For Carabins quarterback Jonathan Sénécal, a page is turning. But a whole new chapter remains to be written.
Published at 12:35 p.m.
The University of Montreal lost 22-17 against the Rouge et Or of Laval University on Saturday in the Dunsmore Cup final. An elimination which could very well mean that Sénécal has played his last match with the Blues.
The Quebec pivot, who led his team to a Vanier Cup in 2023 and a Dunsmore in 2021 during his four years at UdM, will thus be eligible for the next CFL draft. And it’s no secret that he wants to try his luck among the professionals, even if he can still return for a fifth and final year with the Carabins.
“This may be my last [match]but we will see what happens next, admitted the quarter in a telephone interview with The PressSunday morning. We lost yesterday, so I haven’t really had time to think about that yet. »
Met near the CEPSUM field on Thursday, Sénécal was a little more eloquent.
It is a goal for me to be the first Quebecer [à évoluer comme quart-arrière dans la LCF]. It would still be pretty special.
Jonathan Sénécal, Carabins quarterback
In fact, he would not be the first. But if it comes to fruition, it would be part of a very small sample.
The key position of quarterback in the Canadian League is essentially always occupied by Americans, given the higher level of the NCAA compared to the USports network. A few rare representatives of the maple leaf have found a way to establish themselves there, like the Victoria native, Nathan Rourke, currently with the British Columbia Lions. Or Ontario’s Tre Ford, under contract with the Edmonton Elks.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Sénécal is considered by many to be the best Quebec university quarterback in history.
But for Quebecers, the last one to find work in his favorite position was Luc Tousignant, in 1982, with the Concordes de Montréal. More recently, Marc-Olivier Brouillette and Mathieu Bertrand were drafted, but changed positions once in the CFL. Hugo Richard, former star of the Rouge et Or, signed with the Alouettes in 2019, but will never set foot on the field before retiring in 2021.
Sénécal is considered by many to be the best Quebec university quarterback in history, and the best in the country at present.
He tells us that he has not yet discussed with teams on the Canadian professional circuit, since he does not have an agent. But he briefly tasted the CFL level when he was invited to the Alouettes camp last May in Saint-Jérôme.
No, they did not talk at this time about the possibility of him eventually joining the Montreal team if they manage to draft him.
“But in a certain sense, maybe they wanted to evaluate me at the same time,” submits the 25-year-old athlete.
” Grateful “
In any case, for Jonathan Sénécal, it is still too early to plan ahead, with Saturday’s defeat still too fresh in his memory.
We would have liked it to end differently. […] I’ve had some really good times, but it’s definitely just so frustrating that it ended like this.
Jonathan Sénécal, Carabins quarterback
Time will do its work, and Sénécal will be able to step back. The quarterback was still named the Canadian university circuit’s MVP last year.
“When you look at a player’s career, you don’t just stop at one match,” said his head coach Marco Iadeluca on Saturday. He won so many big games for us, and we had the opportunity to win the Vanier Cup together. »
“I developed as a person and as a player [chez les Carabins]believes Sénécal. I met people who changed my life. Looking back, these are things I’m grateful for. »
