Dogs’ Breakfast headlined by Super Bowl champion Luke Willson

WATCH: The 23rd annual Dogs’ Breakfast event supporting Huskies football brought out some of the biggest names in the sport.

The 23rd annual Dogs’ Breakfast supporting Huskies football brought out some of the big names in the sport.

One of the largest football fundraising events in Canada brought around 1,400 University of Saskatchewan Huskie football supporters together in the early hours of Thursday morning.

While head coach Scott Flory says the event, hosted by the Huskie Football Foundation, is known by many as the unofficial start of football season.

“First off, it’s a great morning kicking off spring here and football season,” said Flory. “At the end of it, we’re trying to raise money for scholarships first. And that is really what it’s about. But it’s also bigger than that. We get to have a guest speaker introduce all the recruits, and just the community support behind the football program is unbelievable to have this many people come support us at 6:30 in the morning. It’s just awesome.”

The event also serves as the introduction to the 22 new recruits walking across the stage for the first time as Huskies.

For some, it’s been a long time coming.

“It feels really good because I was here last year as a ’25 recruit,” said Aulain Penner, running back. “So, I got to watch guys from my high school, because I’m from Saskatoon. I got to watch them cross the stage, I came to the spring game, I went to the season games. I grew up here, so I always watched the Huskie football games, and now it’s me crossing that stage. I’m really excited to experience that.”

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The new recruits will try to fill spots left by the graduating players such as Lane Novak, who was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, or by Seth Hundeby and Daniel Wiebe picked by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Riders coach Corey Mace says the two were no-brainer decisions after their careers with the Huskies.

“We’re looking for them to do exactly the same for us with the Riders,” said Mace. “So, it works out that it’s a combination of keeping the local talent local. We certainly love that as a plus-one. But first and foremost those kids are outstanding football players and they deserve a shot.”

The event was headlined by eight-year NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl XLVIII champion Luke Willson.

He is a football analyst for TSN and says he’s always trying to grow the game in Canada.

Willson says the enthusiasm for football experienced at his first Dogs’ Breakfast serves as inspiration when he returns to his home province of Ontario.

“I’ve always heard, you know who’s doing it right? Saskatchewan,” said Willson. “When it comes to football, Saskatchewan. Whether it’s CFL or university. And for me to be able to get out here and see it firsthand, it kind of inspires me to go back to Ontario and be like, listen. What they’re doing in Saskatchewan with the football world, we’ve got to start pushing it in the province of Ontario.”

The Huskies hit the field at Griffiths Stadium this weekend for Spring Camp with the Green and White game on Sunday morning.

Then the Roughriders will take over for rookie camp beginning May 9, with main camp kicking off on the 11.