2008 TORONTO FOOTBALL PREVIEW

2007 Regular Season Record: 0-8
2007 Regular Season Standings: 10
2007 Playoff Record: No Playoffs

OVERVIEW

Some significant changes took place this off-season as 12-year CFL veteran and former head coach of the Queen’s Golden Gaels, Bob Howes, was hired as the team’s Director of Football, and Calgary native and former St. Francis Xavier X-Men receiver, Greg DeLaval, accepted the position of head coach for this year’s campaign.

Both Howes and DeLaval have extensive coaching experience in the CIS. Both have been with the Blues before, and are committed to improving the football program at one of the most storied football institutions in North America. They are surrounded by a solid core of veterans, some of which they recruited more then five years ago, and a talented mix of first-year players that are eager to dawn the tradition that is the Blue and White.

This season, defence will be key for the Blues. Leading the team on that side of the ball is 2007 OUA All-Star Derek Batchelor. The third-year half back from Mississauga, ON led the team in tackles (54.5) and was third in the OUA. Scott Smith (Toronto, ON), second to Batchelor in total tackles and fifth in OUA, will key the Blues linebacking corps for the third year in a row. The Varsity Blues 2007 rookie of the year Willie Sharpe (Renfrew, ON) and veteran defensive back Kyle Kennedy will also be instrumental in slowing the opponent’s aerial attack.

Offensively, veteran quarterback David Hamilton (Mississauga, Ont.) and third-year pivot Andrew Gillis (Markham, Ont.) will be counted on to guide the Blues attack this season. Suffering through an injury-plagued season, Hamilton still led the team in passing, effectively throwing for 811 yards. Gillis started at quarterback for five games last season, accumulating 688 passing yards and 145 rushing yards.

HEAD COACH -- GREG DELAVAL

- Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2008): 0
- Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2008): 0
- Career regular season record with team: N/A
- Career regular season record in CIS: N/A
- Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): N/A
- Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): N/A

QUOTES:

On being prepared: "Our staff is focused on improving the team technically and mentally at this point so they can compete. The team’s success will be dictated by the level of focus and effort the players bring to practice everyday."

OFFENCE

Key Returning Players:

QB David Hamilton (Mississauga, ON) returns for a fifth season. Suffered through an injury-plagued season yet still led the team in passing with 811 yards.

Receiver/running back/punter, Mark Stinson (Calgary, AB) returns for fifth season. His production and versatility were rewarded when invited to attend the 2008 CFL Evaluation Camp.

QB Andrew Gillis (Markham, ON) started five games last season for the injured Hamilton. Amassed 688 yards in the air as well as 145 on the ground -- very versatile football player.

REC Cory Kennedy (Ottawa, ON) was second on the team with 376 receiving yards and averaged just less than 12 yards per catch.

Key Recruits:

REC Earl Johnson (Baltimore, MD) last played at Morgan State and was the special teams player of the year in 2006. Should be a nice addition and solid receiving option for Hamilton.

RB Jonathan Wright (Belleville, ON) was Centennial SS athlete of the year in this senior season. He will look to fill the void left by Blues leading rusher Kris Newman.

Key Losses:

RB Kris Newman



DEFENCE

Key Returning Players:

HB Derek Batchelor (Mississauga, ON) is back for a third year. 2007 OUA All-Star as a rush/cover on special teams as well as in the defensive half back position. Led the Blues in tackles and was third in the OUA (54.5) and was the Johnny Copp award winner as team’s MVP.

DB Matt D’Souza (Pickering, ON) is in his fourth year with the Blues. A 2007-08 East West All-Star, D’Souza was primarily used as a punt/kick returner. The 2007 OUA All-Star will now be asked to fill one of the vacant defensive back positions.

Third-year linebacker Scott Smith (Richmond Hill, ON) was second to Batchelor and fifth in the OUA with 50.5 total tackles. Will be asked to play a bigger leadership role this season.

Key Recruits:

DL Lincoln Bryan (Toronto, ON) is a former Central Technical Institute football most rookie of the year as well the team’s captain in his senior year. The 6-foot-2, 320 pound lineman is back in Toronto after spending a year at the Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia.

FS Matt Morris (Toronto, ON) is a former high school stand out at Cedarbrae Collegiate. The 2003 Metro Bowl MVP and former Toronto Sun all-star is back in Toronto after spending some time at Colgate College in New York and Saginaw Valley in Michigan.

K Andrew Lomasney (Toronto, ON) will look to replace departing senior kicker Joe Valtellini. The North Toronto product was the three-year football MVP, while participating in soccer and rugby and earned the junior and senior athlete of the year

Key Losses:

DL Michael Goncalves
DB George Polyzois
DB Mike Tutty



2008 Schedule

Sept. 1 - Waterloo @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 - Toronto @ Windsor, 1 p.m.
Sept. 13 - York @ Toronto, 1 p.m.
Sept. 20 - Queen's @ Toronto, 1 p.m.
Sept. 27 - Toronto @ Guelph, 1 p.m.
Oct. 3 - Toronto @ McMaster, 7 p.m.
Oct. 9 - Western @ Toronto, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 - Toronto @ Ottawa, 1 p.m.

Source: Toronto Athletics

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