CIS preview: Concordia’s Gerry McGrath says “we can play with anybody this year” (video)

After a couple of years of struggling in a rebuilding phase, the Concordia Stingers football team is ready to move forward in 2011.

“The coaching staff feels strongly that we can play with anybody this year. Our goal is not just to make the playoffs, but to have an impact in playoffs,” says Gerry McGrath, now in his 12th year as the Stingers’ head coach.

Concordia will still be on the young side, but a few weaknesses have been addressed. Team speed is improved, the fitness level is better and there’s more depth at key positions like offensive line.

“We have progressed tremendously,” McGrath says.

On offence, Concordia is in good shape. The only key starters who have left the team are slotback Liam Mahoney who is in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and wide receiver Dan Rodrigues who has graduated. At quarterback all-star Rob Mackay has graduated, but last year he only played one regular season game because of injuries.

Third-year pivot Terrance Morsink is ready to move ahead. Last season he passed for more than 2,000 yards and eight touchdowns. Morsink will have great talent behind him as well. Newcomers Reid Quest and Troy McCusker will be ready when called upon.

“I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve seen this much talent at quarterback,” says McGrath. “We have three guys who can all run the same stuff. We don’t have to come up with new offences to match different personnel. As a coach that’s a big deal.”

Of course, Anthony Barrette, the all-Canadian tackle drafted by the Montreal Alouettes last spring, will anchor the offensive line with help from fourth-year centre Corey Newman.

“We will be an up-tempo offence,” McGrath says. “We’d like to play fast. With our acquisitions and strong recruiting we will have an improved offensive line. And we hope this allows us to get back to a more balanced attack.”

On defence, three starting defensive linemen have moved on – tackle Maurice Forbes is with the Tiger-Cats and Kamil Thompson-Hutchison and Alexandre Turp have graduated. The latter has returned as an assistant coach working with the line. The starters are back at all the other positions.

“I expect the defence to keep us in every game,” McGrath says. “We’ll bend but we won’t break.”

Overall, 115 players came to training camp – 59 rookies and 56 veterans. The group is down to about 95. Camp has progressed well, and McGrath quickly eliminated two-a-day practices when it was clear the team was learning quickly.

Only time will tell how it all comes together, but the Stingers are eager to start the 2011 campaign. Concordia opens the season at home to the Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 3 at 1 p.m.

Head Coach Gerry McGrath:

– Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2011): 12
– Career regular season record with team: 53-36
– Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 58-45

2010 regular season record: 4-5
2010 regular season standings: 5th place in the QUFL
2010 playoff record: Did not make playoffs

OFFENCE

Key veterans:

RBs Edem Nyamadi & Mike Donnelly – This veteran tandem is expected to lead the Stingers’ improved running game in 2011. Nyamadi, a fifth-year man from Montreal, received a lot of attention from the CFL scouts last year and attended E-Camp where he was first in the shuttle with a time of 3.97. Nyamadi carried the ball 46 times for 184 yards last season. While he brings quickness to the game, Donnelly is a punishing back. The fourth-year Ottawa native was the Stingers’ leading rusher in 2010 with 65 carries for 190 yards and two touchdowns.

WR Sanchez Deschamps – 4th year, Mississauga, Ont. – In his first three seasons with Concordia Deschamps has flown under the radar, but serious scouts would’ve picked up on his strong play against the Laval Rouge et Or over the years. The average CIS fan probably first heard of his exceptional skills at the East West Bowl last May in London, Ont. where Deschamps had an outstanding week of testing and practice and was the top receiver in the game with four catches for 92 yards. With the Stingers in 2010, he caught 22 balls for 300 yards and one touchdown.

OT Anthony Barrette – 5th year, Verdun, Que. – Barrette was a top CFL pick in 2011. He was drafted by the Montreal Alouettes in the second round, 16th overall. He attended training camp with the Als in the summer. In 2010, he was a second team CIS all-Canadian. At six foot five, 320 pounds he will be a force to reckon with in the RSEQ. He will also be a valuable leader on offence for the Stingers.

Key recruits:

QB Reid Quest – Regina (Regina Thunder – CJFL) – Last year, Quest led the Regina Thunder of the Prairie Junior Football Conference to a 6-2 win-loss record and a second-place finish in the standings. He completed 61 per cent of his passes (176 for 289) and threw for a league high 2,756 yards and 29 touchdowns. He ranks sixth on the Canadian Junior Football League list for highest-completion percentage (59.1) in a career. He was the outstanding player in the PJFC in 2009 and 2010.

