness of its tools are in question.
Health Canada conducts safety review on breastfeeding drug amid psychiatric concerns
Health Canada is reviewing the safety of domperidone amid reports that some breastfeeding mothers in Canada and the U.S. have had serious psychiatric symptoms when they tried to stop taking the drug.
Jeopardy! dedicates entire category to Ontario but one question stumps every contestant
Jeopardy! turned the spotlight on Ontario on Monday night with a category entirely dedicated to the province. One question stumped every contestant.
U.S. launches second USMCA dispute panel as dairy battle with Canada goes to Round 2
The United States is filing another formal dispute over what it considers Canada's failure to live up to its trade obligations to American dairy farmers and producers.
Banff National Park cave creature exists 'no where else': Parks Canada
A cave in Banff National Park has been recognized as a globally significant location thanks to a tiny creature found inside.
opinion | Don Martin: Trudeau meets the moment – and ducks for cover
Based on Justin Trudeau's first-day fail in the House of Commons, 'meeting the moment' is destined to become the most laughable slogan since the elder Pierre Trudeau’s disastrous campaign rallying cry in 1972, which insisted 'the land is strong' just as the economy tanked.
Tyre Nichols case shows officers still fail to intervene
More disciplinary action may be coming now that the harrowing video of Tyre Nichols' treatment has been released. The Memphis police department is among many U.S. law enforcement agencies with 'duty to intervene' policies. Memphis police relieved two other officers of duty Monday and say the department is still investigating what happened.