Quarterback Keagan Hall helps lead the Marauders to great heights during first games of the season
In their first game of the regular season, the Marauder men’s football team faced the University of Windsor Lancers. In the highly anticipated matchup, the Marauders failed to defeat the Lancers though, losing the game 21-17.
The game was played in front of a packed Ron Joyce stadium, with McMaster University’s move-in day bringing in students and parents alike. The recorded attendance stood at 2,140.
The game was likely played with plenty of nerves from the McMaster team, especially for new starting quarterback Keagan Hall. Despite the tense atmosphere though, Hall delivered a phenomenal performance, rushing 31 yards and completing 19 of 37 passes.
After the graduation of fifth-year Andreas Dueck, Hall has found himself in the spotlight of the Marauders football offense. After falling short of qualifying for the playoffs last season, Hall and the rest of the team are looking to redeem themselves following impressive results early on this year.
In the Marauders’ second game of the season, they narrowly lost to Western University with a score of 22-34. Despite their defeat, the team had improved upon last year’s match against the Mustangs where they lost 14-47.
The Marauders' third game of the season saw them dominate York University with a score of 71-0. Hall continued to prove himself, with the quarterback throwing a total of 300 yards in the massive win.
As the Marauders head into a matchup against Guelph University, they will likely be looking to keep their energy up. Hall in particular will likely be looking to deliver another great performance and spur the Marauders onto a winning streak.
On Saturday, Nov. 2, the McMaster men’s football team had their semi-finals game. This ended up being reminiscent to the previous two Yates Cup games the Marauders took part in. Similar to 2012 and 2014, McMaster beat the University of Guelph Gryphons, except this time it was in the semi-finals to advance to the 2019 Yates Cup.
The Marauders beat the Gryphons 19-10 with one passing and one rushing touchdown, a field goal and a safety. Star Quarterback Andreas Dueck played a great role, at times playing the part of a running back. He was the team’s second-leading rusher of the day with a total of 89 rushing yards, 17.8 yards per carry and a 55 yard TD run. Dueck finished the game with 305 total yards and no turnovers. The dual threat quarterback gave the Marauders an advantage because it is difficult for the opposing team to have to scheme around a quarterback who can rush. As a result, the opposing team tends to keep defences honest because they have to focus on stopping the run on what may first appear like a passing play.
The maroon and grey dominated all statistical categories posting 152 more total yards than Guelph, six more first downs and a total possession time of 32 minutes 54 seconds compared to Guelph’s 27 minutes and six seconds. Mac will have to build off of their strong performance against Guelph and maintain control over possession, which could allow them to establish a strong run game for their best shot against Western in the game on Nov. 9.
Western will be no pushover. They have consistently been one of the country’s top teams in U sports football and have yet to lose a single game this year. This year also marks the 11th time in 13 years that the Mustangs will be in the Yates Cup, a run of nearly unprecedented dominance.
Defence should be the key to succeeding in the Yates Cup. Western posted the highest point total in the province with 290 total points over their eight games for an average of 36.25 points per game. Our defence will certainly have to keep a hold on Western’s offence.
Much like Dueck, the Mustangs’ quarterback Chris Merchant can run the ball just as well as he can throw it. During a game earlier in the season where McMaster played Western, Merchant had 316 total yards with 104 of them coming on the ground. Merchant even managed to catch a pass for a third touchdown. Containing Merchant will be one of the most important factors that could end up deciding the game.
The winner of this matchup will proceed to the Mitchell Bowl where they will play the winner of the Hardy Cup. The teams in the Hardy Cup are the University of Calgary Dinos and the University of Saskatchewan Huskies. The Marauders have a chance to stop the Mustangs potential Yates Cup three-peat this coming Saturday, Nov. 9.
The 2018 McMaster University men’s football season has come to an early end, losing to Carleton University in the first round of the playoffs. This is the earliest that the Marauders have been knocked out of the Ontario University Athletics playoffs since 2015.