QB Troy McCusker – Newmarket, Ont. (Huron Heights Secondary School) – There’s been a lot of gossip about a battle between Terrance Morsink and Reid Quest at the quarterback position, but McCusker has been stepping up and turning heads in camp as well. The York-region all-star quarterback had a 25-3-1 record during his high school days at Huron Heights. Coach Gerry McGrath predicts, “Troy is going to have a great CIS career.”

SB Jamal Henry – St. Constant, Que. (Kent Prep School) – Henry comes out of the LaSalle Warriors football organization in Montreal, but wrapped up his high school career at Kent Prep in Connecticut where he played receiver and defensive back. In 2010 he helped Kent post an 8-1 overall record and win a New England championship. Henry has had an outstanding training camp and is expected see a fair amount of playing time in his freshman year.

Key losses:

QB Rob Mackay – Port Dover, Ont. – Mackay leaves Concordia as the most accomplished quarterback in the history of the university. In 2010, he only played the preseason and the first game of the year before a concussion forced him to miss the rest of the season, but he was at practices and his leadership and coaching will be missed. In 2009, Mackay was a Quebec conference all-star. With 2739 yards passing and 18 TDs he set two conference records. He led Quebec in TDs, passing yards, completions, attempts and yards per game (342.4). His 2739 yards was second best in the CIS. He is currently in graduate school at University of Windsor.

SB Liam Mahoney – Lachine, Que. – The 2007 CIS Rookie of the Year gave up play-calling and moved to inside receiver in 2009 and caught on quickly to his new position. He was the leading receiver on the 2010 Stingers with 49 catches for 609 yards and six touchdowns. He finished his university career as a Quebec all-star and a second team CIS all-Canadian. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 CFL draft. He was hurt early in camp and released, but the Hamilton Tiger-Cats picked him up in August.

DEFENCE

Key returning players:

S Nicholas Arsenault-Hum – 5th year, Delson, Que. – The Quebec conference’s 2008 all-star safety is back for his final season. Aggressive and hard-hitting, he always has the opposition on its heels. In nine games last season he collected 27 solo tackles, nine assists and hauled in three interceptions.

DT Shaquille Armstrong – 2nd year, Winnipeg – Armstrong really made a name for himself in the 2010 season. As a rookie he logged a lot of playing time, collecting nine solo tackles and two assists. His strong play earned him a spot on the Team World roster for the Team USA versus the World international football challenge at Westlake Stadium in Austin, Texas last Feb. 2.

LB Max Caron – 2nd year, Kingston, Ont. – In 2010 as a rookie linebacker from the Okanagan Sun junior organization, he was the Stingers’ defensive MVP and outstanding rookie. He picked up 37 solo tackles, 16 assists and two sacks in nine games. He also had two fumble recoveries and an interception that he hauled in for a touchdown in his first ever university game.

Key recruits:

CB Kadeem Vaillancourt – Ottawa (Ottawa Sooners – CJFL) – Coach McGrath likes Vaillancourt’s size, aggressiveness and speed. He has all the tools to cover the big receivers in the Quebec conference. He has had a very good training camp and has pushed the veterans. Expect to see a lot of him on the field in 2011. He checks in at six foot one and 192 pounds.
S Sean Mayzes – North Vancouver (Vancouver College) – Mayzes comes out of one of the top high school football programs in the country where he excelled as a receiver and defensive back. He was a B.C. AAA all-star and a Western conference all-star in 2010. The Concordia coaches like his size and physical style of play. He checks in at six foot two, 184 pounds.

HB Marc-Antoine Bedard – Montreal (Kent Prep School) – Bedard is another great talent from a very strong recruiting class of defensive backs. He has also made a strong impression in training camp. He has a history of winning championships, including a Bol d’or with Collège Jean-Eudes and a New England championship at Kent. Bedard was a high school all-star at Jean-Eudes. He stands five foot 11 and weights 189 pounds.

Key loss:

DT Maurice Forbes – Toronto – He was one of McGrath’s top recruits in 2007, but he has struggled with injuries throughout his career. The exceptionally talented big man (six foot three, 320 pounds) pulled everything together in 2010 and had an outstanding campaign. He played all nine games, collecting 15 solo tackles, 11 assists and 2.5 sacks. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats drafted Forbes in the second round of the 2011 CFL draft, 13th overall. He made the Ti-Cats roster and is playing in Hamilton this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Key recruit:

K Keegan Treloar – Brandon, Man. (Vincent Massey High School) – Last fall Treloar caused a stir with a YouTube video that shows him consistently connecting on 60-yard field goals. Fortunately for the Stingers, he lives up to the hype. He has had a good camp and will be a key figure in Concordia’s 2011 campaign. At his high school, he was the Male Athlete of the Year as well as his football team’s MVP. He is six foot one, 183 pounds.

