Thunder coaching additions bring myriad of experience to defending PFC champs

Carter Gusway and Chris Getzlaf recently joined the Regina Thunder staff. (CTV News)

Coming off a Prairie Football Conference (PFC) championship in 2024, the Regina Thunder’s newest offensive coaches are already preparing for their title defense.

“You can’t win a championship in January,” said newly named offensive coordinator Carter Gusway. “But we’re sure going to try and put our players in the right position so when we get there, they’ll be successful again.”

“The expectation is to win,” said now offensive consultant and former Saskatchewan Roughrider Chris Getzlaf. “They’ve been doing that.”

Gusway and Getzlaf were named to their new positions Jan. 3.

Gusway, who was the team’s quarterbacks coach last season, was named as offensive coordinator after former coordinator, Stefan Endsin, stepped away from the team.

He has also spent time in various roles in the NCAA with Bowdoin College and St. Lawrence University, as well as time in Germany as an offensive coordinator and associate head coach for the Neu-Ulm Spartans.

“I'm here to make [the players] better,” Gusway said speaking to his past coaching experience. “I want to see them succeed on and off the football field.

“I can create the best football play ever. But it's not going to matter if they don't want to play for me, for this organization, if they don't want to be united, as a group of young men.”

Getzlaf played four seasons with the then Prairie Thunder from 2001 to 2004 before going on to win two Grey Cups with the Riders (2007, 2013).

During his 11-year CFL career, Getzlaf recorded almost 6,200 receiving yards, 41 touchdowns, got two all-star nods and was named the Most Outstanding Canadian in the 2013 Grey Cup.

“I love the game. I love the offensive scheming of a game,” he said. “It was appealing to me to be able to be in a role where I felt I could contribute and be there to express some of the knowledge I've learned throughout the years.”

“Carter has 10 years of coaching experience,” Thunder Head Coach Scott Macaulay told CTV News. “And [Getzlaf] is a guy who is going to be able to provide some guidance to Carter.”

Thunder-ing offense

Despite a 6 – 2 regular season record in 2024, the Thunder finished last season with one of the top offenses in the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL).

They finished second in the PFC in points scored (276), touchdowns for (30) and passing yards (1940) while leading the conference in rushing yards per carry (6.65).

“We do have a lot of the pieces of the puzzle already in place,” Macaulay said. “But it's probably getting a little bit broader, more consistent quarterback play. We want to get some of our new receivers more into our systems and getting the ball.”

“But we also want to run the ball,” he added.

“We're not throwing everything out,” Gusway said. “But we are going to take a lot of the stuff that we did really well and morph a few other concepts.”

“I want to play fast, aggressive and really dominate our opponents up front,” he added.

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At quarterback, Carter Moberg led the PFC in passing yards with 1,688.

He took over at the pivot position as co-QB Ethan Hugg dealt with an injury.

Both Moberg and Hugg will return to the Thunder for their fifth seasons.

“They want the club to win no matter who's on the field,” Gusway said. “Last year they did a great job of pushing each other and game planning together and working together.”

While Regina will lose their leading rusher in Sadik Sadik, the team is confident knowing Ryland Leichert is returning to the backfield.

Leichert rushed for over 400 yards on 64 carries and found the endzone four times in 2024.

“We're going to try and get heavy and run the football,” Gusway said. “The offensive line is going to be a solid part of what we do as an offense. Whether it's in the pass or the run game.”

Although Gusway and Getzlaf were only recently named to their positions, they say they have had an opportunity to begin game planning.

“We had a whiteboard up there drawing plays and just talking football and schemes,” Getzlaf said. “It was a lot of fun.”

“It took me back,” he added.

“[Getzlaf] played for to some of the greatest offensive CFL coaches in Jason Moss and Paul LaPolice,” Gusway said. “Being able to go through how those coaches taught him and then how he was able to thrive under each coach and win a couple of Grey Cups has been a real treasure.”

“He’s going to be someone we rely on,” he added.

Unfinished business

Macaulay says the goal is to return to their first Canadian Bowl championship since 2022 and lift the national title for the first time in more than a decade.

“The goal is not only win the PFC, but win the national championship,” he said. But there's a process. And right now, we just got to consider what we're doing during the winter months here to make sure our guys are getting strong.”

“And then also, as a coaching staff, we're starting to gel tightly,” he added.

The Thunder defeated the rival Saskatoon Hilltops in the 2024 PFC title game but lost to the Okanagan Sun in the CJFL semi-finals.

-With files from Drew Postey