The game was off to a slow start for the Marauders, who were as much as 25 points behind in the first half, but they managed to score 20 points by the late third and fourth quarter. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough, and the Ravens had outscored them 30-25 by the final whistle.
#OUA FBALL
We've got ourselves a football game! After this 8-yard TD grab from Michael Bazzo, @McMasterSports is down just five to the @CURavens with mere minutes left to play in this one!#WeAreONE | #QuestForTheCup | #MACvsCAR pic.twitter.com/qIBAnK8WrO
— OUA (@OUAsport) 27 October 2018
The Marauders faced a number of different trials this season: quarterback uncertainty, a young team and an overworked defence; but they still managed to secure a playoff spot. So, the firing of head coach Greg Knox by McMaster on Oct. 22 was the last thing the team expected heading into the quarterfinal game.
According to the statement released by the university, the firing was a result of an independent investigation that began after an incident at a game against Wilfrid Laurier University in late September, which involved allegations of harassment and threats of physical violence made against a sideline game official.
Following the incident, Knox had been suspended by the OUA for one game, then put on administrative leave by the school for three games until he was fired on Monday.
Knox fired as McMaster coach https://t.co/Poa0QXrku3
— Hamilton Spectator (@TheSpec) 22 October 2018
“It's really hard to go play an away game against a really talented and confident team [under these conditions],” said a player on the team who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of being reprimanded.
“Coach Knox was one of the guys that recruited me in my last year of high school. Majority of the guys on that team came here because of Coach Knox,” said the player. “So, though our interim coaches are really good at their jobs, at the end of the day it’s about loyalty. So guys just didn’t have that fire.”
In 2011, 2012 and 2014, Knox was the defensive coordinator and helped lead the Marauders to the Vanier Cup each year. After then-head coach Stefan Ptaszek left to join the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before the 2016 season, Knox was brought in as head coach.
“Knox has always been good poking the holes in other team's offense,” said the player. “In 2014 McMaster football had no business going to the national championship, but because of Coach Knox’s defensive mindset, our defence scored more than our offence which is so hard to do.”
[spacer height="20px"]McMaster’s defence has always been strong thanks to his leadership, so to see it fall apart is not easy for anyone. Although, with every action comes a consequence. As stated in the press release, McMaster University is “committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive community in which all members of the university work, study, and live free of harassment”.
The margin between the penalties from the league and the school is something that puzzles many, but due to the university being bound by privacy guidelines, no additional details on the specifics of the report or the incident will be released.
“Though we don't have the full details of what happened, letting go of a coach before a playoff game doesn’t result in anything good for anyone,” said the player. “Also, being told one thing while another is happening makes us feel disrespected as players.”
The ambiguity of the school’s decision made it hard for the players to come to an understanding of why they made the decision that they did. Though the university acknowledged that coaching changes can be a challenge, especially going into a playoff game, and that they will provide support to team members, players cannot help but still feel alone in this.
[spacer height="20px"]Though through it all, it is important to recognize that the firing of coach Knox is not the definite reason the Marauders did not leave Ottawa one step closer to the Yates Cup. It would be unfair to discredit the Ravens’ talent and ability to score touchdowns, which is something Marauders struggled with all season, with and without Knox. But, to see the McMaster program burn up into flames in the future as a result of this would be truly disappointing for everyone involved.
“You never want to be the school that teams will see on their schedule and count as a win,” said the player. “We have a very complicated system that is hard [for other schools] to prepare for, so I hope whoever is coming in can help us maintain that reputation.”
As of now, the results of the search for the new head coach still remains to be seen. In the meantime, the Marauders will head into the offseason and try to regroup what is left of their team.
