2023 USports Football

[OV Argo]

Argos 6th round draft pick from last year - LB Ife Onyemenam (Laurier) - named a 1st team OUA all-star.

Lotsa Canadian LBs in the Argo fold for the future ?

[OV Argo]

Final 4 decided: very disappointed the Alberta Bears could not hold a late lead and lose on a last play TD; StFX continue to be the AUS king and I think could give UBC a tough game; Western's ground game still rolls strong without star RB Keon Edwards, to beat Lauirer. Carabins win a real defensive battle vs. Laval who are not the power they once were.

UBC vs. Montreal is my prediction - they met 2 straight times a few years back in the Vanier. Haven't seen UBC this season but the Carabins have a very tough defence and a good dual threat QB.

[ArgoRavi]

Any thoughts on the Vanier Cup today? It certainly won't go down as a classic. This guy really stood out for me though, as I don't believe I have ever seen a bigger lineman in my life: https://carabins.umontreal.ca/footba...lachance-adam/

I always find it interesting that the two offences that make it to the Vanier Cup - and this year was no different - run simplified versions of a CFL offence. I also thought that QB Rooker for UBC (from Texas btw) needed to pull the ball down and run with it a couple of times late in the 4th quarter.

[ArgoRavi]

I haven't read the story, but is this only for Canadian kids, or does it include American kids? I couldn't help but notice that Windsor has 20 Americans (and not just from across the border) on their team, and UBC's QB is from Texas. It seems to have worked for Windsor, and UofT and York may need to start recruiting that way too to stay competitive if high level local kids don't want to go play for them.

Any concerns about this, OV?

[Mocha]

I didn't get to see the game, but read an amazing stat about Montreal: they didn't surrender a single TD in the playoffs, and they played only powerhouses: Laval, Western, UBC. I suspect a lot of players from the Carabins D will be CFLers in the not-too-distant future.

[OV Argo]

Any concerns about this, OV?

Literally hundreds of Canadian kids have been getting to go down to get nice US college ball training for decades now, so why would i be concerned if the Canadian football system including U Sports ball, attracts a few good American players who want to play here plus get University educated ? Do you think Americans are up in arms that 2 Canadian QBs (the Rourke brothers) have been leading the Ohio Bobcats - a Div I team - for something like 8 straight years now ?

When U Sports or other Canadian ball, like Junior, starts following the CFL model of hiring mostly Americans to run their teams and those guys in charge favor their fellow Americans for spots and playing time, especially at select positions, then let me know and I might voice some concerns.

And BTW, for those of us who like defensive football, this was a good Vanier Cup game. I know a lot of people prefer lots of spectacular scoring in the game of football and I do - sometimes - but also love variety in football, including low scoring defensive games (and this game still featured some diverse offence - and although most U Sports offences have copied basic CFL offence now, we still get to see wayyyyyyyy more offensive variety in U Sports ball - much more commitment to the ground game often; and UBC used a tight end / H-back for a number of nice pass receptions in this game). You need to pay a bit more attention perhaps if you think powerhouse teams like Western or Laval or Sask. Huskies just copy CFL offences - they do not, and have way more diversity and imagination, plus often something called a powerful and applied ground attack, that is beyond the grasp of CFL GOB offences nowdays.

IMO, Vanier Cup games have beaten Grey Cup games for solid, entertaining football games for the title, in a good number of years - and I always watch both and have for decades. This year's GC was a more entertaining game IMO, but it was still a good hard fought Vanier; and some of us just prefer Canadian football over the American version, while liking and respecting both games.

[argolio]

Gord Randall really gave it to USports on this week's Gridiron Nation. Fully deserved.