By Dashawn Stephens
The Marauder Way
By the time McMaster players made it back to the visitor’s locker room at TD Stadium after their Week 1 loss to Western, football fans had already given up on them.
Their 41-13 loss to the Mustangs was their most lopsided regular season defeat since Week 3 of the 2019 regular season - a loss which coincidentally also came at the hands of the Mustangs.
So, coming off the bye week, boasting a No. 10 ranking that they barely hung on to, many wondered how the reigning Yates Cup champions would respond,
Well, they responded by dismantling the then-No. 4 team in the nation, respectfully
McMaster’s offence was crisp. Andreas Dueck seemingly threw for 355 yards and three touchdowns with ease, completing an impressive 84 per cent of his passes. 35 per cent of those passes were caught by Liam Putt, who emerged as the primary target for the Marauders. Putt was able to expose countless holes in Waterloo’s secondary as well as evade tackles on his way to a 10 reception, 142 yard, two touchdown performance.
The Marauder defence didn’t miss a beat either. Tre Ford may have thrown for 356 yards, but the former OUA MVP was well-contained, only rushing for 56 yards and throwing for one touchdown. McMaster’s front seven brought the pressure as it was names such as Enoch Penny-Laryea and Eryk Bujalski who made a home in Waterloo’s backfield.
McMaster’s 34-13 win over Waterloo was exactly what the Marauders needed to step back into the OUA West playoff picture while reminding us all they’re still a powerhouse program.
If you haven’t realized by now, the McMaster Marauders are, and always have been, an even keel football program. They stay calm and collected through losses, and maintain their composure after big wins - unless it’s worth celebrating. They’re never phased by adversity, and spend little time dwelling on success. If Bill Belichick’s approach to the game somehow found its way north of the border, it is embodied within this program.
Rest assured, the Marauders step on the field every week with an 0-0 mindset. That’s the Marauder way.
“Here Comes Queen’s”
For six straight seasons, it seemed as though Queen’s had fallen from atop the OUA. And they did, winning only 43 per cent of their games from 2014 to 2019, while qualifying for the postseason twice. Not even a $20.27 million upgrade to Richardson Stadium could revive the winning culture that was once attached to the Gaels.
The 2021 season carries a new narrative. A wide-open OUA East, along with ball-carrying services of Rasheed Tucker and a lights-out defence, have launched Queen’s back into the Yates Cup conversation, and even landed them a spot in the Top 10.
Halfway through the season, Tucker has been the heart and soul of the Gaels’ offence. In three games the UCC product has rushed 396 yards, the most in the nation.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Gaels are armed with OUA’s top defence for the first time since 2011. Their 8.8 points allowed per game are the fewest in the OUA and second-fewest in the nation.
Ashton Miller-Melancon and Nolan Bedard currently lead the OUA in solo tackles, while Anthony Federico continues to bully offensive linemen, racking up five of the Gaels’ conference-leading 11 sacks.
The Gaels have a divisional cross-over meeting this weekend with the No. 7 Guelph Gryphons before finishing their regular season with rematches against the Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees. If Queen’s can get past Guelph, then this team has a strong chance of going undefeated, something they haven’t done since 2008.
As the second half of the season unfolds, a key focus should be the progression of third-year quarterback, James Keenan. The starting signal-caller has served as a solid game-manager for the Gaels, throwing for a cool 446 yards and four touchdowns. As teams begin to take notice of the aforementioned Tucker, it will be intriguing to see how Keenan can elevate Queen’s passing attack when the opportunity arises.
The Importance of Windsor’s Win
When the OUA dropped the 2021 football schedule back in July, many were outraged with Windsor’s six-game card.
Under normal circumstances, the last-place team from the previous season would not be scheduled to play the top two seeds from the previous season - a move done to help create competitiveness for rebuilding programs.
This means that in a non-covid year, Windsor would not be slated to face either Western or McMaster.
The covid-induced divisional realignment forced schedule-makers to step away from their traditional format, and so the Lancers have both the Mustangs and Marauders on their schedule. In fact, they have the Mustangs twice.
Toss in the fact that the division also includes Waterloo, Guelph, and Laurier, all of whom started the season on the Top 10, and it’s safe to say Windsor has the toughest schedule in the country.
But something special happened on Saturday. Just one week removed from Guelph’s upset win over the then-No. 1 Mustangs, the Lancers pulled off an upset of their own and defeated the then-No. 5 Gryphons 14-12.
And it wasn’t a fluke! Windsor’s defence was stubborn, limiting Guelph’s offence to only four field goals through over 30 minutes of possession.
It must be acknowledged that Shawm Lal, the quarterback who led Guelph to their Week 1 win, was absent for this game. But the Lancers still deserve their due for hanging with a squad who many were raving about as Yates Cup favourites just a mere seven days ago.
In a year where they were perceived as write-offs, Windsor proved that they possess the drive to compete in the OUA West and win games. Would it be fair to expect them to go 5-1 the rest of the way? Despite all the big talk you’ve heard from Lancer players throughout the week, probably not. But it also wouldn’t be fair to take them lightly any longer.
If there’s one thing that we can take away from their triumphant victory, it’s that the Lancers are going to ride out their schedule and come ready to engineer a meaningful challenge every week. They’re not interested in begging for your sorrow, they’re not interested in receiving your pity, and they certainly aren’t interested in your cries for a lighter schedule on their behalf. Instead, all they want is your respect.
Currently tied for fourth in the OUA West, Windsor continues their 2021 campaign this Saturday as they welcome the No. 5 McMaster Marauders to Alumni Field.
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