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Football
The main event of the weekend ended in success for the McMaster Marauders as the men’s football team defeated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues 37-3. With quarterback Andreas Dueck starting and playing the entire game and a breakout performance from receiver Tommy Nield, this big win coming off two tough losses is exactly what the Marauders needed before they face their rivals the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks. This game on Sept. 22 will be just as much of a mental match as it is physical, as the Marauders’ 2017 season came to an end at the hands of the Golden Hawks.
Women’s Rugby
The women's rugby team faced the Queen’s University Gaels, but were unable to hold their own and lost 34-14. This loss caused them to drop five places to 10th in Tuesday's U Sports national rankings. Up next, they face the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, who are currently 0-3, and will hopefully be able to see a positive change in the rankings the following Tuesday.
Men’s Soccer
It was a scoreless first half for the Marauders when they faced the Brock University Badgers. Unfortunately for Mac, the Badgers were just able to edge them out by scoring twice in the second half. Even though rookie substitute Daniel Vicente was able to connect with the goal post, McMaster now sits 3-2-2 before they face their next opponents, the Mustangs on Sept. 21.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s team found themselves in another draw after playing the Badgers as well. Both Stephanie Roberts (who we profiled on Sept. 5) and Lindsay Bosveld scored for the Marauders but Brock was able to match their production. The team now stands 2-2-3 and will have to make some changes before facing the 4-0-3 Mustangs on Sept. 21.
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By: Lucas Uggenti
The Canadian Football League announced on Thursday, March 1 they would be hosting three regional combines to showcase some of the top talent that Canadian university football has to offer.
This is the sixth consecutive year the CFL is hosting this event, as it gives another opportunity for skilled players to demonstrate their abilities and earn an invitation to the CFL combine. The regional combine McMaster was invited to was held on March 9 in Toronto.
Despite a mediocre year that left the team with a lot to retool and improve upon, there were a few bright spots that McMaster can cling to this offseason. 10 Marauders were invited to this year’s regional combine, which is tied for the most in the country with the Laval Rouge et Or.
This came as no surprise, as McMaster did make a provincial semifinal appearance this season thanks to a very talented roster. Six players invited to the combine came from the Marauders’ defence, proving that the offence was not the only side of the field capable of impressing more than just their coaches.
This not only shines light on the talented players McMaster can produce, but it tells the truth behind a very good Marauders football program. Amongst the 10 Marauders selected to the regional combine, Eric Mezzalira garners the most attention.
Mezzalira was able to perfectly display his skills throughout the vigorous testing and earned himself a chance to impress CFL management at the national combine in Winnipeg over the March 24-25 weekend.
The Stoney Creek native started his playing career while attending Cardinal Newman Catholic Secondary School. But it was not until Grade 10 that Mezzalira knew he wanted to be a football star.
Eventually, as his high school career came to an end, Mezzalira was offered an opportunity to play for the Marauders and accepted it with open arms. After an injury-filled first season, Mezzalira’s opportunity at linebacker would have to wait one more year as he was designated to special teams — which ultimately proved to be highly beneficial.
“Special teams helped me improve my game defensively,” said Mezzalira. “That year on special teams helped complete my game as a player.”
Now finishing his fourth year of eligibility, Mezzalira is a regular starter for the Marauders and plays an important role in the locker room. Mezzalira’s experience and dedication to the football program has helped them take strides back into the winner’s circle.
“It’s a privilege to play on a football team,” Mezzalira said. “The culture our team created this year was different than the rest. It was team-oriented, and we showed up to work everyday. It’s a step in right direction for sure.”
Mezzalira was told about his invitation to the CFL regional combine via email. Despite early and mid-season rumors that lingered throughout the year, Mezzalira’s confidence never wavered. This came as a bit of a surprise to the linebacker, as he expected to skip the regional combine and enter the national combine directly. Regardless, he performed well enough in regionals to make it to the national combine.
“I’m not really nervous,” said Mezzalira. “I’m excited to have been invited but I’ve been training for this for over five months now. I’m feeling pretty confident and I’m excited to go out in nationals and go against some of the best talent.”
