CIS preview: Waterloo Warriors look to rebound from 2010 absence

The University of Waterloo returns to league play in 2011 with a sense of optimism and a high degree of enthusiasm. During the 2010 season suspended by the University, the football program continued with a regular practice schedule and a series of six exhibition scrimmages against other OUA teams. This allowed the coaching staff to develop and train the 60 returning players to prepare for the upcoming season. Returning two fifth year starting QB’s, a solid receiving corps and a good group of defensive linemen and linebackers, the Warrior coaching staff have high expectations for the 2011 Warrior squad.

Veteran professional coaches led by Head Coach Dennis McPhee, Offensive Co-Ordinator Joe Paopao, Offensive Line Coach Kani Kauahi are joined by newcomers such as ex CFL and NFL player Jason Lamar and past Warrior captain Pat McGarry on defence. Adam Lane returns to coach Special Teams. On the offence, the Warriors are pleased to add Dr. Tony Chris who led his high school team to a 28 straight game winning streak including a Western Bowl championship, also returning to the offence is recruiting co-ordinator Mark Chernenko and long-time assistant coach Marshall Bingeman.

The Warriors are excited to begin a new chapter in Waterloo Football on our new Warrior Field and to introduce 40 new recruits with high hopes to make an impact in the OUA in the 2011 season.

Quote from head coach:

It is great to be moving forward to a regular season now that we have brought scrutiny to a problem that needed to be scrutinized. We have a great group of young men who dedicated the past year to getting better, but we have a great group of recruits coming in. It’s going to be fun to have a competitive camp leading into the 2011 season.

Head Coach:

Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2011): 5
Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2011): 8
Career regular season record with team: 8-16
Career regular season record in CIS: 20-24
Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 8-16
Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): 2-3

2010 regular season record: Did not compete in league play

OFFENCE

Number of returning starters: 8 (two will sit out the season due to transferring back)

Key returning players:

QB/Receiver Luke Balch returns for his 5th year with the Warriors. Luke is a coach on the field who can play both QB and slot for the Warriors and is a key performer for the Warriors. His versatility and football IQ are well appreciated by the coaching staff, Luke spent the summer playing QB in Poland where he was a league leader statistically and brought his team to within 1 point of winning the league championship.

QB Evan Martin also returns for his 5th year of eligibility for the Warriors. Evan currently sits 3rd all time on the Warrior passing list and will be relied upon to be a sparkplug for the Warrior Offence.

WR Dustin Zender returns to the Warriors after a year of playing at WLU. A masters student, Dustin was a previous league all star, and as a 5th year player, is expected to be a leader amongst a young but talented receiver corps.

OL Austin Partridge is 6’3” 295lbs and will be expected to help anchor a young Warrior offensive line entering the 2011 season. Austin is fortunate to have ineligible OT Matt Vonk who is returning to the Warriors after a year at WLU to share leadership with amongst this unit.

Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):

RB Ryan DiRisio from the powerhouse Burlington Notre Dame high school is a very talented and versatile young man who will be looked upon to be a sparkplug for the Warrior offence.

OL Jesse House from another Golden Horseshoe powerhouse program, Lakeshore Catholic combines a great blend of power, size and agility. An engineering student at Waterloo, Jesse will be competing early for playing time.

DEFENCE

Key returning players:

DL Aaron King is entering his 3rd year of eligibility with the Warriors, and will provide a great blend of run stopping capabilities and a tremendous ability to get up field and rush the QB.

DL Djordje Gavrilovic will be an anchor on the interior of the Warrior d-line. Djordje possesses great size at 6’5” and 275 lbs, is technically sound and an outstanding run defender with an ability to push the pocket from the inside.

OLB Brad Morton is entering his 4th year of eligibility and has the ability to cover backs from backfield and to come up and make plays in the running game.

Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):

LB Brendan Conway is another player from Burlington Notre Dame who is well noted for his sideline to sideline play, his agility and playmaking abilities who is expected to push for playing time.

LB Kyle Wasson is a true Mac backer in a 4-3 defence with tremendous size and power and the ability to step up and make the big hit on a running back.

DL Angus MacLellan is an extremely talented and very tough interior lineman from Traverse City High School in Michigan. Angus has competed at the highest levels of Michigan HS football and possesses the strength and fortitude to control 2 gaps on the dline.

