In my first article in this three-part series, I applauded the RSEQ committee’s decision to enforce division switches for the Andre-Grasset Phenix, Limoilou Titans, Lanaudiere Triades and Valleyfield Noir et Or.

But now it’s time I criticize these same voters for waiting much too long before deciding to relegate the Victoriaville Vulkins and Drummondville Voltigeurs. If the reason was to not hurt these schools’ pride, there’s no question they hindered their football programs’ growth instead.

It should come as no surprise that accumulating losing records year after year was followed by poor recruitment. Hopefully these long overdue relegations will give the Vulkins and Voltigeurs a chance to rebuild their legacies.

 

D2 to D3

 

#9 Victoriaville Vulkins (1-9), PF 145, PA 387

 

It’s hard to understand how a historic team like the Victoriaville Vulkins stubbornly chose to hang on to Division 2 status for so long rather than make the painful yet clearly necessary move to Division 3. The RSEQ had an opportunity two years ago to make the move for them, but decided against pulling the trigger. Were the Vulkins given immunity based on two winning seasons in the past 11 years and two Bol d’or appearances (2003 & 2008)?

After all, no one benefitted from the situation. The Vulkins have lost 71 per cent of their regular season games since 2004 and accumulated a 35-85 record (playoffs included) over that span. What’s more, they have won just five games in the past five years, four of which have come against a winless Voltigeurs team.

That being said, the division switch means the Vulkins can finally expect to score 200 points or more in a season, a feat they haven’t accomplished since 2008.

Victoriaville hopes the hire of new head coach Alain Tourigny will help them achieve that. Tourigny played three years at Victoriaville before becoming a coach for the team between 1989 and 2000. He was also previously defensive coordinator for the Sherbrooke Vert et Or for three years and was head coach for the Voltigeurs for two years.

More recently, Tourigny was head coach for the Division 3 Rimouski Pionniers. Tourigny led the team to a 34-14 regular season record as head coach, while leading the team to two semi-final playoff appearances.

A well-known coaching figure at the CEGEP level, Tourigny’s extensive football knowledge and D3 experience made him an excellent, if not the best candidate for the job. Tourigny hopes consistency will be the key to success this upcoming season, as all of the 2015 coaching staff, including former head coach Francis Cote-Bourassa, is back this year.

Vulkins are now trying to recruit French players much like the Thetford Filons. The fact defensive line coach Louis-Simon Nadeau is set to play for the FFFA Division 1 Nice Dauphins next season makes it a perfect occasion for him to try to convince some players to bring their talents to Victoriaville.

The Vulkins have developed great players in recent years, including former Vert et Or linebacker Dempsey Jutras, former Calgary Stampeder and Rouge et Or receiver Yannick Morin-Plante, and new Bishop’s Gaiter Jean-François Cote, who won 5 223 total yards and scored 35 touchdowns in his four-year career as a Vulkin.

The team hopes to get back to playing D2 football in time for the 50^th anniversary of the organization three years from now. It’s a lofty goal, but an attainable one considering the RSEQ reassess its divisions every two years. With great team facilities like a training center and a big stadium, Victoriaville is going to an attractive destination for young players again.  There will be no fireworks, but I predict a .500 record in their first year in Division 3 under Tourigny.

 

 

#10 Drummondville Voltigeurs (0-10), PF 48, PA 390

 

Inaugurated in 2007, Drummondville’s football program was pretty good in Division 3. They earned their D2 shot even if at first sight their 2012 promotion was too hasty considering they never made it past the semi-finals in the postseason.

They only won one game since their promotion to Division 2 and that was two years ago. In terms of points against, the Saint-Jean Geants and Valleyfield Noir et Or combined allowed 86 fewer points than Drummondville did last season. Undoubtedly, it was time to move on.

Back in Division 3, the future certainly looks brighter now for the Voltigeurs. Their D3 resume is highlighted by a 32-7 record and five trips to the playoffs over five years. Not to mention the fact they proceeded to the second round of the playoffs on two separate occasions (2008 & 2010).

As one would expect, many Voltigeurs made the All-Star team during that span, with 11 total players having been selected between 2009 and 2011 alone. Former Offensive Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year François Dessureault was a regular on the All-Star team. Dessureault carried that success to the university level, having started at quarterback for the Concordia Stingers in 2014 while compiling 2 388 passing yards and 16 touchdown passes in his three-year university career.

Newly announced head coach Patrice Marcoux has been a member of the Voltigeurs’ coaching staff since 2009. He’s a CEGEP physical education teacher and has a level 3 coaching certification. Marcoux played college football for the Sherbrooke Vert et Or and the D2 Beauce-Appalaches Condors. Even if Marcoux was there during the good years of the Voltigeurs, that’s a pretty short resume for a man who plans to erase four straight years of disappointment.

The most intriguing battle on the roster will be at the quarterback position according to TC Media. Four players are fighting in camp with their eye on the starting job. Fourth-year Simon Gagne is the favorite while rookies Alexandre Legare (La Poudriere), Olivier Bergeron (Marieville) and Dylan-Wayne Cyr (Gaspesie) need to prove their abilities.

Nonetheless, this turnaround looks to be a multi-year process. The program’s foundation looks too weak at the moment for the Voltigeurs to finish with anything better than a 2-6 record right from the start. Only time will heal the deep wounds they’ve suffered.