As far as the future is concerned, Mezzalira still has one more year left of eligibility in university football, barring any unfortunate news regarding his CFL status. Although never officially ruling out a return for his final year to play for the Marauders, Mezzalira hopes to be on a CFL roster at the start of the next football season.
“I am hoping to play in the CFL next season,” Mezzalira explained. “Getting drafted is one thing, but making the team is a whole different story. I’ve got a lot to learn at the linebacker position and I’m excited to have the opportunity.”
The CFL combine, set to begin on March 24, will have a series of tests that challenge both the mental and physical endurance of these athletes. Mezzalira hopes to showcase his physicality and impress CFL general managers at the combine, leaving a lasting impression that hopefully lands him a spot on a professional roster.
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The rain poured down. The weather was brisk. But despite the circumstances, the McMaster Marauders managed to pull through and beat the Queen’s Gaels 12-9 in the Ontario University Athletics quarterfinal matchup.
The Marauders scored their 12 points early in the game, starting with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jackson White to Dan Petermann. The Mac men added to their lead with a 12-yard field goal by Adam Preocanin, with the defence chipping in with a safety.
With the weather not on their side, Mac chose to run the ball for majority of the game, setting up Jordan Lyons to tie an OUA playoff record for carries (39), rushing for a whopping total of 319 yards. That total also happens to be the second most all-time in a playoff game in Canadian University football history.
“As we started running the ball, we wore them down a bit and we noticed that we were gashing them,” said Lyons. “So coach kept feeding me [the football] and I just kept doing my thing.”
With Mac leading at the half 12-0, the Gaels came back after the break full force and managed to kick their way onto the scoreboard. Nick Liberatore of Queen`s kicked three field goals and brought the score to a nail-biting 12-9.
A strong pass from Queen’s quarterback Nate Hobbs to wide receiver Chris Osei-Kusi allowed the Gaels to successfully move up to Mac’s 30-yard line, setting up Liberatore in the perfect position to tie the game. The ball flew through the air and hit the left upright, missing the field goal attempt.
With less than two minutes on the clock, Hobbs completed an 11-yard pass to Osei-Kusi giving Queen’s a first down at Mac’s 39-yard line, and it started to seem as if Queen’s may take the win, but Mac’s defence was not giving up.
“For the defence as a whole, there was no point in our minds when we thought: ‘They’re in scoring range’,” said linebacker Eric Blake. “We knew we were gonna make a play it was just a matter of time.”
The big play could not have come at a better time as Blake intercepted Hobbs’ pass turning the game around back to favour the home team. Along with Blake’s interception, a late sack from defensive end Mark Mackie sealed the deal.
As the clock ran out, the fans, the team, and head coach Greg Knox were all able to sigh in relief as the Marauders took a positive step towards the semi-finals.
“We showed some grit and resilience today that wasn’t apparent last week, so that was great to see,” said Knox. “The offence did a great job moving the ball in the first half but we’re still having trouble putting the ball in the end zone. They struggled in the second half, but when they needed to move the ball at key times, they answered.”
Next up, Mac will face Wilfred Laurier in the OUA semi-final match. As the defending Yates Cup champions, Laurier will be giving their all this Saturday but Mac will be seeking payback as they recently lost 40-15 to the Golden Hawks in their last regular season game.
While the Marauders have been playing every weekend since Aug. 25, the Golden Hawks are coming off of a bye week and have the advantage of rest on their side.
“The injuries have already taken their toll but all we can do is have the ‘next man up’ approach,” said Knox. “We’re losing veteran players and replacing them with youngsters who are playing playoff football so they have no choice but to do their best and step up.”
Whether they have seen the field several times or for the first time this weekend, every player on Mac will need to give it their all to stop Laurier's offence, break through their defence and claim their spot at the 110th Yates Cup.
