Water Valley’s Bryce McKinnon is back in Saskatchewan, preparing for his second season with the University of Regina Rams football team.
Playing centre and guard positions on the offensive line last season, the team’s rookie of the year is currently in Regina helping his university team conduct football camps for school-aged kids.
“It’s high school camp and junior camp. The junior camp is atoms, bantams and younger guys,” McKinnon says while catching up with former Cochrane Midget Lions teammate Ryder Stone and watching younger sister Kelsey McKinnon play rugby for Zone 2 (Big Country) at the Alberta Summer Games.
“The high school camp would be up to Grades 10-11, and the young guys would be up to Grades 7-8.”
A career defensive lineman in high school with the Cochrane Cobras, the high school award-winner and all-star was converted to offensive line in his Rams rookie season, where he excelled snapping the ball to, and protecting, quarterback Cayman Shutter. The Rams are comfortable with McKinnon teaching young players about both sides of the line of scrimmage.
“It’s kind of cool they think I can do both,” McKinnon says. “They trust I can do O-line but they know I know enough about D-line to coach kids.”
Given he’s coaching offensive line to kids right now, the Rams may be eyeing a second season on offensive line for McKinnon. His training camp begins Aug. 18.
“It’s up in the air,” he relates of his second-year university playing status. “Really, I don’t know. I guess I’ll know first day at fall camp.
“It’s the exact same as last year. I came in as a D-lineman. I made the team as D-line and then they switched me before fall camp. They can do it again if they want. I’m good for anything.”
But not before getting into game shape. He’d been home in Water Valley since late May, working on the farm and working out before leaving for Regina at 295 pounds on his six-foot-tall frame.
“I have to drop a little bit of weight before the season,” the 19-year-old says. “Probably get back down to 285-290.”
And, if he’s on offensive line at the start of camp, he’ll be protecting quarterback Shutter again. It’s a chore McKinnon looks forward to.
“He’s gelled with the offence,” McKinnon says of the former University of Hawaii QB in his senior year at Regina. “He’s got it under control now. He’s good with all our receivers. He’s actually the guy I’m chaperoning with at high school camp. Him and his O-line really have built a good relationship now. We’re all good with each other. Last year it was all new.”
It’s a development the Rams hope improves last season’s 2-6 record in Canadian Interuniversity Sport play.