CLICK HERE for a preview of all CIS teams

Incoming recruiting class:

Brian Chris – QB – Guelph transfer / Resurrection (Waterloo, ON) Verbal
Cody Tapsell – DB – Forest Heights / Twin Cities (Kitchener, ON) Verbal
Kyle Wasson – LB – St. Mary’s / Pickering Dolphins / Team Ontario East (Pickering, ON) Verbal
Connor Hitchcock – DB – Sir Allan MacNab / Wentworth Panthers / Team Ontario West (Hamilton, ON) Verbal
Ryan DiRisio – RB – Notre Dame / Burlington Stampeders (Burlington, ON) Verbal
Todd Dow – DB – Central Kings / Team Nova Scotia (Coldbrook, NS) Verbal
Jason Baum – RB – Blessed Trinity / Niagara Spears (Grimsby, ON) Verbal
Evan Hughes – DE – Bear Creek / Huronia Stallions (Thornton, ON) Verbal
Jordan McKenzie – LB – Notre-Dame / Sudbury Gladiators (Sudbury, ON) Verbal
Nicoholas Morrison – DE – Bear Creek (Barrie, ON) Verbal
Palmer Vaughn – DB – Waterloo / Twini Cities (Kitchener, ON) Verbal
Miklos McMaster – REC/DB – St. Paul / Niagara Spears (Niagara Falls, ON) Verbal
Dustin Crowder – DB – Laurentian / Spartans / Bulldogs (Sudbury, ON) Verbal
Taylor Bach – LB/DE – Collingwood (Collingwood, ON) Verbal
Kennedy Voz – DB – Notre-Dame / Sudbury Gladiators (Sudbury, ON) Verbal
CJ Zsoklos – RB – A.B. Lucas / Beefeaters (London, ON) Verbal
Brock Thomson – OL – London South / Falcons (London, ON) Verbal
Anthony Pizzuti – REC – Cardinal Newman / Ironmen (Stoney Creek, ON) Verbal
Terry Jiang – RB – Archbishop O’Neill (Regina, SK) Verbal
Peter Morgan – DB – Bishop MacDonell / Bears (Guelph, ON) Verbal
Joseph Skeete – REC – Grand River / Cambridge Lions (Kitchener, ON) Verbal
Brendan Conway – REC/DB – Notre Dame / Stampeders (Burlington, ON) Verbal
Danny Silvestri – RB – Waterloo / K-W Predators (Waterloo, ON) Verbal
Adam Felinzcak – REC – Cathedral / Hamilton Ironmen (Hamilton, ON) Verbal
Sean Visocchi – OL – Waterdown / Panthers (Waterdown, ON) Verbal
Greg Zaitz – LB – Bishop Tonnos / Panthers (Ancaster, ON) Verbal
Kalle Sutton – RB – Western Technical / Jr. Argos (Toronto) Verbal
Quinn Newman – LB – Highland / Hamilton Ironmen (Dundas, ON) Verbal
Dane Bennison – DB – T.A. Blakelock (Oakville, ON) Verbal
Mike Hayes – REC/K – Sir Allan Macnab / Ironmen (Hamilton, ON) Verbal
Yazeed Sinan – REC/QB – Sir Wilfrid Laurier / Forest City Thunderbirds (London, ON) Verbal
Alexander Rich – LB/LS – Richview / Etobicoke Eagles (Orlando, FL) Verbal
Derek Trager – QB – Miles Macdonell (Winnipeg, MB) Verbal
Tanner James Griffin – REC – Bradford / TNT Express (Bradford, ON) Verbal
Jesse House – OL/DL – Lakeshore (Dunnville, ON) Verbal
Jake Fiorucci – K – St. Paul (Niagara Falls, ON) Verbal
Kyle Aitken – LB – Lockview / Metro Mustangs (Wellington, NS) Verbal
Chad Farquhar – DL – Delta (Hamilton, ON) Verbal
Michael Belbin – REC – Sir Allan Macnabb / Panthers (Stoney Creek, ON) Verbal
Hugh MacLellan – DL – Traverse City (Maple City, MI) Verbal
Ed Sokolowski – QB – St. Aloysius Gonzaga (Mississauga, ON) Verbal
Josh Cuomo – RB – LaSalle (Garson, ON) Verbal
Josh Jamieson – REC – Preston (Cambridge, ON) Verbal
Brandon Moss – REC – Galt (Cambridge, ON) Verbal

CLICK HERE for all CIS teams incoming recruits

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