2016 OUA Uncovered Football Preview

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

PRESEASON POLLS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

coaches POLL

FAN POLL

oua POLL

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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#4 QB James Roberts

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

fEATURES

OUA.tv Season Preview Legendary Coach Gary Jeffries Joins Gryphons Coaching Staff Tim Hortons Field Provides Showcase for Mac and U of T on Labour Day Ravens Soar to New Heights Within the Community Boateng Means Business All The Way Back -- Emilo Frometa Ready for 2016 Led by Lions Head Coach Canada Captures World U19 Championship

Team Previews

Guelph Gryphons McMaster Marauders Western Mustangs Carleton Ravens Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks Ottawa Gee-Gees Queen’s Gaels York Lions Toronto Varsity Blues Windsor Lancers Waterloo Warriors

18 24 30 42 48 64 70

20 26 32 38 44 52 60 66 72 76 82

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

OUA.tv SEASON PREVIEW The quest for the 109th Yates Cup begins on Sunday, Aug. 28 with a full slate of games, including the Guelph Gryphons beginning their Yates Cup title defence at home against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues.

The Gryphons snapped a 19-year drought with a 23-17 victory over the previously unbeaten Mustangs in London, Ont. at TD Stadium.

After the aforementioned heartbreak at the hands of the Gryphons a season ago, the Western Mustangs will look to once again return to the top of the conference in 2016. For the second straight season, the Mustangs will open the year against the rival Windsor Lancers.

Fans will look to another opening weekend matchup to reveal a lot about their teams as the Carleton Ravens travel to the “Steel City” to take on perennial contenders, the McMaster Marauders. In just their third season back in the league, the Ravens not only qualified for the postseason but also knocked off the Queen’s Gaels in the final game at old Richardson Stadium to advance to the semifinals.

The action heats up on Labour Day weekend with a full schedule of games, including Western travelling to the nation’s capital to take on Carleton. London native Nate Behar will hope to lead his Ravens past the team he grew up cheering for when the Mustangs stampede into MNP Park on Sunday, September 4.

On Labour Day, another chapter in the historic Hamilton-Toronto football rivalry will be written with the WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton double-header. At noon, the hometown McMaster Marauders will welcome the visiting University of Toronto Varsity Blues to Tim Hortons Field for an afternoon tilt before the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts renew hostilities in the Hammer.

Frosh week will be in full swing on campuses across the province on Saturday, Sept. 10 when the Queen’s Gaels travel to Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont. to take on the Gryphons. Guelph will be looking to avenge last season’s 23-15 loss at the hands of the Gaels which was their only blemish on an otherwise perfect OUA season.

After a three-week road trip to open the season, the Gaels will be looking forward to returning home in Week 4 as they open a revitalized Richardson Stadium against the rival Western Mustangs on Saturday, September 17. Since 1929, the two teams have faced each other 91 times with the Gaels holding a slight advantage with a record of 45-44-2 all-time against the Mustangs.

Meanwhile in Toronto at Varsity Stadium, bragging rights to the ‘6 will be on the line as the Varsity Blues host a young York Lions team hungry for a Red and Blue Bowl victory.

Fans of OUA football will surely have Saturday, Sept. 24 circled on their calendars as the Mustangs will head to Guelph, Ont. to take on the Gryphons in a rematch of the 108th Yates Cup. In Waterloo, Ont., the next installment of the “Battle of Waterloo” rages on when the Warriors travel across town to take on the rival Laurier Golden Hawks.

Pedro the Panda will up for grabs once again on Saturday, Oct. 1 as

the Ottawa Gee-Gees battle the Carleton Ravens in the Panda Game at TD Place in downtown Ottawa. The Gee-Gees will look to reclaim the title once again after Carleton stunned Ottawa with back-to-back last minute heroics courtesy of Nate Behar’s heroic “hail Mary” catch in 2014 and the right boot of Michael Domagala in double OT last year.

In Hamilton, Ont., the Hwy 6 showdown between Guelph and McMaster returns to Ron Joyce Stadium with the Marauders looking to avenge their 33-23 loss last season at the Gryphons Homecoming. The Marauders and Gryphons are the past two teams to hoist the historic Yates Cup and with a big Week 6 showdown looming, the victor will likely take a big step forward to securing a potential postseason berth.

The October air might be cooler, but the action will be heating up in Week 7 as Laurier will host the University of Toronto Varsity Blues under the lights for a Thursday, Oct. 6 tilt at Varsity Stadium in Waterloo, Ont. The two teams have not faced each other since the 2014 season opener when former Golden Hawks running back and OUA MVP Dillon Campbell exploded for 293 yards and two touchdowns in the Golden Hawks 53-17 win.

The following night, Ottawa and Carleton will host York and Windsor, respectively, in the nation’s capital, while in Hamilton, Ont., McMaster will face off against Queen’s.

Regular season play concludes on Oct. 22, with teams fighting for postseason positioning, including a marquee matchup when McMaster travels to London, Ont. to face Western with a potential first round playoff bye on the line. This is the second consecutive season the two teams will meet in the final week of the regular season. Last year, the Mustangs stampeded to a 46-24 win over the Marauders at Ron Joyce Stadium.

The top six teams following the regular season will qualify for the playoffs with the top two seeds receiving a bye through the quarterfinals and will host the semifinals. The OUA quarter-finals will take place on Saturday, Oct. 29, followed by the semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The “Quest for the Cup” concludes on Saturday, Nov. 12 with the 109th Yates Cup, hosted by the highest remaining seed following the semifinals.

This season, the winner of the Yates Cup will represent OUA in the CIS Uteck Bowl, where they will travel to Quebec to take on the RSEQ conference champion the following week with a trip to the Vanier Cup on the line.

The 2016 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup will take place on Nov. 26 in Hamilton at Tim Hortons Field. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET. Fans who are unable to attend in person can catch the game live nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports, the official broadcasters of CIS. Tickets for the 2016 ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup are now available at www.vaniercup.com.

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1. Guelph Gryphons BY: MIKE HOGAN

It was the next step on the road to the Vanier Cup. The Gryphons won their first Yates Cup in 19 years by beating Western 23-17 in dramatic come-from-behind fashion, but then dropped a 25-10 decision to the Montreal Carabins in the national semi-final game.

The loss would be the last for the head coach who had done so much for the program, on and off the field.

The always positive Stu Lang stepped down as the Gryphons head coach after the season, with the team then hiring defensive coordinator Kevin MacNeill to take his place.

Todd Galloway will still look after the offence, while the pair’s head coach from their playing days at Laurier, Gary Jeffries, returns to the OUA coaching ranks as an assistant.

MacNeill enters his seventh season with the ‘Gryphs after stops at Laurier and UBC. The first-time head coach knows the program well, and takes over a team with high aspirations.

Quarterback James Roberts took a small step backwards last year and still led his team to the Yates Cup title. A sophomore slump is not unusual, and Roberts still posted over 2,200 yards passing with 18 touchdowns. His biggest negative last season was throwing an OUA-high 10 interceptions.

The strong-armed Cambridge native leads by example with an impressive work ethic and dedication to the program. His drive will help him heading into his third year, as will the amount of time he spend studying film over the off season.

Johnny Augustine returns and will get most of the carries. He was sixth in CIS rushing last year, averaging just over 100 yards per game and rushing for a dozen touchdowns. He fumbled just once in 137 carries and those hands may be tested more often this year, as in the off season

he worked on his receiving skills. Brandon Gordon, who had 98 rushing yards in the Yates Cup final, Jamal Hooker, Mack Jones and Daniel Palmer-Salmon will compete for carries behind Augustine.

A’dre Fraser and Ryan Nieuwesteeg added some added confidence to their arsenals after attending CFL camps in Montreal and Toronto respectively. Fraser has developed into one of best receivers in the country. Nieuwesteeg is better known as a returner, but will be counted on more in the passing game this season, especially

Home Field: Alumni Stadium Capacity: 8,000 Official Colours: Red, Gold and Black 2015 Record: Regular Season: 7-1 • Playoffs: 2-0 • Yates Cup Champions

with the loss of Jacob Scarfone, who tore his ACL in the summer. He was among the leaders among all CIS receivers with 57 catches for 940 yards and 10 touchdowns, but is gone for the year. Others in the mix include Kade Belyk and Marcus Joseph. It was a good recruiting year at the position as four or five freshmen could be on the dress roster.

The offensive line took a major hit to graduation, so some major reconstruction had to be done here. The good news is that all of the starters have had varying

amounts of playing time. Andrew Pickett, Kyle Fraser-Audit, Jaylan Guthrie, Eric Starczala and Arran MacRae will be the starting front five. Fraser-Audit spent June at the Ottawa Redblacks camp after being drafted this year. Time will tell how good this group is, but there is a high upside here.

It’s also a new-look line on the defensive side. Derek Drouillard will make the move from linebacker to defensive end. Charlie Taggart will man the other end spot. In the middle, Donnie Egerter returns for a fifth season, while Corey Flude has transferred from Queen’s.

There’s another position change on the Guelph D, this time at linebacker. Andrew Graham moves from the weak side to the middle. Luke Korol replaces him at Will, while Royce Metchie will play the strong side.

If there’s a strength on the defensive side it would be in the secondary. All-Canadian Nick Parisotto returns. He had three interceptions a year ago. Tristan Doughlin will line up at safety. Colin Mandich will line up at corner, with Jailon Bell and Shaquille Munroe rounding out the secondary. Mike Carney will be in the mix as well, returning after missing last season with an Achilles injury.

Gabe Ferraro returns to handle to dual kicking role. He was money on field goals, hitting 83 per cent of his kicks. He’ll be hoping for a better punting average this year, as his 33.8 yards per kick was near the bottom of the OUA. For the last few seasons the Gryphons had focused on winning the Yates Cup, a goal that was finally achieved last year. Could this year’s edition take the next step and advance to the Vanier Cup? MacNeill is convinced his team can improve on its play from a year ago, stating there are things they can do better. If that’s the case, the road to the Yates Cup may have gotten a little tougher for the rest of the OUA.

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#19 RET Ryan Nieuwesteeg

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#25 DB Nicholas Parisotto

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

James Roberts Alex Skinner

152 6

2236 211

18 2

10 0

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Johnny Augustine Brandon Gordon Daniel Palmer-Salmon

137 51 45

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Jacob Scarfone A’Dre Fraser Johnny Augustine

57 33 17

253 12

814 300 263

940 520 245

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Ryan Nieuwesteeg Lucas Spagnuolo

11 4

256 69

23.3 17.3

44 25

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Ryan Nieuwesteeg Lucas Spagnuolo

59 2

846 26

14.3 18.0

79 19

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

53 2785 52.5

16.5 15.8 14.4

12 0 2

10 5 2

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

John Rush Curtis Newton Nicholas Parisotto

60 32 56 40 22 36 32 21 22

Sacks Sack

Blake McNeely John Rush Curtis Newton

3.5 3 3

Interceptions Int

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Gabriel Ferraro

62

2098

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

Gabriel Ferraro

18

15

42

33.8

83

5.9 5.9 5.8

60.1 50.0

Nicholas Parisotto Tristan Doughlin John Rush

3 3 2

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

legendary coach Gary Jeffries Joins Gryphon Football Coaching Staff BY: ROB MASSEY Next month Gary Jeffries will return to the school where his connection with Canadian university football began 50 years ago.

