CIS Roundup

[jerrym]

The top three USports teams all dominated their opponents on the weekend. No. 1 ranked Western beat #7 Laurier 46-13. Outgaining Sherbrooke 560 yards to 4 yards (that's not a mistake), #2 Laval shutout and shutdown Sherbrooke 53-0. In the west, the #3 Calgary Dinos clobbered Regina Rams 58-6.

[jerrym]

Noah Picton finished his USports football career as its all-time leading passer, but missed the final three games due to septic arthritis. Questions remain about how much of a shot he will get in the CFL, but that has been the story of his football life.

Picton was a star coming out of LeBoldus High School in Regina, leading the team to a provincial title in 2012, but NCAA scouts were hesitant to offer a scholarship to the five-foot-nine, 177-pound quarterback because recruiters felt his size limited potential. Even Canadian university programs had questions: not a single USports team actively recruited Picton. For years the Regina native had thrown with former Rams quarterback Marc Mueller which is the connection that led to Picton joining the University of Regina football squad.
After redshirting the 2013 season, Picton took over the starting quarterback role in 2014. He’s started every game for the Rams until Sept. 29 – staying healthy and available through the rigours of a fast-paced university schedule – when he became the USports passing leader in style. ...

After playing against Manitoba Picton’s foot flared up with what was eventually diagnosed as septic arthritis, which led to excruciating pain and even can be lethal in some cases. That kept Picton on the sidelines for the final three games of his university career, finishing with 11,496 yards – only six Canadian university quarterbacks have ever gone over 10,000 passing yards. ...


After a stellar 2017 season, Picton showed he was more athletic than scouts predicted, but it didn’t lead to any CFL team taking him in the 2018 draft. The Toronto Argonauts signed Picton to a free agent deal, bringing him to training camp and Argos head coach Marc Trestman was impressed enough by Picton that he vowed to watch Canada West film from his final season with the Rams. The Argos have kept tabs on Picton which could mean another opportunity as a player or there could be opportunities to coach as Mueller has done with the Calgary Stampeders.
Picton has been doubted in high school, university and there were doubts he would get a look at the pro level (nevermind impress a quarterback guru like Trestman.) But every doubter has been proven wrong so far: Picton was an elite passer in high school and risen to the top of the charts in university.
After yet another season in which he has rewritten the record books again, Picton deserves an opportunity to show what he can do at the pro level.

http://3downnation.com/2018/10/29/no...oubters-wrong/

[jerrym]

Carleton Ravens RB Nathan Carter scored 3 TDs in leading the team to a 30-25 win over McMaster in one quarter-final OUA game.

Guelph Gryphons beat Waterloo Warriors 45-28 as Jonathan Cimankinda, who also had 3 TDs, ran for 228 yards in the other OUA quarterfinal.

Next week Carleton plays Western while Guelph meets Ottawa.

[OV Argo]

Carleton Ravens RB Nathan Carter scored 3 TDs in leading the team to a 30-25 win over McMaster in one quarter-final OUA game.

Guelph Gryphons beat Waterloo Warriors 45-28 as Jonathan Cimankinda, who also had 3 TDs, ran for 228 yards in the other OUA quarterfinal.

Next week Carleton plays Western while Guelph meets Ottawa.

I was hoping Waterloo would go far in the play-offs = nice to see a former weak team rise up to be good; plus wanted a chance to see this Tre Ford kid play QB on TV (the Yates Cup is at least televised in the pathetic state of TV coverage for CIS football). Ford has drawn some rave reviews and put up some outstanding passing AND QB rushing #s this season - sounds like another Chris Flynn type - and maybe he can lead the Warriors on a play-off run next year, and become even more Flynn like.

[gilthethrill]

I was hoping Waterloo would go far in the play-offs = nice to see a former weak team rise up to be good; plus wanted a chance to see this Tre Ford kid play QB on TV (the Yates Cup is at least televised in the pathetic state of TV coverage for CIS football). Ford has drawn some rave reviews and put up some outstanding passing AND QB rushing #s this season - sounds like another Chris Flynn type - and maybe he can lead the Warriors on a play-off run next year, and become even more Flynn like.

I watched the Gueph Waterloo playoff game on OUA tv...Ford looked good (27 td passes to 2 Ints is incredible at any level) as did that diminutive Ternowski. Waterloo just could not shut Guelph down on defense. Depending on how this AAFL does, CFL teams may just have to look closer at CIS qb's...and there appears to be a few credible ones out there now.

