September 2, 2005 Source: University of Toronto:
http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/050902-1603.asp Varsity Blues football looking good for 2005 - Home opener slated for Sept. 3 by Michah Rynor Varsity Blues head football coach Steve Howlett is looking forward to an exciting season with a young team that hails from across Canada and south of the border. "We have a group of recruits who are a year older and a year more experienced and so we're looking for them to be that much better this year," said Howlett, a former CFL receiver with the Edmonton Eskimos and the Ottawa Rough Riders. "My coaching team and I spent a considerable amount of time recruiting guys on defence and so we feel very good about how we are going to look on the defensive line." Howlett, who manages the 75-member team and a nine-member coaching staff, said this year's lineup reflects his decision to focus on development rather than on winning, believing that wins will be a byproduct of what he calls "good process." "We have a team that has a lot of character, both in the way they handle themselves on the field and off the field and in the way they pursue excellence in the three areas of athletics, academics and community service." Howlett points to stronger leadership coming from his six-member captain's group and a general feeling of high morale among the squad, which is made up of mostly first- and second-year students. Observers of the game point to up-and-coming quarterbacks Mark Stinson from Calgary and Dave Hamilton of Mississauga as two players to keep an eye on this season, as well as three American recruits who are expected to deliver the goods: running back Curtis Speller of Texas and two defensive linemen, Kyle Ewinger of Iowa and Andre Doyle of Pennsylvania. These players reflect Howlett's vision of speed, skill and size with Ewinger (6 foot 7) and Doyle (6 foot 5) both weighing in at 300 pounds. "We're getting a lot of support from the university community and we're hoping to increase that support," Howlett added. "It takes a lot of sacrifices to be a student athlete in financial terms, time spent in training which began in August and in the time spent on the field. But we're all focused on fulfilling our potential and getting better." This year marks the 128th year of intercollegiate football at U of T. For updates on game times and locations go to www.utoronto.ca/physical.
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