The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team opens their 154th season in program history when they host the McMaster Marauders this Sunday, August 30 at Varsity Centre.
 
Kick off is set for 1 p.m. Advance tickets are on sale here. The game will also be streamed and live stats will be available on OUA.tv.


 
Last season the Varsity Blues offence reached another level, topping the U of T single season record for highest net offence (3,165/1981), ending 2014 with 3,772 yards. Add in new single season marks for most passing attempts (330) and completions (205), and it is obvious the expectations for 2015 are higher than ever.
 
Offensively, veteran quarterback Simon Nassar returns for his final season after leading the OUA in 2014 with 190 completions on 281 attempts for 2,280 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Simon Nassar and Divante Smith preview the @Varsity_Blues 2015 #OUA #football season. WATCH ? https://t.co/cAUpt1H13e #QuestfortheCup

— OUA (@OUAsport) August 21, 2015

 

VIDEO: @Varsity_Blues looking stacked at the QB position. Nassar & Hobbs with TD throws in last nights win over... http://t.co/raNRJzCtDm

— Jim Mullin (@Jim_Mullin) August 22, 2015

Receivers Boris Isakov, Domenic Battistella and Rahul Madan combined for 894 receiving yards in 2014 and will look to elevate their games in order to fill the 1,361 receiving yards that have been left behind by current Toronto Argonaut, Kevin Bradfield, and 2014 CIS all-Canadian Llevi Noel.
 
Returning running backs Lukas Gavac, who finished fifth in the OUA with 677 rushing yards in 2014, as well as explosive sophomore Divante Smith will ensure that the Varsity Blues are also a threat on the ground.

.@CIS_Football Player To Watch: Lukas Gavac, Toronto @Varsity_Blues http://t.co/Ux9t6yFRk1 pic.twitter.com/cJXwJ0lu5i

— Official CIS - SIC (@CIS_SIC) August 24, 2015

Third-year standout Danny Sprukulis returns to U of T's offensive line, which includes fellow OUA all-rookie team member Sam MacMillan, as well as Zach Van Kerrebroeck who is back after a one-year hiatus.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, 2014 tackle leader Jaiden McBride is back to lead Toronto's secondary, which also returns veterans JJ Lam and John Connors. Lam ranked second on the Blues with 38 tackles, while Connors returns from injury and looks to be in fine form for training camp. Veterans Peter Harris and Jordan Gillespie are also expected to turn heads this season.
 
Linebacker Dylan Gordon, who ranked fifth in the OUA with 47 tackles in 2013, is back for his fifth season in the Blue and White. He will be joined by Corey Williams and Brittley Mokube, who combined for 54 tackles last year. Susquehanna transfer Adrian Bernard, as well as third-year linebacker Michael Leslie, will also be relied on to make an immediate impact this season.
 
Fifth-year veteran Zack Lukings looks to Mark Ehioghae and Carter Gladman to help him lead U of T's defensive line in 2015.
 
With U of T all-time return yardage record holder Kevin Bradfield joining the Toronto Argonauts this season, the return duties will now fall to second-year running back Divante Smith and veteran Rowan Comish. An incredibly explosive player, Smith averaged 22 yard on 15 kick returns in 2014. Comish led U of T with 205 total punt return yards, averaging 9.8 yards on 21 punt returns last season.
 
The Blues have a strong kicking contingent with third-year political science major Anthony Iafrate, as well as Susquehanna transfer TJ Morton and rookie Ethan Shafer all ready to shine.
 
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