[jerrym]

Here's a summary of Usport football playoff action on the weekend:

http://3downnation.com/2018/11/04/us...e-title-games/

[AngeloV]

Here's a summary of Usport football playoff action on the weekend:

http://3downnation.com/2018/11/04/us...e-title-games/

ROUGE ET OR 40 VERT ET OR 0

LAVAL, Que. – Laval had little trouble with Sherbrooke to earn a date in the Quebec final next week. The Rouge et Or finished the season 8-0, while Sherbrooke was 2-6. Laval had 441 yards of net offence, while Sherbooke had just 55.

—

CARABINS 48 REDMEN 2

MONTREAL – Dimitri Morand threw for two touchdowns as Montreal downed McGill in a battle of teams from the same city. Montreal will travel to Laval for next week’s Quebec final.

Ho hum. Why even bother. Same 2 teams destroying their opposition EVERY YEAR.

[argolio]

53-14 Western over Guelph. Check that, 60-14 Western. Garbage time the rest of the way.

Guelph had almost zero passing game, while most of Western's offence came from their passing game or the threat of their passing game. Plus Western looks like a more physical team.

[gilthethrill]

53-14 Western over Guelph. Check that, 60-14 Western. Garbage time the rest of the way.

Guelph had almost zero passing game, while most of Western's offence came from their passing game or the threat of their passing game. Plus Western looks like a more physical team.

I was looking to see if the other 3 playoff games were on tv but I could not find them. More than tired of Western dominating Ontario year in and year out.

[OV Argo]

I was looking to see if the other 3 playoff games were on tv but I could not find them. More than tired of Western dominating Ontario year in and year out.

Laval/Montreal was on TVA Sports (drag - i don't get it in my package); so the Western game on CHCH was all i could watch = pathetic state of respect and coverage for CIS ball.

Western have NOT dominated the OUA "year in year out" or else they would have been Yates Cup Champs every year - year in year out - and Mac & Laurier have won that in the past few years. This Western team (last season and this) IS a real powerhouse though - excellent on offence & defence (and QB Chris Merchant is a real deal IMO - good passer + a real run threat QB).

Huskies pull off a big upset to knock-off the Dinos out West - way to go !!! I believe they draw Western in one National Semi - and it will be a real tough challenge - at home and with bad weather combined = i think they have little chance, but you never know.

I doubt StFx has much hope against Laval either, but they do have a top notch, vet RB in Scholotiuk, so pound the ground game and see what happens.

Both CIS Semis should be televised i believe (but would not surprise me if not = brutal)

[gilthethrill]

Laval/Montreal was on TVA Sports (drag - i don't get it in my package); so the Western game on CHCH was all i could watch = pathetic state of respect and coverage for CIS ball.

Western have NOT dominated the OUA "year in year out" or else they would have been Yates Cup Champs every year - year in year out - and Mac & Laurier have won that in the past few years. This Western team (last season and this) IS a real powerhouse though - excellent on offence & defence (and QB Chris Merchant is a real deal IMO - good passer + a real run threat QB).

Huskies pull off a big upset to knock-off the Dinos out West - way to go !!! I believe they draw Western in one National Semi - and it will be a real tough challenge - at home and with bad weather combined = i think they have little chance, but you never know.

I doubt StFx has much hope against Laval either, but they do have a top notch, vet RB in Scholotiuk, so pound the ground game and see what happens.

Both CIS Semis should be televised i believe (but would not surprise me if not = brutal)

How many games has Western lost in the past 5 years OV? Each season they beat up on teams in the province...they are on a 22 game winning streak...they are dominate OV no matter what you say.

[AngeloV]

How many games has Western lost in the past 5 years OV? Each season they beat up on teams in the province...they are on a 22 game winning streak...they are dominate OV no matter what you say.

They’ve stepped up their recruiting game to keep up with Laval. It really is sad that less than a half dozen teams are the only legitimate Vanier Cup contenders year in and year out.

[OV Argo]

How many games have Alabama lost in the last 5 years or so of US college ball? Do you realize how many US college ball teams there are that have ZERO shot of making it to a National Title game down there. Why don't they just fold all those programs and have Alabama get to compete against a few other teams ? The lowly rated Sask Huskies this season just upset big program Calgary Dinos out West - at least there is that up here.

Sorry - but it's the nature of the beast in college football; so teams build fantastic programs with superior recruiting & coaching. Not "fair" maybe. I guess they could change the rules to just put all players & coach names in a hat and have a pre-season raffle/draw every year ?

