Quebec University Football: Liam Mahoney proves himself during his first season

Fresh out of college, he was first assigned as a kickback to special units; a few times he was assigned to play on the attack as a wide receiver. Until that time, he didn’t know that he would quickly become one of the best players in the circuit.

But everything changed suddenly when the departing quarterback, veteran Robert Mackay, was wounded during mid-season. The Stingers coach, Gerald McGrath did not hesitate at all in sending 19-year old Mahoney into the ring despite his young age and his lack of experience. From that moment, things happened so quickly for the Lachine player who has truly witnessed an extraordinary campaign.

In a little more than four regular match seasons as a quarterback, Mahoney has demonstrated an impressive efficiency rating of 143.8 and has completed 60% of his air passes of 681 yards by throwing six passes. Mahoney also used his talents as a runner by accumulating 606 yards on the ground and four other touches, making him a very powerful quarterback. His position has now been achieved.

It was no surprise that he was named rookie par excellence in the Quebec university circuit. In the after-season series, the young Lachine footballer established his reputation. Rather than trying to stop the 6 feet 1 and 190 pound match stopper, the other teams realized that all they could do was to control him and avert a disaster.

Over two weeks ago today, Liam Mahoney and the Stingers went to Quebec to play in the finals for the Dunsmore Cup and confront the very dangerous Red and Gold team of Laval University. This team has held the championship title in Quebec for the last four years. Unfortunately for Concordia, the Red and Gold team proved to be a challenge, both in the defensive and offensive attacks and they came out the winners with a score of 35-10, to the delight of the team’s supporters. "I really believed that we were going to beat them”, said Mahoney, when reached by telephone by Le Messager. In the third quarter, we should have scored on our first possession - we did - so we were in a position to score higher, but somehow we accumulated a series of bad luck in the games. Our half player (Blair Yachetti) missed the ball and that cost us dearly."

Five games later, Yao (Laval) was scoring 27-10 with his third hit. The fatal blow had just been struck. "I can’t really explain why we scored only 10 points in such a match, but we must admit that they were very well coached. Their defense is not very good in certain situations, but it did very well in all the games and their players are very big and very strong," said Mahoney, who had to play despite a hand injury. That did not prevent him from being a constant threat to his opponents. "The decision did not take long to make – as long as Liam was in a position to play, he was going to play. And even if he was pinned hard a few times in the second half, there was never any question of withdrawing him from the game. Our mistakes cost us an arm and a leg, but we still played better which the scoring of course did not suggest”, Coach McGrath said, following the elimination of his team.

Although he was unable to lead his team to victory, Liam Mahoney admits that he is quite satisfied with his first season in university football. He sees the domination of the Red and Gold team as a source of motivation. When he started his AAA college football with the Vanier Cheetahs, no one at that time could beat the Old Montreal team until last year, when he and his team won the Gold Bowl. "Given the situation in which I found myself, wherein I had to replace a major player right in the middle of the season, I believe I did very well. The offensive and defensive strategies are much more complex than in college, and I have many things to improve. I will have to be bigger, stronger and a little faster next year," said the quarterback. With some good, new, and young players next year, Mahoney thinks that the Stingers could dream for top honors.

Like any Canadian university football player, Liam Mahoney will be eligible in a few years for the annual selection of the Canadian Football League. Every year, tens and tens of promising players are selected by one of the eight teams in the circuit. Unfortunately, tradition and history dictate that that a Canadian quarterback cannot be considered among the professionals.

If Mahoney wants to make football his livelihood, he will probably have to change his position after his university apprenticeship. There’s no need to look far to find former quarterbacks who have moved to other positions - we only have to remember Shaun Diner of the Montreal Alouettes and Mathieu Bertrand of the Edmonton Eskimos. "I don’t think I can stay as a quarterback; on the other hand, I am quite an athletic and quick player so I think I’d make a good catcher. I played some games as a catcher and I appreciated the experience.” "Honestly, it is certain that I would play for the Alouettes to be near home. At present, however, I should say that I prefer the Roughriders for their style. At any rate, I’m not going to worry about it too much, I’ll just go where I’m told to go!”