The Regina Rams are in Calgary on Friday to challenge the Dinos and two Cobra alumni are among their starters.

Rams veteran d-man Bryce McKinnon and slotback Kyle Moortgat are in the starting line up and welcome people to come out and cheer them on in what is the Dinos home opener. Cobra alumni slotback Adam Rask may also see some play in a backup position.

It's McKinnon's fifth and final season as nose on the Rams' defensive line and this might be his last appearance in Calgary in U Sports football (previously named Canadian Interuniversity Sport), depending, of course, upon playoffs.

"You have no idea how excited I am," says McKinnon. "I'd love to see people out there for the game."

When the Rams come to McMahon, the tailgate party organized by his parents, Rob and Denice, is usually the biggest and best and it's particularly a magnet for the Cochrane area football family.

Moortgat is equally pumped about this Friday's game and is expecting a good cheering section in what will be his first start as slotback at McMahon.

"It will be the first time they'll be able to see me play a full game in quite some time," says Moortgat, who was Rocky View Sports football MVP in his final season with the Cobras.

This is year three now and the slotback is a starter after playing backup as slot, wide receiver and kick returner. He started in the team's semifinal match against the UBC Thunderbirds last fall.

The fortunes of the Rams have improved drastically over the last few seasons. After hugging the basement for a few seasons the Rams went solar to top Canada West, only to be upset by a Thunderbirds in the semifinals.

That made their Sept. 1 season opener against the Thunderbirds a chance to make a point.

"We had that one circled on the calendar ever since that loss," says McKinnon. "We came out to show Canada West that there was a reason we were in the semifinals last year."

The Rams did get some payback, winning 36-20,

For Moortgat, it was especially a memorable game.

Making his first start as slotback, Moortgat came down with the ball in an end zone struggle against defensive back Stavros Katsantonis to give the Rams their first major of the night and his first U Sports touchdown. 

Moortgat recounts the play.

"When I was running the route I saw the throw go up and I was a little turned the wrong way at first and then turned back the opposite way and jumped up for the ball and the safety was right there with me. We both had a pretty good grip on the ball and when we were falling down I just knew I had pull it out of his hands harder than he was holding it, so when I did that I came up with it."

He celebrated with a back flip in the end zone, has lots of photos but didn't get to keep the ball.

"It was really good. I was really excited to get it."

With a strong core returning and new talent picked up in the offseason, both players have a good feeling about this season.

McKinnon is particularly impressed with how the defence has fully embraced the new system incorporated by defensive coordinator Sheldon Gray last season.

"We've had his system now for an entire season and we've all worked it and learned it all summer, all off-season, and we came out and showed that we are understanding the system now and it's working for us," says McKinnon.

The depth of their defence has also helped, he points out.

"We really didn't have the depth last season, it was really tough for us. But this year we have a lot of depth and we're able to rotate to keep guys fresh. That has really helped and our defence has come together.  Sometimes you just get that right mix and that's what we've got right now."

On the offensive side of the picture, Moortgat likes what he sees.

"We only lost a handful of guys and picked up some good players in offseason. Our team is very close together personally and it carries on to the field and we play together for each other. I think we're going to make a really good run this year."

While McKinnon agrees a Vanier Cup appearance would be a great swan song for his university career, right now he's focused upon the business at hand.

"That's on our minds, that's where we want to end up, but we're focused on the next game and right now all I'm thinking about is Calgary."

Both of them know there's good reason to take the Dinos seriously.

"They're a good team," said McKinnon. "Solid quarterback, talented receiving corps and their o-line is big and mean, so it will be a good fight."

Moortgat says the Dinos uses a lot of man coverage, making it a good test.

"We're going to be preparing for that a lot this week and I think we're going to come in with our heads held high and we're going to have a really good game against them."

Rask is now in his second year active on the roster after red shirting in 2015. The slotback was dressed as backup in four games last season.

A lot of budding talent is on the Dinos roster from the Cobras, including halfback Kane Boklaschuk, of Water Valley, receivers Erik Nusl and Zach Rabe and defensive lineman Dylan Gingrich-Hadley  Linebacker Daniel Teitz, of Springbank, has joined brother Micah, who is in his fourth season with the Dinos.

Game time is 5:30 p.m. at McMahon Stadium and being the Dinos home opener it's a special celebration with giveaways and deals. The tailgate begins at 3:30 p.m. in the east parking lot and the gates open at 4:30 p.m.