DORIAN GEIGER
Sports Editor

If Huskies basketball captured much attention during the past Canadian Interuniversity Sport season, the spotlight has definitely transitioned back to football at the University of Saskatchewan following the CFL draft.

Demonstrating the full resilience of its football program, the Huskies have manufactured their 48th and 49th CFL draft selections since 1985 following the May 2 draft.

Going 11th overall to the Toronto Argonauts was kicker Grant Shaw, while offensive lineman Patrick Neufeld was picked up in the fifth round, 33rd overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

It appears that the Riders are trying to keep things local since the franchise has also inked Huskies linebacker Taylor Wallace as a non-import following the draft on May 12. Shortly after, Dogs’ offensive lineman Darren Hinds then became the fifth player to crack the CFL, signed by the Winnipeg Bluebombers.

Shaw, who watched the draft from his Edmonton home with family and friends, shattered records all season long for the Dogs and made history with a 55-yard field goal and 94-yard punt in 2009.

The Edmonton-native Shaw becomes the first Huskies player to be drafted by Toronto in the history of the university’s football program. Shaw is excited to attend the Argos tryout camp later this summer to see if he’ll crack the line-up in time for the upcoming CFL season but the 25-year-old kicker is not completely nerve-wracked.

Following Shaw’s selection in the draft, Toronto head coach Jim Barker personally called Shaw to congratulate him.

“He (Barker) was happy that they got me,” said Shaw.

“(The Argonauts) have plans for me and think I have a future in Toronto,” added Shaw via telephone last week from Edmonton.

The versatile Shaw, who has filled the position of cornerback for the Huskies on numerous occasions said that his role with Toronto will be focused on kicking field goals. However, Barker and the Argos haven’t ruled out Shaw’s special teams skills either.

“He told me to make sure that I’m training all aspects of my game — primarily field goal kicking — but also make sure I’m still running and doing backpedaling drills and doing the defensive back drills so I can do specials and DB as well,” added Shaw about the possibility of him fitting other niches apart from kicking.

“Nothing really has changed as of what I’d be doing at the U of S but I’m just not sure exactly how in depth my role will be in Toronto at all aspects,” said Shaw.

However, Huskies director of communications, Nicole Betker, confirmed that Shaw is not expected to return to the Huskies in 2010, despite his remaining eligibility.

Neufeld will return to the Huskies in 2010. As for the linebacker Wallace and Hinds, they will likely join the Riders and Blue Bombers immediately since his eligibility to play in the CIS has expired.

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file photo: Robby Davis