“I’ve got some wonderful memories from the couple of years I was here,” he said after being named to the Gryphon football coaching staff as an assistant coach who’ll be helping with the defence and special teams.

“He brings so much,” said Gryphon interim head coach Kevin MacNeill. “I can’t say just one thing, he brings so much as a person and as a coach. The first thing I think of is that he’s coached in over 750 games at the university level. That kind of experience is unheard of.

He’s probably the most respected coach in the country from the other coaches. He’s just a great guy. He brings people together, which is what I love. He sees the best of people and he’s great at building the family environment that I think we have a good base for and I’m trying to take to the next level.”

MacNeill was a player and assistant coach with the Laurier Golden Hawks during the time Jeffries was head coach.

“He’s a guy that I played for and got me into the business,” MacNeill said. “If it wasn’t for Gary Jeffries, I wouldn’t be a coach in the CIS. He really took me under his wing for four years there at Laurier so for me it’s awesome to have a guy with his knowledge and experience and mentorship. It’s great having that around.”

For Jeffries, he’ll be back involved in university football following a year away.

He had been on the Laurier Golden Hawks coaching staff for 35 years, including 10 as head coach, until he stepped down at the end of the 2012 season. He then spent two seasons as an assistant with the McMaster

Marauders. He also coached Laurier’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

forward to that type of thing and reacquainting with some of the Guelph guys.”

“It’s not a full-time situation,” he said.

“It’ll be camps and games and that type of thing. To get back and work with the kids is something that’s kind of engrained. I’ve had 50 years of CIS coaching, either basketball or football. The combination is 50 seasons. It’s not something you ever lose, I think, so I look forward to that aspect and being back with Kevin and (receivers coach) Steve Frake and (offensive co-ordinator) Todd Galloway, who are kids that I not only coached at Laurier, but they coached with me for a while. I’m really looking forward to it.”

That game against the McMaster Marauders gave Jeffries the chance to catch up with many former players including MacNeill and then McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek.

Jeffries was on campus in May for the team’s luncheon following their spring camp.

“That day that I came up to the spring dinner, Kevin took me on a tour and it was great,” he said. “I saw some places that I hadn’t seen for years and there’s certainly been changes that are pretty monumental.

There are a lot of great changes.”

“We invited him down to talk to the team at the end of spring camp as the guest speaker,” MacNeill said. “I got to take him around the campus a little and relive some memories from his time here. I think that kind of set the stage for the next conversation, kind of got the juices flowing.”

While Jeffries, who played for the OAC Redmen, the forerunner of the Gryphons, in the 1966 and ‘67 seasons, wasn’t involved in OUA football last year, he did attend a game at Alumni Stadium.

“I came to Homecoming against Mac,” he said. “There were a number of guys, probably five or six that saw me down here on the sidelines and called me over. They were guys that I had not seen probably since 1967. I look

Jeffries had also been on McMaster’s coaching staff for two years after he left Laurier, but thought his OUA football days were over after he left the Marauders following the 2014 season. However, he found himself missing football last year.

“It was quite difficult once it got to midAugust and I realized it was the first time in 50 years or 40-something years I hadn’t gone back to school in August,” he said. “August was here and it went by and I was still at home.”

Now he’ll be back around an OUA football team and he’s looking forward to his interactions with the coaching staff and the players.

“It’s not for me about the colours or the name on the front of the shirt,” Jeffries said.

“Guelph kids, Mac kids, Western kids, they’re all basically the same. They’re all doing this because they absolutely love it, have great passion for it. It’s something we share and there’s no doubt in my mind that I’m going to be close with these kids, too, and that’s probably what I most look forward to.”

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2. McMaster Marauders BY: MIKE HOGAN

It was a major change and it came very late in the off season.

In May, head coach Stefan Ptazsek announced he was leaving the program to take the offensive coordinator’s job with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger Cats. The Marauders filled the vacancy by bringing back Greg Knox to take over. He had been the defensive backs coach with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers after being the defensive coordinator for McMaster’s three trips to the Vanier Cup final.

Jon Behie, reported to a finalist for the job, remains as the team’s offensive coordinator.

Last season ended abruptly, a shocking 29-15 loss to Laurier in the first round of the playoffs. This has become a program where an early post-season exit is not acceptable, and Knox and company will make that apparent during the course of this year.

The great news for the staff is that team is loaded with talent and needs more tinkering than a complete overhaul.

Asher Hastings will run the show offensively. He was spectacular a year ago. In his first year as a starter, Hastings set a CIS record with 31 touchdown passes against just five interceptions. He threw for just under 2,600 yards and established himself as a force. He made a seamless transition from junior football out west and will no doubt be dangerous again in 2016.

His biggest challenge may be deciding who to throw the ball to on any given play. The Marauders are loaded with talented receivers.

In fact, one would be hard pressed to find a deeper, more talented group in the country.

Dan Petermann led the OUA with 61 catches last year, totalling 831 yards. Danny Vandervoort was fourth in the OUA with 664 yards and led the conference with 11 TD catches. The group also includes returning players Josh Vandeweerd, Max Cameron, Mitch O’Connor and Aaron Baker. With this

level of talent the Marauders should be a fun team to watch.

At running back, the amazing journey of Chris Pezzetta continues. He’s suffered three major knee injuries over the course of his career, yet returns for another season.

He played the final three games of the ’15 season plus the playoff game. He won’t be an every down back to reduce the number of hits he takes, but that’s not a worry because Mac is stacked at this position too. Kingsley Amankwaa averaged seven yards per carry in

Home Field: Ron Joyce Stadium Capacity: 5,500 Official Colours: Maroon and Grey 2015 Record: Regular Season: 6-2 • Playoffs: 0-1 • Lost in quarter-finals

limited action last year, and there’s a lineup of talented young backs eager to play.

The line will be anchored by Zach Intzandt, who was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this year. He’s coming off backto-back OUA all-star selections. Other spots will be filled by returnees Nick Firlit, Kyle Maertens and Cody Speller. There will be competition in training camp to see who the fifth starter will be. It may be an opportunity to insert some youth into a veteran-laden lineup.

In the playoff loss to Laurier last year, the Marauders simply couldn’t stop – or even slightly slow down – Dillon Campbell, who

ripped them apart for 285 yards. That will certainly be on the minds of those returning this year.

The defensive line will feature a pair of young ends in Mike Kashak and Mark Mackie. Kashak led the OUA with 8.5 sacks.

Michael Brouwers and Hassan Barry are among the handful of d-linemen who will have prominent spots in the rotation.

McMaster will again have a combination of solid talent and great depth at linebacker.

Jake Heathcote led the team with four interceptions last season, and will be part of a crew that includes Eric Blake, Alec Robertson and Eric Mezzalira. The depth at this position is also a boon for the special teams.

Depth and ability is prevalent in the secondary as well. All five starters return from a year ago, which makes things a heck of a lot easier for both players and coaches. Robbie Yochim, Ben Megarry, Steven McNicoll, Aaron Clarke and Adam Poole, with Lucas Bill in the mix as well. The Marauders are also thrilled with the results of their recruiting efforts at this position. There should be a relatively seamless transition down the road.

Adam Preocanin is a rookie from Burlington who is set to take over the kicking duties.

The Marauders offence looks to be downright scary again this year, particularly the passing attack. If they can get the offensive line straightened out, and there’s no reason to think they won’t, things will look even better by season’s end.

Defensively the squad will also be a work in progress on the line, but the back seven should be flying from the season opener on through. There’s not only talent, but depth in both groups.

McMaster is definitely a threat to win the Yates Cup.

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#8 Asher Hastings

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#83 REC Danny Vandervoort

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Asher Hasting Anthony Bontorin

203 15

2586 205

31 2

5 1

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Wayne Moore Chris Pezzetta Kingsley Amankwaa

108 31 25

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Dan Petermann Dan Vandervoort Max Cameron

61 39 27

284 25

565 199 175

831 664 321

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Aaron Baker Jordan Lyons

24 5

468 92

19.5 18.7

72 23

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Aaron Baker Jordan Lyons

33 6

348 112

10.5 18.7

43 75

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

52 2664 51.2

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Santino Gallo

39

1242

Field Goals

Att

Made %

5.2 6.4 7.0

13.6 17.0 11.9

71.5 60.0

3 0 1

9 11 3

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Jake Heathcote Robbie Yochim Ben Megarry

36.5 28 26

28 27 23

17 2 6

Sacks Sack Mike Kashak Joe Richardson Mark Mackie

8.5 4 4

Interceptions Int

31.8

Lng

Bobby Frame 8 5 63 42

Jake Heathcote Robbie Yochim 3 Players Tied

4 2 1

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Tim Hortons Field Provides Showcase for Mac and U of T on Labour Day BY: Katrina Squazzin Ticats defensive back Mike Daly still vividly remembers his football days at McMaster University.

He played five seasons with the Marauders from 2009-2013; the same time that Mac emerged as an elite force in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

“When I first came in, we were ok,” said Daly. “I want to say middle of the pack, a little higher than middle of the pack, but still not a true dominant powerhouse yet. Just seeing the whole team grow as those years went on and into 2011 and even 2012, it was cool to see.”

The Marauders won the Vanier Cup in 2011 and fell just short the following year, losing in the finals to the Laval Rouge et Or. Daly was an integral part of both Vanier Cup runs, claiming OUA All-Star honours from 20112013 and was also named a second team All-Canadian in 2012.

Daly still remains close to his McMaster roots by helping to coach the team in the offseason. It’s just one of the many reasons why he’s looking forward to WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton when McMaster will take on the University of Toronto Varsity Blues before the Labour Day Classic on Monday, September 5.

Click here to get your WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton tickets now.

“It’s awesome that Mac is teaming up with the Ticats. It’s going to be pretty cool to see the guys that I played with, some of them are still there,” said Daly. “My alma mater playing on the same field as I am on the same day?

That’s pretty great.

“When I was there, I would have liked to do that.”

The Marauders and Varisty Blues will kickoff the WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton festivities on Sept. 5 when they square off at 12 p.m. at Tim Hortons Field. McMaster has gotten the better of the University of Toronto in recent years, including a high scoring 55-33 win in their 2015 OUA season opener.

