SPORTSCASTER MIKE HOGAN JOINS OUA.ca

Mike Hogan joins Ontario University Athletics for full in depth football coverage for the 2010 season.  

Hogan, a Kingston, Ont. native, began his coverage of OUA football as the play-by-play voice for CHCH for four seasons between 1998 and 2001 and was also the radio play-by-play for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks.  He got a taste at CIS sport calling his first Vanier Cup in 1994.

Currently the play-by-play voice for the Toronto Argonauts on The Fan 590, he also hosts a weekly one hour show called Inside the Argos.   

Hogan kicks off the 2010 season with a look at each individual team as they suit up for the first week of league play that begins tomorrow, August 31, when the Ottawa Gee-Gees visit the Windsor Lancers, and Queen’s Gaels face the McMaster Marauders.   

He will continue to offer his view all season long on OUA.ca. Keep checking back until this year’s Yates Cup champion is named.   

For Hogan's full 2010 football season preview, be sure to download the newest edition of OUA Uncovered that comes out Tuesday, August 31.

2010 OUA Preview – A tough act to follow.

GUELPH GRYPHONS  

The Kyle Walters era ended when the head coach accepted a job with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Coincidentally his departure coincided with the graduation of Justin Dunk, perhaps the OUA’s most athletic quarterback. New boss Stu Lang has five Grey Cup rings and a familiarity with the Gryphons as he was their receivers coach last year. 

If you excuse the pun there’s no slam dunk replacement at QB. Chris Rossetti has the inside track. The best news is that Nick FitzGibbon is back. He may not get the publicity of some of his peers but coaches around the league know how tough he is to bring down. He’s also has a good set of hands and can be very dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield.  

It’s an interesting team because there are several strengths, but seemingly as many question marks. Obviously a lot depends on the progression of the quarterback. 

LAURIER GOLDEN HAWKS 

It’s been the same story at Laurier since 2005. Since winning the Vanier Cup that season the Hawks have been perennial contenders but have not been able to win another title. Entering his eighth season as head coach Gary Jeffries said in a release to Laurier boosters “We are young but talented”. His assessment seems to be accurate. 

Luke Thompson and Evan Pawliuk are both back to compete for the #1 QB job and will have some competition this year from south of the border. Shane Kelly is a 6’4” transfer from Columbia who will push the two vets in camp. Whoever wins the job will have to deal with a new look offensive line in front of him as four of last year’s starters have graduated.  

A combination of returning talent and some exceptionally deep recruiting years makes the Hawks the pre-season favourite in most people’s eyes to win the Yates Cup.

MCMASTER MARAUDERS 

Talented veterans can be found at every position for the Marauders. 

This is likely Mac’s best chance to win the Yates Cup in a handful of years. It should come as no surprise if they do. Stefan Ptaszek’s team is incredibly talented and has RBs Jordan Kozina and Joey Nemet back to anchor the offence. They’ll run behind an offensive line that features returnees Matt Sewell and Justin Glover. The “hoggies” at Mac are very good and it’s a deep group. 

The Marauders have the toughest early schedule in the conference as they open against Queen’s before playing Laurier and Western. Even if the worst possible result happens and the club opens 0-3 they will be heard from before the end of the season, of that you can be sure.

It’s a new look organization starting at the top. Jean-Phillipe Asselin was named head coach, which surprised many. Asselin finished up his playing days after the ’06 season then joined the Gee Gees staff. He takes over from Denis Piche. 

With the departure of Brannagan and Faulds from the OUA the circuit’s most intriguing QB is now Brad Sinopoli. He’s got a great arm, tremendous pocket presence and can also beat you with his feet as he had well over 600 rushing yards in ’09. He also has the luxury of playing behind a talented, veteran group on the o-line led by Philippe David and Patrick D’Amico. Last year Sinopoli had three major targets and all three are back for their fifth season. Steven Hughes, second team All Canadian Cyril Adjeitey and Matthew Bolduc will give opposition secondaries nightmares. 

