REGINA -- If there are any questions as to how quickly former University of Saskatchewan Huskies quarterback Mason Nyhus has taken to the coaching game, one just has to look at the opportunity he had earlier this spring.
Nyhus -- who was hired as the Huskies assistant head coach and passing game coordinator in December -- was a guest coach at Hamilton Tiger-Cats training camp, having a chance to work with the team’s staff while learning the intricacies of the pro football game.
That opportunity came after two successful seasons as the quarterbacks coach at the University of British Columbia, which included an appearance in the 2023 Vanier Cup national championship game.
The Regina native naturally aims to use the experience gained in Hamilton to his advantage, especially with what he was able to pick up from the veteran leadership in the organization.
“It was awesome, it‘s always a great experience to learn from those guys and experienced coaches like [Hamilton head coach Scott] Milanovich and senior quarterbacks like Bo-Levi Mitchell,” Nyhus said during the pre-game show. “They have such a wealth of experience there, so picking their brains, learning from them was fantastic and I really enjoyed myself.”
Getting a taste of the CFL game might have instantly lit a pro-football coaching fire under many up-and-comers, but Nyhus is more interested in staying in the moment and doing what he can to help the Huskies win this season.
“I’m trying to be the best coach I can be where my feet are. At the U of S, I love it, I played there and played for [head] coach [Scott] Flory, so I’m enjoying my time there,” Nyhus said. “But, hey, if any opportunities open up down the road, I’m always listening. I’ve always looked up to guys like [Riders offensive coordinator] Marc Mueller who paved their way into the CFL, a gritty Canadian guy. I look up to those dudes and I’m going to go with the flow and see what happens."
Asked if calling plays will be a different look and if he did so as a quarterback with the Huskies, Nyhus revealed it wasn’t at all unusual in his time on the field at U of S and should be an easy adjustment.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to work with the offence at the U of S,” he said. “Coach Flory, he’s integrated into that and he called plays for me when I was a quarterback. There’s a really good relationship there. In regards to myself calling plays when I played quarterback, in no huddle that’s all we were taught at the U of S, to call our own plays. I’m comfortable doing that and look forward to the opportunity.”
Interestingly enough, Nyhus isn’t done with playing the sport just yet. As a past member of the Canadian national flag football team, he competed at the World Championship in 2024 where Canada finished seventh. Should the timing work out in the future, Nyhus would definitely like to return to the field wearing Team Canada colours. Until then, he’s more than happy to help out behind the scenes.
“I talked to [coach Chad Palmer] over the last couple of weeks. Our strength coordinator with the Huskies, Joel Lipinski has the defensive coordinator job, so I’ve been helping out a little bit and building up the playbook,” Nyhus said. “Unfortunately, the international tournament is in Panama in September and that conflicts with university football. I won’t be involved this fall, but hopefully in the future I can get back in the fold.”
