CFL.ca Staff
EDMONTON — In 2009 the University of Alberta Golden Bears went 4-4 in regular season play, and for the first time in three seasons, advanced to the Canada West playoffs. It was a short-lived visit however, as Alberta was mauled by their provincial rivals, the University of Calgary Dinos.
Heading into the 2010 season the Golden Bears, under ten-year head coach Jerry Friesen, will be looking to improve upon that conference mark, and once again head to the post-season. The Bears return 41 players from 2009, including 21 on offence, and 22 starters. Last season Alberta led Canada West in sacks, fewest sacks against, and punting and field goals, although the offence, ranked 5th last season, and defence, ranked 4th, will need to be improved for playoff success.
The 2010 season marks the 100th anniversary of Golden Bears football at the U of A, with the September 18th match-up at Foote Field against the Saskatchewan Huskies serving as a backdrop to the centenary celebrations.
Head Coach Jerry Friesen on the 2010 Team: “Last season was an important building block for this program, and now we have a solid core of 41 returning players who have that playoff experience, and are hungry for more.”
2009 in review:
2009 regular season record: 4-4
2009 regular season standings: 3
2009 playoff record: 0-1
2009 playoff finish: Lost 40-5 to Calgary in conference semi-final
Head Coach – Jerry Friesen
Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2010): 10
Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2010): 10
Career regular season record with team: 33-39
Career regular season record in CIS: 33-39
Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 36-43
Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): 36-43
OFFENCE
Key returning players:
QB Julian Marchand is back for his second season with Alberta, after spending much of 2009 as back-up. The 6’4” gunslinger from Cochrane, Alta. now has the opportunity to show off the athletic prowess that made him a Prairie Junior Football League MVP for the Calgary Colts in 2008.
RB Matt Jarvis, from Beaumont, Alta., is in a similar situation to quarterback Julian Marchand; he was recruited to be a big part of the offence, but after spending much of 2009 in relief duty, 2010 will be the opportunity for the fifth-year back to be the starter and prove his worth. In limited time last season, Jarvis picked up 316 yards and two touchdowns.
G Terris Paliwoda, an Edmonton native, returns to anchor an offensive line that gave up the fewest sacks in Canada West last season. The fifth-year veteran is the leader among the o-line and an All-Canadian.
RECs Jess Valleau, of Wainwright, Alta., and Laine Rogers, originally from Dawson Creek, Alta., were the Golden Bears’ top playmakers last season and will be counted on to produce even better seasons this year. In 2009, Valleau, a sophomore, caught 26 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading Alberta in kick-off and punt return yards. Rogers, now entering his third season, and second with Alberta, was the team’s top receiver in 2009, hauling in 31 passes for an average of 58 yards per catch with one touchdown. He is Alberta’s top deep threat, as evidenced by a 71-yard pass and catch play with Marchand, that was Alberta’s longest yardage play from the line of scrimmage last season.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):
OL Kyle Brow, a red-shirt in 2009, will step into a starting role at left guard this season, joining the best o-line in Canada West from last season. Brow was an Edmonton high school all-star in 2008, and played for the provincial squad in that same year.
REC Ryley Richardson from Spruce Grove, Alta., was also a red-shirt in 2009, but has earned a starting job for 2010. In high school in 2008, he led the Edmonton Public High School league in receiving yards, and looks to translate those skills to CIS ball this season.
REC Mike Wojcicki is slated to have a starting job with the Bears in 2010 after starring in the Edmonton high school system, and for the Edmonton Wildcats of the CJFL.
Key losses:
Gone from the offence in 2009 are starting quarterback Quade Armstrong, starting running back Tendayi Jozzy, and starting receiver Mike Wasylyniuk. Both Armstrong and Jozzy were longtime starters for the Bears, while Wasylyniuk played just one season in Evergreen and Gold, catching three touchdown passes last season as the team’s second best receiver.
DEFENCE
Key returning players:
DE Craig Gerbrandt had a stellar campaign in 2009; the Edmonton native lead Canada West in sacks (10), set an Alberta single season sack record (10), and he was named to the CIS second team All-Canadian squad, and was the Canada West nominee for the JP Metras trophy as top defensive lineman. Now in his final year of eligibility, Gerbrandt will lead the Golden Bear pressure from the defensive line and likely lead the Bears in sacks again in 2010, possibly claiming the school all-time record in the process, despite only playing for three seasons.
S Jason Hetherington, originally from Moose Jaw, SK, led the conference in interceptions last season, recording eight, including two games where he picked off three opponent passing attempts. The fourth-year standout leads a crop of returning DBs in Alberta’s secondary, and will look to improve the team’s 4th overall ranked defence.
LB Jean-Marc Jones led the Golden Bears in tackles last season, and was second in the conference, banking 45 solo tackles and 16 assisted. The fifth year St. Albert, Alta. Native is a leader on defence and will be counted on to help lead Alberta defensively this season.
LB Duncan Morris had a strong rookie debut in 2009, as the Edmonton native posted 38.5 tackles, good enough for fifth on the Bears, and top 20 in the conference. With the graduation of Dan Bass, Morris, is looked upon as the future leader of the Golden Bears’ linebacker core.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):
Getting a chance to shine this season will be former Edmonton area high school all-star linebacker, Tyler Greenslade. After two seasons with the Edmonton Huskies of the CJFL, where he finished top 10 in conference tackles in each season, Greenslade has been slotted into a starting position alongside Jean-Marc Jones and Duncan Morris in Alberta’s linebacking group.
Another new recruit to the linebackers unit is Tommy Tsoumpas, who is the younger brother to current Calgary Stampeder offensive lineman, Dimitri Tsoumpas. Tommy, like Tyler Greenslade, is another Edmonton high school product who could see significant time on the field this season, despite jumping right from high school and into CIS.
Key losses:
Starting linebacker Dan Bass Jr., son of former CFL great Dan Bass, will surely be missed, as he was continually among the Canada West leaders in tackles each season he played for the Bears. Bass also served as a team captain, leaving a leadership void in his wake as well.
-With files from the University of Alberta Golden Bears