Both programs continue to turn out CFL caliber players as Ticats offensive lineman Everton Williams is a University of Toronto alumni.

In addition to developing players, McMaster’s football program also appears to be a hotspot for producing strong coaches.

Ticats running back coach Corey Grant is just one example.

Grant played CIS football at Wilfrid Laurier University before embarking on an 11-year CFL career. Grant was the wide receivers coach at McMaster from 2010-2011 and has now been with the Ticats for the past four seasons.

Despite McMaster’s record over the University or Toronto, Grant says that the proximity of the two cities always means there is a little more on the line.

“Anytime you’re playing an Ontario team and a conference team, it’s going to be a big game,” said Grant. “But now that you’re playing U of T and it’s on this stage, I think it’s just going to amp up the player that much more. Just being out there to showcase their talents and what they can do.

“The closer they are, the bigger the rivalry.”

The game between McMaster and Toronto not only showcases the two schools, but also

the entire city of Hamilton, according to Grant.

“I think anytime we can start with grassroots football and then even move up to the CIS and pro, it’s awesome for the community,” said Grant. “And now this gets a chance to show how big it is in Hamilton and the importance of it.”

The game between McMaster and the University of Toronto on Labour Day will be the second regular season game for both teams.

Daly says that he still follows how McMaster is doing once the season starts. The crop of CIS talent on the Ticats always makes for an interesting season, says Daly.

“Usually once the season starts, we start getting bets each week,” said Daly. “We have enough Western [University] guys here so I’ll bet the Western guys, and then I’ll definitely bet Everton on the U of T game, especially since it’s here there’s a little more bragging rights.

“I don’t know if he’ll bet me on it. Just because of their history, he might want to save some of his money.”

It appears the trash talking has already begun.

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3. western mustangs BY: MIKE HOGAN

It was a sight nobody wanted to see.

In the OUA semifinal game against Laurier, Mustangs quarterback Will Finch took a hit after throwing a pass. He didn’t get up for what seemed like an eternity.

He had suffered another concussion. It was at least his third, and it led him to a decision to retire from the sport. Recognized as one of the best QBs in the country, it was a terribly sad story to see someone so young and talented have to leave the sport prematurely, but Western must move on.

As camp opened the battle to replace Finch was between Stevenson Bone and Chris Merchant. Bone, the son of Mustangs legendary quarterback Jamie Bone, is a capable passer who is adept at making big plays running the football. Merchant was in a battle for the starter’s job at the University of Buffalo, but headed north because of a combination of football opportunity and scholastic compatibility. There’s also a talented stable of young Mustangs behind that pair.

Alex Taylor is back for a second year, a prospect that will leave opposing defensive coordinators tossing and turning in their sleep before a game. Taylor’s numbers from a year ago are jaw dropping. On fewer than 100 carries he totaled over 1,000 yards. He rushed the ball 99 times for 1,068 yards, an average of 10.8 yards a carry. Running back has always been a position of strength at Western and this year is no different.

Despite losing Yannick Harou due to a knee injury suffered at the CFL Combine, the shelf remains stocked. Cedric Joseph, a former CEGEP MVP, is back for a second year. Multipurpose back Adam Sinclair returns as well.

Aside from losing Matt Uren to the Hamilton Ticats, the receiving corps remains intact. Deep threat George Johnson and Jamal Kett both picked up CFL experience by attending training camps with Montreal

and Ottawa respectively. Harry McMaster gained valuable experience a year ago, while Justin Sanvido and Matthew McDougall also return to the lineup. It’s a deep, dangerous group.

Head coach Greg Marshall has some questions to be answered on the offensive and defensive lines. Both units were hit hard by graduation, as three starters need to be replaced on each side of the football.

Home Field: TD Stadium Capacity: 8,000 Official Colours: Purple, White and Silver 2015 Record: Regular Season: 8-0 • Playoffs: 1-1 • Lost in Yates Cup

The good news on offence is that AllCanadian Sean Jamieson returns after camp with the Alouettes. He’ll move from guard to left tackle. Gregoire Bouchard will replace him at guard. David Brown will be the right guard, while Dylan Giffen is the right tackle. The man in the middle will again be Matt Van Praet, who was the OUA all-star center last season. There’s a chance that by year’s end this group could be better than last year’s line. The coaching staff is also excited by the arrival of freshman Matt Bettencourt, a home-town product.

The ‘Stangs will dip into their depth this season on the d-line. Rupert Butcher, Jimmy Hawley and Mitch Stadnyk will rotate on the interior. John Biewald will start

on one end. Connor Martin and Hector De La Rosa will also split time on the other side.

Jean-Gabriel Poulin will line up at middle linebacker this season. Nick Vanin came into his own last year and returns on the strong side. There’s good depth on the weak side with Phil Dion, Fraser Sopik and Andrew Thurston all in the mix. Another player to watch is highly-coveted freshman Chris Ellis from Vancouver.

Manning the corners will be Hakeem Johnson and Simon Bahru, who returns after taking a year off to concentrate on his studies. Jesse McNair will be the safety, while the halfbacks will be Bleska Kambamba and Malcolm Brown, who attended the Calgary Stampeders camp.

First-year player Mackenzie Ferguson, another London product, will also get a long look.

The kicking situation is undecided as the season gets started. Ben Kelly is back, but he’ll be pressed by newcomer Marc Liegghio. There’s a chance that both may make the roster with Kelly doing the place kicking and Lieghgio doing the punting. It would be ideal if one kicker could do both, saving a roster spot.

Marshall’s crew missed Finch in the OUA Championship final a year ago. Despite scoring a ridiculous average of 61.8 points per game in the regular season, they ended up losing 23-17 to Guelph despite leading 17-10 after three quarters. It made for a long, painful off season, but the team is ready to get back at it.

The Western Mustangs never rebuild, they simply reload. The loss of Finch cannot be discounted, but if his replacement doesn’t make too many mistakes, and the lines gel the way they can, this edition of the ‘Stangs is again a serious threat to win the Yates Cup. But then again, aren’t they contenders every year?

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

#5 RB Alex Taylor

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#8 DB Jesse McNair

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Will Finch Stevenson Bone

166 17

2616 172

17 0

6 0

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Alex Taylor Yannick Harou Cedric Joseph

99 61 31

Receiving Matt Uren George Johnson Harry McMaster

239 30

1068 493 399

10.8 8.1 12.9

69.5 56.7

12 13 4

Rec Yds Avg TD 35 32 27

553 540 416

15.8 16.9 15.4

4 1 4

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Alex Taylor Myles Rombough

13 4

475 81

36.5 20.3

107 37

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Jesse McNair Jean-Gabriel Poulin Nick Vanin

45 39 12 37 31 12 36.5 31 11

Cedric Joseph Yannick Harou

23 20

195 182

8.5 9.1

48 24

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

Ricky Osei-Kusi John Biewald

7 6.5

Josh Woodman Malcolm Brown 7 Players Tied

4 4 1

Interceptions Int

72 4267 59.3

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Ben Kelly

39

1338

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

Ben Kelly

17

10

46

34.3

59

Sacks Sack

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

4. CARLETON RAVENS BY: MIKE HOGAN

It was a strange sight for Carleton head coach Steve Sumarah. As training camp opened he looked at the field and saw actual veterans.

With the program now in its fourth season, the lineup laden with teenagers possessing zero playoff experience is gone. The Ravens are now loaded with fourth-year players, plus recruits eager to cut into their playing time.

Perhaps of equal importance is this club now has playoff experience.

A 5-3 record got them into the post season, where they blew out the Gaels 39-8 in Kingston, before losing 33-21 a week later to the eventual Yates Cup champion Guelph Gryphons.

In a situation that is as rare as finding a unicorn in Loch Ness, the Ravens will return all 24 starters from a year ago. The program will now reap the benefits of playing an almost all-freshman lineup in year one.

Jesse Mills is back at QB. His 1,902 yards was nice, but his 16 touchdown passes against just six interceptions was even better.

He’s blessed with a big arm, but has added confidence to his repertoire. He’s poised to move into the elite tier of OUA quarterbacks.

One of the biggest reasons he should be confident is that he has Nate Behar to throw the ball to. Among the best receivers in the country, the London native heads into his CFL draft year with the reputation of not only having immense talent, but he may also possess the best work ethic on the team. Last year he had 39 catches for 576 yards. Look for him to be a high CFL pick next spring. Other returning receivers include Wilson Birch, Kyle VanWynseberghe, Dexter Brown and several younger players who could play their way into the mix. Birch was second on the Ravens with 25 catches and led the team by averaging just over 15 yards per reception.

The Ravens should be even better at running back this year with the addition of newcomer Jayde Rowe, a transfer from Regina. He’ll join an already dynamic attack led by 1,008-yard rusher Jahvari Bennett.

Christian Battistelli also returns, so there is no question the Ravens have depth at this position.

The same is true on the offensive line, where the group may be seven or eight capable players deep. Kwabena Asare is coming off an appearance in the East-West Bowl. Eric Fowler, Zach Annen and KC

Home Field: MNP Park Capacity: 3,000 Official Colours: Black and Red 2015 Record: Regular Season: 5-3 • Playoffs: 1-1 • Lost in semifinals

Bakker will all be starters. There will be an interesting battle at right tackle where Tyler Young will be pushed by Nolan McGreer.

Expect to see Emmanuel Adusei, Jeffrey Kocins, and Jeremy Rioux see a ton of snaps on the defensive line. There’s also one young player the Ravens are particularly interested in seeing this year. End Frederic Robitaille tore his ACL last season, ruining his freshman campaign. He’s healthy and will add a true physical component off the edge.

Linebacker was an area the Ravens heavily recruited. Their biggest catch was

Jack Cassar, a 6’4” 240 pounder from Mississauga. Leon Cenerini will play the middle, Kene Onyeka is the weak-side backer, while Justin Howell will man the strong side. There’s some depth with this group as well.

Carleton has a deep, talented secondary.

D’Sean Thelwell, Thomas Knapp, Tunde Adeleke, James McCallum and Nathaniel Hamlin comprise a veteran unit. Thelwell led the way last year with four interceptions.

Adeleke has also been a big part of the return game since his freshman year.

As a group, the Ravens would like to get some more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and the return of Robitaille should help. They’d also hope to force a few more turnovers. Their nine interceptions was in the middle of the pack, while they only recovered three fumbles as a team, last in the OUA. They also did not score a defensive touchdown all year.

Michael Domagala returns to do the place kicking and punting. He had a great year off the tee, hitting 16 of 19 field-goal attempts, leading the OUA with an 86-percent success rate. He averaged 36 yards per punt and is a very good directional punter.

