August 28, 2018
by

RSEQ Football Team Previews

Concordia Stingers

  • 2017 regular season record: 3-4
  • 2017 regular season standings: 3rd in RSEQ
  • 2017 playoff record: 0-1
  • 2017 playoff finish: Lost 42-20 to MontrΓ©al in conference semifinal

General Write-Up:

It was a tumultuous offseason for the Concordia Stingers football program, but the team has weathered the storm and emerged stronger under the leadership of new head coach Brad Collinson.

β€œThere were so many changes, but the players stuck together,” said Collinson, who was an offensive lineman and team captain with the Stingers from 2000 to 2002. β€œI thought the situation would be worse when I arrived in June, but what the team went through made it stronger.”

On offence, 10 of 12 starters return including a veteran offensive line.

β€œGames are won in the trenches, so returning all five starters on the line is good,” Collinson said. β€œThey are big, and they will have to impose their size on our opponents.”

Second-year man Adam Vance will take over the starting quarterback duties. There’s a lot of experience in the receiving corps for him to work with. At running back, the starting job is up for grabs, but several people have shown they are ready to step into the role.

On defence there’s also 10 starters back, but there’s been a lot of changes too.

β€œOn defence there’s a new staff and a new approach,” said Collinson. β€œThere’s a big learning curve there. Fortunately, we have a veteran group to assimilate it.”

On special teams, third-year kicker Andrew Stevens adds the punting duties to his responsibilities.

β€œAndrew is talented and has a big leg,” said Collinson. β€œIt’s his time to take on both duties.”

Quote from head coach: Brad Collinson

β€œI feel we have a veteran team. We need to compete every day and get better every day. We play in a tough, competitive conference. We need to be prepared week in and week out.”

Head Coach: Brad Collinson

  • Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2018): 1
  • Number of seasons as head coach in U SPORTS (including 2018): 1
  • Career regular season record with team: 0-0
  • Career regular season record in U SPORTS: 0-0
  • Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 0-0
  • Career overall record in U SPORTS (reg. season & playoffs only): 0-0

 

Laval Rouge et Or

  • 2017 regular season record: 7-1
  • 2017 regular season standings: 1st in RSEQ
  • 2017 playoff record: 3-1
  • 2017 playoff finish: Lost 39-17 to Western in Vanier Cup Final
LAV_Preview_(Mathieu_Belanger).jpg (165 KB)

(Credit:Β Mathieu BΓ©anger)

General write-up:

Defeated in the Vanier Cup for only the second time in its history last November, the Rouge et Or will be looking to reach the championship match again this year, especially as it will be held on home ground at TELUS-UniversitΓ© Laval stadium. Should Laval win the Vanier Cup this year, it would be the 10th time in its history, and a U SPORTS football record.

The goal remains the same every year, but there are several milestones to reach before the season’s big show. The Rouge et Or will first have to dominate the RSEQ before thinking of the Vanier Cup. But the team is mature and can count on several veterans, including four fifth-year players on offense, an unusual situation at Laval.

On the defensive lineup, only one starter left the program last year, allowing the unit led by Marc Fortier to put in place a system that is more advanced. Things are thus looking good for the Rouge et Or, which is starting its year with 81 players on the squad.

Quote from head coach: Glen Constantin

β€œWe talk very little about the 2017 Vanier Cup game. But what we have talked about is never letting that feeling we had after the loss go to waste. When the going gets tough, it’s important to remember why we’re making all these efforts, all these sacrifices. We use the memory of that game as fuel and motivation rather than letting it make us bitter.”

It’s an incredible experience in amateur sport to play a championship game in front of your fans. It’s always something special. We’re going to use the possibility of playing the Vanier Cup game in front of our fans as a motivation, not as extra pressure.”

