Photo credit: Piper Sports Photography
As far back as Bennett Stusek can recall, he has shared a love of football with his family.
Nothing has changed over the years.
Stusek is proud to be a fifth-year receiver with the University of Regina Rams, whose coaching staff includes his father and older brother.
Jeff Stusek — a former member of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Board of Directors — is the Rams’ special teams co-ordinator and assistant head coach.
Bennett’s brother, Carter, is an assistant linebackers coach with the Canada West team.
“My dad loves football,” Bennett says, “and he passed that on to us.”
As a kid, Bennett enjoyed playing catch with his father and brother. Everything evolved from there.
“Growing up, I always liked football,” reflects Bennett, 23. “Just watching football and going to Riders games really kick-started me, I think.
“Me and my friends would play football every recess and then after school we would play football in the park.
“I fell in love with it at an early age. I was lucky enough to have a lot of friends that also enjoyed it.”
Hence the progression into Regina Minor Football and the high school ranks. After starring for the Campbell Tartans and on provincial teams, he joined the Rams in 2018.
Along the way, Bennett has become accustomed to playing at Mosaic Stadium, which he has also frequented as a fan of the Roughriders and Rams.
So, yes, there has been an accompanying assortment of pinch-yourself moments.
“I think I’m used to it now but, my first couple of years, it took me a while to get used to playing at Mosaic as an 18-year-old and even to playing on the Rams,” he says.
“I watched a ton of Rams games growing up and I always wanted to be one of those guys. It really was a transition and it was hard to fathom when I was coming out of high school. Now I’m just trying to enjoy it. It’s unbelievably cool.
“You get kind of bogged down in the rhythm of practice and meetings, but I’ve sometimes got to remind myself that I’m super-blessed to be where I am and super-happy where I am.”
Jeff Stusek, who played high school football with the Usher Unicorns, joined the Rams’ coaching staff in 2017 — toward the end of an eight-season tenure on the Roughriders’ Board that included two years (2015 and 2016) as the Vice-Chair.
Carter Stusek was a linebacker with the Tartans and the Prairie Football Conference’s Regina Thunder before coaching with the Rams for the first time in 2022.
Now the Stuseks are together — sort of — at practices and games.
“It’s really cool and it’s kind of weird,” Bennett says with a chuckle. “We’re all kind of in different fields. Dad’s the special teams co-ordinator and Carter’s the linebackers coach, so I don’t really get to see them that much during practice.
“It’s cool after practice, though, when we get to come home, eat supper, and just talk about practice or talk about the game on the weekend.”
Those discussions routinely include Sheryl Stusek — an integral component of the home team.
“My mom has been super-supportive of us,” Bennett says. “She understands that when it’s football season, we might not have supper together. She’ll have supper made when we come home at 9:30 or whatever. She holds everything together.
“She is probably the most knowledgeable mom that I’ve ever seen watching football. She’ll scream out, ‘It’s Cover 3! Why are they throwing to this guy?!’
“She gets it. She has watched football for a long time. She has learned to love it. She loves it because we love it.
“She’s everything to us. She’s the rock for our family. We always say that the Stusek family wouldn’t run without Sheryl.”
RAMS RALLY TO FORCE OT
Last-minute heroics by the Rams extended Saturday’s game against the University of Manitoba Bisons into overtime, whereupon the host team won 27-24 at IG Field in Winnipeg.
Maya Turner — the first female to play U Sports football — provided the winning points with a 21-yard field goal.
With 35 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Rams short-yardage quarterback Brayden Wagg threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Graham. Owen Sieben then passed to Marshall Erichsen for a two-point convert that created a 24-24 tie.
Sieben, making his first U Sports start, was at the controls for most of the 10-play, 85-yard TD drive.
A 21-yard pass from Sieben to Stusek moved the ball to the Bisons’ one-yard line, leading to Graham’s score.
Sieben completed 23 of 37 passes for 294 yards, including a 27-yard TD toss to former Thunder standout Rylan Sokul.
Bisons linebacker Nick Thomas — the Roughriders’ seventh-round selection in the 2023 CFL Draft — registered six solo tackles (including one for a loss) and one assisted tackle.
The Rams (1-3) are to return to action on Friday in Edmonton against the University of Alberta Golden Bears (3-1).
HUSKIES DOWN DINOS
The University of Saskatchewan Huskies improved to 3-1 on Friday by defeating the host University of Calgary Dinos 28-12.
Ryker Frank led the Huskies’ offence with 14 carries for 101 yards and one TD.
Ted Kubongo contributed 15 rushes for 83 yards and another major. He added five receptions for 47 yards.
David Solie, who attended the Roughriders’ Coors Light Training Camp in 2023, registered 10 points (two field goals, three converts and a rouge). He punted twice for an average of 49.5 yards.
Nathan Jule had a monstrous game for the Huskies, registering two sacks and four tackles for a loss. Charlie Parks added a half-sack and 2½ tackles for a loss.
Next up for the Huskies is Friday’s showdown with the 4-0 UBC Thunderbirds (7 p.m., Griffiths Stadium).