Carleton has come a very long way in a very short time. If the Ravens are not in the same conversation with Guelph, McMaster and Western, they’re certainly not too far away from being there. A trip to the semifinals would not be nearly the surprise it was a year ago, in fact, they are no worse than a co-favourite to get there this year.

While the Ravens may have entered the league with more financial resources than some other programs, they have shown that a relatively quick turnaround is possible. They have recruited exceptionally well and are on the verge of something special.

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

#11 REC Nate Behar

40

#92 DL Jeremy Rioux

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

2015 Team leaders

2013 TEAM LEADERS OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Jesse Mills Jesse St. John

152 11

1902 139

16 0

6 0

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Jahvari Bennett Christian Battistelli Marley Patterson

137 57 25

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Nathaniel Behar Wilson Birch Kyle VanWynseberghe

39 25 24

236 18

1008 308 162

576 377 286

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Tunde Adeleke Theshawn Berry

19 7

572 168

30.1 24.0

91 46

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Tunde Adeleke

31

554

17.9

90

7.4 5.4 6.5

14.8 15.1 11.9

64.4 61.1

6 2 1

4 4 4

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Nathaniel Hamlin Leon Cenerini Kenechukwu Onyeka

42.5 39 31.5

37 29 22

11 20 19

Sacks Sack

40 2255 56.4

Kenechukwu Onyeka Guillaume Caron Carlo Gallotta

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Interceptions Int

Michael Domagala

70

2519

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

D’Sean Thelwell 5 Players Tied

Michael Domagala

19

16

43

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

36.0

84

3 3 3

4 1

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

RAVENS SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS

within the local community

BY: taylor prichard (OTTAWA, ON) — A growing effort of generous and noble volunteering contributions being made by the Carleton football team over the past three years has helped the Ravens establish strong ties with various charitable organizations across the city.

Ravens receivers coach Josh Sacobie, who also serves as the team’s community relations manager, has spearheaded the team’s flourishing volunteer movement, and Carleton’s football players have enjoyed taking the reins while making a major impact away from the university.

The players are learning their own life lessons by staying involved in the community, which provides each team member with a dose of compassion and perspective. While their participation hours are mandatory as part of the team’s PRIDE program–a threetiered participation and points system aimed at developing and rewarding well-rounded individuals and competing teams through athletic accomplishments, academic merit and volunteer work–many of the players enjoy the time they spend helping out with the team’s local community partners.

“Community service allows us to interact with a diverse range of people, in many different scenarios,” said defensive back Justin Howell, a team captain entering his fourth season. “These situations force us to be flexible, open-minded, and team oriented.”

The experiences that these young men go through on a yearly basis have also made a positive influence in other areas of their lives.

“Volunteering increases our effort level and determination on the field, and in the

classroom because we are able to see the value, and understand how fortunate we are to be in our situation,” described Howell.

Recently, a group of football studentathletes helped out during the Ottawa Race Weekend. The Ravens who were involved forged a man-made start line barrier for the thousands of participants competing over the May long weekend.

In total, 85 members of the team have been involved in some form of volunteering between August 2015 and this past May. As part of the PRIDE program, each player is asked to commit around 20 hours each season. The football team has devoted over 2000 hours with community organizations and has raised significant morale within groups around the National Capital Region.

“There are so many benefits to the PRIDE program both on the field and off,” stated veteran fullback Stefano Napolitano, a Ravens football team captain. “The program holds people accountable for their actions and is a pretty good representation of how much people care and if they are committed to success, whether it be on the field, in the classroom or in the community.”

The football team spreads their kindness around town and diversifies their volunteer efforts as much as possible.

Last week, the coaching staff and several players had the privilege of being in the presence of Norma and Jack Watts at the Perley and Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre.

Mr. Watts, a World War II veteran and CFL alumnus with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, told fascinating war stories to the group. One such tale was an incredible survival narrative of his aircraft being shot down over the

Mediterranean Sea during the war and the events that followed.

No matter which event the team has been involved in, the emotional boost felt by the players has been contagious.

“The community involvement that we take part in serves as a great escape from our training and school stress that builds up over the school year,” said Ryan Kublek, the team’s long snapper. “When the team volunteers, there is a great sense of teamwork and bonding that has helped us create a positive locker room atmosphere.”

“Our coaches do a great job keeping us involved in the community and helping us position ourselves with the correct contacts for our future after football, along with showing us the positive effects of giving back and representing your community,” added Kublek.

With all of the success and uplifting results delivered through the team’s PRIDE program, the development of future community leaders in Carleton’s football program has been established for the long haul.

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5. Laurier Golden Hawks BY: MIKE HOGAN

There’s an old saying about pro football drafts. It states that running backs are like city busses, if you miss one just wait five minutes and another one will come along.

Those scouts never met Dillon Campbell.

By any standard Campbell was a CIS superstar. He led the country is rushing in each of the last two seasons, 1,115 yards last year and 1,458 the season before.

Despite those eye-popping numbers, the intangibles he brought to the Hawks will be missed almost as much, now that the Whitby, Ont. native has graduated.

In a word, he was special.

It is the norm in university sports that unique talents leave and life goes on. It’s now up to a pair of fifth-year backs to carry the load for the Hawks, both literally and figuratively. Eric Guiltinan and Darian Waite have the unenviable task of filling Campbell’s shoes, a job they will do by committee. Guiltinan averaged 5.8 yards on 45 carries in ‘15. Second-year Hawk Levondre Gordon will also get carries, he’s the fastest of the three.

An effective running game will help quarterback Julien John reacquaint himself with the sport. John started three games for the Hawks in 2013 before switching sports, playing varsity soccer instead. He came back to help coach last year and his passion for the sport reignited. The QB job became his when James Fracas and Eric Morelli both moved on with one year of eligibility left. The 6’ 6” John possesses a strong arm, but this will still be a run-heavy offence. There’s a group of a half-dozen young quarterbacks behind John, should he falter.

That doesn’t mean the Hawks don’t have weapons to move the ball through the air. Not only does Kurleigh Gittens Jr. have an amazingly cool name, he has a ton of talent. He caught 40 passes for 461

yards last year, leading the Hawks in both categories. Replacing Campbell as the Hawks biggest potential game breaker, the speedy sophomore will get ample opportunity to produce. He’s joined in the receiving corps by Marcus Arkarakas and Daniel Bennett.

Carson Ouellette will also catch some passes and contribute as a punt returner.

John will have some familiar faces to work with on the offensive line. Essentially it’s the same group of freshmen that was thrown to

Home Field: University Stadium Capacity: 6,500 Official Colours: Purple and Gold 2015 Record: Regular Season: 4-4 • Playoffs: 1-1 • Lost in semifinals

the wolves four seasons ago. The unit has matured and has helped produce the CIS rushing leader for each of the past two years.

The line is led by center Jamie Lalonde and tackle Chris Reddy. The group is seven or eight deep and all should see playing time.

The defence is again poised to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. The front four is among the best – if not the best – group in the country. Good luck blocking Kwaku Boateng. While he didn’t post great stats a year ago, he’s the kind of player the opposition will scheme to stop. The other ends are Rashari Henry and Robert

Smith. The rotation at tackle features Trevaughan James, Emerson Gourdet and Jalen Price, who impressed all week long at the East/West Bowl.

The linebacking corps is a veteran group that complements the front four perfectly.

Tackling machine Nakas Onyeka is the leader of the group. The Brampton native, now in his fourth year, has a non-stop motor that rubs off on the entire unit. Brandon Calver is the man in the middle, while Matt Williams – perhaps their most athletic defender – started as the strong-side linebacker in Week Four and never looked back.

Scott Hutter is back for his second year and will start at safety. OUA first-team all-star Godfrey Onyeka brings a combination of ability and size, tall for a cornerback at 6’ 2”.

Ron Kinga will be the other corner, while Malcolm Thompson returns as one of the halfbacks. One of the players they Hawks are anxious to look at is freshman Mitchell Phillips.

The defence actually scored five TDs last year, tied with Western for the most in the country.

Nathan Mesher is back to perform the kicking duties. As a freshman he was good on 77 per cent of his field goal attempts, including one from 47 yards out. His punting will have to improve as he averaged just 35.7 yards per kick.

The Golden Hawks upset the Marauders 29-15 in first-round playoff action a year ago before losing 32-18 at Western. Head coach Michael Faulds says the post-season win was something that this group can use as a confidence builder going forward.

This year’s team will likely go only as far as its defence will take it, but the Hawks could be good enough on that side of the football that with just some efficient offensive play, they could do some damage in the playoffs.

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#5 REC Marcus Arkarakas

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#11 LB Nakas Onyeka

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Eric Morelli James Fracas

96 55

1143 607

12 1

3 5

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Dillon Campbell Eric Guiltinan

186 45

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Greg Nyhof Anthony Pizzuti

40 20 20

154 79

1115 259

461 257 143

6.0 5.8

11.5 12.9 20.4

62.3 69.6

5 3

2 3 3

S PECIAL TEAMS

DEFENCE

Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Will Pitt-Doe Kurleigh Gittens Jr.

14 7

329 247

23.5 35.3

46 101

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Nakas Onyeka Malcolm Thompson Matt Williams

48 39 18 42 37 10 36 30 12

Carson Ouellette Kurleigh Gittens Jr.

35 5

328 26

9.4 5.2

57 10

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

39 1911 49.0

Att Yds Avg

Nathan Mesher

60

2133

Att

Made %

Lng

17

22

47

Nathan Mesher

3 Players Tied

35.6

77

Kwaku Boateng Nakas Onyeka Matt Williams

4 2 2

Interceptions Int

Punting

Field Goals

Sacks Sacks

2

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

boateng means business

BY: Virginia Tremaine It’s a year of high expectations and uncertain conclusions for Kwaku Boateng.

The fourth year business major and defensive lineman for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks is looking at the same pressure of university students finishing their undergraduate degrees, and adding the thrill of chasing his professional football dream as he enters his draft year.

None of that pressure stops Boateng from flashing a broad smile as he explains he is a man with a plan: “The goal is to perform well this last season, get a chance to get drafted— hopefully high…If football goes well, that’s route one. If football doesn’t go well for any reason or I no longer want to pursue that goal, then it’s just finishing my education and going into an accounting firm because I want to be an accountant.”

Last year the Milton, Ont., native was a CIS Second Team All-Canadian, OUA First Team All-Star, and awarded the OUA J.P Metras Lineman of the Year Award, and Boateng is keeping his eyes on the prize again this year.

“It’s all about taking no plays off” he said. “It’s not so much about slacking necessarily, but about fatigue. So I’m working on [eliminating] fatigue by taking training camp a step further…so that when it’s actually show time, I’m not fatigued, I don’t have to take those plays off and I can give it 100 percent.”

