REGINA – The University of Regina Rams will host their 2013 Spring Camp this Friday, Saturday and Sunday on campus at the U of R Field.
 
Two-a-day practices are scheduled for Friday (3:00 and 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday (9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.) before camp wraps up with a controlled scrimmage beginning on Sunday morning at 11:00.
 
It’ll be a very different look this season for the Rams, as the team graduates 20 fifth-year players from the 2012 squad that finished with a 6-2 conference record and advanced to the Hardy Cup after a home playoff win over Saskatchewan. A total of 85 players are expected to participate in this weekend’s camp.

Rams Camp Roster
 
“After a very successful winter training program, we’re extremely excited to get back on the field at our spring camp and we are especially thrilled with the impressive young athletes we’ve recruited this offseason,” Rams head coach Frank McCrystal said. “With a large graduating class and the probably departure of our draft-eligible players, we will have new faces in a number of positions.”
 
After this weekend, the Rams will get back to offseason conditioning before camp begins in mid-August. The team will tune up against the University of Manitoba in a home non-conference game on Friday, Aug. 23 before lifting the lid on the conference schedule on Friday, Aug. 30 against Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. The Rams will host their Canada West home opener on Friday, Sept. 6 against Calgary.
 
Here’s a position-by-position outlook for the Rams as they prepare to put the helmets back on for the first time since last November.
 
Quarterback
The quarterback position is wide open entering spring camp with the graduation of Marc Mueller, who finished his CIS career as the program’s all-time leader in career completion percentage and holds numerous school single-season and single-game records. Zach Oleynik has started seven games over the past two seasons for the Rams, while Frankie Gray has also seen plenty of game action since arriving on campus in 2011. Noah Picton comes to the Rams after a fine career with Dr. Martin LeBoldus HS in Regina, while John Kiesman comes to camp after a year as the Winnipeg Rifles’ starting pivot following a redshirt season with the University of Manitoba. Evan Didychuk (Brandon, Man. / Vincent Massey HS) and Bren Forbes (Moose Jaw, Sask. / Central Collegiate) will round out the red jerseys in camp.

Returning (2) – Frankie Gray, Zach Oleynik
Letter of Intent (1) – Noah Picton
Attending Camp (3) – Evan Didychuk, Bren Forbes, John Kiesman

Regina Cougars & Rams