UBC football team rides wave of change to Vanier Cup

There's been no shortage of big momentsfor quarterback Michael O'Connor in a season spent leading the long-time sad sack UBC football team to a storybook revival.

But perhaps the 19-year-old's biggest thrill has been after a game, when his cell phone buzzes with an incoming text from Warren Moon.

Warren. Freaking. Moon.

"Having Warren Moon as a mentor is,ah,so special," said anunderstatedO'Connor, speakingfrom Quebec City where the Thunderbirds will face the Montreal Carabinsin Saturday'sVanierCup.

The most recent Moon messagearrived last weekend after UBC beat St. Francis of Xavier to advance to the Canadian university championship game for the first time in 18 years.

"He just said great job so far this season but it's a new season now," said O'Connor.

O'Connorand Moon metat the Thunderbirds' training camp in August. The football legend (andonly player in both the CFL and NFL halls of fame)was there as a guest coach, a somewhat surprising "get" for anunremarkable team thathad won just two games the previous season, and less than a third of its games over the previous decade.

A series of 'surprising gets'

But "surprising gets" have beenthehallmarkof the T-Birds turnaround.

Six months earlier it wasO'Connor himself with thestunning announcement he was bringing his talents to the Point Grey campus, leaving behind an NCAADivision 1 scholarship at Penn State and countless offers from other name U.S. schools.

Before that it wastheoff-season hiring ofhead coach Blake Nill, lured west from the powerhouse program at theUniversity of Calgary.

The new coach and quarterback brought instant profile and legitimacy to the Thunderbirds, and once the season got going it was clearUBC would no longer be a CIS cupcake.

Overnight the T-Birds had becomea contender,rolling to a 10-and-two recordand a berth intheVanier Cup.

"It's just not logical what's happened here," saidNill,talking about the fact thathis team isyounger and physically smaller than all of the establishedCIS programs.

But what makes perfect sense is that when money and talent combine with a solid plan,success is bound to follow.That's where David Sidoogets credit.

Money and a vision

Sidoo is theformer UBC and CFL playerwho made it his mission to bring both funding and a vision to the UBC program.

Drawing on his sport and business acumen, herecruiteda well-heeled and well-connectedgroup of men willing to breathe new life into varsity football through an alumnigroup called the 13th Man Foundation..

The speed and scope of the transformationhas been nothing short of breathtaking.

Nill says the 13thMan Foundation is finally allowing football to live up to the UBC brand.

"It's an amazing academic and research institution that thrives onselling excellence," he said. "Nowthere no question that UBC cando that at football as well."

Of course nothing says excellence like a championship title. The T-Birds have become anintriguing story, and for the first time in a long time Vancouverfootball fans are excited about the team.

So is Warren Moon.

UBC's most highprofile boosterwas spotted in the Seattle Seahawks press box last weekend,wearing a Thunderbirds ball cap,demanding to know why Vancouver reporters in attendance weren't wearing theirs.

The advice he texted young Michael O'Connor in advance of the VanierCup,"Just go out and play the way you can."

If UBC upsets Montreal, itwouldbethe most "surprising get" of all.