CIS preseason: Varsity Blues smother Redmen (video)

MONTREAL — Senior quarterback Simon Nassar completed 15 of 17 passes for 188 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Toronto Varsity Blues defeated McGill 36-3 in CIS preseason football at Percival Molson Stadium, Friday.

U of T snapped McGill’s two-game win streak in a long-standing head-to-head series which dates all the way back to 1881. The Varsity Blues lead the series with a lifetime 96-52-6 record. The Redmen haven’t defeated Toronto at Molson Stadium since a 17-0 whitewash in 1969 to capture the Yates Cup league title.

It was a disappointing kick-off to McGill’s 135th season as a young Redmen squad generated only 126 yards of net offence, compared to the Blues, who racked up a whopping 512. Toronto also posted a 28-12 advantage in first downs.

The game featured 39 penalties for 297 yards, including 205 yards of real estate charged to Toronto, which was flagged 27 times. The two teams also combined for 20 punts, seven kickoffs and five quarterback sacks.

Toronto led 16-0 after the opening quarter and 29-0 at halftime before McGill could reply with a 15-yard field-goal by Justin Lavallee, a freshman from Ile-Bizard, Que., for the only scoring of the third quarter. The Blues added another TD in the final stanza.

Nassar, a fifth-year veteran who measures only 5-foot-10 and 195 pounds, hooked up with Anthony Naccarato for a four-yard TD toss to give the Blues a 9-0 lead at the 7:20 mark.

Two plays after a 54-yard punt by T.J. Morton pinned McGill in deep, sophomore quarterback Joel Houle fumbled an attempted exchange with rookie running back Mike Lusikila in the endzone and U of T linebacker Owynn Lahnalampi pounced on the loose ball to give the Blues a 16-0 advantage in the final minute of the opening stanza.

Nassar then connected with Boris Isakov for a 31-yard TD romp before the second quarter was five minutes old and the rout was on. Isakov was the only U of T player to reach the century mark, hauling in six receptions for 101 yards.

Blues back-up quarterback Marcus Hobbs found Nic Stadnyk in the endzone for a 22-yard major late in the fourth. Hobbs finished with 153 passing yards, completing 11 of 17 attempts. Ethan Shaferadded a 13-yard field-goal to give Toronto a 29-0 lead at 12:24 of the second quarter and a couple of safety touches and three conversions rounded out the scoring.

Among the few bright spots for McGill was return specialist Sebastien Asselin,a freshman from Joliette, Que., who collected 102 all-purpose yards, including 56 on a pair of kickoff runbacks and 46 on five punt returns.

McGill deployed four quarterbacks, including Nicolas English, a freshman from St. Constant, Que., who came on in relief of Houle and went 5-for-6 passing for 41 yards to go along with a team-high 25 rushing yards on three carries.

Houle was 7-for-16 for 38 yards and rookie pivot Matthew Mannarino was 2-for-5 for 34 yards, whileSimon Cossette was 0-for-3 passing. There were no interceptions, on either side.

The quarterback quartet combined to find nine different McGill receivers, led by Jonathan Mack, who snared four passes for 24 yards.

Toronto begins their OUA season on Aug. 30 when they host McMaster.

McGill will open regular season play in the RSEQ conference on Sept. 4 when they play host to Bishop’s, a team that they must beat if they want to set their sights on a playoff berth.

REDMEN RAP: Because it was an exhibition game, Toronto suited up 60 players, while McGill dressed 61, which is 13 more than they are permitted in a regular-season contest… The Redmen dressed 29 freshmen, 13 sophomores, 14 juniors and five seniors… Among McGill’s 19 lineup scratches was all-star running back Luis Guimont-Mota, who is still recovering from an injury suffered in the CIS East-West Bowl last May… Leading the Redmen defence with a game-high seven tackles, was DE Devon Stewart and DB Alexandre Lefebvre-Tardif making five solos tackles apiece, to go along with a pair of assisted tackles… DB David Polynice registered three solos and four assists… The Redmen were credited with four of the game’s five QB sacks, led by Eric Gracioppo with two, plus one apiece from DBAnthony Couturier-Lagace and LB Dane Wagner.