CIS preview: McGill looks to rebound from forgetful season

The McGill Redmen have nowhere to go but up in their 131st season of football. After losing starting quarterback Jonathan Collin (Greenfield Park, Que.) in the opening game last season, the offence was unable to get on track and the team went 0-9, losing three contests in the last minute of play. This year, the Redmen lineup features some 29 recruits to go along with a whopping 55 returnees in training camp, including 19 seniors, 14 juniors and 22 sophomores.

The team will feature a new-look under Danny Laramee, the new offensive coordinator and the battle for the starting quarterback is wide open since Collin is still recovering from knee surgery and his status for this year is uncertain. Returnee Ryne Bondy (Richmond Hill, Ont.) will wrestle with a pair of promising freshmen. Dallon Kuprowski (Kanata, Ont.) and Jeff Tichelman (Vancouver, BC) both led their teams to championships in 2010.

« We are a bit young but have only lost a handful of starters, says Sonny Wolfe », in his fifth season as head coach of the Redmen. « On offence, our one real question mark is who will start at quarterback? That said, our offence should be more balanced and improved over last year. Defensively, we are bigger, faster, stronger and much more experienced. »

The running game will be led by feature back Taylor Kuprowski (Kanata, Ont.), who could be taking handoffs from his younger brother. Charles-Antoine Sinotte (Trois-Rivières, Que.), the CIS all-time reception leader, has graduated but returns in a coaching capacity and will oversee a solid corps of receivers, including returnees Tristan Baldini (Nice, France), Michael Chitayat (Montreal, Que.) and Mathieu Guerette (Charny, Que.), plus freshman Jean-Philippe Paquette (Trois-Rivières, Que.), a College AA all-star with College Trois-Rivières. The offensive line will be anchored by guard Robert Ravensbergen (Montreal, Que.), plus tackles Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (St. Hilaire, Que.) and Cam Stockman (Coquitlam, BC).

The defensive line is sparked by All-Canadian tackle Ben Thompson (Fredericton, NB) and Alex Hutchison (Beaconsfield, Que.). Charles-Evens Peltrop (Montreal, Que.) is expected to play both inside linebacker and rush end. The linebacking corps will be keyed by Alexandre Bernard (Laval, Que.) and the defensive backs will feature Joffrey Gorin (Christ Church, Barbados) and Matt Quigley (Cumberland, Ont.). Among the top recruits to watch are Louis-Mikael Marandola (Montreal, Que.) out of College Montmorency, nosetackle Elliott Leeflang (Perth, Ont.), who was one of the top linemen that stayed north of the border and Olivier Cain-Tremblay (Longueil), a 6-foot-3, 235-pound defensive end from College Édouard-Montpetit who was second in sacks in the Quebec CEGEP AAA league.

Head Coach: Sonny Wolfe

– Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2011): 5th

– Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2011): 24th

– Career regular season record with team: 3-30

– Career regular season record in CIS: 83-88

– Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 3-30

– Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): 89-105

OFFENCE

Offensive Coordinator: Danny Laramee

Key returning players: RB Taylor Kuprowski (Kanata, Ont.), R Tristan Baldini (Nice, France), WR Michael Chitayat (Montreal, Que.), R Mathieu Guerette (Charny, Que.), R Bobby Mikelberg (Montreal, Que.), OL Robert Ravensbergen (Montreal, Que.), OT Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (St. Hilaire, Que.), K Austin Anderson (Canmore, Alb.)

Key recruits (or newcomers & transfers): R/KR Jean-Philippe Paquette (Trois-Rivières, Que.), QB Dallon Kuprowski (Kanata, Que.)

Key losses: OL Michael Pilon-Piquette (St. Lazare, Que.), OL Jonathan Bower (Calgary, Alb.), WR Charles-Antoine Sinotte (Trois-Rivières, Que.)

DEFENCE

Defensive Coordinator: Clint Uttley

Key returning players: DL Alex Hutchinson (Beaconsfield, Que.), DT Ben Thompson (Fredericton, NB), LB Charles-Evens Peltrop (Montreal, Que.), DB Joffrey Gorin (Christ Church, Barbados), DB Matt Quigley (Cumberland, Ont.), DB Mattey Ossom (Dorval, Que.), LB Alexander Bernard (Montreal, Que.), LB Jesse Briggs (Kelowna, BC), DB Stephan Osman (Montreal, Que.), DB Francis Bradette (St. Janvier, Que.)

Key recruits (or newcomers & transfers): DB Louis-Mikael Marandola (Montreal, Que.), NT Elliott Leeflang (Perth, Ont.), DE Olivier Cain-Tremblay (Longueil, Que.)

Key losses: DB Patrick Bourgon (Pointe-au-Chêne, Que.) and Julien Lefebvre (Ahuntsic, Que.)

INCOMING RECRUITING CLASS

McGill 31

Raphael Fradette – REC – Edouard Montpetit Verbal – January
Louis Marandola – DB – Montmorency – Verbal – January
Kevin Kwateng – RB – Montreal Carabins – Verbal – January
Marc Olivier Granger – DL – John Abbot – Verbal – January
Frederick Methot – OL Vieux-Montreal – Verbal – January
Philippe Page – DL – Andre-Grasset – Verbal – January
Fedrico Alzamora – DL – Sun Youth Midget – Verbal – January

Dallon Kuprowski – QB – Junior Riders / Team Ontario – Verbal VIDEO
Lenny Dion – DB – Chicoutimi – Verbal
Olivier Cain-Tremblay – DE – Edouard Montpetit Verbal
Yannick Langelier-Vanasse – REC – Montmorency Verbal
Elliott Leeflang – DL – Perth / Team Ontario East (Perth) Verbal
Loic Cagniard – LB – Rimouski (Fontenay-Sous-Bois, France) Verbal
Nick Adomat – OL – New Westminister (New Westminister, BC) Verbal
Jeffrey Tichelman – QB – Vancouver College (Vancouver, BC) Verbal
Simon Lamontagne – DB – Lionel-Groulx 6’0 195 Verbal
Ady Niang – DB – Gulliver Prep 6’1 205 Verbal
Nadis Bakana – DB – Cumberland Panthers 5’9 185 Verbal
Oliver Maurovich – DB – Saint Paul’s 6’1 185 Verbal
Killion Marmion – DL – Aix Le Bains 6’4 235 Verbal
Corbin Maxwell – DE – Myers Riders 6’5 235 Verbal
Ricky Singla – DL – South Delta 6’3 250 Verbal
Kyle Pheifer – OL – W.J. Mouat 6’1 245 Verbal
Victor Sun – RB – Handsworth Royals 5’10 185 Verbal
Jean Phillipe Paquette – REC – Trois-Rivières 5’7 155 Verbal
Timothy Lo REC Ashbury College 5’9 170 Verbal
Ethello Hill REC Vancouver College 6’4 195 Verbal
Rod Ashe REC Ashbury College 6’1 180 Verbal
Simon Dahab REC St. Leonard Cougars 5’11” 180 Verbal
Kyle McDowell ATH Western Michigan 6’0 185 Verbal
Thierry Gierville REC Laval Devils 6’1 180 Verbal

CLICK HERE for all CIS teams incoming recruiting class

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