When the Golden Hawks take the field for their home opener on August 28th, the senior defensive end has a big-picture goal: “Win it again.” Boateng said. “Win [Lineman of the Year] again and win the national one: that’s the goal. To be the most dominant lineman in the league.”

But the grind doesn’t stop on the gridiron for this two-time CIS Academic All-Canadian.

“Becoming an All-Canadian on the field is amazing, but to also be an Academic AllCanadian is even better” explained Boateng.

“Canadian football provides a standard that people don’t really realize until they compare it to American football. In America, you can be an All-Star, but if you don’t make it to the next level—the NFL—and you don’t have the education behind you, you have nothing to fall back on. So I love that about Canadian sport,

they force you to get a good education and even a certain grade to be able to participate.”

Success in the classroom is a big part of the legacy Boateng wants to leave behind when his time at Laurier is done, he added, saying, “When someone thinks about me or talks about me I want them to think of me not just as an athlete, but as a student-athlete.

I’ve worked hard on and off the field, and would like to be remembered for both.”

Managing a student schedule and football team commitments can be quite the balancing act, but manageable according to Boateng. “Be organized at all times. Even if you are behind, as long as you have a gameplan to succeed, you’ll be fine. It’s similar to how our coaches have a game plan for each new team. Even if we lost the game before, the point is to succeed in the future, so you have to create a game plan and go day by day to obtain that.”

Taking ownership over your goals and the game plan to get there ease the uncertainties of the unpredictable future, Boateng affirmed, “It’s all about being responsible.”

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

6. OTTAWA GEE-GEES BY: MIKE HOGAN

An injury-plagued season. A 3-5 record. A year without a playoff game.

It was an incredibly frustrating season for head coach Jamie Barresi and the Ottawa Gee-Gees. There was a positive energy heading into the campaign, but the garnet and grey just couldn’t seem to get a break at the right time, despite having a quarterback attack the record book.

The Gee-Gees are obviously thrilled that Derek Wendel is returning for a fifth year at QB. He set a OUA record with 3,136 passing yards, a whopping 392 per game and over 500 more than anyone else in the OUA. The Belleville native was recognized as a second-team OUA all-star, along with McMaster’s Asher Hastings, after tossing 24 touchdown passes against just eight interceptions.

Only Waterloo averaged fewer rushing yards per game than the Gee-Gees 126.8, but that’s no surprise when you take into account how often they threw the ball. It wasn’t the plan to pass that much, but the team often found itself down early in games, forcing them to throw more. When they did rush, Bryce Vieira averaged an even five yards per carry. Returnees Greg Cherniak and Donald Shaw will also compete for playing time.

Ian Stewart was the favourite target of Wendel last year. He caught 57 passes, but has graduated after a fantastic five-year career. Nick Dagher and Mitchell Baines both return after productive seasons. There will be an infusion of more speed into the group with Kalem Beaver and Carter Matheson getting more playing time. The wild card on offence is Jamie Harry. He may play offence, or he could play in the secondary, or he just might play a little of both.

The offence was efficient, scoring

touchdowns on 70-percent of their trips to the red zone, third best in the conference.

There will be a new-look offensive line in Ottawa, where Thomas Rowlands and Ibra Ndiaye, both 6’ 6”, will cast imposing shadows at the tackle spots. The Gee-Gees have a wealth of talent and depth on the inside. Matt Bruder and Riley Fischer will be among the starters. The team also landed a couple of potential stud offensive linemen in Burlington’s Patrick Spelman and St. Laurent, Quebec’s Piri Sinnathurai.

If there was a problem last year it was on

Home Field: Gee-Gees Field Capacity: 4,150 Official Colours: Garnet and Grey 2015 Record: Regular Season: 3-5

the defensive side. The team surrendered a whopping 41.4 points and 505 yards against per game. They didn’t help themselves by only intercepting the ball four times, the lowest total in the OUA. Blaming injuries for the defensive woes may sound like an excuse, but in this case it would be accurate. The Gee-Gees were decimated on that side of the ball a year ago and are hoping that they can just stay healthy. That in itself should make a difference.

The hardest hit area was the d-line.

Matt Amey was among those who were injured last year. He’s back with a couple of newcomers joining him in the rotation at tackle. Parker Bolton is a transfer from Saginaw Valley State, while Tramayne Stephen is a freshman from Toronto. The ends to look for are Osas Obas, Jordon Seney and fifth-year player Sam Randazzo. uOttawa will field a talented group of starting linebackers, and have an excellent crop of recruits joining the program as well.

Khadim Mbaye will be in the middle, while Ricardo Lubin, a transfer from McGill, will start on the weak side. The strong-side backer will be Jackson Bennett, who missed the entire regular season after being injured on the first play of their pre-season scrimmage against Montreal. He was among their top recruits a couple of years ago.

The Cranston brothers will both start in the secondary. Hard-hitting Ty Cranston will be at safety after his appearance in the East-West Bowl, while younger brother Cody Cranston will start at cornerback. Expect to see Sammy Rupcic, Jesse Holder and Brendan Beaudry all get playing time at halfback, while Jamie Harry may be the other corner if he’s not playing receiver.

Lewis Ward is back for a fourth season.

The strong-legged placekicker was 15 of 22 in the field-goal department, but his percentage was hurt by a couple of misses from over 50 yards. Either Ward or Domenic Bellardini will handle the punting. He averaged 36-yards per punt last year and also had a 62-yard bomb, but battled inconsistency.

The Gee-Gees are an interesting team heading into the season. There’s little chance the injury bug will bite at hard as it did a year ago. It’s a good bet that the team will be back in the post season.

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#12 QB Derek Wendel

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#5 DB Jackson Bennett

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

2015 Team leaders

2013 TEAM LEADERS OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Derek Wendel Victor Twynstra

216 9

3136 86

24 1

8 0

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Bryce Vieira Derek Wendel Greg Cherniak

93 38 24

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Ian Stewart

57

1091

19.1

9

Nick Dagher Mitchell Baines

35 33

336 546

9.6 16.5

1 7

346 19

469 281 160

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Kalem Beaver Bryce Vieira

25 6

566 118

22.6 19.7

102 44

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Cody Cranston Kalem Beaver

17 130 7.6 22 12 56 4.7 13

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

5.0 7.4 6.7

62.4 47.4

2 5 1

DEFENCE Tackles Mack Tommy Zachary Wilkinson Rashid Timbilla

Tot Solo Ast 40 35.5 34.5

35 30 24

10 11 21

Sacks Sack Khadim Mbaye 2 Players Tied

5 3

Interceptions Int

41 2178 53.1

Tunch Akkaya 2 Players Tied

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Domenic Bellardini

48

1721

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lewis Ward

15 22 68 48

35.9

Lng

2 1

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SIDELINED - JACKSON BENNETT BY: STATH BLOG / RASARHI HENRY Jackson Bennett, free safety and kick returner for the uOttawa Gee-Gees, was named an OUA All-Rookie in 2014.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in a preseason game in his second season. He tells us about his tough time overcoming his injury and what it took to get through it and come back just as strong for this upcoming season.

Q: How was your transition into your first year as a student-athlete?

Jackson: The transition had its up and downs. Overall I’d say it wasn’t too bad.

Coming from high school where we didn’t watch film, didn’t have as long practices, and just not as much time put into football, it was a little tougher to manage your time. The day started at 8:30am with class, and maybe a break or two during the day, but once 2:30pm came around, it was football until late. I found it hard to be able to do as much homework as I would if I didn’t have football so my grades weren’t the best at first. Thankfully, I was able to stay with it and pick it up during the rest of the school year.

Athletically, I found everything went smoothly. Only thing that hindered me a bit was my hamstring. I pulled it right before camp started so I wasn’t able to go full speed right away. This injury had me sit out the first game vs. York. It was tough sitting out, especially being a rookie and wanting to show everybody what you can do and why you’re here to earn respect and a spot on the team.

Thankfully, with a wrapped up hamstring, I was able to play my first game at Queens, but only special teams. After that, I was lucky enough to start every game after that at field half or safety. Getting the playbook went smoothly as well. I initially was supposed to be a runningback but transitioned over to defense.

Personally, it was not only tough on the body but also tough mentally. Having school then football on top of that, it gets tough after a while. You’d just come back from class, with all that new material you just soaked in, then you have to switch gears, and understand different kinds of formations, patterns, and other football related topics. Definitely have to be able to adapt and change on the fly being a student athlete.

Q: How hard was it training for the season and then having it end right before the season started?

Jackson: It was tough, really tough. All you’re thinking about during the summer is the upcoming season, not the one after.

Training hard almost every day leading up to the season, then having it taken away on the second play of our first game hurts. The surgery came, and I wasn’t able to workout for a few months. Thankfully, I could prop my shoulder up on my desk, so I could write in class and not fall behind, but the gym wasn’t an option. All I was thinking about was how much my strength and conditioning would go down. I’d have to work twice as hard to get back to where I was prior to the injury. Training was tough due to me having to sit out most of the exercises I couldn’t do. Not being able to hold something with your hands at the gym basically takes away a huge part of the lifts.

However, being through other injuries, I learnt that the best thing in these types of situations was to be patient and smart. No point in injuring myself again or delaying the healing process.

Q: What was the hardest part during the recovery phase?

Jackson: Honestly, the hardest part of the healing process was not being able to do the thing that I love, and that’s playing football.

I knew that school wouldn’t be a problem because I could still use my hands to write.

Going from training every day, then camp, and just being on a strict football schedule to no practice, light training, and standing on the sideline really sucks. I felt lazy, unproductive and impatient even though I was doing all the things to get better. This however, was all a part of the process. I sat on the sideline for our home games and I literally wanted to jump on the field. Was hard trying to retain all the emotions.

Q: What kept you motivated to recover and start training and lifting again?

Jackson: The thing that kept me most motivated was simply that this injury wouldn’t take me out of football. That’s all it took. Any opportunity to play football again, and I will take it. The doctors told me that I would be out for about 5 months until I’d be able to get into the flow of things again. It sucked, but 5 months isn’t forever.

Q: What advice would you offer other student-athletes who have endured similar injuries to yourself?

Jackson: My advice to other athletes with the same injury as me, would be to keep a positive attitude. Stay open, be patient, and probably the most important, be smart. Don’t use the injury as an excuse for everything, do the things that you can do being smart at the same time. Your next opportunity will come.

Believe that, keep that frame of mind, and it will propel you forward in the process.

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7. Queen’s Gaels BY: MIKE HOGAN

It’s the beginning of a new era at Queen’s.

Gone is the second incarnation of Richardson Stadium, a building still referred to by the locals as the “new” Richardson even though it was built in 1971.

In its place, the third incarnation of a stadium bearing that name will stand on the same footprint as its predecessor – a rickety old building that had seen its “best before” date long expired.

