Lancers coach aiming for the playoffs
Football squad pushing for OUA playoffs after three seasons’ worth of frustrations
Head coach Joe D’Amore is hoping the pieces are slowly being put into place to end three seasons of frustration for the University of Windsor Lancers football team. The Lancers, who are celebrating the program’s 50th season of play, had 40 first-year players in camp and more than 60 with a year of experience or less as the team prepares to open the OUA season on the road Sunday against the Waterloo Warriors. Game time is 7 p.m.
“I think 63 out of 100 guys are in their first or second year,” D’Amore said. “That’s a big number. The last three years have been tough. “We won almost 20 games in my first four years and we’ve won five in the last three. I thought we were a better football team than we were, record wise, last year.” Quarterback Sam Girard went down in last season’s opener with a shoulder injury and wasn’t able to return until the final game of the season, which is when Windsor finally got into the win column. “We have to keep him healthy, but he’s put on more weight and he’s a little stronger,” D’Amore said of Girard. “Realistically, to get to 4-4 gives us a shot to make the playoffs.”
Girard should get protection with C.J. Church, Lucas Moore, Drew Desjarlais and Lindon Ivezaj returning, while D’Amore believes second-year man Ibrahim Hassoun could be ready to push for a starting job. Freshmen Blake Collinson, Tyler Lirette and Taylor Briggs could also push for early playing time on the line.
The Lancers expect running back will be a strength with Marcus Kentner, Marvin Gaynor and Jacob Savoni in the mix, while Cassell Jones and Kaden Walls return at receiver.
“I want to build something here,” Girard said. “It’s a new culture and guys are buying in. I want to make the playoffs and make a run.” The Lancers have a new offensive co-ordinator in Matt Nesbitt as well as a new defensive co-ordinator in Jesse Alexander, who will try to improve a squad that allowed an OUA-leading 362 points in eight games last season.
“I think we’re bringing more of a dog mentality,” Lancers linebacker Daniel Metcalfe said of the approach under Alexander. “I think we’re going to come out hitting a lot harder and being a lot meaner.” D’Amore is excited about the team’s defensive line. The Lancers have added former Windsor AKO Fratmen defensive end Adam Slikboer, who was a defensive player of the year in the Ontario Football Conference. Zack Benson, who is coming off an injury last season, returns along with fifth-year Courtney Ellis with second-year Zack Taylor also figuring in the rotation. “That’s where you’re going to see a difference,” D’Amore said. “We’re bigger there.”
Along with Metcalfe, the Lancers also return Josh Van Roie with second-year players Bennett Vani and Charlean Alain ready to take
on bigger roles.
“We love our linebacking core,” D’Amore said.
In the defensive backfield, Matt Gayer returns for a fifth season, Dan Stirling was an OUA rookie all-star, while Evan Martin played in the East-West Bowl. Andrew Beatty got into all eight games as a rookie last year. JoJo SarfoBoateng and Isaiah Warner also figure in the mix.
“We’ve got to keep building,” Metcalfe said. “We are young, but we’ve been young. We still hold guys accountable and move forward. If you don’t set a high level at the start, then you’ve got nothing to work for.
“We need to make plays and do our specific jobs.” D’Amore is also happy to see Clark Green return for a fifth season to handle the kicking duties. “The thing with about football is it’s not like you have 30 games and by the 10th game you’re ready to go,” D’Amore said. “Our season’s done in eight games. If we’re not ready by Week 1, we could be looking at an 0-4 start and all of a sudden we’re chasing. We’re going to be ready for Waterloo and they’re a great team.”