The only quarterback in the CFLB次元官网网址檚 fall scouting report doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to talk about the possibility of getting drafted to play professional football.

For Michael OB次元官网网址機onnor, discussing his future is a distraction from his current goal B次元官网网址� leading the University of B.C. Thunderbirds to another national championship.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 just focused on the season,B次元官网网址� said the Ottawa native. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to let my teammates down. I feel like if I were to think beyond this season, I would be letting them down.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor knows thereB次元官网网址檚 talk that he could get picked to play either in the CFL or even the NFL. He knows he was ranked 20th overall in the CFLB次元官网网址檚 fall scouting report. He knows how rare Canadian quarterbacks are.

He just isnB次元官网网址檛 ready to think about what could happen when heB次元官网网址檚 done playing university football.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 honest when I say I really havenB次元官网网址檛 thought about it,B次元官网网址� said the 22 year old. B次元官网网址淚 just want to be all-in with my team and try to do everything and try to get this team back to where we were a couple of years ago.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor has already had a taste of national glory, getting to the Vanier Cup in 2015, his first year with the team.

Expectations for the T-Birds were low that year, said UBCB次元官网网址檚 head coach Blake Nill.

It was NillB次元官网网址檚 first season with the team, too, and heB次元官网网址檇 previously racked up a series of lopsided victories over UBC during his nine years coaching at the University of Calgary. He came to Vancouver wanting to recruit big talent, but didnB次元官网网址檛 have high hopes for winning immediately.

B次元官网网址淚 was mentally prepared just to play young athletes and try to turn the culture around,B次元官网网址� he said.

When the coach heard OB次元官网网址機onnor was looking to transfer from Pennsylvania State University, Nill reached out. He didnB次元官网网址檛 think the star athlete would be interested in signing because of interest from U.S. schools, but he wanted to show that UBC was B次元官网网址済oing to go after the best.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor visited the picturesque Vancouver campus on a February weekend where the temperature reached 20 C and found an opportunity to build something special.

B次元官网网址淓verything was sort of starting fresh, so I thought it would be pretty neat to be part of that process and kind of change the culture here,B次元官网网址� he said.

Despite low expectations, the T-Birds beat Montreal 26-23 to capture the national championship. OB次元官网网址機onnor was named MVP after passing for 389 yards and a touchdown.

Since then, heB次元官网网址檚 continued to grow both as a player and as a leader, Nill said.

HeB次元官网网址檚 also finished a degree at UBCB次元官网网址檚 competitive Sauder School of Business and the coach called OB次元官网网址機onnor B次元官网网址渁 deep thinker, a very composed young man.B次元官网网址�

In 2017, OB次元官网网址機onnor threw for 2,308 yards with a 67.5 per cent pass completion rate and 14 touchdowns. And heB次元官网网址檚 started off 2018 strong, putting up 515 yards in UBCB次元官网网址檚 first two games.

During Friday nightB次元官网网址檚 match in Calgary, the quarterback struggled to find an open receiver, but spotted a path to the endzone. OB次元官网网址機onnor sprinted the 25 yards himself, scoring B.C.B次元官网网址檚 only touchdown of the night. The T-Birds lost 57-7.

Now in his fourth year with UBC, OB次元官网网址機onnor is eligible to play into 2019, but Nill isnB次元官网网址檛 expecting him to.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e preparing for life without Mike OB次元官网网址機onnor right now,B次元官网网址� the coach said. B次元官网网址漁f course, if we got him back, that would be incredible.B次元官网网址�

He thinks OB次元官网网址機onnor will be drafted into the pros, but whether he goes to an NFL or CFL team remains unclear.

Playing in Canada would come with unique pressures, given the relative rarity of Canadian quarterbacks, Nill said.

B次元官网网址淚 believe itB次元官网网址檚 something the CFL needs to increase fan interest,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I think the league in general is looking at a few guys, and especially Mike OB次元官网网址機onnor, as an opportunity. And theyB次元官网网址檙e going to do everything they can to secure his services for the good of the entire league.B次元官网网址�

The young man can B次元官网网址渇or sureB次元官网网址� handle the pressure, he added.

Being a role model for young athletes is a position OB次元官网网址機onnor said he would welcome.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 love to be a hope for other Canadian quarterbacks that are in high school right now or even younger, to show them that itB次元官网网址檚 possible for them to play at the next level, too. That itB次元官网网址檚 not just for the other position groups,B次元官网网址� he said.

Right now, though, his focus is on the rest of his U Sports career, including the T-BirdsB次元官网网址� matchup against the University of Regina Rams on Friday.

B次元官网网址淚n a sense, I just see myself as a quarterback like any other quarterback,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎nd I think that my play will speak for itself. If IB次元官网网址檓 good enough, IB次元官网网址檒l play at the next level and if not, I wonB次元官网网址檛.B次元官网网址�

Gemma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press

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