“It’s definitely a revenge game,” said Marauders’ quarterback Jackson White following the game. “We’re gonna have some fun tonight, but then we’re focused on Laurier and hopefully it’s a different outcome than last time.”
The playoffs can be unpredictable at times and often do not always go exactly as planned, but as long you come away with the win, that is all that matters. The Marauders will face another win-or-go-home matchup on Nov. 4 at Univeristy Stadium in Waterloo.
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Not too long ago the Marauders began their 2017 season, not knowing who would be their starting quarterback. But as the regular season comes to a close, Jackson White has answered that question.
“It’s been a great experience,” said White of his first season. “I’ve met a lot of good friends and teammates. The game is different and faster than in high school with the bigger and stronger guys coming at you, but so far it has been going well.”
White may not be in high school anymore, but he is happy to have his high school teammates Riley Pilkey, a cornerback, and Mario Alyas, a defensive back, on the team. Pilkey is in his second year and has helped White settle in at Mac during his first season.
“One pregame ritual I have to do every game is play catch with Riley Pilkey as well as eating breakfast with Joseph O’Brien on the field.”
White has been adjusting to McMaster quite well, but one thing that has surprised him is how bad his style is. Not his style of play, but rather his style of dress.
"One pregame ritual I have to do every game is play catch with Riley Pilkey as well as eating breakfast with Joseph O'Brien on the field."
Jackson White
Quarterback
“[The guys on the team] call it the ‘No Swag-Swag’,” White said. “I’m not up to speed with that, but I guess you got to look good, feel good and play good, so I have to change that up a bit.”
The first year, 6’4” quarterback from Cambridge, Ont. may not be receiving any cool points for his fashion sense this season, but his playing style in his first season as a university-level starting quarterback has been impressive.
His first official game as a starter, which also happens to be his favourite game so far, was against the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Winning 24-7 at home, White helped lead Mac in the first win of a five-game winning streak.
Since the win against Ottawa, White and the Marauders have ruined homecoming for the Guelph Gryphons and won big at their own homecoming against the York Lions. The following week they crushed the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues in a 43-6 victory. Then they got the “W” once again during their last regular season home game, handily beating the Windsor Lancers.
Unfortunately for Mac, the winning streak came to a halt in the last regular season game, falling short at the hands of the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks on Sept. 21.
The Golden Hawks came out looking for vengeance after falling short to the Guelph Gryphons 24-14 the week before and took their frustrations out on the Marauders. Despite Mac’s best efforts, they were unable to stop them.
“It wasn’t the game that we thought it was going to be,” said White. “We had a good game plan going into the game and we didn’t quite execute that game plan.”
White was able to connect with Dan Petermann on a 98-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter and cut the lead in half, but the Golden Hawks answered back ending the half in the lead 24-7.
“They got the momentum early and it was hard to turn it around,” White said. “We thought after the halftime we could make a big comeback in the second half but we fell short.”
As defending Yates Cup champions, the Golden Hawks’ offence did not let the absence of starting quarterback Michael Knevel slow them down. In his place, freshman quarterback Tristan Arndt handled his first career start with ease, completing 18 of his 23 pass attempts for 213 yards and three touchdowns. Arndt added 65 yards on three carries as well.
Some may have underestimated Arndt, especially given that Knevel is a top Canadian Football League prospect and Ontario University Athletics leader. But White was not surprised by Laurier’s rookie’s ability to win big.
“We knew their offence had weapons and we just didn’t execute across the board throughout the game,” said White. “[Arndt] had a good game and he played well against a great defence.”
"It's do or die now so we'll be ready to go"
Jackson White
Quarterback
Mac’s usually dominant defence, who had gone into the game only allowing 10 or more points on two occasions this season, struggled stopping Laurier’s explosive offence.
One of their hardest opponents to stop was OUA-leading receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr. Finishing Saturday’s game with 10 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown, Gittens Jr. became the U Sports single-season leader with 75 receptions and leads his team in receiving yards leader with 953.