Head coach: Glen Constantin

  • Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2018): 18
  • Number of seasons as head coach in U SPORTS (including 2018): 18
  • Career regular season record with team: 119-20
  • Career regular season record in U SPORTS: 119-20
  • Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only):165-31
  • Career overall record in U SPORTS (reg. season & playoffs only): 165-31

 

Montreal Carabins

  • 2017 regular season record: 6-1
  • 2017 regular season standings: 2nd in RSEQ
  • 2017 playoff record: 1-1
  • 2017 playoff finish: Lost 25-22 to Laval in conference final

MTL_Preview.JPG (1.03 MB)

General Write-Up:

The UniversitΓ© de MontrΓ©al Carabins’ 2017 season had its share of highs and lows. The great 6-1 record was certainly good news for Blues fans, but the heartbreaking loss of Danny Maciocia’s squad in the Dunsmore Cup provincial final left a feeling of unfinished business.

Fully determined, Carabins players and coaches began their winter preparation with one goal in mind: a return to the prestigious Vanier Cup final. In an effort to achieve this, Maciocia can count on the return of several impact veterans combined with the arrival of rookies who have had standout seasons at the college level.

Without a doubt, the team’s depth will still be a strength of the organization this year. Players will have to fight week by week to win their playing time and the entire team will benefit. The addition of experienced coaches such as Jason Hogan, Olivier FrΓ©chette Lemire and Gladymir Charmant also solidifies an already strong group.

Quote from head coach: Danny Maciocia

β€œWe have a great team available. Guys who want to work hard and understand how to do their part. I expect big things from our student-athletes, because once again, the competition will be very strong in the RSEQ.”

Head coach: Danny Maciocia

  • Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2018): 8
  • Number of seasons as head coach in U SPORTS (including 2018): 8
  • Career regular season record with team: 45-12
  • Career regular season record in U SPORTS: 45-12
  • Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 56-18
  • Career overall record in U SPORTS (reg. season & playoffs only): 56-18

 

Sherbrooke Vert & Or

  • 2017 regular season record: 2-6
  • 2017 regular season standing: 4th in RSEQ
  • 2017 playoff record: 0-1
  • 2017 playoff finish: Lost 45-0 to Laval in conference semifinals

SHE_Preview.jpg (571 KB)

General Write-Up

New players have been added following major changes to Vert & Or’s lineup at the end of its 2016 season, with over 30 departures and intensive recruitment. Over two thirds of Mathieu Lecompte’s training camp this year consisted of new players and young players with only one year of university football experience.

This fall, Rémi Giguère will coordinate offence and serve as offensive line coach.

The Vert & Or expect that some starter positions will be assigned at the start of the season to young veterans, as well as to a few key offensive and defensive rookies who Lecompte brought in from Sherbrooke.

Quote from Head Coach: Mathieu Lecompte:

β€œThis program has generated huge progress in one year, for an outstanding fit with our existing staff. We are forming a dedicated and extremely close-knit team sporting Sherbrooke’s green and gold. Most of our players are new recruits and second-year players, resulting in tremendous renewal, as well as many exciting challenges for all. That’s why talent scouting has become so critical early in the season. We focus on relentless effort and teamwork driven by shared goals. We all know coaches and players make mistakes, but we have to trust each other, building on our respect for shared values and forging ahead throughout the season. Many of our rookies did winter training, learned a lot and understand how we work. There will be battles for many positions on both sides of the ball.”

Head Coach: Β Mathieu Lecompte

  • Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2018): 2
  • Number of seasons as head coach in U SPORTS (including 2018): 2
  • Career regular season record with team: 2-6
  • Career regular season record in U SPORTS: 2-6
  • Career overall record with team (regular season and playoff): 2-7
  • Career overall record in U SPORTS (regular season and playoffs only): 2-7

 

McGill Redmen

  • 2017 regular season record: 1-7
  • 2017 regular season standings: 5th in RSEQ
  • 2017 playoff record: 0-0
  • 2017 playoff finish: did not qualify

MCG_Preview.jpg (242 KB)

General Write-Up:

There is light at the end of the tunnel for the McGill University Redmen as they embark upon their 118th season of football after a 1-7 last-place finish in 2017. Head coach Ronald Hilaire returns for his fifth season at the helm and has a 91-man roster – the team’s largest in history – one that features 37 freshmen, 16 sophomores, 30 juniors and eight seniors. The Redmen a young team but most of the returnees have had significant playing experience at this level. The team has been ravaged by injuries over their last two seasons, which has caused personnel to play out of their normal position, especially on the offensive line.

