After a year with no football followed by a shortened season due to the pandemic, the Golden Hawks will be back in action for a full eight-game schedule this fall. Joining Manager of Football Operations & Head Coach Michael Faulds' staff this season are four new hires, including two recent graduates.
Matt Robichaud has been hired as the Golden Hawks' new Special Teams Coordinator and will look to build on the success from a season ago that saw kicker/punter Dawson Hodge record a 91.7% success rate on field goals.
Robichaud played linebacker and long-snapper at Bishop's University from 1996 to 2000 before moving on to a nine-year career in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto.
In addition to running the special teams, Robichaud will serve as Linebackers Coach, a role he filled with the University of Toronto last season.
"I'm excited to be here at Laurier working with Coach Faulds and Coach V [Ron VanMoerkerke]," said Robichaud. "I'm pumped to work with the linebackers and coach the special teams."
Joining him as a Special Teams Assistant will be Mike Daly. Daly is a Kitchener native who attended Forrest Heights High School.
"I am very excited to join the Laurier Football program. Growing up in Waterloo Region as a young athlete, Laurier has always been held in such high regard," said Daly. "I am thrilled to join the great coaching staff and players and can't wait for the season to start."
Daly also has an impressive football resume, having played four years as a defensive back with McMaster. He was part of the Marauders' back-to-back Yates Cup championships in 2011 and 2012, also winning the Vanier Cup in 2011. He played in the CFL for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2013 to 2021.
Daly will also serve as Defensive Backs Coach, with recent graduate Will Amoah working alongside him as an assistant coach. Laurier's pass defence was among the best in the OUA last season, recording the second-most interceptions with 13 and allowing the third-lowest completion percentage at 55%.
Amoah was responsible for two of those interceptions, and he'll look to translate his on-field success into coaching success this season. A successful season on the sidelines would only add to Amoah's already impressive Laurier resume; he was part of the 2016 Yates Cup-winning team and was named a first-team OUA All-Star and a first-team U SPORTS All-Canadian in 2018.
"I'm excited to be added to the coaching staff," said Amoah. "Throughout my senior years playing for Laurier, I was known as a player-coach. Now, I can fully immerse myself in the coaching aspect of the game. I'm thrilled to see what the season holds for us."
The other former player transitioning to a coaching role this season is Anton Matthews. Matthews played four seasons with the Golden Hawks as a receiver and will support Receivers Coach Steven Frake.
"I'm excited and honoured for the opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches in the country while working with a special group of guys I've had the chance to get to know over the last handful of years," said Matthews.
"I'm really happy with our 2022 coaching staff," said Coach Faulds. "We have finally had our first full off-season with both Coaches Ron VanMoerkerke and Todd Galloway as our full-time defensive and offensive coordinator, respectively. We are also extremely excited with the new additions to our staff."
"Coaches Robichaud and Daly played in a combined 180 CFL games. All of that experience and the type of people they are will help our football team immensely. I know our players are excited to get to work and learn from both of them."
"Adding recent Alumni like Will Amoah and Anton Mathews will be great," he continued. "They both were smart players on the field and throughout this past offseason have grown as coaches."
The full 2022 Laurier football coaching staff is as follows:
Michael Faulds - Manager of Football Operations, Head Coach, Quarterbacks Coach
Ron VanMoerkerke - Associate Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Defensive Line Coach
Todd Galloway - Offensive Coordinator, Student-Athlete Development, Receivers Coach
Matt Robichaud - Special Teams Coordinator, Linebackers Coach
Mike Daly - Defensive Backs Coach, Special Teams Assistant
Zach Scotto - Offensive Line Coach, Academic Tracking
Steve Frake - Receivers Coach
Nick Rockell - Running backs Coach
Erik Krebs - Full Backs and Tight Ends Coach
Darcy Segin - Kicking Coach
Matt Sparks - Offensive Line Coach
Trevaughan James - Defensive Line Coach
Blaine Beck - Defensive Line Coach
Christian Kuriata - Linebackers Coach
Will Amoah - Defensive Backs Coach
Anton Matthews - Receivers Coach
Liam Spencer - Full Backs and Tight Ends Coach
Dave Morrissey - Defensive Assistant, Regional Scout, Equipment Manager
Chris Keller - Defensive Assistant, Spiritual Coach