“It’s not the end of the world,” White reflected on the loss. “We’re going to play a good team in Queen’s and hopefully we’ll be right back there.”
The Marauders went into Laurier with the OUA’s second-place position they had just claimed the week before and a possibility of having a bye week in the playoffs. Now in third place and no extra week to rest, the quarterfinal matchup has the makings to be a grueling battle.
The Gaels and the Marauders have yet to meet this season but both teams pose a threat to each other. Although Queen’s has had a slow start and is currently ranked sixth in the OUA, they have the current OUA touchdown passing leader, quarterback Nate Hobbs, and touchdown reception leader, receiver Chris Osei-Kusi, driving their offence.
“It’s do or die now so we’ll be ready to go,” said White. “It’s a home playoff game, everyone wants to play at home in the playoffs, so we’ve got to capitalize on that. We also have to execute well and hopefully, we’ll be successful.”
It’s time for playoff season and anything can happen in a do-or-die game, and the first round of the OUA playoffs promise to keep fans guessing. What we know for sure is that the quarterfinal game will be tough, but Jackson White and the Marauders are not about to go down that easy.
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It is officially that time of the year again. Campus will soon be flooded with fans young and old, coming from far and wide, all to support the McMaster Marauders at Homecoming.
The “biggest party of the year” will start on Sept. 28 with preseason basketball, followed by a women’s rugby match against their rival Guelph Gryphons.
But the real kickoff will be on Sept. 30 at 1:00 p.m. when the Marauders football team will uphold tradition and devastate the York Lions once again.
One thing Marauders fans can depend on this homecoming is that the defence will not disappoint. With their season off to a 3-1 start, the defence has done a phenomenal job not only stopping plays, but creating them.
Currently fifth place in Ontario University Athletics, the defence has done a good job denying opposing teams from crossing the goal line in all three of their wins. It will be no problem continuing this trend against the eighth-place York Lions.
Mac also leads the OUA with eight interceptions, spearheaded by cornerback Nolan Putt, who leads the group with a total of three interceptions. Putt returned one of those picks for 84 yards to the six-yard line during Guelph’s homecoming game on Sept. 23.
The interception put running back Jordan Lyons in a great position to score a rushing touchdown that was followed by a strong kick from Adam Preocanin that solidified the Marauders’ 29-9 victory.
On York’s side of the field, third-year quarterback Brett Hunchak has thrown seven interceptions so far this season with an average completion percentage of 58.2. With such a dominant defence it will be extremely difficult for the Lions’ weaker offence, who boasts the lowest points for in the OUA, to make a dent on the scoreboard.
Though both York and Mac are among the few teams tied at second in the OUA with one defensive touchdown, defensive players like Putt and 2016 OUA All-Star Robbie Yochim have consistently exhibited such high levels of athleticism, there is a high chance of doubling their defensive touchdown total.
Mac’s defence should be able to easily defend their home turf while stacking up one or two interceptions and cause mayhem along the way.
Rookie quarterback Jackson White looked more than comfortable in his last two games as a starter. Though it took a little while for him to get into the swing of things, White’s growth as a university-level quarterback has been quite a sight to witness.
There was a total of 12,419 people in attendance at Guelph’s homecoming, so for White to be able to play as well as he did in such a hostile environment, he should be more than prepared for the atmosphere and pressure that will be present at Mac’s homecoming.
White is also supported by an offence that knows how to get the job done. Players like Lyons, who is currently fourth in rushing in the OUA, and McMaster record holder for career receptions Dan Petermann have been substantial in the Marauders’ receiving and rushing game.
Currently with the third highest pass completion percentage in the OUA, White has proven he can keep up with the passing game of McMaster quarterbacks before him. As long as the defence continues to bring the heat, White will have many opportunities to prove to the large home crowd exactly why they can depend on him.
For all the Marauder fans expecting a big show this homecoming, there is no need to worry because the Marauders will be more than ready to perform.