The final game at the old stadium was a season-ending playoff loss to Carleton that left a bad taste in the mouths of most. The Gaels trailed 29-0 at the half in a 39-8 loss to the Ravens. It was an inglorious finale in the history of a facility that hosted some of the most memorable games in CIS history.

The Gaels are hoping that their new home – featuring a new horseshoe seating configuration - brings a return to the glory days of the not-too-distant past.

Offensively the group will be led by secondyear starting quarterback Nate Hobbs.

Guilty of making the same mistakes as other first-year starters, Hobbs returns with renewed confidence to go with that valuable experience. He threw for 2,226 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015.

Hobbs’ biggest problem this year may be that he doesn’t have Jesse Andrews to hand the ball to. Andrews was a beast last year, averaging 147 yards rushing per game, tops in the CIS. Replacing him as the feature back will be fourth-year Gael Jonah Pataki. He looked good last year when filling in while Andrews was injured, rushing for two TDs in each of his three starts. He can also catch the ball out of the backfield. There’s a handful of backs capable of giving Pataki a break, led by Brad Innis and Adam Black.

Queen’s will feature an interesting mix at receiver. There are solid veterans, but there’s a deep group of talented young players that

will push the returnees. Chris Osei-Kusi possesses game-breaking speed while Peter Hannon and Alex Zulys are both back on the inside and will provide Hobbs with big targets. The Gaels have recruited this position very well over the last couple of years and are anxious to reap the benefits.

The coaching staff is anxious to get a look at incoming freshmen Jack Hache, Benjamin Arhen and Marko Xidos.

Although they haven’t started together as a group since they were freshmen, four fourth-year Gaels will man the offensive line.

Home Field: Richardson Stadium Capacity: 8,500 Official Colours: Gold, Blue and Red 2015 Record: Regular Season: 5-3 • Playoffs: 0-1 • Lost in quarter-finals

Daniel Hayes and Erick Lessard will be the tackles, Seton Battin, and Stewart Anoya will start at guard, while John Meenagh is returning at center. Veterans Emilio Frometa and Conor Redmond will see a lot of action as well.

The offence will be a work in progress, but could be very dangerous come playoff time.

It was an uncharacteristically bad year for the tricolour’s defence. It allowed over 31 points and 500 yards against per game.

That has to turn around if the Gaels are to be successful this season.

It’s a new-look defensive line with three starters lost to graduation. Head coach Pat Sheahan is excited about a group of young players, who may not be ready for prime time yet, but could be major contributors down the road. Freshmen like Gabriel Boucher, Blake Zarubiak, Tyler Roy, Yann Ky and Dominic Ciraco will all gain valuable experience this season.

Mike Moore is back for a third year and will be the man in the middle of the linebacking corps. His 47 tackles led the team in 2015. He’ll be flanked by Kurtis Schaefer and Nelkas Kwemo. James Donald will also compete for playing time.

Chris Mackey will anchor the secondary.

The third-year defensive back was usually around the football last year. It could be argued that the Gaels were trying to restock a forest rather than replenish a secondary.

The Gaels have an unusually tall group for the back end. Connor Gascoigne is 6’5”, Jason Shamatutu is 6’3”, while Jake Firlotte is 6’4”. Nicholas Fraser-Greene and freshman Thompson McCallum may not have the same size, but will also be in the mix of DBs. Kickers have the reputation – often well earned – of being a little different. Nick Liberatore seems to fit into that category nicely. The freshman from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia is expected to get the dual job this year. He’s described as being a great fieldgoal kicker and a good punter. If he’s being judged on his trick shots then he’s certainly got potential.

Queen’s is an intriguing team. It will be very good in some areas, while inexperienced in others. Gaels supporters are hoping the rebuild goes as smoothly and as quickly as the construction of the new stadium.

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#45 LB Mike Moore

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#6 LB Nelkas Kwemo

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Nate Hobbs Matthew Duffy

132 239 2226 55.2 14 8 4 6 34 66.7 0 0

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Jesse Andrews Jonah Pataki Nate Hobbs

101 67 31

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Curtis Carmichael Doug Corby Peter Hannon

34 30 17

738 378 262

520 592 178

Yds %

7.3 5.6 8.5

15.3 19.7 10.5

TD

4 6 3

4 5 1

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Connor Weir Chris Osei-Kusi

15 7

308 145

20.5 20.7

42 42

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Mike Moore Jason Shamatutu Justin Bowman

47 42.5 41

Conno Weir Chris Osei-Kusi

18 10

148 163

8.2 16.3

32 42

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

44 2373 53.9

33 37 35

28 11 12

Sacks Sack

Zac Sauer Justin Bowman 5 Players Tied

4.5 2 1

Interceptions Int

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Dillon Wamsley

56

2218

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

Dillon Wamsley

11

6

39

39.6

55

Int

Chis Mackey 2 Frederic Kinkead 2

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all the way back

Emilio Frometa ready for 2016 BY: shawn macdonald With a new OUA football season comes excitement, nerves and the thrill of running out on the field for another chance at glory.

For Gaels offensive lineman Emilio Frometa, the 2015 season marked an opportunity to step up his role on the team and be a difference maker for a Gaels team looking to take a step forward.

“After our pre-season game, we were all chomping at the bit to get ready for the season,” said Frometa who opened up about his injury in an exclusive interview. “Everyone was excited. We had a young quarterback who was coming into his second year, we had, in my opinion, the best running back in the OUA and maybe CIS and a group of guys that I had come up with ready to carve out their name in Queen’s football.”

Queen’s opened the 2015 season at home against the Carleton Ravens in what was the last season at Richardson Stadium, with a new revitalized Richardson set to open September 2016. Frometa was starting at left guard for the Gaels in what was expected to be a turnaround season from 2014. That was until his football career and life took a turn for the worse on a routine play in the opening quarter.

“We ran an inside zone play, and I was upfield blocking. I was kind of doing my job, and everyone had done their job, but a defensive lineman came from behind and went to tackle the running back high and kind of whipped off his shoulders hit me in the back of the leg, and that changed my year going forward.”

“I thought I had just twisted my ankle but I was trying to crawl forward, and I was just

yelling.”

“That’s when I knew it was a little worse than that. I found out later that night I had broken my leg pretty badly and had surgery the next day.”

In a lot of pain and home from the hospital, Frometa was now unable to be with his teammates, his brothers, who were out at Richardson Stadium every day preparing for the next opponent with seven more games left in the season. But in the spirit of what it means to be a Gael, his teammates were there for him when he needed them.

“Looking back I wish it would have gone differently, but I’m grateful as well for what it

provided. We focus so much on football, but there is so much more at Queen’s that I was able to work on. It also showed how much my teammates mean to me.”

“My girlfriend would come over to take care of me, and she was blown away by the fact that I don’t think I was alone in my room at all.”

“I like to think I’ve come here and made friends for life, and this wasn’t something that stopped after a week. Two months down the road, I’m not alone, after the second surgery, I’m not alone.”

“You realize what you mean to people too.

And that’s nice.”

For Frometa, not once did it cross his mind that he would end his football career with an injury, crawling off the field and missing out on a chance to play in the new revitalized Richardson Stadium set to open in 2016.

“I’ve never had the thought in my head that that was the last time I’d play. When you put so much into something, and you expect so much of it, the first quarter of the first game, it made me realize how little I am in control.

No matter what I want my plans to be, I don’t believe that all this suffering and all that went on last year will be for nothing.”

“We have a brand new stadium, it’s something I’ve been looking forward to since I’ve gotten here. I think it’s going to be something good for not only our school but for the game in Kingston, Ontario and our country.”

Frometa has had a long road back, multiple surgeries, physiotherapy and sitting on the sidelines for eight Queen’s games knowing he should have been out on the field with Photo: Jeff Chan his team. But, with a new OUA football season comes the excitement of opportunity to become a champion.

“It’s such a big game for me, but it’s also such a big game for the program and such a big game for the team. The wait that I’ve had to bear this last year, I haven’t done it alone. “ “I’m grateful for the opportunity that I have.

There are so many people who have worn the tricolour, but there are also so many who wish they could have.”

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8. YORK LIONS BY: MIKE HOGAN

It was a golden summer for Lions head coach Warren Craney.

Craney filled a similar role for Canada at the U19 World Championships in China, a tournament that would mine gold with a 24-6 win in the championship game against the United States.

Back for a seventh season running the Lions, York has benefitted from Craney’s involvement with the national program. It has given him incredible hands-on access to potential recruits, and a few players have followed him from previous national teams to north Toronto.

At quarterback, the maturation process of one of those players, Brett Hunchak, continues. He’s become the leader of the Lions both on and off the field. The Calgary native is bound to improve on his numbers from last year, 952 passing yards with just a pair of touchdowns against seven interceptions. He’ll benefit greatly by heading home in the summer to take part in the CISCFL development program. He attended the Stampeders camp under the eye of long-time CFL QB Dave Dickenson, now the Stamps head coach. Hunchak has been a star at every level of football he’s played and the Lions are confident he can do great things at the CIS level.

The good news for Hunchak is that he has offensive weapons at his disposal. He’s certainly familiar with his brother Colton Hunchak, who had 32 catches last year.

Ryan Dunaway participated in this year’s East-West Bowl. At 6’ 5” he’s a big target with big talent. The Burlington, Ont. native is just rounding into shape after battling a leg injury. Veteran Adam Adeboboye and Nikola Kalinic also return. Despite the loss of Nathaniel Pinto, the team’s leading pass catcher who is heading west to play junior

ball this year, the team has the best depth it’s had at receiver in recent memory. Former CFL receiver Kamau Peterson’s presence as an assistant coach and recruiter cannot be overstated.

The offensive weapons certainly don’t stop there. Running back Jesse Amankwaa was named the OUA Rookie of the Year after rushing for just under 700 yards. He’ll be joined in the backfield by Kayden Johnson, a transfer from Saskatchewan, and freshman Khaliel James from Windsor. It’s another

Home Field: York Stadium Capacity: 4,00 Official Colours: Red and White 2015 Record: Regular Season: 1-7

very deep group.

The Toronto Argonauts selected o-lineman Jamal Campbell with the 22nd overall pick in the CFL draft and he made the team. That leaves a gaping hole on and off the field, as his leadership skills were immense. Chris Smith will be the Lions left tackle, next to him at guard will be Ryan Farr, perhaps their best lineman, who is coming back from a knee injury. Like Campbell, Chris Kolankowski was drafted by the Argos. He returns to York with added confidence. Sean Ford will move from right guard to tackle and there will be a battle in camp for the starting guard job.

The Lions will be very young on the

defensive line, but they’ll be very talented.

The team scored big with end Rossini Sandjong-Djabome from Quebec, as well as tackles Skye King from Calgary, and Jamian Rush from Jackson, Mississippi.

