TWO DINOS SURVIVE FIRST ROUND OF NFL CUTS:

While the current football members of the Dinos will be opening their 2016 Canada West regular season in Winnipeg at Investors Group on Thursday evening, a pair of their last year’s teammates will be focusing on making National Football League rosters.
Defensive back Elie Bouka and receiver Rashaun Simonise have survived the initial cut down to 75 by National Football League clubs on Tuesday August 30 at 2 PM EST.
Bouka, who missed all of last year due to an Achilles injury was placed on injury reserve by the Arizona Cardinals. The 6’1”, 205 lbs Bouka has been hampered by a leg injury much of training camp and questionable for the Cardinals final pre-season game Thursday against the defending Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos at the University of Phoenix Stadium. Elie spent majority of the summer training with the Cardinals including attending mini-camp and getting treatment from the Cardinals’ medical personal for his Achilles injury. He missed the last two preseason games due to his hamstring injury but played initial preseason game against the Oakland Raiders.
The 6’5”, 200 lbs. Simonise spent three seasons with the Dinos earning all-Canadian status last year and signed a tryout a free agent tryout with the Bengals in July 2016. Simonise who caught a 47 yard pass in his initial preseason game is expected to dress for Bengals final preseason game Thursday evening at home against the Indianapolis Colts.
All National Football League teams will make their final cuts to the required 53 by September 3 and will name their 10 man practice roster the following day.

A SECOND GENERATION PENNER MAKING IMPACT FOR DINOS:

Another Penner from Kenora, Ontario will be in the lineup for the University of Calgary Dinos when they kick off their 2016 Canada West football season in Winnipeg against the University of Manitoba Bisons Thursday evening at Investors Group field.

Jackson Penner, son of the former Dinos linebacker Chris Penner will be the Dinos long snapper and see action on special teams.

Young Penner is well aware of his father’s impressive credentials with the Dinos that earned him Canada West middle linebacker all-star honors three times in his five career in which he started four seasons and saw action as a reserve as a pure freshman. His father, affectionately known as “Prime Time Penner,” because of ability to excel in big games was a member of Calgary’s Conference championship teams in 1992 and 1993. What is ironic is that Chris was coached by current University of Calgary Head Coach Wayne Harris, who was linebacker coach with the Dinos then.

“I am well aware of my father’s contribution to the program,” states the 6’, 190 lbs. Penner who like his father attended Beaver Brae Secondary in Kenora and was coached by Chris in High School where Chris is a teacher as well as football coach.

“I started snapping in High School with my father, who also long snapped and he taught me quite a bit,” stated Jackson.

“His (Jackson’s) long snapping ability gets him on the field. He throws a nice ball that is very accurate for a young player,” states defensive coordinator Tom Higgins.

An excellent student academically Jackson was approached by Western and Queens but left little doubt that Calgary was where he wanted to continue his football and academic aspirations.

“I am here (Calgary) because of the fine football program and the school,” stated Penner.

HEADING TO THE HAT:

For the second consecutive year the University of Calgary Dinos will play a pre-season game in the Gas City at the Methanex Bowl on Thursday, August 25 at 6:30 PM against the University of Regina Rams.

For a trio of Dinos the game will be a home coming. Fullback Anthony Anderson and defensive end Connor McGough are veterans with the Dinos and are looking forward to heading back to where they played their High School football. For freshman offensive lineman Kirkland Lawrence it will be a new experience.

“It is always nice to go back home to play,” states McGough who was 2014 Canada West all-star defensive lineman and is now in his fourth season with the club joining the Dinos from Crescent Heights.

For Anderson, who played his football at Medicine Hat High this game will be his final game for the Dinos in Medicine Hat as fullback and special team player is in his final year of eligibility with the Dinos.

Lawrence, a pure freshman from Quinn Skelton’s program at Medicine Hat High it marks the first time he will be dressed in a Dino uniform.

“I am excited having my parents, family and friends see the game,” Lawrence states who witnessed the game last year in the stands with members of his High School team when the two clubs played in late August.

Calgary Head Coach is excited about playing the pre-season game in Medicine Hat.

“We have been practicing since August 13. The guys are excited to line up against someone other than our own players,” states second year Head Coach Wayne Harris. “The Methanex Bowl is an excellent venue and it is an opportunity to showcase CIS football to the people from the Medicine Hat area.

Both teams are expected to dress and play all players that are eligible and healthy as it is the only preseason game for the both clubs.

TWO FORMER DINOS HAVING SUCCESS IN NFL PRE SEASON:

A pair of former University of Calgary football players remain in training camps for National Football League teams.  Defensive back Elie Bouka and wide receiver Rashaun Simonise each participated in their respective team’s first pre-season games in Week 1 of NFL pre-season action.

Bouka missed all of last season with the Dinos due to an Achilles injury, but impressed enough in a free agent camp to be signed by the National Football Conference finalist Arizona Cardinals. Simonise, who was a CIS first team all-Canadian last year and Canada West Rookie of the Year in 2013 was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals in mid July just prior to the commencement of training camp.

Bouka, attend the Cardinals mini-camp in the off-season and spent the bulk of the summer rehabbing and working out in Phoenix. He suffered a hamstring injury early in training camp but dressed for the Cardinals first pre-season contest against the Oakland Raiders playing on some special teams, including a very impressive forced fumble on punt coverage.

Simonise caught a 47-yard pass and run play against the Minnesota Vikings in the Bengals initial pre-season game.

Both Bouka and Simonise are expected to dress for their respective teams second pre-season contests in Week 2 of pre-season competition. The Cardinals are in San Diego against the Chargers who they have had joint practices with this past week while the Bengals are in Detroit against the Lions.