Year after year, the Marauders have beaten the York Lions football team by substantial margins: 64-2 in the 2016 season, 67-10 in 2015 and 49-2 in 2014.
When you add up Mac’s extensive winning streak against York with the fact that they are fresh off their pivotal win against the Gryphons and combine it with the atmosphere of their homecoming game, it is pretty obvious what is about to go down.
This year, Mac may be a younger and more inexperienced team, but there are several key players from their last homecoming game against York who still play on the current roster. Game-changers, including Jordan Lyons, linebacker Jake Heathcote and many more will be certain to uphold the standard that is expected of them.
Although the Marauders will be facing the Lions right after York’s first win of thea season, which came against their rival University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues, they do not pose a threat to Mac. The Marauders will be doing everything in their power to maintain their winning streak against York.
If you’ve been wondering what McMaster Marauders’ starting quarterback from 2013-2017 Asher Hastings has been up to, just know he has not gone too far.
After graduating from McMaster earlier this year with a degree in Sociology, Hastings was offered a job as a summer student with Labatt Brewing. But Hastings could not leave Mac behind.
Just because fans do not see Hastings suited up every Sunday, does not mean he’s no longer a key part of McMaster football. Starting this season, Hastings became the Marauders’ newest quarterbacks coach. By volunteering his evenings and weekends, the former starter is able to give back to the organization he grew up with while mentoring three young quarterbacks.
As quarterbacks coach, Hastings spends his time using his experience to teach third-year Dylan Astrom, and the Marauders’ two freshman quarterbacks, Jackson White and Andreas Dueck.
“Its like a brotherhood,” said Hastings on being their coach.
But more importantly, he sees his position as a mentorship role.
“You’re there mentoring these guys throughout every aspect of being a quarterback,” said Hastings. “It’s all about teaching them how to lead, how to be a good person, and how to make a great impact on and off the field - beyond the Xs and Os of football.”
Although Hastings knows everything there is to know about being a quarterback in Ontario University Athletics, the transition to becoming a quarterback coach has been an eye-opening experience.
“It really helps that he played in the system last year and we have a great relationship. He’s a younger coach and definitely a good friend on and off the field.”
Jackson White
Quarterback
McMaster football
“As a student athlete you don’t even really realize that these guys aren’t all getting paid. Not everyone is a full time coach and there’s a lot of hard work that goes in,” said Hastings.
He added that learning to share his “football obsession” with his work life has been challenging, but also an experience that he has learned a lot from.
“There are a lot of late nights and a lot going on behind the scenes that I am now a part of,” said Hastings. “But I get to be part of those conversations that shape and mould this football team going forward.”
Going forward, Hastings hopes to instill the importance of the quarterback legacy at McMaster with the younger quarterbacks.
“We take a lot of pride in what we do in the passing game,” said Hastings. “Keeping me around, I’m able to pass that message on that good is not good enough. I like that I’m able to be here and carry that message, so that it doesn’t get lost that it is such an honour and a privilege to be able to play quarterback at this school,” said Hastings.
Though “good is not good enough”, Hastings noted that he does not take too kindly to those in the stands yelling at Mac’s quarterbacks. Knowing what it feels like to be in their shoes, he stresses the fact that sometimes fans do not understand just how hard it is to be a quarterback.
“There’s a lot more going on than meets the eyes from the stands,” said Hastings. “These kids have to analyze what 24 guys are doing on the field in a split second. They have to be able to see what’s in front of them and that changes their reaction and what they physically do with the football.”
Though the position is not as easy as it seems, Hastings is confident that the three younger quarterbacks have what it takes to carry on the McMaster quarterback legacy.
The breakout star out of the trio who is surely carrying on the quarterback legacy is Jackson White. White, who started and played for the entire game last week against the Ottawa Gee-Gee’s, led Mac to a 24-7 victory where he threw for two touchdowns and 255 yards.
