London native named Ontario’s top university football player

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HAMILTON – This is Taylor Elgersma’s dream scenario.

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The London native already faced his hometown Western Mustangs in the Yates Cup game last year – and it didn’t end well.

But this time, the Wilfrid Laurier star quarterback gets to play in his own environment – at University Stadium in Waterloo Saturday (1 p.m. kickoff).

“It’s just really special to host the Yates at home,” Elgersma said. “Our school put a lot of money into our program and got us a new field and improved facilities. Western’s defence is good and they’re going to come out hungry.

“We were the more physical team last time (in a 43-28 head-to-head win Sept. 14 at home) and we just have to be the more physical team again.”

Elgersma was named the Ontario university football player of the year for the second straight season Thursday at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton. The 6-foot-6 pivot was the first player to win back-to-back Larry Haylor Awards since Queen’s pass-thrower Tom Denison in 2002-03.

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He didn’t start playing football until Grade 10 and wasn’t at one of the recent pigskin powerhouses in Oakridge secondary school. But he has all the tools to get to the next level and make an impact.

“He was a hockey guy (with the Jr. Knights) in his background and you see it in his play,” Golden Hawks head coach Michael Faulds said. “He started it late but I think that’s his drive. It almost feels like he’s on catch-up mode. He works tirelessly for it and I think he will be the next Canadian to get a true shot (in the Canadian Football League).”

Faulds, the former Western great, thinks Elgersma brings a different dimension in his pro potential.

“Many Canadian quarterbacks have been like me – 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2 – but Taylor looks like a prototype quarterback you see in the NFL,” Faulds said. “ He’s got all the arm strength, the leadership qualities and he’s going to take that next leap.”

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Elgersma still has a fifth year of eligibility. But the preferred route is to end Western’s three-year reign atop the OUA now, win the Vanier Cup and then build off the CFL buzz he has generated with a second straight outstanding campaign.

“Ideally, this would be it,” he said. “If I could get a chance to go play pro for money, I’m going to take my chance. It’s pretty special to have an opportunity as a Canadian. That would be the ideal path and things are going according to plan, but we’ll see how it goes.

“A win (Saturday) would help.”

Elgersma shares a lot of the same on-field qualities that Faulds had when he was a Mustang – and it shows. He wants to win as badly for his coach as himself.

“Faulds is my mentor,” he said. “We’re so similar in personality and get along so well. That’s one of the cool things of our relationship. He’s my head coach and I respect him so much. But we’re also close friends and I enjoy joking around with him.

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“He gets me going out there.”

Faulds was named top OUA coach for the second straight year, becoming the first repeat honouree since his mentor Greg Marshall of Western in 2018-19. Since 2015, the conference’s coach of the year was either Marshall (four times), his old quarterback Faulds (three times) or his former assistants Steve Snyder at Queen’s and Chris Bertoia at Waterloo (once apiece).

Marshall has always praised Faulds for his big-game qualities as a player. Now, the Laurier coach is hoping his trust in Elgersma pays off against his alma mater.

“He’s the best leader we have and the best leader I’ve been around,” Faulds said of his quarterback. “He’s had a great season and I expect nothing different Saturday.”

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AWARDS DAY: Western wasn’t shut out of the OUA awards this time. Free safety Jackson Findlay earned the President’s Award as standup defensive player of the year, Londoner Erik Andersen was the J.P. Metras Award recipient as most outstanding lineman and long-time Mustangs assistant P.J. Edgeworth was volunteer coach of the year.

THE GAME: The Yates Cup game will be broadcast on Rogers TV London and Waterloo Region, as well as on Anthem’s Game+ (www.gameplusnetwork.com). It will also be available on OUA TV.

rpyette@postmedia.com

OUA FOOTBALL AWARDS

• Larry Haylor MVP award: Taylor Elgersma, Laurier
• Dave ‘Tuffy’ Knight coach of the year: Michael Faulds, Laurier
• President’s Award standup defensive player of the year: Jackson Findlay, Western
• J.P. Metras Award (most outstanding lineman): Erik Andersen, Western
• Norm Marshall rookie of the year: Jackson Taylor, McMaster
• Russ Jackson Award: Ben Maracle, Ottawa
• Bernie Custis EDI Award: Kwabena-Nana Gyimah, Ottawa
• Volunteer assistant coach of the year: P.J. Edgeworth, Western
• Ken Green officials award of merit: Kevin Baird

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