Saturday, August 30, 2014

BURNABY, B.C. – Jacques Chapdelaine was a long-time coach in the Canadian Football League, most recently as the offensive coordinator for the BC Lions, before being hired as the head coach at Simon Fraser last spring.

So don’t be surprised to see some elements of the Canadian game surface this fall on Burnaby Mountain.

“We are a little unconventional as far as the American game is concerned,” Chapdelaine recently told the Vancouver Province newspaper. 

“But at the same time, I think that is an advantage right now,” the first-year SFU coach said.  “You can’t motion quite the same way you would in the CFL, but we’ve made it work for us.”

Chapdelaine appears to have the athletes to fit that style of game led by former All-American wide receiver Lemar Durant.

Durant (6-2, 231, Jr., Coquitlam, BC – Centennial) was a second team Football Gazette All-American selection in 2012 after catching 91 passes for 1,318 yards.  He was limited to just four games last year because of injuries, catching 29 passes for 389 yards.

Durant will lead a deep receiving corps, which will also include wide receivers Bobby Pospischil (5-10, 185, Sr., Coquitlam, BC - Centennial) and Kyle Kawamoto (6-0, 178, Sr., North Vancouver, BC  (Handsworth) and tight end Jamal Kett (6-5, 225, Jr., Orangeville, ON – St. Andrew’s). 

Pospischil and Kett both earned second team all-league honors last season.

Pospischil caught 48 passes for 530 yards and one touchdown to increase his career totals to 176 receptions for 1,633 yards.  His reception total ranks seventh in GNAC history.

Kawamoto had 37 receptions for 475 yards and four touchdowns, while Kett had 34 receptions for 396 yards despite missing three games with an ACL injury.

Throwing the ball will be Ryan Stanford (6-3, 210, Jr., Phoenix, AZ), who ranked third in the GNAC in passing last year, completing 199 of 314 passes for 2,282 yards and 12 touchdowns to earn second team all-league honors.

Joining Stanford in the backfield is running back Chris Tolbert (6-0, 195, Jr., Silver Springs, MD), SFU’s 2013 Team MVP.  Tolbert ranked third in the GNAC in rushing last year with 1,050 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Three 2013 starters return on the offensive line for the Clan – tackle Michael Couture (6-4, 276, Jr., Burnaby, BC – Centennial) and guards Quinn Courtney (6-1, 291, So., Stehekin, WA – Chelan) and Eric Querengesser (6-3, 322, Sr., Edmonton, AB).

The line may also include freshman Staphane Tanguay (6-6, 295, Fr., Russell, ON) who has had a strong fall camp.

Six starters return on defense for the Clan led by end Keenan North (6-3, 229, Sr., Bellingham, WA) who had 43 tackles including 8 ½ for losses of 40 yards last season.

Also back are linebackers Mitchell Barnett (6-1, 192, Jr., North Vancouver, BC – Handsworth) and Eric Murphy (6-1, 207, Sr., North Bend, WA – Mt. Si), defensive back Chandler Gayton (6-0, 182, Sr., Seattle, WA – O’Dea) and tackles Justin Williams (6-2, 272, Sr., Oak  Park, CA) and Kristian Lawrence (6-3, 253, Sr., Ottawa, ON – St. Peter),

Barnett ranked second on the team in tackles last year with 70, including eight for losses of 22 yards.  Murphy had 43 tackles and Gayton had 25.  Lawrence had 29 stops, including 6 ½ for losses and Williams had 16.

Special team returnees include Chad Heerspink (6-0, 189, So., Lynden, WA – Lynden Christian) and Earl Anderson (5-11, 167, Jr., Courtice, ON – Holy Trinity). 

Heerspink converted on 13 of 18 extra points and eight of 10 field goals.  Anderson averaged 24.5 yards on 10 punt returns last season to earn first team all-league honors.

SIMON FRASER  Clan (GNAC Projected Finish: #5)

Head Coach:  Jacques Chapdelaine, Simon Fraser ‘84  (First year).
Assistants:  Abe Elimimian, defensive coordinator; Bryan Wyllie, special teams & defensive line; Adam Blasetti, offensive line; Justin Chapdelaine, running backs; Matt Chapdelaine, receivers; Jon Klyne, tight ends; William Fields, defensive backs; Solomon Elimimian, linebackers; Don Sweet, kickers/punters.
2013 Record: 3-7 Conference: 3-7, 5th
Returning Letter Winners: Off – 16  Def – 13  Specialty – 4   Lost - 12
Returning Starters: Off – 8  Def – 6 Kickers - 2
Basic Offense: Multiple
Basic Defense: Multiple
Stadium (Capacity): Swangard Stadium (4,200)

TOP RETURNEES: Rushing –   Chris Tolbert (RB, 6-0, 195, Jr., 234-1050, 10 TDs). Passing – Ryan Stanford (QB, 6-3, 210, Jr., 199-314-14, 2282, 12 TDs). Receiving – Bobby Pospischil (WR, 5-10, 185, Sr., 48-530, 1 TD); Kyle Kawamoto (WR, 6-0, 178, Sr., 37-475, 4 TDs); Jamal Kett (TE, 6-5, 225, Jr., 34-396, 1 TD); Lemar Durant (WR, 6-2, 231, Jr., 29-389, 5 TDs in 4 games; 91-1318, 17 TDs in 2012).  Kick Scoring – Chad Heerspink (6-0, 189, So., 8-10 FG 13-18 PAT). Defense – Mitchell Barnett (LB, 6-1, 192, Jr., 32-38-70, TFL 8-22); Eric Murphy (LB, 6-1, 207, Sr., 22-21-43); Keenan North (DL, 6-3, 229, Sr., 20-22-42 TFL 8 ½ - 40).  All-Stars – Lemar Durant (WR, 2nd team Football Gazette All-American in 2012); Earl Anderson (RB, 5-11, 167, Jr., 1st team GNAC punt returner); Ryan Stanford (QB, 2nd team GNAC); Chris Tolbert (RB, 2nd team GNAC, GNAC Newcomer of the Year); Bobby Pospischil (WR, 2nd team GNAC); Jamal Kett (TE, 2nd team GNAC).

KEY LOSSES:  Matthias Goossen (OL, 1st team GNAC); Tore Corrado (1st team kick returner. 12-34.8); Casey Chin (LB, 1st team GNAC, 119 tackles, TFL 12-39, 3-78 interc.);  Derek Jones (DB, 2nd team GNAC, 50 tackles)

KEY TRANSFERS/FRESHMEN: Staphane Tanguay (OL, 6-6, 295, Fr., Russell, ON), Michael Beck (OL, 6-3, 260, Fr., Coquitlam, BC)