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Toronto Varsity Blues football

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Toronto Varsity Blues
Toronto Varsity Blues logo
First season1877
Athletic directorBeth Ali
Head coachGreg Marshall
2nd year, 2–14  (.125)
Home stadiumVarsity Stadium
Year built2007
Stadium capacity5000
Stadium surfacePolytan Ligaturf
LocationToronto, Ontario
LeagueU Sports
ConferenceOUA (1980-present)
Past associationsORFU (1883-1897)
CIRFU (1898-1970)
OUAA (1971-1973)
OQIFC (1974-1979)
All-time record538–461–36 (.537)
Postseason record20–25 (.444)
Titles
Dominion Championships2
1895, 1905
Grey Cups4
1909, 1910, 1911, 1920
Vanier Cups2
1965, 1993
Churchill Bowls1
1993
Atlantic Bowls2
1962, 1974
Yates Cups25
1898, 1899, 1901, 1903, 1905,
1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1914,
1920, 1921, 1926, 1932, 1933,
1936, 1948, 1951, 1954, 1958,
1965, 1967, 1974, 1983, 1993
Hec Crighton winners4
Mike Eben, Mike Raham, Dan Feraday, Eugene Buccigrossi
ColoursBlue and White
   
MascotTrue Blue
OutfitterUnder Armour
RivalsYork Lions
Websitevarsityblues.ca

The Toronto Varsity Blues football team represents the University of Toronto in the sport of Canadian football in U Sports. Dating back to 1877, the Toronto Varsity Blues football program initially competed for the Canadian Dominion Football Championship and won six national titles, including the first Grey Cup game ever held in 1909, as well as winning in 1895, 1905, 1910, 1911, and 1920.[1] After intercollegiate teams no longer competed for the Dominion Championship, the team won the first Vanier Cup ever held in 1965, and then again in 1993 as Canadian national football champions. The team has 25 Yates Cup championship wins as champions of the Ontario University Athletics conference of the U Sports, a total second only to the 31 won by the Western Ontario Mustangs.

Recent history

Hard times have fallen on the University of Toronto football team in recent years. The football program had not won a game since the 2001 season (a win that itself ended an 18-game losing streak).[2] On October 13, 2007, they set the record for the longest losing streak in Canadian university history, at 49 losses in a row. This losing streak was snapped on September 1, 2008 when they defeated the Waterloo Warriors 18-17 for their first win in almost seven years.[3] The team last posted a winning record in 1995.[4]

The team was led by head coach Greg DeLaval who won his first game with the Blues when the team ended their record-setting losing streak in 2008. In 2010, the Blues posted a remarkable 40-35 win over the second-ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees, which was their first win over a nationally ranked opponent since 1997 against the Waterloo Warriors.[5] The Blues finished with a 3-5 record in 2010, which was their best since the 1996 season when they posted the same mark. The Blues hired Greg Gary as head coach in 2011, and finished with another 3-5 record, once again finishing just out of the playoffs in seventh place. The team took a step back with a 2-6 record in 2012, including home losses to fellow 2-6 teams York and Ottawa. However, in 2013, they finished the season 4-4, the first time since 1993, but failed to make the playoffs.[6] The team again regressed in 2014 with a 2-6 record, but rebounded in 2015 with a slightly improved 3-5 record. The program again failed to gain any momentum and won only two games the following season and then only one game in 2017 along with a last place finish. Gary resigned as head coach following the season's end and Greg Marshall was hired as his replacement.[7][8] Marshall finished with a winless record in his first year, but the team showed progress in his second season where they finished with a 2-6 record.

Season-by-season record

The following is the record of the Toronto Varsity Blues football team since 2000:

Season Games Won Lost Pct % PF PA Standing Playoffs
2000 8 0 8 0.000 40 348 8th in OUA Did not qualify
2001 8 1 7 0.125 92 276 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2002 8 0 8 0.000 63 364 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2003 8 0 8 0.000 42 438 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2004 8 0 8 0.000 82 450 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2005 8 0 8 0.000 126 433 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2006 8 0 8 0.000 125 418 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2007 8 0 8 0.000 111 345 10th in OUA Did not qualify
2008 8 2 6 0.250 168 272 8th in OUA Did not qualify
2009 8 1 7 0.125 98 279 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2010 8 3 5 0.375 140 236 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2011 8 3 5 0.375 110 189 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2012 8 2 6 0.250 136 279 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2013 8 4 4 0.500 230 231 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2014 8 2 6 0.250 265 321 9th in OUA Did not qualify
2015 8 3 5 0.375 159 224 7th in OUA Did not qualify
2016 8 2 6 0.250 155 288 8th in OUA Did not qualify
2017 8 1 7 0.125 108 308 11th in OUA Did not qualify
2018 8 0 8 0.000 122 315 11th in OUA Did not qualify
2019 8 2 6 0.250 222 249 9th in OUA Did not qualify

[1][9]

Head coaches

Name Years Notes
Unknown 1877–1965
Ron Murphy 1966–82 CIAU Coach of the Year (1974)
Bob Laycoe 1983–2007
Greg DeLaval 2008–10
Greg Gary 2011–17
Greg Marshall 2018–present

National award winners

Varsity Blues in the CFL

As of the end of the 2019 CFL season, six former Varsity Blues players were on CFL teams' rosters:

References

  1. ^ a b "Toronto Varsity Blues All-Time Game Results" (PDF). Toronto Varsity Blues. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  2. ^ "U of T football sets new university futility streak". cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2007-10-13. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  3. ^ Doolittle, Robyn (September 1, 2008). "U of T Blues end 7-year, 49-game losing streak". The Star. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  4. ^ "U of T football sets new university futility streak". cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. October 13, 2007. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  5. ^ http://www.varsityblues.ca/news/2011/3/12/FB_0312114409.aspx
  6. ^ De Pass sets record, Blues top Warriors from VarsityBlues.ca retrieved 19 October 2013
  7. ^ Gary steps down as Varsity Blues football head coach
  8. ^ Marshall to lead football team in 2018
  9. ^ "U Sports football standings". U Sports. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
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