The Carabins have landed an all-star wide receiver ahead of the 2023 season.
On Tuesday, the Université de Montréal (UdeM) team announced the arrival of 15 recruits, including Simon Larose. The young man was crowned offensive player par excellence of the first collegiate division.
The Phénix du Collège André-Grasset product put his hands on 36 balls for gains of 841 and six touchdowns last season.
“It’s quite an acquisition,” said head coach Marco Iadeluca. He has excellent skills, both in terms of finesse and robustness. He has good hands. He’s a pretty complete receiver. We are very happy to have him.”
The Carabins also made a good move by attracting the running back of the Filons du Cégep de Thetford Lucas Bertet. His highlights video on the Hudl platform is worth a look.
Quantitatively, the 2023 UdeM recruitment vintage is a little less imposing than the previous ones. Iadeluca explains that he has a very young team at hand and that there were very few departures after the last campaign.
“Unlike last year, when we had glaring needs on our offensive line, we did not have a position more in demand than another. We have completed our recruitment cycle by adding good complementary players to what we already had in our training.
A substitute de luxe
The Blues, however, signed quarterback Victor Charland, who has been dominant in the collegiate second division. The pivot of the Nomades de Montmorency was crowned player par excellence of his circuit. In 2022, he completed 71% of his passes for 2,374 yards and 19 touchdowns. The Lavallois only committed one interception.
His decision to choose the Carabins could surprise many, considering that UdeM is counting on the services of Jonathan Sénécal for a minimum of two more seasons.
“I always say it takes two good quarterbacks to win a Vanier Cup,” Iadeluca said. We have a good group of quarterbacks and you always want to create competition so that everyone pushes forward.
“Of course, athletes of his talent want to play quickly, but Victor is a guy who wants to keep learning and improving. He wants to work with Jo [Sénécal] and he’s here to compete.”
New Carabins players:
Victor Charland, quarterback, Montmorency College Nomads
Simon Larose, receiver, Phénix du Collège André-Grasset
Ismaël Akué, receiver, Cégep de Limoilou Titans
Raph Canal Charles, Receiver, Cégep du Vieux-Montréal Spartans
Matisse St-Germain, offensive line, Cégep de Trois-Rivières Diablos
Paul Nobou, offensive line, Gaillards de Jonquière
Vincent Simard, offensive line, Champlain College-Lennoxville Cougars
Lucas Bertet, porter, Filons du Cégep de Thetford
Jamaal Louis, carrier, Ahuntsic College Eagles
Zachari Zon, defensive line, André-Grasset College Phénix
Sasha Desrouleaux, defensive line, Collège Ahuntsic Eagles
Sergile Nyouvop, defensive back, Vanier College Cheetahs
Nelson Kameni, defensive back, Lionel-Groulx College Nordiques
Coslens Clairveaux, defensive back, Cégep du Vieux-Montréal Spartans
Étienne Jacques, kicker, Lynx from Cégep Édouard-Montpetit