Key loss:

K Rene Paredes – 4th year, Pierrefonds, Que. – At coach McGrath’s urging the Winnipeg Blue Bombers invited Paredes to their training camp in June. The plan was to help Paredes develop so he could return to Concordia for his fifth year with more experience and confidence. Everything went according to plan until the Calgary Stampeders got involved, signing Paredes as a free agent and making him their starting kicker in July and August.

Source: Catherine Grace, Concordia Sports Info

INCOMING RECRUITING CLASS

Concordia 42

Jeremy Rabot – REC – Laval transfer (France) SIGNED – January
Renauld Lebrecque – REC -Levis Lauzon [attended Ottawa ’10 training camp] SIGNED – January
Vince Nardone – DB – John Abbot (Laval, QC) SIGNED – January
Ryan Hobbs – DL – John Abbott (Brockville, ON) SIGNED – January

Robert Brunsch – OL – St. Peter’s (Peterborough, ON) SIGNED
Mike Moody – OL – G.W. Williams (Aurora, ON) SIGNED
Matt Gulakow – RB – Chateauguay Raiders / Team Manitoba (Winnipeg) SIGNED
Gregory Newman – DL – Kent Prep School (Chateauguay, QC) SIGNED
Remi Biakabutuka – RB – Citadel / Vanier (Montreal) SIGNED
Kadeem-Jovan Vaillancourt – DB – St. Mark’s / Cumberland / South Gloucester (Ottawa)SIGNED
Kyle Crisp – OL – Northern (Toronto) SIGNED
Pierre-Nicholas Konan – DL – Ottawa Sooners (Montreal) SIGNED
John Funston – RB – Ashbury (Ottawa) SIGNED
Chris O’Kill McMullen – LB – Vanier (Montreal) SIGNED
Frédérick Landry-Simard – OL – Laval transfer / Levis Lauzon SIGNED
Jason Lauzon – OL – Vallefield SIGNED
Troy McCusker – QB – Huron Heights (Newmarket) SIGNED
Jeff Ginn – OL/FB – Holy Cross / Grenadiers / Team Ontario East (Kingston, ON) SIGNED
Shayne Stinson – REC – Vanier (Montreal) SIGNED
Jamal Henry – REC/KR – Kent Prep (Montreal) SIGNED
Daniel Skube – REC – St. Joseph / Mississauga Warriors (Toronto) SIGNED
Kenny ‘KC’ Charles – REC – Montreal Carabins transfer (Montreal) SIGNED
Yannick Germain – REC – Victoriaville Vulkins (Victoriaville) SIGNED
Reid Quest – QB – Regina Thunder (Regina, SK) SIGNED
Simon Faudel – QB – Lionel-Groulx SIGNED
Guillaume Vaillant – OL – ValleyfieldSIGNED
Mitchell Burnett-Guarna – RB – Bishops Transfer (Brandon, MB) SIGNED
Jean-Sebastien Lussier – DB – Lionel Grouxl (St. Jerome, QC) SIGNED
Keegan Treloar – K – Vincent Massey (Brandon, MB) SIGNED VIDEO
Daylon Pommier – DB – Okanagan Sun / Kelowna-Rutland (Kelowna, BC) SIGNED

Kleevens Jean-Louis – DL – Chateauguay Raiders (Chateauguay) Verbal
Sylvain Payne-Gagnon – DB – Jonquiere Verbal
Olivier Grenier-Forcier – DB Victoriaville Vulkins (Victoriaville) Verbal
Gregory Beaulieu – OL – FX Garneau (Quebec) Verbal
Pascal Men-Aby Tshilambo – REC – John Abbot (Montreal) Verbal
Brian Doyle – LB – Erie Community College (Syracuse, NY) Verbal
Matt Scheurwater 6″1 200 – REC – Okanagan Sun / John Diefenbaker (Calgary) Verbal
Duraney White 6’5″ 215 – REC – Bishop’s transfer / Vanier (Montreal) Verbal
Ryan White 6’4″ 290 – OL – Bishop’s transfer / Vanier (Montreal) Verbal
Sean Mayzes – DB – Vancouver College / Team BC (Vancouver) Verbal
John McMullan – LB – Donald Wilson (Whitby, ON) Verbal
Dan Horta – DL – St. Marcellinus / Miss. Warriors (Mississauga, ON) Verbal

CLICK HERE for all CIS teams recruiting classes

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