Although it seems pretty clear to most that Jackson White is the obvious choice to start, Coach Hastings promises that no matter who starts he is happy about the development of the three young quarterbacks.
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After a start to the season that featured a regular rotation of their three young quarterbacks, it looks like the Marauders may have finally settled on a starter. Freshman Jackson White from Cambridge, ON, made the start for the Marauders on Saturday, and was able to expand upon the minimal action he has already seen under centre.
In his first start, White posted a respectable stat line, throwing two touchdowns on 255 yards and completing 20/32 passes. White also continued to show his duel threat abilities, rushing for 63 yards on the day. However, the freshman’s first start was not completely spotless, giving up two interceptions to the Ottawa defence early in the game.
“We didn’t start the way we wanted to in the first half,” White said. “The first pick sailed on me, and I felt a bit nervous. But after that, I felt like we got things rolling. We got down into the red zone twice, but we miscommunicated and then I threw that pick – it hurt going into the half”.
A game that was poised to be a battle of two defensive powerhouses, the first half went as expected, with Ottawa heading into halftime up 4-0. However, following halftime locker room speeches, the momentum shifted in favour of the Marauders’ offence.
“Coach Knox got us fired up at halftime,” White added. “I thought that we, as an offence, had a great half in the second, probably our best half of the year. Obviously, you have to give credit to the defence, allowing just four points in the first half, and we had tons of safeties. They really played lights out.”
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The defence had another stellar game of the season, making game-changing plays once again that continues to anchor the team’s wins. The Marauders defence finished the game with four sacks, seven broken up passes, and held the Ottawa Gee-Gees to 138 yards of total offence.
While the defensive line and linebacker core have held the run game in check, the secondary has made it tough for any opposing quarterback to feel comfortable playing Mac. Defensive back Nolan Putt picked off another pass for his second interception of the season. A pass defence that thrives on competition for shutting down their opponents, their consistency can be attributed to their pre-game planning.
“It’s preparation, attention to detail and focus,” said Putt. “That’s what we hear from the staff and ourselves every week. That’s our number one priority, and we’ve been holding to it.”
This season has already shown Marauders fans that their defence is one of the best in the league. Yet once again, the offence had to fight hard throughout the game to get things going in the second half. This time, Mac was successful in putting points on the board.
Despite 192 yards in penalties, the Marauders were able to capitalize on the 89 penalty yards given up by the visiting team. Given the amount of flags being thrown, the offensive game was characterized as a battle by head coach Greg Knox. In the face of this, White was able to lead the Marauders offence to the end zone on the first drive of the second half.
“We limited our mistakes,” Knox said. “We played with more confidence, and hopefully, although we’re a young and inexperienced team, we’re learning from those mistakes. We responded well in the second half and came out with some pepper.”
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Knox highlighted how White progressed well over the course of the game, using this game as an opportunity to work on his decision-making ability as a quarterback. Often, it can be tough to stick through offensive struggles as a member of a team’s defence, but the Marauders were able to do that against the visiting Gee-Gees.
“We trust the process,” Putt said. “That’s what the offence tells us every game, to trust their process and believe that they’ll get us there. We know that they’ll eventually get it going, and today they really did.”
This Saturday will feature a rematch of the 2016 Ontario University Athletics quarterfinals as the Guelph Gryphons will host the Marauders for their Homecoming game. Traveling to Alumni Stadium, Mac will face a strong team in a difficult environment.
“We expect every game to be tough,” Knox said. “We’re taking these one at a time. It’s their Homecoming, and we got them a couple of times last year. They’re going to be loaded up for that, but that’s fine, because so are we.”
In a season mired in uncertainty at quarterback and struggles on the offensive front, the Marauders have proven they are back on track and able to produce on the scoreboard. Boasting a more balanced game on both sides of the ball, the Gryphons are the next team in the way of a steaming Mac team.
