Mike Hogan
CFL.ca
It doesn’t matter which sport you’re talking about, the refrain is similar.
“The only reason that kid is on the team is because his father is the coach”.
Those words are usually uttered by parents who think their kid should be on the power play, or should be the starting catcher, or the point guard on the high-school hoops team. Even though there was a father/son coaching situation at the University of Windsor that phrase wasn’t heard very often. The reason? The kid is an outstanding football player.
Mike Morencie just completed his eleventh season as the head coach of the Lancers and has helped turn around a program that was at one point one of the worst in the country. Among others, he’s seen Arjei Franklin develop into a starting receiver with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Daryl Stephenson, who broke the all-time CIS rushing title last year, sign with the Bombers. Despite these successes, Morencie’s biggest CFL interest may be in someone who has yet to be drafted – his son Matt.
“Because he is only 21 years old, he has a lot of room for development both in his physical development and mental maturity with regard to the game,” said Morencie of his son. “He will be a player that can fill a lot of roles on a CFL team on offence, special teams and even defence if asked.”
Matt is currently listed as the third-best CIS prospect for the May 2nd CFL draft. He’s an interesting physical study because he’s not your prototypical O-lineman. He did move back to play tackle this year, but also played some linebacker and tight-end in certain formations. If that’s not impressive enough consider that he played his third season with the Lancers as a 280 pound slotback.
Listed at 6’2″, 267 pounds, Morencie focused at the OT position, although that will probably not be where he’ll be looked at by CFL executives. He’ll likely have to prepare for a move to the inside, either guard or centre, but his athleticism and work ethic should help him adapt to any change. That’s certainly opinion of his coach, sounding a lot like a proud papa with these words to CFL.ca
“His athleticism is his greatest attribute. He runs very well and has great agility for a big man and possesses great strength,” added the elder Morencie.
The numbers would back up the coach’s words. Matt ran his 40 yard dash in 4.92 seconds, good for a man that size. He also showed off his strength in the bench press. At the E-Camp each player is asked to bench press 225 pounds. Morencie did it 22 times, just one shy of the best number posted on the weekend.
“I am passionate about the game and excited about the possibility of playing at the CFL level,” says Morencie. “Someone will be getting a player who is intensely committed to the game and interested in making himself the most proficient player possible.”
Those numbers and a look at Morencie’s agility and game film will have CFL teams drooling just a bit. While there’s no such thing as a “sure thing” in any draft in any sport there is one thing for certain in the CFL – if you don’t have good Canadian talent on your team you won’t win. The best way of securing young CFL talent is at the draft. Just ask the Calgary Stampeders.
Last year the Stamps had the second and third picks in the draft. In order, they selected a pair of offensive linemen, Dimitri Tsoumpas and Jesse Newman. Both players started for Calgary and ended up helping the Stamps win their first Grey Cup since 2001.
It’s impossible to know whether or not the result would have been the same for the Stamps had they not drafted Tsoumpas and Newman, but the fact is they did and both rookies contributed to the championship season.
Needless to say another team will be hoping history will repeat itself when they call Matt Morencie’s name on draft day.
Mike Hogan is the Voice of the Argonauts on THE FAN 590 in Toronto and has been the Voice of the Vanier Cup for more than a decade. He is also a member of the CIS Football Top-10 Committee.
