CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO — The Varsity Blues went 1-7 in 2009. Their lone win came in a thrilling 45-27 victory over the York Lions in the annual Red & Blue Bowl, where they captured their second consecutive Argo Cup. The Blues lose a solid receiver in Drew Meerveld, who finished seventh in the province with 541 receiving yards in 2009, but look to fill the void with third-year receiver Jonathan Wright. Wright led the team with five touchdowns and 30 points last season and also had a team-high 560 all-purpose yards.
With new leadership emerging and a strong recruiting class, head coach Greg DeLaval will turn to fourth-year quarterback Andrew Gillis to continue the forward progress of the Varsity Blues football program. U of T also has high hopes for receiver Michael Prempeh, who returns to the field after an injury-riddled 2009 season, and Josh Gibbs, who will be called upon to lead a much improved offensive line.
Three-time OUA all-star Derek Batchelor led the team and was ranked seventh in the province with a career-high 50 solo tackles last season. Batchelor, Mark Evens, Kyle Kennedy, Willie Sharpe and Wilkerson DeSouza, who had a breakout year in 2009, lead a veteran crew on the defensive side of the ball.
Head coach Greg DeLaval on the 2010 Team: “Our goal is to keep getting better and I think we’re doing that. With the recruits we have coming in, this will be the most competitive camp in a decade at U of T. I expect it to be a dog fight this year.”
“We have a lot of great players coming to camp, which gives us more depth than we’ve had in recent years. Andrew Gillis is a lot more comfortable in his role as the starting quarterback, knows and understands the playbook and his leadership qualities have improved. I’m expecting big things from him his season.”
2009 in review:
2009 regular season record: 1-7
2009 regular season standings: 9th
2009 playoff record: N/A
2009 playoff finish: N/A
Head Coach – Greg DeLaval
Number of seasons as head coach with team (including 2010): 3
Number of seasons as head coach in CIS (including 2010): 3
Career regular season record with team: 3-13
Career regular season record in CIS: 3-13
Career overall record with team (reg. season & playoffs only): 3-13
Career overall record in CIS (reg. season & playoffs only): 3-13
OFFENCE
Key returning players:
QB Andrew Gillis (Markham, Ont.) will be called upon to lead the offence. The fourth-year veteran is versatile with the ball, leading the team with 228 rushing yards and recording a career-high 491 passing yards in 2009.
R Jonathan Wright (Belleville, Ont.) returns for a third season. Wright led the team with five touchdowns and 560 all-purpose yards and was second on the team with 27 receptions for 457 yards and five touchdowns in 2009.
R Michael Prempeh (Toronto) made 16 receptions for 214 yards and one TD in 2008. He started the first game of the season in 2010 before being sidelined for the remaining seven games with injury.
OL Josh Gibbs (Bridgenorth, Ont.) dressed and started all eight games at left guard in 2009.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):
C Justin Burns is a six-foot-one centre from Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute, where he was named the football team’s MVP in 2007 after leading the Panthers to a city championship that same year.
R Justin Babin is a two-time GTA all-star while at Lawrence Park C.I. and was also named a Toronto Star all-star and one of the top 25 players to watch this past fall. A 2009 Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) all-star, Babin was this year’s league leader in receptions and receiving yards and was named the Metro Toronto Wildcats overall MVP.
RB Chris Weiland of Toledo, Ohio was recruited by NCAA division I Toledo University. He rushed for over 1,000 yards over three consecutive seasons at Toledo St. Francis De Sales High School and recorded 238 career tackles.
R Lex Pierzchalski is 6-foot-4, 210lbs and is currently ranked second in the OVFL with 581 receiving yards.
Key losses:
OL Chris Kowalczuk is currently on the practice roster with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
R Drew Meerveld led the team and finished seventh in the OUA with 541 receiving yards in 2009.
DEFENCE
Key returning players:
DB Derek Batchelor (Mississauga, Ont.) is a three-time OUA all-star. Batchelor led the team and was ranked seventh in the conference with 50 solo tackles in 2009. He recorded a career high 15 solo tackles versus Waterloo on Oct. 17.
LB Wilkerson DeSouza (Mississauga, Ont.) had a breakout year in 2009, ranking second on the team with 36 solo tackles.
DL Mark Evans (Cambridge, Ont.) recorded 22 solo tackles and a team-high four sacks last season.
DB Kyle Kennedy (Metcalfe, Ont.) ranked third on the team with 36 solo tackles, recorded two sacks and had a team-high three interceptions in 2009.
DB Willie Sharpe (Renfrew, Ont.) ranked fourth on the team with 33 solo tackles and rushed six times for 95 yards last season.
Key recruits (or newcomers: transfers):
CB Trevor Harvey is a two-time Greater Toronto Area (GTA) all-star from Birchmount Park Collegiate. He was also an integral member of the Toronto Thunder squad that won the OVFL championship in 2009.
LB Chris Johnson is a OVFL varsity champion and 2009 GTA all-star. The 5-foot-11 linebacker helped lead the Scarborough Thunder to their first OVFL title since 2003 in an exciting 28-21 win over the London Falcons.
DL Zack Lukings is a product of Catholic Central High School. The nose tackle was also a 2009 OVFL senior finalist with the London Falcons.
Key losses:
DB Matthew Morris was invited to the 2009 CFL E-Camp. Returned 14 kick-offs for 347 yards in 2009.
DB Matt D’Souza recorded 20 solo tackles and ranked second on the team with 16 kick returns for 232 yards last season.
-With files from the University of Toronto Varsity Blues
