By Dave Waddell,
Windsor Star
The University of Windsor Lancers team opened football training camp Monday optimistic about the future, but with some motivation from the past.
Having enjoyed their best season in decades last fall, coach Mike Morencie’s charges are keen to build on that momentum.
“It was a nice season, but that (playoff) loss to Western has left a sour taste in our mouth,” said Morencie, who guided his club to a 6-2 mark. “We have to build on what we accomplished, like beating Laurier for the first time in years and being ranked. We have to erase that Western game.”
The Lancers have 16 of 24 starters returning.
Among the key returnees on offence are Hec Crighton-winning running back Daryl Stephenson, quarterback Dan Lumley, receiver Glenn MacKay and linemen Matt Morencie and Anthony Rimac.
On the defensive side of the ball, among the key returnees are lineman Kyle Sleightholm, linebacker John Celstino and defensive backs Colin Dixon, Marc Leduc and Oliver Clovis.
“The biggest question for us is can we put an offensive line together” said Morencie, who listed Ottawa as the OUA’s overwhelming pre-season favourite. “On the perimeter, with Stephenson, Lumley and MacKay, we’re very solid.
“But we need to develop an offensive line that can get the job done. That’s going to be the key to this team.”
With lineman Nick Cicchini returning and Steve Platz expected to assume a starter’s role, Morencie is expecting to get a positive answer to his team’s biggest question mark.
The Lancers are also looking for a blocking fullback to help open holes for Stephenson with last year’s starter Nick Romain not returning.
“Basically, we’re looking for three blockers (two lineman and fullback) because they’re all interconnected,” Morencie said.
Certainly, Lumley should have more options and fewer question marks in the aerial game this season.
With MacKay and Stephenson already providing two dependable weapons, the Lancers expect rookies Mike Alfonso (Vanier College) and Ryan Thompson (Pickering) to expand the receiving arsenal.
“Alfonso is a good one who’ll give us an inside option to relieve the pressure on MacKay,” Morencie said. “Thompson is a tall, skinny kid with decent speed who can be a zone stretcher.”
The Lancers are also hoping rookie lineman Jordan McKague (Riverside) and running back Paul Lefaive (Markam Brother Andre) will be ready to chip in.
Morencie expects his defence to be solid, especially the Lancers’ secondary.
“Defensive back is going to be the strength of this team,” Morencie said. “I see some great players as the eighth or ninth defensive backs.”
Being able to cover receivers will be vital for a defensive line that lacks depth.
The Lancers like their starting group of linemen, but Morencie fears the injury bug.
“We have poor depth at defensive line,” he said. “The first group is very solid, but we have to develop some guys to plug in.”
With 24 linebackers in camp, Morencie will have plenty of options and is confident his staff’s challenge will be mostly sorting through the numbers to find the best options.
Those options may soon include rookie linebackers Travis Sartori (Riverside) and St. Francis Xavier’s Jahmal Rickman, who was named the defensive MVP in Mississauga’s win over the Essex Ravens in Saturday’s OVFL championship game.
The talent pool at defensive back is also deepened by the addition of Toronto Northern’s Mitchell Atkinson, who showed impressive strength and speed in pre-camp testing.
“We’ve lost some significant kids, but that’s an opportunity for someone else to fill the void,” Morencie said.
“How we fill those voids will determine the success of this team.”
