The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team kicks off their 155thseason in program history on the road as they travel to challenge the defending Yates Cup champion Guelph Gryphons this Sunday, August 28 at Alumni Stadium.
 
Kick-off is set for 1 p.m. The game will be streamed with live stats available on OUA.tv.


 
Season Preview: By Mike Hogan
 
For the coaching staff it may feel like it's at glacial speed, but the Varsity Blues program is moving in the right direction.
 
Greg Gary's Blues were a win away from a playoff spot a year ago, but let's just say their final game of the season at Ottawa didn't go the way they had hoped.
 
This year the club is dreaming of that elusive post-season berth, something it hasn't experienced since 1995. The Simon Nassar era is over and the torch will be passed to Marcus Hobbs. With his brother Nate playing the same position at Queen's, the siblings comprise 18 per cent of the OUA's starting quarterbacks. Hobbs has been with the Blues for four years and finally gets a chance to start. He's athletic, possesses a strong arm and just needs a little maturation at the position. While he threw just eight passes last season, the coaches feel they're in good hands.
 
The Blues are thrilled that Alex Malone is returning as the main running back. He turned heads last year with a stunning 257- yard rushing performance against York. This is an area where the Blues have some depth, with Divante Smith returning for a third year and Kaleb Leach transferring from Florida Tech. Leach was an all-state player in his high school days in Kentucky.
 
There's no go-to receiver like Llevi Noel or Kevin Bradfield on the roster, so the Blues will be trying to spread the ball around this year. Rahul Madan led the team with 33 receptions and was the only player on the team with more than one TD catch. Returnees Anthony Naccarato and Domenic Battistella will also see ample playing time.
 
Varsity lost D.J. Sackey to the CFL team that also calls Toronto home, a move that didn't catch Gary off guard, but it doesn't mean the loss doesn't hurt a team that has had trouble with depth on the o-line. Sackey was selected 13th overall by the Argos in this year's draft and made the team, forgoing his final year of eligibility. Danny Sprukulis will anchor the unit this season after an appearance in the East-West Bowl. Kevin Williams will start at center, while Chris Kelly also brings experience to the group.
 
One newcomer to watch is Nick Wasylyk, a Mississauga native who returns home after who is transferring to U-of-T from Tusculum College in Tennessee. Wasylyk isn't unique, as the Blues have been pro-active in their attempt to bring Canadians back from experiences in the U.S., either at prep schools or in the NCAA. Having players like Noel, Bradfield and Sackey move on to the CFL certainly doesn't hurt the recruiting process.
 
The Blues may not have a lot of size on the defensive line, but they will have speed and quickness. Corey Williams and Malcolm Campbell are both former linebackers who will line up at end. Carter Gladman will also try to provide pressure from the edge. He and Williams tied for the team lead with three sacks a year ago. In the middle Ryan Searle is back for another year at tackle, while freshman Mekhi Henry from Brampton is a highly-rated recruit who will also get reps inside.
 
The linebacking corps is the strength of the defence and the Blues have travelled far and wide to assemble the starters. Adrian Bernard anchors the group as the Newark, New Jersey native is back for a second season at MLB. He'll be flanked by Calgary's Mike Leslie and Brampton's Brittley Mokube.
 
Richard Gillespie is back and looking to turn the heads of CFL scouts and his strong showing at the East-West Bowl didn't hurt. He's not the tallest back in the world, but does have a good nose for the ball as shown with his two interceptions last season. Jaiden McBride and Nick Hallett both return to add some veteran presence in the secondary. The Blues are also excited about a couple of newcomers: Jamal Johnson comes back to Toronto after two years at prep school in Connecticut, while Joel Fountain joins the team from Father Henry Carr Secondary.
 
TJ Morton led the OUA in punting last year with an average of just over 40 yards per kick. He returns for a second year, while the place kicking will once again be handled by Ethan Shafer.
 
You don't have to go too far back to find a Blues-free CFL. The program has turned that around to the extent that Sackey, Bradfield and Noel are all playing for the Argos. That will no doubt help recruiting down the road, but not as much as that elusive playoff spot. If all goes well that could change this year.