Nobody in the CFL could possibly compete with that Esks 5 straight GC dynasty (that shoulda got beat by a 5 & 11 Ottawa team in the 81 game) = boo hoo hoo. Shoulda folded the league back then and just let the Esks take their ball and go home.

[OV Argo]

Laval just dominating StFX today - not a real surprise i guess.

Laval QB Hugo Richard is a real deal talent IMO - poised, accurate passer and mobile and can run for yardage. Maybe the best CIS QB of the past decade or so IMO.

Be interesting to see if it ends up a Vanier rematch with Laval getting another shot at Western; pretty well guarantee that Richard will not have the time to pass nor the wide open receivers against that Western D, that he is seeing today.

[jerrym]

Be interesting to see if it ends up a Vanier rematch with Laval getting another shot at Western; pretty well guarantee that Richard will not have the time to pass nor the wide open receivers against that Western D, that he is seeing today.

Rematch is what we will get as Chris Merchant led Western to a dominating 47-24 victory over the Saskatchewan Huskies, despite suffering a back injury during the game. Both QBs looked good in each passing for over 250 yards, but Western was able to limit the Huskies to one TD in the second half.

[jerrym]

Pat Sheahan, HC of the Queens Gaels, is retiring after 30 years as a USports coach - 11 with Concordia and 19 with Queens. He won the Vanier Cup in 2009, was 2008 National coach of the year, three times OUA coach of the year, and finished fifth in USports history with 165 regular season wins.

[jerrym]

QB Adam Singara of the Calgary Dinos has won the 2018 Hec Crighton award as USports football MOP after throwing for a record 3,233 yards and leading the Dinos to an 8-0 record. Other winners were: DE Mathieu Betts (outstanding lineman for a record third year in a row); WR Tyson Philpot (rookie of the year); LB Fraser Sopick (stand-up defensive player of the year); DB Mackenzie Ferguson (combined excellence in football, academics and citizenship); and Greg Marshall (coach of the year).

[OV Argo]

QB Adam Singara of the Calgary Dinos has won the 2018 Hec Crighton award as USports football MOP after throwing for a record 3,233 yards and leading the Dinos to an 8-0 record. Other winners were: DE Mathieu Betts (outstanding lineman for a record third year in a row); WR Tyson Philpot (rookie of the year); LB Fraser Sopick (stand-up defensive player of the year); DB Mackenzie Ferguson (combined excellence in football, academics and citizenship); and Greg Marshall (coach of the year).

Should be a great Vanier match-up - and 2 of those outstanding D players - Betts & Sopik - will be on display in the game along with 2 (IMO) outstanding QB talents in Richard & Merchant.

Love to see the Argos draft both Betts (amazing DE resume - but supposed to get an NFL look ? - so stay away with a 1st rounder if he does) and Sopik (real nose for ball OLB, but might make a fine CFL safety as well - i believe he will be around mid to late rounds if he cannot run a fast 40 time).

Also like to see the Argos sign either of Merchant (could be drafted) or Richard (available as a FA since he was not picked last draft) - whichever of the 2 they would grade out best and IMO they are similar complete package QBs with poise/smarts, good arm + mobility - and give them a real look in Argo TC QB competition. Unlikely that will happen though.

[jerrym]

Led by QB Hugo Richard, Laval defeated Western 34-20 in the 54th Vanier Cup.

Laval extracted a measure of revenge against the No. 1-ranked Mustangs, who beat the Rouge et Or 39-17 in last year’s national football championship in Hamilton.

This time, in near-ideal November football weather, Richard thrilled the 12,380 hometown fans by completing 23-of-31 pass attempts for 348 yards and two touchdowns. The fifth-year QB also ran for 60 yards and a score.

Laval has won 10 Vanier Cups in the 26-year history of the program. Western was hoping to add an eight title and keep a 23-game undefeated streak alive.

This was the third time Laval and Western have met in the Vanier Cup. The Rouge et Or won the first matchup in 2008.

Western QB Chris Merchant completed 26-of-46 passes for 358 yards and one touchdown but was intercepted three times.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/usports/lav...ier-cup-title/

[jerrym]

After firing HC Greg Knox following an incident involving a game official in October, McMaster has hired Stefan Ptaszek, who turned the Marauders into a national powerhouse that won the Vanier Cup in 2011, as HC. In 2018 he was OC for UBC.