QSSf Preview #4: Concordia Stingers ride youth movement into season

MONTREAL - The Concordia Stingers enter 2010 a vastly different team from the one that finished the 2009 campaign with a 3-5 record.

Coach Gerry McGrath and his staff welcomed 102 players to this year’s training camp which is one of the largest in recent history.  Of the those players, the majority, 52, are rookies, signalling the start of a youth movement for Concordia.

But that youth movement does not mean that the Stingers are rebuilding. Rather it is a testament to the their ability to continually recruit top players to replace those who have graduated or turned pro.

And the depth of the team is something that they will look to take advantage of once the regular season kicks-off against Bishop’s at Coulter Field.

The outstanding recruiting class is holding up well under immense pressure to learn fast. Some of the new players are going to have to step in quickly, especially on offensive line where the Stingers’ lost two starters, and at linebacker where someone has to fill the enormous hole left by Cory Greenwood who joined the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.

At skilled positions, Concordia will reload easily. There are lots of talented veterans at running back and receiver that will help ease the pain of losing slotback Cory Watson (Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and fifth-year running back Cedric Ferdinand.

Normally, a CIS coach would stress over these losses. Yet Stingers gridiron boss Gerry McGrath is confident that the youth movement that his squad is currently undertaking will pay dividends in 2010.

“By the end of the season I expect to have a pretty good football team and I hope we will make the playoffs,” says McGrath. “How well the young linebackers and the offensive linemen play will determine how far we go. If those young players gel, we’ll be pretty good.”

Returning to the defence are standout safety Nicholas Arsenault-Hum (Delson, Que.) who looks to return to his 2008 all-star form after an injury-plagued 2009 season, halfback Kyle Smith (Châteauguay, Que.) who recorded 35 solo tackles, six assists and one interception a year ago, as well as fourth year defensive tackle Maurice Forbes.

The Stingers will turn to recruits in an attempt to fill in the void left by the departure of Greenwood at linebacker. Max Caron (Kingston, Ont.) will inevitably draw some comparisons to Greenwood as both hail from Kingston, Ont. and have a similar physical stature. Last season, Caron collected 30 solo tackles with the Okanagan Sun of the CJFL. Another key recruit in the secondary is outside linebacker Travis Bent (Pickering, Ont.) who is pegged as the top linebacking recruit coming out of Canadian high school football.
“We’re pretty big, talented and deep at D-line, especially with Maurice Forbes back. The defensive secondary is solid. At linebacker we have to replace a player of NFL calibre, but with the hiring of new defensive coordinator Phil Roberts, things are going to be a little different defensively. I think it will be simpler for the players,” states McGrath.

On offence, all-star quarterback Rob Mackay returns to the fold to guide the Stingers and there are lots of talented veterans at running back and receiver that will ease the pain of losing slotback Cory Watson to the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Mackay is looking to pick up where he left off in 2009 when he was named as a QUFL all-star at quarterback. The fifth year pivot out of Port Dover, Ont. passed for 2739 yards and 18 majors leading the conference in touchdown tosses, passing yards, completions, attempts and yards per game wth 342.4.

“We will be relying on our skilled players on offence. With Rob Mackay back at quarterback we expect to throw the ball very well. I hope to balance it out by running a little more this year.”

Also joining the Stingers offence is former Montreal Alouettes stand-out Bryan Chiu who was recently named offensive line coach and assistant offensive coordinator.

The expectations are high for the young players, especially with eight junior players from western Canada joining the squad. So the 2010 Stingers will be competitive. But how far they go depends on how fast the newcomers can step up and transition to the university game.

2009 in review:
Regular season record: 3-5
Regular season standings: 4th
Playoff record: 0-1
Playoff result: Lost 63-1 to Laval in QUFL semifinal

Coaching record – Gerry McGrath
Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2010): 11
Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2010): 11
Career regular season record with team: 49-31
Career regular season record in CIS: 54-40
Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 54-40

OFFENCE

Offensive coordinator: Gerry McGrath

Key returning players: QB Rob Mackay (Port Dover, Ont.), SB Liam Mahoney (Lachine, Que.), OT Anthony Barrette (Verdun, Que.)

Key recruits/transfers: QB Tyler Pritty (Markham, Ont. – Markham District High School), RB/Returner Raul Thompson (Mississauga, Ont. – Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School/Mississauga Warriors OVFL), SB Michael Harrington (LaSalle, Que. – Vanier College)

Key departures: OG Kristian Matte (St. Hubert, Que.), SB Cory Watson (Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Que.), RB Cedric Ferdinand (Ottawa, Ont.)

DEFENCE

Defensive coordinator: Phil Roberts

Key returning players: S Nicholas Arsenault-Hum (Delson, Que.), HB Kyle Smith (Châteauguay, Que.), DT Maurice Forbes (Toronto)

Key recruits/transfers: LB Travis Bent (Pickering, Ont. -  Pickering High School), DB Paul Spencer (Kelowna, BC - Okanagan Sun), LB Max Caron (Kingston, Ont. - Okanagan Sun/Frontenac High School)
Key departures: MLB Cory Greenwood (Kingston, Ont.), DB Mark Deslauriers (Pierrefonds, Que.)

Source:

QSSF Sports Info