The Guelph Gryphons football team finished their season with a loss to the Golden Hawks on a positive note

Chris Muller

 

The Gryphons took on Laurier in the final game of the regular season with playoff implications on the line last Saturday Oct. 22. With a slow start by both teams, Laurier edged out a 15-10 victory over a stout Gryphons defence.

Throughout the game, the Gryphon offence was plagued by holding and illegal blocking penalties that often negated big plays and killed offensive drives.

First year quarterback Jazz Lindsay completed 26 of 50 pass attempts, throwing one touchdown and two interceptions along the way. Lindsay brings an exciting brand of quarterbacking to Guelph and despite the loss, good things are in store for Gryphon football.

“There’s not many dual-threat quarterbacks in the CIS, the way I can use my legs benefits the team,” said Lindsay.

Also of benefit has been the play of Jazz’s older brother Saxon, a fourth year wide receiver for the Gryphons. In Saturday’s game, the connection of Lindsay to Lindsay accounted for 69 yards of offence, and the chemistry between the brothers on the field was undeniable.

“We played together the first year I played football,” said Jazz Lindsay. “We didn’t think we’d ever get another chance to play together, so it’s been really exciting.”

Playing in his final game as a Gryphon, Jedd Gardner collected 123 offensive yards. His final reception was the Gryphons’ lone touchdown of the game.

“When we called the play in the huddle, I knew I had to get the ball to Jedd,” said Jazz Lindsay. “I’m honoured to play with the guy.”

Gardner played his last year of university ball after being drafted by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League last year.

On a reception in the first quarter, Gardner became the all-time Gryphon leader in receiving yards – the second receiving record he broke this year. After the whistle had blown the play dead, the referee presented Gardner with the ball he caught to break the record.

“A lot of [the record-holders] have had successful careers in the CFL, so it’s pretty cool to be mentioned with guys like that,” Gardner said.

The program will certainly feel the loss of a hugely successful player like Gardner moving forward, but Gardner claims that in the last five years here there has been significant improvements in the players and coaching staff and that improvement will continue moving forward – a promising statement from a player that has experienced the growing pains of a program in transition.

Despite the disappointing 2-6 record of this season, the Gryphons will look to players like Jazz Lindsay to move them forward into next year. Lindsay claims the leadership of the fourth and fifth year players will be crucial in determining the success of next year’s team. A successful recruiting class won’t hurt things either.

With the emerging young talent on the offensive side of the ball, and the traditionally stout Gryphon defence, the sky’s the limit for the Gryphons. To a large degree, the success of this team will rely on the arm and legs, of first year quarterback Jazz Lindsay and the explosive offence he will facilitate in the coming years.

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