Matt Young Michael Ball interview on the Rams and Grey Cup

In the Matt Young Michael Ball interview, CTV broadcaster Young told Ball that the Regina Rams’ offensive struggles mattered more than Gorniak’s missed field goal in their loss to Calgary. He also said the Saskatchewan Huskies control their own destiny, backed the Calgary Colts to test the Regina Thunder, and raised concerns about Grey Cup ticket sales.

What did Matt Young say about the Regina Rams’ offensive struggles?

Matt Young said the Regina Rams should look beyond Gorniak’s missed field goal against Calgary and examine why their offense could not move the ball consistently. He credited the defense for containing a Calgary team led by quarterback David Jordan, but said the Rams’ passing game was not working well enough to leave the result to one kick.

Young could not pinpoint one cause. He raised route timing, quarterback vision, scheme and communication between receivers and quarterbacks as possibilities. He said the offensive line was in place and noted that Regina had won its first two games without Marshall Erickson, whose injury status Young did not know.

His expectations for the quarterbacks remain high. Young called fourth-year Owen Seben and fifth-year Noah Pelletier good players, but said the passes need to be crisp and on time and that receivers must make catches. He had placed Regina alongside the Huskies at the start of the season, making the offensive difficulties particularly striking to him.

On defense, Young singled out Carson Sombak and Jacob Takachuk in the secondary. He said the bye week gave Regina time to address its offense and recover from injuries. In his assessment, Mark McConkie’s team would probably need at least two wins from its final three games to host a playoff game and might need that many simply to qualify.

What did Matt Young say about the Saskatchewan Huskies’ win over UBC?

Matt Young said the Saskatchewan Huskies recovered from a slow start against the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds by adjusting in the second half and attacking the middle of the field. He described a team producing roughly 35 to 40 points a game through five weeks and said it controlled its own path after the UBC win.

Second-half adjustments against the Thunderbirds

Young said UBC’s running game started well, with first-year back Marvin LaRosa making an impression. Saskatchewan’s offense began to respond with a touchdown late in the first half. Anton Amadrood then found receivers over the middle, including Dawson Lenny and Red Vavra, while Keaton Belcher also caught passes.

The Huskies limited their mistakes after halftime, Young said, while UBC had protection problems. He pointed to Saskatchewan’s motion and varied looks as demands on opposing defenses, crediting Scott Flory and Mason Nias for how the offense was functioning. A rematch with Manitoba, which had beaten Saskatchewan in week one, was next on his mind.

Mason Nias and Saskatchewan’s recruiting

Young also credited Nias’s growing role in recruiting. He said Flory had given Nias considerable credit for that work, and he highlighted the recruitment of Belcher from Moose Jaw. Young described Nias as a coach building relationships as well as learning the tactical side, and said he could eventually lead a program elsewhere.

Why did Matt Young expect the Calgary Colts to challenge the Regina Thunder?

Matt Young called the Regina Thunder the favorite in their Prairie Football Conference semifinal against the Calgary Colts, but expected a difficult game. He said the Colts’ resilience and improving roster made them capable of taking the contest into the fourth quarter as a one-score game, despite Regina’s standing as the stronger side.

The Colts’ comeback and Faulkner’s catch

The teams’ earlier meeting shaped that view. After Regina had led 28-7 and removed quarterback Jaden Zelianka late in the first half, Calgary came back to win 44-30. Young did not treat that result as proof Calgary was the better team, but he did see a warning against overlooking the Colts.

He praised a catch by Calgary’s Faulkner as one of the best he had seen in junior football. Young also liked what he saw from Regina quarterback Eric Caru, particularly the tight spiral on his throws, and said the Thunder had reason to feel good about their future at the position.

The Hilltops, Wildcats and junior-football depth

Turning to the Saskatoon Hilltops, Young said he was surprised to see three quarterbacks used in one half of a meaningful game without an injury he knew about. He had not asked coach Tom Sargent for an explanation and expected Griffin Sander to play against a motivated Edmonton Wildcats team.

Young welcomed the closer competition among the Hilltops, Colts, Wildcats and Winnipeg Rifles. He said former professional players returning to amateur coaching were helping spread knowledge through the league. He also pointed to Rifles quarterback Riley Element and Regina receiver Spencer Rempel as junior players he expected to attract university interest.

Why did Matt Young trust Calgary most in the CFL playoff race?

Matt Young ranked Calgary first on his trust list among Calgary, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan in the CFL playoff race, with Winnipeg and Saskatchewan tied for second. He said Calgary’s best performances offered a higher upside, even though he regarded all three teams as average overall and acknowledged that Winnipeg could still beat Calgary.

Young’s concern about Winnipeg centered partly on whether its defense could handle Calgary’s offense. He agreed that the Blue Bombers’ offense had questions, but did not claim the result of a meeting between the clubs was settled. His ranking was a judgment about potential, not a prediction that Calgary had secured a playoff place.

He also questioned Saskatchewan’s handling of a newly acquired kicker who remained on the sideline. Young said he could understand Ball’s concern about the pressure that situation might put on the younger kicker playing in front of him. A short practice with the holder and snapper seemed possible to Young, though he did not know the team’s reasoning.

Did Matt Young think Tyson Philpott deserved CFL award consideration?

Matt Young said Tyson Philpott deserved serious consideration for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award rather than being overlooked because he is not a quarterback. He also named Nathan Rourke and Davis Alexander as candidates he would put in the running, while explaining why voters so often gravitate toward quarterbacks on winning teams.

Young credited Rourke for what he had done with BC despite an offensive line Young considered weak. On Philpott, he said the receiver made his team more dynamic, particularly alongside an effective running game. He argued that a CFL rushing attack can stretch a defense diagonally and create problems beyond straightforward gains upfield.

For Young, the broader issue was recognition of standout performances at other positions. He said he would like to see receivers receive more consideration when their seasons warrant it. Philpott, in his view, belonged in the award discussion with Rourke and Alexander.

What worried Matt Young about Grey Cup ticket sales and the awards show?

Matt Young said the available-seat map for the Grey Cup concerned him and hoped organizers could avoid empty seats. He also opposed replacing a staged CFL awards show with individual social-media presentations. Both concerns came back to the same point for him: the league needs to give fans a reason to gather and pay attention.

Available seats for the Grey Cup

Young said that, when he last checked, a couple of sections appeared to have about 80 percent of their seats still available. He planned to assess the full stadium after the end-zone seating was built. He suggested Calgary’s prospects and the experience of attending a cold-weather game at the stadium could make tickets harder to sell.

Young hoped the organizers would promote the event and find ways to draw a crowd rather than fill seats at the last moment. He put his central concern plainly:

I don't want to see empty seats at a great cup I don't care who's in there shouldn't be empty seats

An awards show fans could attend

Young said social-media presentations could be fun, but fans and families should still be able to see players receive awards on a stage. He proposed a modest room, an audience and a streamed program rather than insisting on a large television production. That format, he argued, would also give people an occasion to debate the winners.