OUA Football Preview: 1 Statement and 1 Question For Every OUA Football Team 💭

Photo: Laurel Jarvis

And just like that, the offseason is officially over.

With training camps now in their second week, we’ve officially hit the stretch run.

The 2024 OUA season is upon us, and it’s time to chat through every OUA program.

Is your favourite OUA program ready to compete for a title? Is the rebuild about to accelerate? Or are they just looking to find their footing?

Lets chat through some well-known insights, while asking a few burning questions.

Here’s one statement and one question about every OUA football team as they enter the 2024 season.

1. Carleton Ravens

Statement: If we’re being honest, this is the team nobody likes playing against

Question: Is Carleton the sleeper team in the OUA?

2. Guelph Gryphons

Statement: It appears that Guelph currently sits in the mid-tier of the OUA, and that’s okay for a team that’s young, taking on new leadership and looking to rediscover success.

Question: After fielding a defence that fell among the conference’s bottom four in almost every statistical category, has Guelph found a way to revamp their defence?

3. Laurier Golden Hawks

Statement: Simply put, it’s now or never. Given the amount of talent this program will lose after this season, 2024 is officially a championship(s) or bust situation for the Laurier Golden Hawks

Question: Can Taylor Elgersma be the first OUA player in two decades to win back-to-back MVP awards?

4. McMaster Marauders

Statement: After what we’ve seen over the last three seasons, it’s safe to say McMaster is officially a rebuilding program.

Question: If McMaster misses the playoffs for an unprecedented fourth consecutive season, are we heading towards a breakup between the Marauders and Stefan Ptaszek?

5. Ottawa Gee-Gees

Statement: It’s complicated, the general consensus around the conference is that the Gee-Gees are not feared by their opponents, but they are definitely respected

Question: Coming off a 4-4 season, what exactly is the direction of this program?

6. Queen’s Gaels

Statement: Seeding will mean everything to this team come late October

Question: The landscape is definitely not what it once was in 2021 or 2022. So, it’s fair to ask, has the Yates Cup window officially closed for Queen’s?

7. U of T Varsity Blues

Statement: It will pain many to admit it, but this program has one of the more impressive coaching staffs in the OUA

Long-Term Question: We won’t know for awhile, what will be the ceiling of this rebuild?

Not Serious, But Serious Question: When will this team get white game pants? It’s been six years now. Do they not want to adopt a clean all-white uniform look?

8. Waterloo Warriors

Statement: It’s often overlooked, but Waterloo almost snuck into the OUA playoffs in 2023.

Question: What does the third year jump look like for quarterback Nick Orr?

9. Western Mustangs

Statement: They’ll somehow find a way to stay in the mix, overcome adversity, and have a chance at winning the conference. We all know they will.

Question: Hampered by a long list of injuries in 2023, can Western as a whole stay healthy?

10. Windsor Lancers

Statement: If this team touches the field with same Hall of Fame defence, and lethal run-game that they had in 2023, then its safe to say the Windsor Lancers are legitimately just one consistent passing attack away from being the most complete team in the OUA.

Question: It’s all about the pass game here. Who’s starting at QB? Whoever it pans out to be, have they taken a significant jump during the offseason? Will this team be able to move the ball through the air as well as they can on the ground? So many questions!

11. York Lions

Statement: Dexter Janke as the new head coach. Former McMaster head coach Greg Knox returns to the OUA as their new DC. Former Alberta OC Rick Walters leaves the Golden Bears after having almost won a Hardy Cup in 2023 to become their new OC. Tons of mature CJFL commits. A huge transfer pick up in quarterback Shawn Lal from UBC (Previously started in the OUA for Guelph) - this might have been the greatest offseason in York’s program history.

Question: Minus the McMaster forfeit in 2022, the York Lions technically haven’t won a game since 2019. All they need is one, can they get just one?