Long Overdue OUA Obits: Guelph Gryphons

Season in a nutshell

The Gryphons entered the 2011 season as an unknown entity in the OUA as they had loads of talent but a fair number of new starters and inexperienced coaches. At the outset of the season I had named the Gryphons as a darkhorse Yates Cup contender here at Always OUA in an attempt to have some sort of foresight, when really I thoroughly proved how fallible I am. The Gryphons failed to build any sort of momentum this season and, after several close but no cigar games, found themselves on the outside of the OUA playoffs looking in. After several injuries, lineup moves, etc. it appears as though the Gryphons will be forced to wonder what could have been after a very difficult 2011.

The turning point

Depends which game you think set them off the rails more. The obvious answer would be the 21-12 loss against Toronto which was on University Rush in week three of the season. The next contender, however, would be their 37-13 loss to the McMaster Marauders on Homecoming after leading 10-3 going into the half. Both were indicative of a team that, for whatever reason, just couldn't find a way to win. Both of these losses made the Gryphons a long shot to make playoffs.

MVPs
Jedd Gardner, WR
39 Recs, 520 yards, 3 TDs

It cetainly wasn't his best statistical season but Jedd Gardner, as he has been for so many years, was the Gryphons' most dangerous weapon. His breakaway speed and sure hands made him a "must double" for any defensive secondary the Gryphons came across. His contributions to the special teams units also can't be denied as he factored in both the punt return and, to a lesser degree, the kick return. His big play potential can't be ignored as he had a season long passing play of 81 yards and a season long punt return of 57. As far as game breaking ability in the OUA this year, there weren't many guys who ranked ahead of Jedd Gardner. Coming to a CFL team near you.


Jake Reinhart, LB
48 solos, 29 assists, 1 sack


We speculated earlier this season that the linebacker corps could be a problem spot for the Gryphons with the departures of Adam Dunk and Matt Rossetti. Obviously Reinhart was at a disadvantage coming into the season for Guelph since a prerequisite for the team is clearly to have a brother who plays quarterback on the roster, but he performed admirably in his first year as a key player in the second level. A season of 62.5 total tackles is certainly nothing to scoff at, especially when you consider his previous season high for tackles was 16. In fact, he recorded double digits in tackles three times this season and never recorded less than six. A first team all-OUA candidate for 2012, should he return for his fifth season.


Bryan Dunjko, DB
33 solos, 6 assists, 4 INTs

The secondary was the primary bringer of fear for opponents when they prepared their game plan for Guelph and Dunjko was a big reason why. He was second on the team in solo tackles with 33 and led the team in picks with four. Dunjko will absolutey be in the pre-season discussion of "best defensive backs in the OUA" after recruiting season wraps up and I fully expect him to have a better season in 2012. When you consider that teams never had to play desperation football against the Gryphons very much (read: they weren't forced to pass) the secondary's chances to make plays was limited. Given that I expect this team as a whole to get better, I'd expect the playmakers in the secondary to see a jump in numbers as well.

Defining Quote
“This has definitely been one of the more disappointing seasons. But all in all, I have fond memories. It’s kind of a rebuilding year for the future, we had a lot of young guys.”


-Jedd Gardner to the Guelph Mercury after his final game

The optimist says
This was a rebuilding year for the Gryphons under a second year head coach and a first year OC who was late to the game in the first place. This is still a program with loads of talent, a young quarterback who has shown that he could very well be among the next batch of great ones and a brain trust that has displayed a strong commitment to recruiting high end talent both in and outside the province in order to compete with the big boys. With the development of new on campus facilities which will rank among the best in the country, the on-field product may have taken a step back but the program is moving forward to the upper echelon of the province which is the ultimate goal.

The pessimist says
This was a team that theoretically (our theory, at least) had enough talent to push into the top five playoff spots and give the elite teams a run for their money. They showed flashes of it against McMaster (who, granted, were without Quinlan) and Western yet couldn't put it together over the course of a season. Many of their struggles offensively could be chalked up to the loss of Nick Fitzgibbon, what is going to happen when Jedd Gardner leaves this year? The Gryphons are the disappointment of 2011 and with Western, McMaster and Queen's looking as strong as ever, Ottawa retooling, and Windsor coming on the top six will be hard enough to crack. Let's not forget what a well funded, independently run Carleton team could do for the talent distribution of the province. This team needed the 2011 season to go well for the long haul and it didn't.

Next year?
 I find myself in cahoots - cahoots dammit! - with the optimist point of view here as I think the Gryphons have a lot of the intangibles needed for a successful program. With a big group of recruiters behind them and the allure of new stuff - training facilities, field, MATTE BLACK HELMETS!!! - they appear more than ready to start taking a chunk of the talent in the province for themselves. The Gryphons have some great high ceiling players in the system and, with the right coaching, could be ready to make some noise sooner rather than later.