Ticats defensive back Mike Daly still vividly remembers his football days at McMaster University.
He played five seasons with the Marauders from 2009-2013; the same time that Mac emerged as an elite force in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).
“When I first came in, we were ok,” said Daly. “I want to say middle of the pack, a little higher than middle of the pack, but still not a true dominant powerhouse yet. Just seeing the whole team grow as those years went on and into 2011 and even 2012, it was cool to see.”
The Marauders won the Vanier Cup in 2011 and fell just short the following year, losing in the finals to the Laval Rouge et Or. Daly was an integral part of both Vanier Cup runs, claiming OUA All-Star honours from 2011-2013 and was also named a second team All-Canadian in 2012.
Daly still remains close to his McMaster roots by helping to coach the team in the offseason. It’s just one of the many reasons why he’s looking forward to WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton when McMaster will take on the University of Toronto Varsity Blues before the Labour Day Classic on Monday, Sept. 5.
Click here to get your WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton tickets now.
“It’s awesome that Mac is teaming up with the Ticats. It’s going to be pretty cool to see the guys that I played with, some of them are still there,” said Daly. “My alma mater playing on the same field as I am on the same day? That’s pretty great.
“When I was there, I would have liked to do that.”
The Marauders and Varsity Blues will kickoff the WeatherTech Football Day in Hamilton festivities when they square off at 12 p.m. at Tim Hortons Field. McMaster has gotten the better of the University of Toronto in recent years, including a high scoring 55-33 win in their 2015 OUA season opener.
Both programs continue to turn out CFL calibre players as Ticats offensive lineman Everton Williams is a University of Toronto alumni.
In addition to developing players, McMaster’s football program also appears to be a hotspot for producing strong coaches. Ticats running backs coach Corey Grant is just one example.
Grant played CIS football at Wilfrid Laurier University before embarking on an 11-year CFL career. Grant was the wide receivers coach at McMaster from 2010-2011 and has now been with the Ticats for the past four seasons.
Despite McMaster’s record over the University or Toronto, Grant says that the proximity of the two cities always means there is a little more on the line.
“Anytime you’re playing an Ontario team and a conference team, it’s going to be a big game,” said Grant. “But now that you’re playing U of T and it’s on this stage, I think it’s just going to amp up the player that much more. Just being out there to showcase their talents and what they can do.
“The closer they are, the bigger the rivalry.”
The game between McMaster and Toronto not only showcases the two schools, but also the entire city of Hamilton, according to Grant.
“I think anytime we can start with grassroots football and then even move up to the CIS and pro, it’s awesome for the community,” said Grant. “And now this gets a chance to show how big it is in Hamilton and the importance of it.”
The game between McMaster and the University of Toronto on Labour Day will be the second regular season game for both teams.
Daly says that he still follows how McMaster is doing once the season starts. The crop of CIS talent on the Ticats always makes for an interesting season, according to Daly.
“Usually once the season starts, we start getting bets each week,” said Daly. “We have enough Western [University] guys here so I’ll bet the Western guys, and then I’ll definitely bet Everton on the U of T game, especially since it’s here there’s a little more bragging rights.
“I don’t know if he’ll bet me on it. Just because of their history, he might want to save some of his money.”
It appears the trash talking has already begun.
