2018 U Sports East West Bowl May 12th

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The U Sports East West Bowl will be played on Saturday May 12th starting at 12:30 ET at the University of Laval. Team meetings on Monday are followed by four days of practice. The rosters are listed at the url below.

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/05/02/u-spor...ast-west-bowl/

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The game features players eligible for next year's CFL draft. Justin Dunk discusses some of those players below.

It appears a strong USports class is on the way. The usual bevvy of offensive linemen are going to be available with Laval’s Samuel Thomassin and Pierre-Karl Lanctot leading the group. Meanwhile Rouge et Or defensive lineman Mathieu Betts ranks above the rest at his position but Laurier’s Robbie Smith has been loosely compared to Kwaku Boateng of the Eskimos as a better, longer athlete. Outside the trenches, there are some intriguing skill position players.

Quarterback Michael O’Connor, however, is the star attraction (we’ll have more on him later.) O’Connor’s No. 1 receiver at UBC Trivel Pinto is a versatile, smooth athlete. Fellow Thunderbird Malcolm Lee, brother of Jamall (2009 first-round, third overall pick by the B.C. Lions as a running back), has size at defensive back as does Ottawa cover man Jamie Harry. 2017 OUA MVP Kurliegh Gittens Jr. is dangerous with the ball in the open field just like Kalem Beaver a Gee-Gees speedster. Laval tight end Alexandre Savard has a similar size to Antony Auclair who is with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers. Plus a group of running backs: Cedric Joseph (Western), Jeshrun Antwi (Calgary), Jamel Lyles (Manitoba) and Levondre Gordon (Laurier) are all worth monitoring.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/08/du...ast-west-bowl/

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Justin Dunk offers more background on Michael O'Connor, who Dunk believes could be the next Canadian QB to have an impact in the CFL. Considering the last half century of CFL history, I still think that's doubtful.

The Ottawa native has prototypical quarterback size: six-foot-five, 225 pounds. O’Connor threw 51 touchdown passes in Grade 10 at Ashbury College, attended Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee and moved on to play at IMG Academy in Florida under the tutelage of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Chris Weinke, leading them to an 8-2 record in 2013 throwing for 1,804 yards and 18 touchdowns in 10 games. He was the No. 6 ranked high school quarterback by ESPN and played in the Under Armour All-American Game, the only Canadian prospect to be invited that year.

Strong play wherever O’Connor suited up earned him a scholarship to Penn State. ...

Despite O’Connor going 11-for-16 for 81 yards in Penn State’s spring game, he redshirted in 2014 and then transferred to the University of British Columbia. Year one with the Thunderbirds saw O’Connor light up defences while leading the team to a National Championship in 2015.
“Good size, tough and stands in there, poised and calm, he can move around in the pocket and create with his feet. He could still improve his arm strength. Draftable quarterback prospect,” a football executive said.
“He’s just as good as some third-string quarterbacks in our league,” a CFL assistant general manager said. ...

2019 is O’Connor’s draft year on both sides of the border, so he has another season to develop at the university level. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon believes O’Connor could play in the NFL.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/09/michael-oconnor/

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Justin Dunk looks at receivers, DBs and OL who stood out in practice for the East West Bowl.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/09/th...ast-west-bowl/

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On the eve of the East West Bowl, Dunk examines the members of the OL and DL.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/10/ta...ast-west-bowl/

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Below Marshall Ferguson looks at two QBs, Chris Merchant and Michael O'Connor, of the 2019 CFL draft class performing at the East West Bowl today.

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/05/12/previe...ast-west-bowl/

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Below is a summary of the East West Bowl, which the West won 15-14 as QB Michael O'Connor, who will attend the Argos TC as an intern, led the West to a TD with 2:12 left.

But the play of the game may have come with 3:31 left to play, when Saskatchewan Huskies defensive back Payton Hall intercepted mid-field Western Mustang quarterback Chris Merchant’s pass to bring it back to the 48-yard line. O’Connor then led the West’s attack, throwing two completions to Colton Hunchak, before handing the ball to Lyles, who ran 18 yards to the end zone, giving the West the lead for the first time in the game at 15-14. The East had two more chances to take the lead, but failed. Defensive linebacker Robbie Smith of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks ended the East’s hopes at Merchant’s expense. ...

The West dominated on offence, racking up 354-103 total yards – 236-93 by air and 159-52 on the ground.
Landers and O’Connor split the job for the West side, with Landers completing 10 of 18 passes for 119 yards, while O’Connor tallied 11 of 17 attempts for 117 yards.

http://3downnation.com/2018/05/12/la...-bowl-victory/

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What is the quality of play at the East West Bowl? The following tweet gives a good indication of the answer.

In the most recent #CFLDraft, 41 of 69 picks were invited to the East-West Bowl in 2017. https://t.co/hEbqSpiq1V

— Drew Edwards (@scratchingpost) May 12, 2018

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Marshall Ferguson looks at which 2019 draft prospects made the biggest impression at the East West Bowl.

https://www.cfl.ca/2018/05/15/prospe...ast-west-bowl/