Simon Fraser Red Leafs football
| Simon Fraser Red Leafs football | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First season | 1965 |
| Last season | 2022 |
| Athletic director | Vacant |
| Head coach | Mike Rigell 2nd season, 2–16 (.111) |
| Stadium | Terry Fox Field |
| Field surface | Artificial turf |
| Conference | Lone Star |
| All-time record | 186–321–2 (.367) |
| Bowl record | 0–1 (.000) |
| Conference titles | 1 (2003) |
| Current uniform | |
 | |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Mascot | McFogg the Dog |
| Website | athletics.sfu.ca |
The SFU Red Leafs football or Simon Fraser Red Leafs football team represented Simon Fraser University since the athletic department's inception in 1965 until 2022. The team played by American rules while they competed in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics from 1965 to 2001 against other American teams. Along with other SFU teams, the football program transferred to Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) and thereby switched to playing Canadian football against Canadian University teams in 2002. While playing in the CIS, SFU won its first and only Hardy Trophy conference championship in 2003 while qualifying for the playoffs twice. After playing eight seasons in the Canada West Conference of the CIS, the football team began competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference of NCAA Division II in 2010, and have played the American format of football again since.[1] After the GNAC dropped football after the 2021 season, SFU and the other two GNAC members that still sponsored the sport became football-only members of the Lone Star Conference.[2] After the 2022 season, it was announced on April 4, 2023, that football would be dropped from the school after it was previously announced the Lone Star Conference was ending its affiliation with Simon Fraser after the 2023-24 season.[3]
The team previously used the names "Clansmen" and "Clan;" those names were retired in 2020.[4] The new nickname "Red Leafs" was announced in September 2022.[5]
Rivalry[edit]
The team had maintained a cross-town rivalry with the Vancouver-based University of British Columbia Thunderbirds as they are also the only two universities in British Columbia that field football teams. Since 1967, the two teams have competed in the Shrum Bowl, an annual game played at alternating venues with alternating rules. SFU holds a 17–16–1 series lead after winning in three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010 to claim the lead. Due to the two schools playing in two different leagues, the scheduling of these games has often been difficult, with no game being played from 2011 to 2021.[6] The Shrum Bowl was revived and played again on December 2, 2022, where UBC defeated SFU 18-17 under American rules.[7]
Season results[edit]
| Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Highest# | Final° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) (1965–2001) | |||||||||
| Canada West (CIS) (2002–2009) | |||||||||
| 2002 | Chris Beaton | 2–6 | 6th | NR | NR | ||||
| 2003 | Chris Beaton | 5–3 | 2nd | W Canada West semi-final W Hardy Trophy L Uteck Bowl |
8 | 8 | |||
| 2004 | Chris Beaton | 3–5 | 6th | 6 | NR | ||||
| 2005 | Chris Beaton | 0–7–1 | 7th | NR | NR | ||||
| 2006 | Frank Boehres | 0–7–1 | 7th | NR | NR | ||||
| 2007 | Dave Johnson | 0–8 | 7th | NR | NR | ||||
| 2008 | Dave Johnson | 5–3 | 4th | W Canada West semi-final L Hardy Trophy |
7 | 8 | |||
| 2009 | Dave Johnson | 1–6 (*) | 7th | 7 | NR | ||||
| CIS: | 16–47–2 | ||||||||
| Great Northwest (NCAA Division II) (2010–2021) | |||||||||
| 2010 | Dave Johnson | 1–9 (0–9 NCAA) | 0–8 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2011 | Dave Johnson | 3–7 | 2–6 | 4th | NR | NR | |||
| 2012 | Dave Johnson | 5–6 | 4–6 | 4th | NR | NR | |||
| 2013 | Dave Johnson | 3–7 | 3–7 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2014 | Jacques Chapdelaine | 2–9 | 2–7 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2015 | Kelly Bates | 0–9 | 0–6 | 7th | NR | NR | |||
| 2016 | Kelly Bates | 0–10 | 0–8 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2017 | Kelly Bates | 0–10 | 0–8 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2018 | Thomas Ford | 1–8 | 0–7 | 5th | NR | NR | |||
| 2019 | Thomas Ford | 1–9 | 1–5 | 3rd | NR | NR | |||
| 2021 | Mike Rigell | 1–7 | 0–4 | 3rd | NR | NR | |||
| Lone Star Conference (NCAA Division II) (2022) | |||||||||
| 2022 | Mike Rigell | 1–9 | 1–8 | 10th (Last) | NR | NR | |||
| NCAA: | 18–99 | 13–80 | |||||||
| Total: | |||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
(*) In 2009, two victories were nullified because CWUAA accused SFU for having ineligible players in both games. However, SFU argued that they followed CWUAA's guidelines perfectly and that the player was eligible at the time of the accusation. The Manitoba Bisons also used an ineligible player in a Simon Fraser win, so the game was declared "no contest."
CIS playoff results[edit]
- 2002 Out of Playoffs
- 2003 Defeated Regina Rams in semi-final 53–46
Defeated Alberta Golden Bears in Hardy Cup 28–18
Lost to Saint Mary's Huskies in Uteck Bowl 60–9 - 2004 Out of Playoffs
- 2005 Out of Playoffs
- 2006 Out of Playoffs
- 2007 Out of Playoffs
- 2008 Defeated Saskatchewan Huskies in semi-final 40–30
Lost to Calgary Dinos in Hardy Cup 44–21 - 2009 Out of Playoffs
Red Leafs in the CFL[edit]
Since the program first began in 1965, Simon Fraser University has had the most first overall selections with five.[9][10]
As of the end of the 2023 CFL season, five former SFU players were on CFL teams' rosters:
- Michael Couture, BC Lions
- Jordan Herdman-Reed, Calgary Stampeders
- Justin Herdman-Reed, Saskatchewan Roughriders
- Rysen John, Calgary Stampeders
- Ante Milanovic-Litre, Ottawa Redblacks
Red Leafs in the NFL[edit]
Former SFU wide receiver Victor Marshall was invited to the Seattle Seahawks rookie camp in May 2013 and earned a contract on May 13 to take part in Organized Team Activities and training camp as a tight end.[12] On July 30, 2013, the Seahawks released Marshall during training camp.[13]
On April 27, 2018, former SFU DE Nathan Shepherd was selected 72nd overall in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Jets and made the 53-man roster out of training camp. As of the end of the 2023 NFL season, Shepherd was on the New Orleans Saints' roster.
References[edit]
- ^ Simon Fraser University (2009-07-10). "SFU first Canadian school in NCAA". Simon Fraser University. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
- ^ "Three football teams to join LSC as affiliate members" (Press release). Lone Star Conference. November 18, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ "Simon Fraser, NCAA's Only Canadian Member School, Ends Football Program" Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
- ^ "SFU Athletics name change". SFU Athletics. August 12, 2020.
- ^ "SFU Announces New Varsity Team Name". SFU Athletics. September 6, 2022.
- ^ Josh Curran (2011-08-30). "Shrum Bowl called off for 2011 season". The Ubyssey. Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2012-01-22.
- ^ "Shrum Bowl rebirth ends in Red Leaf 18-17 loss in front of 2,922 fans". Simon Fraser Red Leafs. December 2, 2022.
- ^ "SFU Clan football Year by Year Record". Archived from the original on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 2012-12-14.
- ^ "2021 CFL Draft Guide" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ "SFU CFL Draft". SFU Athletics. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
- ^ "CFL players". Canadian Football League. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
- ^ Seahawks make roster moves
- ^ Seahawks make roster moves