All three will start and it will likely be an all-freshman front four with three first-year players battling for the other starting end spot. There will certainly be growing pains, but check back with this group in a couple of years.

At the other end of the spectrum, the Leos will start a trio of fifth-year players at linebacker. Emerson Morassutti, Michael Runowski, and Nikita Starchenko will provide a nice veteran presence behind the group of youngsters on the d-line. At times they’ll be asked to clean up the inevitable rookie mistakes made up front.

The secondary sees the talented Rees Paterson return at boundary corner. He’ll be joined on that side by halfback Josh Small, the group’s emotional leader. At safety, Jacob Janke moves from receiver to the defensive side of the ball, while on the field side Brett Colangelo and Ian Lawrence will play the half and corner spots respectively. That pair tied for the Lions lead last year with three interceptions apiece.

Nick Naylor returns for a fifth season and will handle all of the kicking duties.

Freshman Enzo Lariccia will also dress this season, giving the Lions an option.

Is this a playoff team? It will be tough considering the number of talented teams that finished ahead of them a year ago.

Should anyone be shocked if the Lions pull off an upset or two this year? The answer to that question would be an emphatic no.

There is zero question that this team is heading in the right direction and has done a very nice job recruiting over the last couple of seasons.

Things are heading in the right direction at York.

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#62 OL Chris Kolankowski

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#28 RB Jesse Amankwaa

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Brett Hunchak Eric Kimmerly

80 61

952 629

2 1`

7 7

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Jesse Amankwaa Eric Kimmerly Jahmari Bennett

137 33 9

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Nathaniel Pinto Colton Hunchak Adam Adeboboye

45 32 11

143 117

689 190 85

507 355 131

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Jahmari Bennett Jacob Janke

20 17

412 308

20.6 18.1

38 42

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Jahmari Bennett George Monaghan

12 12

212 81

17.7 6.8

115 19

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

22 1223 55.6

11.3 11.1 11.9

4 2 1

2 0 0

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Hussein Hazime Jakob Butler

Nikita Starchenko

54 41.5 39

37 27 25

34 29 28

Sacks Sack Hussein Hazime Damone WIlliams Reid Jeffs

7 2.5 2

Interceptions Int

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Nick Naylor

79

2611

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

Nick Naylor

13

9

45

Connor Pritty Brett Colangelo

33.1

69

5.0 5.8 9.4

55.9 52.1

3 3

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LED BY LIONS HEAD COACH

CANADA CAPTURES U19 World Championship BY: ELISA MITTON Six members of the OUA football family helped Team Canada capture the gold medal at the International Federation of American Football U19 World Championship this past July in Harbin, China.

York Lions head coach Warren Craney led the Red & White as head coach and defensive co-ordinator, while Windsor Lancer head coach Joe D’Amore served as Canada’s offensive co-ordinator. Joining Craney & D’Amore were Lancer linebacker Lowahya Lako and offensive tackle Drew Desjarlais, York Lions defensive lineman Skye King as well as offensive lineman Jesse Gibbon from the Waterloo Warriors.

“It’s really special to be able to retire with the gold medal, and beating the United States in the manner we beat them is like achieving mecca,” said head coach Warren Craney.

“They are the gold standard in football and to come back and win the championship after

losing to them earlier in the tournament made it even better. The whole experience of being in China was incredible; it was surreal to have the opportunity to soak in all the history and culture of that country.”

“It was an amazing experience in China.

They treated as with the outmost respect and made our stay as comfortable as possible,” Joe D’Amore commented on their three weeks away.

“On the football side, we were a little undermanned but we found a way to overcome some injuries and knock off the defending champs. Any time you can beat the US in their game it is a great accomplishment.”

“As a team we didn’t set many expectations other than going out and playing each game, one at a time. To win gold against the top team in the tournament was something I will never forget and an experience that will transfer over to my playing time with the Warriors.”

Canada knocked off defending-champion United States 24-6 in the final for its second title in the last three championships, which are held every two years.

For Waterloo’s Jesse Gibbon the chance to represent his country in China and knock of the rivals from south of the border is something he will never forget.

Canada lost 32-14 to the U.S. in the second game of the tournament, but beat the bronzemedal winning Mexico team in the semifinals to force a rematch with the Americans.

“This trip to China was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Lako. “I’m one of a few people that can say I’ve won a gold medal at the World Championships and it is a memory I will have for the rest of my life.”

“It was an incredible experience to win gold with team Canada with an upset victory over the Americans,” said Gibbon.

The IFAF U19 World Championship has been held on four occasions with Canada and the U.S. having now won two titles each.

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9. TORONTO VARSITY BLUES BY: MIKE HOGAN

For the coaching staff it may feel like it’s at glacial speed, but the Varsity Blues program is moving in the right direction.

Greg Gary’s Blues were a win away from a playoff spot a year ago, but let’s just say their final game of the season at Ottawa didn’t go the way they had hoped.

This year the club is dreaming of that elusive post-season berth, something it hasn’t experienced since 1995.

The Simon Nassar era is over and the torch will be passed to Marcus Hobbs. With his brother Doug playing the same position at Queen’s, the siblings comprise 18 per cent of the OUA’s starting quarterbacks. Hobbs has been with the Blues for four years and finally gets a chance to start. He’s athletic, possesses a strong arm and just needs a little maturation at the position. While he threw just eight passes last season, the coaches feel they’re in good hands.

The Blues are thrilled that Alex Malone is returning as the main running back. He turned heads last year with a stunning 257yard rushing performance against York. This is an area where the Blues have some depth, with Divante Smith returning for a third year and Kaleb Leach transferring from Florida Tech. Leach was an all-state player in his high school days in Kentucky.

There’s no go-to receiver like Llevi Noel or Kevin Bradfield on the roster, so the Blues will be trying to spread the ball around this year. Rahul Madan led the team with 33 receptions and was the only player on the team with more than one TD catch. Returnees Anthony Naccarato and Domenic Battistella will also see ample playing time.

The Blues lost D.J. Sackey to the CFL team that also calls Toronto home, a move that didn’t catch Gary off guard, but it doesn’t

mean the loss doesn’t hurt a team that has had trouble with depth on the o-line. Sackey was selected 13th overall by the Argos in this year’s draft and made the team, forgoing his final year of eligibility. Danny Sprukulis will anchor the unit this season after an appearance in the East-West Bowl. Kevin Williams will start at center, while Chris Kelly also brings experience to the group.

One newcomer to watch is Nick Wasylyk, a Mississauga native who returns home after who is transferring to U-of-T from Tusculum College in Tennessee.

Wasylyk isn’t unique, as the Blues have been pro-active in their attempt to bring

Home Field: Varsity Centre Capacity: 5,000 Official Colours: Blue and White 2015 Record: Regular Season: 3-5

Canadians back from experiences in the U.S., either at prep schools or in the NCAA. Having players like Noel, Bradfield and Sackey move on to the CFL certainly doesn’t hurt the recruiting process.

The Blues may not have a lot of size on the defensive line, but they will have speed and quickness. Corey Williams and Malcolm Campbell are both former linebackers who will line up at end. Carter Gladman will also try to provide pressure from the edge. He and

Williams tied for the team lead with three sacks a year ago. In the middle Ryan Searle is back for another year at tackle, while freshman Mekhi Henry from Brampton is a highly-rated recruit who will also get reps inside.

The linebacking corps is the strength of the defence and the Blues have travelled far and wide to assemble the starters. Adrian Bernard anchors the group as the Newark, New Jersey native is back for a second season at MLB. He’ll be flanked by Calgary’s Mike Leslie and Brampton’s Brittley Mokube.

Richard Gillespie is back and looking to turn the heads of CFL scouts and his strong showing at the East-West Bowl didn’t hurt. He’s not the tallest back in the world, but does have a good nose for the ball as shown with his two interceptions last season.

Jaiden McBride and Nick Hallett both return to add some veteran presence in the secondary. The Blues are also excited about a couple of newcomers: Jamal Johnson comes back to Toronto after two years at prep school in Connecticut, while Joel Fountain joins the team from Father Henry Carr Secondary.

TJ Morton led the OUA in punting last year with an average of just over 40 yards per kick. He returns for a second year, while the place kicking will be handled by Ethan Shafer.

You don’t have to go too far back to find a Blues-free CFL. The program has turned that around to the extent that Sackey, Bradfield and Noel are all playing for the Argos and former receiver Alex Pierzchalski is enjoying great success with the Ottawa REDBLACKS. That will no doubt help recruiting down the road, but not as much as that elusive playoff spot.

If all goes well that could change this year.

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#2 LB Brittley Mokube

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#14 RB Divante Smith

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2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Simon Nassar Dallon Kuprowski

138 6

1533 69

4 1

8 3

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Alex Malone Divante Smith Lukas Gavac

75 73 33

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Rahul Madan Boris Isakov Anthony Naccarato

33 27 24

281 19

556 400 226

377 378 325

SPECIAL TEAMS

7.4 5.5 6.8

11.4 14.0 13.5

49.1 31.6

3 3 0

2 1 1

DEFENCE

Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Trevor Harvey Immanuel Archer

11 8

243 201

22.1 25.1

35 42

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Rowan Comish Anthony Naccarato

38 5

369 30

9.7 6.0

27 10

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

23 1396 60.7

Att Yds Avg Lng

TJ Morton

68

2736

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

Anthony Iafrate

14

9

36

64

Jaiden McBride Adrian Bernard Matthew Renaud

Tot Solo Ast 48 43 10 39 30 18 38 31 14

Sacks Sack

Carter Gladman Corey WIlliams Adrian Bernard

3 3 2.5

Interceptions Int

Punting

40.2

Tackles

68

Richard Gillespie Nick Hallett

2 2

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10. WINDSOR LANCERS BY: MIKE HOGAN

The start of the 2015 season couldn’t have been much worse.

The Lancers were blown out 76-7 by Western in Week One, before losing 8-7 in Toronto the next week. The next two games were one-sided losses to the two Ottawa-area teams and the season was essentially over before it had a chance to begin.

Veteran Casey Wright returns and finds himself as the team’s starting quarterback.

Liam Putt left the program, so the job is Wright’s to lose. To be blunt, the Sault Ste. Marie native struggled last year, completing just 44 percent of his passes and tossing just three touchdowns against seven interceptions. Wright found it hard to replace the outstanding Austin Kennedy, but that shadow will fade a little this year. US transfer Jalen Brady from Northern Michigan will push in incumbent. Brady is mobile and possesses a big arm. Prized recruit Sam Girard is a local product who may be the Lancers quarterback of the future.

Tarrence Crawford is back for a fifth year at running back. Despite Windsor’s offensive woes a year ago, Crawford finished fifth in the country with nine rushing touchdowns. He averaged just over 70 yards per game on the ground. Marcus Kentner is in his second year and will get some reps. Marvin Gaynor and 240 pound Nick Vincent also figure into the mix.