Four of the five teams in the RSEQ conference will qualify for post-season play, with perennial powerhouses Laval and Montreal being the favourites to finish atop the standings. The schedule features a home-and-home against each of the four other teams, so McGill’s playoff hopes are primarily a factor of how they do in their four games against Concordia and Sherbrooke. Should the Redmen win three of those four contests, or sweep one of those two teams, that would virtually assure a playoff berth for the first time since 2016 and the second time since 2012.

The biggest question mark for McGill will be at quarterback in the absence of injured starter Frederic Paquette-Perrault. Until he returns, sophomores Dimitrios Sinodinos (55/107, 884 yds, 4 TD, 5 INT) and Jacob Samuels will battle for the starting role. An array of receivers is led by junior Jeremy Sauvageau, who was a second-team all-Canadian as a sophomore, and senior slotback Remi Bertellin, who is back healthy after two injury-plagued seasons.

At running back, the Redmen will be led by the one-two punch of speedy junior Donovan Martel and sophomore Daniel Adesegun, who merited the conference’s offensive rookie-of-the-year award last year. Kicker Findlay Brown, a junior, will handle all the punting and place-kicking duties.

The offensive line will be young but much improved as six freshmen are pegged to dress, three of them as starters, including centre Alexandre Marcoux (6-3, 275), sandwiched between left guard Xavier Houle (6-4, 275) and right guard Louis-David Deschenes (6-2, 275). Veteran starters include left tackle Ludovic Morin (6-3, 297), right tackle Yordan Radev (6-3, 327) and tight ends Andrew Biddell (6-7, 233) and Joel Houle (6-3, 230).

The defensive line will be anchored by all-conference tackle Andrew Seinet-Spaulding. Other key returnees include sophomore Xavier Bilodeau (6-1, 217, 19 tackles, 2 QB sacks) and senior Simon Aubin-Lavoie (6-2, 239, 15 tackles, 1.5 QB sacks) are slotted to start at rush end, while freshman Philip-Joseph Schrembre (6-0, 295) is expected to start at nosetackle.

The linebacking corps is spearheaded by senior Dane Wagner – who led the team with 41 tackles and had one interception last year – on the weak side and junior Antoine Mongeau (24 tackles) on the strong side, with junior Alexandre Pare (29.5 tackles, 1 QB sack) in the middle.

The secondary features lots of depth, led by a pair of juniors, namely safety Jean-Philippe Hudon and halfback Vincent Dethier, along with sophomore halfback Benjamin Carre (23.5 tackles, 1 INT). The corners will be held down by a pair of sophomores, Christopher Mbiya (9 tackles) on the strong side and Guillaume Beland (17.5 tackles, 1 INT) on the weak side.

Quote from head coach:

β€œWe’ve struggled for field position over the last two years and turnovers have been a big factor,” says Ronald Hilaire, entering his fifth season as head coach and defensive coordinator. β€œIf we want to be successful this season, we need to execute well at all three facets of the game, on offence defence and special teams. Our defence needs to create more turnovers in order for the offence to have more opportunities. On the offensive side, we need to be more protective of the ball and reduce the turnovers.”

Head Coach: Ronald Hilaire

  • – Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2018): 5th
  • – Number of seasons as head coach in U SPORTS (including 2018): 5th
  • – Career regular season record with team: 3-25
  • – Career regular season record in U SPORTS: 3-25
  • – Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 3-26
  • – Career overall record in U SPORTS (reg. season & playoffs only): 3-26

 

Source: usports.ca

Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.

Tags: ,

More in U Sports

 

Comments are closed.