When the Toronto Varsity Blues snap the ball for their first play from scrimmage in Sunday’s Gryphon football season opener at Alumni Stadium, two transfers are hoping to be on the defensive line for the hosts.
“I’m real excited. It’s my last year of football so it’s my last first game,” said 6-foot-3, 285-pound Corey Flude. He transferred from Queen’s and won’t sit out this year as he’s a masters student at the U of G.
“It’s just been really exciting,” he said of training camp. “It’s been high tempo and everyone’s bought in. It’s been really exciting and fast-paced. It went like a dream it went that fast.”
Flude was a starter for the Queen’s last season, his fourth with the team. He had 23.5 tackles, three for a loss, and a sack in seven games. In all his time with the Gaels, he had 40 tackles, eight for a loss, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
He feels the differences between the Gaels and Gryphons are small.
“It’s the same stuff, just a different way. There are just subtle differences. It’s all football,” Flude said. “It’s football, so the techniques are all the same, but I’d say there are a lot more plays here than back at the other school. It’s more time with the play book, but after the first week it’s all bought in your head. It’s all there.”
Matt Delmas is making a return to football after sitting out last year. He dedicated that time to improving his academics to be able to get into the U of G.
“It’s very exciting. It’s been a long year waiting and training and I’m just really excited to be here,” he said after Tuesday’s practice.
Delmas was a starter for the Saint Mary’s Huskies of Halifax in the Atlantic conference in 2014, his second year with the team. He had 32 tackles, 13 for a loss, and eight sacks in eight games with the Huskies.
Like Flude, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Delmas found that the difference between the Gryphons and Saint Mary’s is mainly terminology.
“It’s more the play book and the calls with a bit of a different lingo,” Delmas said. "Every team has their own lingo so it was just a slight adjustment and now I feel pretty comfortable with the play book and everything else.
“Football’s football. There are a little different run schemes and pass schemes, but once you put your head in the dirt and line up, it’s all football.”
Both are anxiously awaiting Sunday’s season opener against Toronto.
“I can’t wait,” Delmas said. “I think it’s going to be a great exhibition for our whole team. We look great on offence and defence and special teams. I’m really excited and it’s going to be a great way to open up the season.”
Lessons were learned in last weekend’s scrimmage with the McMaster Marauders that should lead to a few changes for the home opener.
“The scrimmage on the weekend, we started off a little slow,” Delmas said. “I think it was just the jitters of the team and just 12 guys who haven’t been all together before. I think we settled down after the first series and we looked really good. I’m excited to play with this defence.”
While neither Flude nor Delmas played in last year’s OUA championship Yates Cup game, both know the team is hoping for more this season.
“The vibe in the locker room is to definitely get past that Yates Cup. We definitely really want to be in the Vanier and win the Vanier,” Delmas said. “I think anything less would be a failure, to be honest. All the boys have their heads on straight and I think we’re going to do it this year. I really believe that and our coaches believe that. It’s from the top down and it’s really exciting.”
That expectation can bring pressure.
“Pressure’s a good thing,” Delmas said. “For sure we’re going to have some valleys, but we’re just going to have to keep strong and keep our heads together and I think we can get through all those valleys. I think the peak is definitely going to be winning the Vanier.”
“It’s just expectations that we get there,” Flude said. “It’s not pressure, it’s just our own expectations on ourselves.”
Game time Sunday at Alumni Stadium is 1 p.m.