Joe D’Amore’s team is really young at receiver. The plan is to be more balanced without relying on one or two star wide outs.

Jeff Masson is the only fifth year player at the position. Noah Akharoh is back. Two DBs have been converted to the other side of the ball as Devon Woods and Kaeden Walls make the switch. Hometown freshman Michael Emanuel is someone they want to take a look at as well.

Windsor threw for only 177 yards per game last year, close to the bottom of CIS rankings.

If there’s a sense of relief on the Lancers it’s that the offensive line is returning en masse. All five starters are back and enter their fourth year together as a group. Ottawa Redblacks’ draft pick Randy Beardy will be the left tackle. Daniel Benson returns after a tough year physically. Travis Durocher will be the center. Drew Desjarlais was a tournament all-star representing the gold medal winning Canadian team at the U-19 World Championship in China. Completing the group is right tackle Brett Boersma.

There’s also some experienced depth at this

Home Field: Alumni Field Capacity: 2,000 Official Colours: Blue and Gold 2015 Record: Regular Season: 2-6

position.

There’s nowhere to go but up for a defence that allowed 39.4 points per game last season.

Joe Iatzko had a look see at the Toronto Argos camp this year and will once again line up at end. Lowhya Lako, another member of the World Champs, will man the other end spot. There’s a group of veterans in the middle including David Flewelling, Austin

Thornton, Fraser Olson and Courtney Ellis. Freshman CJ Church will also get a look on the d-line after moving over from the offensive side of the ball.

Frank Renaud is back after a knee injury forced him to miss all of 2015. The tackling machine was drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in May and will be a huge addition to the Lancers defence. Despite the team’s woes last year, Matt Gayer was recognized for his work as the strong side linebacker by being selected a first-team OUA all-star.

The middle linebacker will be Matt Lefler.

Others in the mix incllude Marcel Ugoh and freshman Dan Metcalfe from Leamington.

The secondary will be young, but athletic.

There will also be size at cornerback with 6’ 1” Evan Martin and 6’ 3” Jake Lindley starting. The halfbacks will be Lekan Idowu and Spencer Trinier, while Tarik Bonas will be the safety.

Anthony Malandruccolo returns as the kicker, though he’ll get some competition from Concordia transfer Clark Green, a Chatham native. He holds the Quebec conference record with a 90-yard punt. Last year Malandruccolo was fifth in CIS with 77 punts, averaging 37 yards per kick. He hit eight of his 11 field-goal attempts.

The schedule maker didn’t do any favours for a team that finished 2-6 last year. They open against Western and Guelph, then later in the season have long bus rides to Carleton and Queen’s in consecutive weeks.

Even with a favourable schedule it would still be difficult for the youth-laden Lancers to make the playoffs this season. Not impossible, but this is a very young football team that will gain valuable experience this fall.

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

#26 RB Tarrence Crawford

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

#65 OL Randy Beardy

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

2015 Team leaders

OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Liam Putt Casey Wright

60 37

984 446

4 3

5 7

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Tarremce Crawford Jaydon Gauthier Marvin Gaynor

106 42 30

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Dave McDuffie Beau Lumley Nate O’Halloran

21 14 14

140 84

564 230 198

228 322 187

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Dave McDuffie Jaydon Gauthier

20 12

371 252

18.6 21.0

53 34

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Dave McDuffie Jaydon Gauthier

28 6

194 19

6.9 3.2

23 7

Kickoffs

Att Yds Avg

5.3 5.5 6.6

10.9 23.0 13.4

42.9 44.0

9 1 0

1 1 3

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Matt Gayer Spencer Trinier Austin Crumb

55 45 20 34 24 20 31.5 30 3

Sacks Sack Kellen Leclair Dave Flewelling

3 3

30 1400 46.7

Interceptions Int

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Matt Gayer Jake Lindley

A. Malandruccolo

77

2856

Field Goals

Att

Made %

Lng

A. Malandruccolo

11

8

37

37.1

73

3 2

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

1pm

Home Opener, Minor League Day, Alumni Big Ticket D

er

1pm

81

OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

Residence Day, Staff and Faculty Appreciation D

k Charity BBQ with Warrior Football 11:30-1:oopm TechTown,

1pm 1pm

Reunion, Donor Appreciation Day Senior Night, Think Pink

OCT

OCT

SEPT

SEPT

SEPT

05

17

29 01 22

1:00 PM

1:00 PM

11:30 am

1:00 PM

1:00 PM

HOME OPENER MINOR LEAGUE DAY ALUMNI BIG TICKET DAY FEDS FOOD BAnk day

residence day staff & faculty appreciation day

reunion tailgate charity lunch 240 hagey blvd.

reunion donor appreciation day

SENIOR DAY THINK PINK

JOIN US BEFORE OR AFTER THE BIG GAME!

253 King St N, Waterloo, ON Phone: (519) 208-2884 Email: sjoeswaterloo@gmail.com

gowarriorsgo.ca

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

11. WATERLOO WARRIORS BY: MIKE HOGAN

Head coach Chris Bertoia’s first year with the Warriors was at times nightmarish. His team finished with a record of 0-8, losing each game by an average score of 48-8.

Those results would reduce many coaches to tears, but not Bertoia. Instead, he’s thrilled by what he sees happening to the program down the road.

The roster is essentially in complete teardown mode. The average age of a Warrior player is just 18.8 years old, something that suits the coach just fine because it gives the team a chance to build from the bottom up.

Lucas McConnell returns from injury to play quarterback. It’s his third year in the program, and he’s ready to show off what he learned at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats camp this summer. He completed just 40 per cent of his passes a year ago, but the experience of going to a CFL camp was invaluable and should help him take the next step at the position.

He has some veteran receivers to throw to.

Blair McKay used a trip to the East-West Bowl to build up his confidence. Also returning is Mitch Kernick, who also did some punting last year. He suffered a season-ending knee injury on a fake punt, but not until after he recorded the biggest offensive play of the season, a 93-yard TD reception. Adam Felinczak and Richmond Nketiah are the other returnees expected to make an impact.

Several freshmen will push them for playing time, among them is Tyler Ternowski, a very talented prospect from Hamilton.

Eventually the Warriors would like to have a balanced attack, with perhaps a bit more emphasis on the run. To do that they’ll need running backs and linemen, and they may have a few nuggets of gold about to be mined.

As training camp began it was a wide-open completion to see who would get the most carries when the regular season started. A total of six freshmen were vying to be the

Warriors top running back, with two backs perhaps being the early favourites. Brandon Metz from Cambridge led the Lions to the OVFL championship, being named the championship game MVP. He’s not tall, but is lightning quick and is powerful for his size.

He went to a prep school in Buffalo. Dion Pellerin from Abbotsford, B.C. is another back that may emerge as the starter, though nothing is guaranteed.

Ben Koczwara will be the starting left

Home Field: Warrior Field Capacity: 5,450 Official Colours: Black and Gold 2015 Record: Regular Season: 0-8

tackle, while on the right side Jesse Gibbon starts. He was an OUA all-rookie last year and started on the o-line at the U19 World Championship in China, where Canada won gold. Kyle Boismier is back at centre. He too was on the OUA all-rookie team. Cody Wheten and Sam Lewis –who’s coming back from injury – will be the starting guards, although freshman Jake Nesbitt from Ottawa will push both for playing time.

The defensive line is a definite work in progress. There are eleven freshmen coming in to compete for starting jobs. Two to keep an eye on are tackle Josh Brown from Toronto and end Cordell Bujold-Abu from Mississauga. Overall, the group is on the

smallish side, but there’s a lot of speed and quickness here.

The Warriors closest thing to a veteran group is at linebacker. Brandon Corelli will man the weak side, Paul Kaija will be back in middle and Lautaro Frecha will be on the strong side. Among the crop of freshmen vying for spots are Waterloo’s Devon Hinsperger and Kurtis Gray and Michael Reid from the Soo. There were few positives in the 2015 season, but Jordan Hoover was certainly a nice story. He had five interceptions, tied for the most in CIS. He’ll be back for another season at defensive half. Lucas Merlin will play the other halfback spot, moving over from safety. Opposing receivers should take note, moving to Merlin’s spot in the middle will be 6’3”, 210 pound Sammy Prantera.

The corners will be young, with freshman Isac Kasenda from Ottawa having a very good chance to nail down one of the starting jobs.

There’s also a battle to see who will do the kicking. Caleb Girard is back, but must improve upon his results from a year ago. He averaged just 30 yards per punt, while hitting two of his four field-goal attempts. Mike Bushell from London joins the program as a freshman. He’ll push Girard for the starting job.

This program still has a lot of work to do before it becomes competitive. The Warriors received accolades for its recruiting class from inside and outside the coaching fraternity. The dividends from that hard work may start to pay off this year, but check back in two seasons.

That’s when the true direction of the program will be in plain sight.

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

#76 REC Mitch Kernick

84

#40 DB Jordan Hoover

OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

2015 Team leaders

2013 TEAM LEADERS OFFENCE Passing

Comp Att

Yds %

TD

Int

Lucas McConnell Jordan Cernanec

66 25

1102 611

5 0

5 5

Rushing

Att Yds Avg TD

Ryan Di Risio Danny Dilvestri Mitch Kernick

128 25 6

Receiving

Rec Yds Avg TD

Blair McKay Adam Felinczak Mitch Kernick

21 17 14

165 149

530 81 78

207 316 327

4.1 3.2 13.0

9.9 18.6 23.4

40.0 45.2

1 0 0

0 0 1

S PECIAL TEAMS Kickoff Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

DEFENCE Tackles

Tot Solo Ast

Danny Silvestri Richmond Nketiah

26 16

498 290

19.2 18.1

45 27

Punt Return

Ret

Yds

Avg

Lng

Lucas Merlin Brandon Corelli Brandan Conway

52 47.5 34.5

Christian Mahler Richmond Nketiah

16 13

199 84

7.4 6.5

39 21

Kickoffs Att Yds Avg 14 648 46.3

Punting

Att Yds Avg

Caleb Girard

86

2582

Field Goals

Att

Made %

44 41 29

16 13 11

Sacks Sack Paul Kaija 7 Players Tied

5 1

Interceptions Int

30.0

Lng

Caleb Girard 4 2 50 33

Jordan Hoover Christian Mahler 2 Player Tied

5 3 1

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OUA UNCOVE RED : 2016 Football Season P review

Comments, Questions or Ideas Please Contact: Matthew Walker 3305 Harvester Rd Unit 2 Burlington, Ont. L7N 3N2 Phone: (905) 635-5510 x207 E-mail: matthew.walker@oua.ca