The University of Toronto Varsity Blues fell to the Laurier Golden Hawks 54-3 Thursday night at Varsity Stadium, leaving the hosts 1-6 on the season and eliminated from playoff contention in the OUA.
Golden Hawks’ Kurleigh Gittens Jr. opened the scoring on a 92 yard punt return for a touchdown early in the first, leading to a run that brought Laurier up 22-0 at the end of the first.
Over the past three games, Toronto has struggled to start and have been outscored 35-8 in the first quarter.
The Blues only managed to put up 255 yards, and fifth-year quarterback Marcus Hobbs went 17-for-29 for 170 yards.
“We’re rebuilding our program and part of changing the culture is going through these growing pains,” head coach Greg Gary said.
“As hard as it is, we’re going to go through them but we’re going to get to the other side eventually and this is going to be a good team.”
FB: Laurier up 43-3 over Toronto at halftime.
STATS: https://t.co/P8ZHDqoRH8 pic.twitter.com/SSpeN6BNH0— Varsity Blues (@Varsity_Blues) October 7, 2016
With the game and a playoff birth out of reach, it would have been an opportunity to play the younger players. However, Gary was reluctant to take out the seniors.
“Loyalty to your players builds you a relation for your players to listen to you. If you’re loyal to them they will listen to you longer than if you’re not,” he said. “In our program, to sit a fifth year down early and say we’re going to go with the young guys, it would have sent a message that I’m not ready to send to our team”
As the fifth year players career’s come to an end he wanted them to have a good experience and savour every moment.
“Losing games is hard enough, but pulling them and let them think we don’t need you anymore is even harder,” said Gary.
Toronto went 1-for-2 in the red zone and had an opportunity to score points when they brought it down to the Hawks’ one yard line but were held to a 13-yard field goal from Ryan Grandell.
The Blues wrap up their 2016 season when they host the Waterloo Warriors next Saturday, Oct. 15, at Varsity Stadium. Game time is set for 1 p.m.
FB: Toronto falls 54-3 to Laurier. Blues wrap up the season next Saturday vs Waterloo at Varsity Stadium.
— Varsity Blues (@Varsity_Blues) October 7, 2016