“A New Era in Gee-Gees football”

The following was posted earlier today on the university’s official sports site.  Some of it was already included here earlier but I’ll post the whole thing regardless in order to have it all in one place.

In just over four months the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football will be back on the field for another OUA season.

This year’s squad will have a new look with Jean-Philippe Asselin taking over as head coach along with Sean Hall as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

Expectations will be high in 2010 as the Gee-Gees should be one of the elite teams in the OUA.

Here is the rest of the Gee-Gees coaching and support staff for the 2010 season.

Offensive Coordinator: Chris Coulson
Special Team Coordinator/Running Backs Coach: Luigi Costanzo
Offensive Line Coach: Irv Daymond
Quarterbacks Coach: Jonathan Stephen
Receivers Coach: Tyler Aldercotte
Defensive Line Coach: Jean-Francois Roy
Linebackers Coach: Pierre Plante
Defensive Backs Coach: Mike White
Kickers Coach: David Miller Johnson
Assistant Offensive Line Coach: Naim El-Far
Assistant Defensive Backs Coach: David Timmons
Academic Coach: Francois Gravelle
Peak Performance Coach: Ray Perras
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Hassan Saeed
Video Coordinator: Chris Brozowski
Film Coordinator: Claude Lessard
Filmer: Laura Bennett
Head Therapist: Crissy McPhee
Team Doctor: Gary Greenberg
Equipment Manager: Cameron Lyons
Ottawa Scout: Frank Farniccio

Recruiting talented players is always a key component to any successful program. The Gee-Gees have done another job outstanding this year bringing in quality individuals to play in the Garnet and Grey.

The following players are the face of the football program’s future and will be around uOttawa for the next four to five years.

“I am very happy with the talent level of all our recruits this year,” said head coach Jean-Philippe Asselin. “I am looking forward to see how they perform during the regular season and am confident they will add to the depth of the Gee-Gees roster this year and for the future.”

Quarterbacks

• Alex Lundstrom (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is from Radnor High School in Philadelphia. Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrS9PyVZ3Os
• Kyle McLean (Ottawa, Ont.) is from St. Pius X High School and was also part of the National Champion team at the 2009 U17 Canada Cup.

Running Backs

• Adam Gourgon (Ottawa, Ont.) from the Junior Raiders football program in Ottawa, Gourgon can also play receiver and is a great kicker.
• Demetri Dalekos (Ottawa, Ont.) from St. Peter High School in Ottawa, he was part of the 2008 Ontario East team that finished 3rd at the 2008 Canada Cup.
• Max Namgung (Kingston, Ont.) from Frontenac High School in Kingston, Max was also part of the 2008 East Ontario Team.
• David Levell (Laval, Que.) is from Lionel-Groulx Cegep in Montreal.

Offensive Line

• David Berardi (Arnprior, Ont.) is from Arnprior District High School and part of the Ontario East team.
• Fred Casselman (Sault Ste Marie, Ont.) was part of the CMFL Championship in the Northern Football Conference.
• Mathieu Chartrand (Sudbury, Ont.) is very athletic and large (6’4”, 280 lbs).
• Jake Gibson (Kingston, Ont.) has enrolled at uOttawa and will follow in the footsteps of his older brother (Donnie) who just finished his 5th year with the Gee-Gees men’s basketball team.

Receivers

• Jordan Andric (Sudbury, Ont.) played one year at the University of Acadia in 2008. He dressed for two games with the Axemen and is now coming closer to home.
• Harry Short (Ottawa, Ont.) from Sir Wilfred Laurier High School, he won the offensive MVP of the 2008 football Canada Cup tournament.
• Joshua Dunks (Vancouver, B.C.) has decided to join the Gee-Gees after his father moved to Ottawa for work. Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxwGc-8s_E

Defensive Line

• Alexis Patenaude (Ottawa, Ont.) played for the Ottawa Sooners last season and won the 2009 OFC Championship.
• Adam Valchuk (Hamilton, Ont.) from Cardinal Newman High School in the Hamilton area, top DL in the area, Adam is 6’4” and 290 lbs.
• Ettore Latanzio (Ottawa, Ont.) played last season with the Ottawa Junior Riders and is considered to be one of the top DL in Ottawa. Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd5Y9RqeDQw
• Jean-Sebastien Collin (Montreal, Que.) from Andre Grasset Cegep, he was the league leader in sacks in 2009.

Linebackers

• Nick Lecour (Ottawa, Ont.) from St. Peter High School is an all around player. His team won the OFSAA Bowl last year. Nick played LB, FB, TB and OL. Highlight video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WToWRXEuSB8
• Ryan Walker (Sault Ste Marie, Ont.) played with Fred Casselman in Sault Ste Marie last season and will be one of the fastest linebackers on the Gee-Gees.
• Harris Lemon (Barrie, Ont.)

Defensive Backs

• Dustin Wilson (Ottawa, Ont.) from St. Patrick High School in Ottawa has committed to attending uOttawa but is still being recruited by a couple of NCAA Division 1 schools in the United States. He signed a letter of intent and if he stays in Canada, he will suit up with the Gee-Gees. Highlight Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBe3DWVqBWc
• Casey Cuffy (Ajax, Ont.) from Notre Dame High School, Cuffy is an amazing athlete.
• Prenel Cave (Ottawa, Ont.) from Franco-Cite, he is one of the most physical free safeties our coaching staff had the chance to see play last year.
• Shane Dabros (Ottawa, Ont.) is from St. Peter High School. Highlight Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WevQPCzwGjI
• Jordan Bortolotti (Windsor, Ont.) is a transfer from Windsor University.

The Gee-Gees begin the 2010 regular season on Monday, September 6, 2010 against the Western Mustangs at Frank Clair Stadium at 1 p.m.

Luigi Costanzo’s name among the coaches catches my eye.  He had been the Head Coach of the Jr Riders since 2004 and his departure seemed sudden (at least from the outside looking in).  This explains it.