Saskatoon’s Leif Magnuson is making a name for himself south of the border. The offensive lineman, who is continuing his collegiate career at Cal Poly, was ranked 10th in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s preseason rankings of college football prospects.
Magnuson comes by his football pedigree honestly. His father, Quinn Magnuson, played four seasons in the CFL, including a stint with the Saskatchewan Roughriders after beginning his career with Winnipeg.
And while Leif is starting to make his own mark, his father still remembers his first big opportunity in the CFL.
Magnuson was the sixth offensive lineman that night when veteran offensive lineman Dave Black went down with an injury. That meant it was Magnuson’s turn. He found himself in the huddle with quarterback Matt Dunigan, who grabbed him by the facemask and asked a simple question.
“Are you ready, kid?”
Magnuson admits he was anything but calm.
“I was just shaking, like I was vibrating,” Magnuson recalled.
Then came the play.
The Bombers called an inside zone, but Magnuson was so fired up for his opportunity that he missed his block. His first thought was that his chance had come and gone.
“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s it, never getting my chance again, I’m gonna get fired here,’” Magnuson said.
But when the veteran quarterback returned to the huddle, Dunigan had a different message. He grabbed Magnuson by the facemask again.
“Forget about it, next play, let’s go.”
For Magnuson, that moment has stayed with him. It wasn't the missed block that defined his welcome to the CFL. It was the leadership Dunigan showed immediately afterward.
“That moment just gave me chills because Matt was such an incredible leader,” Magnuson said. “We would have run through brick walls for him.”
Now, decades later, Leif Magnuson is beginning his own football journey. His No. 10 ranking in the CFL Scouting Bureau’s preseason list puts him among the top prospects to watch in college football this season.
And if Leif Magnuson eventually reaches the CFL, he'll have a pretty good story to tell about the football lessons that came before him, including one from his father about a nervous rookie, a veteran quarterback and the importance of simply moving on to the next play.
And that’s Between The Lines for Sheppard Realty in Regina, specializing in farm and ranch real estate in Saskatchewan. Call Harry, Justin or Devan at 352-1866.