The talent is good but the main question is how will Asselin progress in his rookie season? He knows the program inside and out and has a wealth of talent to help him in his transition. This is a very, very dangerous football team.

QUEEN’S GAELS 

It’s a tough act to follow. The Gaels had a dream season in ’09 culminating with a dramatic come-from-behind win in Quebec City. This season will be much different because the man who orchestrated the offence is now with the Toronto Argonauts. Brannagan’s replacement will be Justin Chapdelaine. 

The obvious question to be answered is how the club progresses with a new pivot. Brannagan’s departure can’t be overemphasized here. He was the second all-time passer in CIS history and was the Vanier Cup MVP. His calmness in the pocket was contagious as the Tricolour never panicked no matter how many points they were down or whenever the momentum seemed to be escaping them. Head coach Pat Sheahan is comfortable giving the nod to Chapdelaine. He was very highly recruited and will be very closely scrutinized in the early going. He didn’t get a ton of game reps last season, throwing just 25 passes.  

Do not judge this Queen’s team early as it is in a major re-tooling phase. As the playoffs approach this team should be nicely rounding into shape for a substantial post-season run.

The U-of-T football program went from Vanier Cup champions to punch line in record time. A funny thing is happening with the Blues now though, they’re getting better. Varsity may have had its best recruiting season in years and have a number of returning players who will attempt to make head coach Greg DeLaval’s job easier. 

Andrew Gillis is the starting quarterback. He had a decent amount of game time a year ago so there should be no “deer in the headlights” transition period. Gillis finished as the Blues leading rusher last year. The ultra-speedy Walter Cariazo should get the start at RB. He had the second fastest 40 time at the East/West Bowl testing. Jonathan Wright and Michael Prempeh are expected to be Gillis’ key targets at receiver. 

The Blues shouldn’t be looking to the Yates Cup, or even a playoff berth this season. That said, some much needed groundwork is being laid for a major reclamation project.

WESTERN MUSTANGS 

It must have been an incredibly long off season in London. Western was on the short end of the 43-39 Yates Cup final, one of the most exciting championship games in recent memory. The players and coaching staff had that disappointment to motivate them in preparation for this year. The problem is when they hit the field they won’t have the familiar #3 leading the offence. 

Donnie Marshall can’t buy a break. Look at the list of people the new ‘Stangs quarterback has to live up to. His dad Greg, the current head coach, won the Hec Crighton Award as the country’s top player in 1980. Donnie’s uncle Blake won the same award six years later. Now he gets to make a name for himself as the starter and all he has to do is follow the leading passer in CIS history.  

Don’t let the loss of Faulds fool you. This team is good…really good. A trip back to the Yates final is certainly not out of the question.

It was a disappointing season for the Lancers and the big question is how much better they are than they were a year ago? While they do have a big group of 16 returning players they are without their top player of 2009, OL Matt Morencie, who won the Metras Award before moving on to the Hamilton Tiger Cats. 

Matt’s father Mike is back for another year as head coach and has to be happy with the depth he has at RB. Both Paul Lefaive and Derek Hymers are back for another season as is QB Sam Malian. Cory Fernandes and Jordan Brescacin were the top two receivers for the Lancers a year ago and both are back for another year. The o-line is anchored now by Chris Cowan and Nick Cicchini with the departure of Morencie. 

Windsor may not have the talent or depth as the top dogs in the OUA this year, but if any team takes them lightly they may be in for a surprise.

Another year, another head coach for the Lions. Warren Craney is now the man on the hot seat after seven years at Concordia as their defensive coordinator. The man he’s entrusting the offence to is newly appointed co-ordinator Michael Faulds, fresh off his historic career at Western. To put it bluntly they have a lot of work to do. Last year the Lions were 0-8 and the average score was 52-12.

It’s another new regime at York and there will be definite growing pains. This could be another long season for a team that hasn’t won a game since 2007.

– OUA –
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