Men’s Football
Football Top 10: No changes to Big Four as regular season hits midway mark
Western quarterback Chris Merchant, Ottawa defensive back Luke Griese and Toronto receiver Daniel Diodati are the U SPORTS Football Players of the Week, for the period ending Sept. 23, 2018.
With top spot in the OUA on the line, the Western Mustangs offence came out firing on all cylinders on Saturday against the Waterloo Warriors, and Merchant was right in the thick of it. The team as a whole registered 67 points on the day, with Merchant doing plenty of damage with his arm. The Vanier Cup MVP showcased his strong accuracy, completing 20-of-24 passes, while throwing for 348 yards and six touchdowns. Merchant needed only two receivers – Brett Ellerman and Cole Majoros – to record his impressive collection of majors, which included three in the first quarter, two in the third frame, and the longest of the day coming via a 61-yard connection in the second. For good measure, Merchant also ran three times for 41 yards, helping the No.1-nationally ranked Mustangs remain undefeated for the year.
FB: Brett Ellerman with great adjustment on his 3rd TD of afternoon to match Cole Majoros. 6 TD passes for QB Chris Merchant. Western up 59-7 at end of the 3rd Quarter #runwithus #PurpleReign @OUAsport pic.twitter.com/VS0AYMFigE
— Western Mustangs (@WesternMustangs) September 22, 2018
Griese had a standout defensive performance for the Gee-Gees in their 42-16 win against the York Lions on Saturday. The Newmarket, Ont., native had the best game of his career, stuffing the stat sheet with seven solo tackles and two assisted tackles for eight overall, while also registering one sack for nine yards and 1.5 tackles for a loss. He wasn’t done there however, as the second-year safety added two interceptions for 33 yards. Griese’s three interceptions on the year now have him ranked second in the nation.
A second-year receiver, Diodati racked up 158 all-purpose yards in the Varsity Blues football team’s heated contest with the No. 6 Carleton Ravens on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Stadium. The sociology major made five punt returns for 128 yards, including a beautiful 99-yard return for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Diodati also had one rush for five yards and a major in the second quarter. A native of Etobicoke, Ont., Diodati rounded out his day by hauling in six receptions for 25 yards.
FB: TORONTO TOUCHDOWN! Daniel Diodati with a 99-yard punt return for his second major of the day! The Blues trail the @CURavens 32-26 with 5:56 to go!@UofT @OUAsport @USPORTSca @USPORTS_FB @UofTBluesFB pic.twitter.com/VEAMufp3Gy
— U of T Varsity Blues (@Varsity_Blues) September 22, 2018
Offensive nominees:
- CW: Colton Klassen, receiver, Saskatchewan
- OUA: Chris Merchant, quarterback, Western, (Winner)
- RSEQ: Hugo Richard, quarterback, Laval
- AUS: Jordan Socholotiuk, running back, StFX
Defensive nominees:
- CW: Jacob Solie, defensive back, Saskatchewan
- OUA: Luke Griese, defensive back, Ottawa, (Winner)
- RSEQ: Marc-Antoine Dequoy, half back, Montreal
- AUS: Mandella Loggale, defensive back, Saint Mary’s
Special teams nominees:
- CW: Marcel Arruda-Welch, returner, Manitoba
- OUA: Daniel Diodati, receiver, Toronto, (Winner)
- RSEQ: Louis-Philippe Simoneau, kicker / punter, Montreal
- AUS: Brian Hope, kicker / punter, Saint Mary’s
Sportsnet and TVA Sports are once again the official broadcasters of the U SPORTS football semifinals and final in 2018. The Mitchell Bowl (CW at OUA) and Uteck Bowl (AUS at RSEQ) are set for Saturday, Nov. 17, while the Vanier Cup follows on Saturday, Nov. 24 at TELUS-UL Stadium in Quebec City. For all the information on the 54th Vanier Cup (including tickets) click here.