The Canadian Football Hall of Fame will soon be welcoming one more Huskie.

Scott Flory began his post-secondary football career at the University of Saskatchewan in 1994, when he entered the Huskies program as a young man from Regina. From then on, it was history, and the 6-4, 295-lb. offensive guard helped the Huskies win two Vanier Cup championships.

Flory credits his experience in the Huskies program for giving him the opportunity to move on to the professional level, and in the 1998 Canadian Football League Draft, the Montreal Alouettes selected Flory 15th overall.

“My time as a player with the Huskies was amazing, and I will forever be indebted to Brian Towriss and [the] numerous other coaches and players who shaped the identity of those teams during my time from 1994-98. We were a close-knit group who truly cared for one another, and we loved football,” Flory said, in an email to the Sheaf.

After being drafted, Flory was a nine-time league all-star, a two-time winner of the CFL’s Most Outstanding Lineman Award and a three-time Grey Cup champion. The offensive lineman, who played his entire fourteen-year professional career with the Montreal Alouettes, has a resume that speaks for itself, and now, his legacy will be forever enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Flory believes his experience as a Huskie provided him with the opportunity to thrive at the professional level.

“I took a lot of the lessons and experiences I had as a Huskie into my CFL locker room,” Flory said. “Personally, I matured a lot during those years, and my time as a Huskie made the transition to the professional ranks really smooth.”

On March 21 in Winnipeg, Flory was announced as an inductee to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Though many fans may feel it was only a matter of time before Flory’s induction, Flory said that, when he received the call, he felt pure elation on the receiving end.

“My thoughts upon receiving the call [were of] shock and amazement — it truly is a humbling experience. When I reflected on all the former teammates and names in the hall of fame, it really blew me away that I am amongst them,” Flory said.

Flory and the rest of the 2018 inductees will officially be welcomed into the hall this September.

“It hasn’t really sunk in that I am being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame with all the great players and builders of the sport of football here in Canada. I’m sure the actual ceremony in September will really be emotional,” Flory said.

Flory has had the opportunity to play with many talented players over the span of his career, and arguably, none were more talented than Anthony Calvillo. Calvillo had a profound impact on Flory.

“When you’re in the locker room and playing year after year with a lot of the same players, such as Anthony, you maybe don’t recognize or have the perspective to understand how lucky you are,” Flory said. “I was privileged to play 15 years for one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game, which is awesome, but in the end, he’s just a great friend. Our families are close, and that means so much to me.”

Although Flory is now being recognized in the hall of fame, he’s not done with the game he loves. As head coach of the Huskies, Flory is now faced with the pressure of returning the program to its rightful championship pedigree.

“It is an absolute privilege to coach here at the U of S, and I am loving every minute of it. When I first got the call by Brian Towriss about an opportunity to come back and be a part of the staff, I jumped at it,” Flory said. “We moved the whole family back across the country from Montreal to be here because the City of Saskatoon, the university, the province and the Huskies football program mean so much to me.”

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Matthew Johnson

Photo supplied by Alan Walker