It's a time of new beginnings for the University of Alberta Golden Bears football team.
After a 2-6 season and the departure of head coach Chris Morris from the program to join the CFL's Edmonton Elks as their new President and CEO, it was clear that a chapter in the team's history was coming to an end.
Although it may not have come along with a trophy to accompany the era, they did come ever so close, losing 28-27 to the UBC Thunderbirds in the 2023 Hardy Cup.
However, that is now in the past, and this team is looking to make the most of the 2025 season — even if it means embracing an underdog mentality to achieve its goals.
Here is everything you need to know about the Golden Bears before the season gets underway.
Coaching Staff
There are many new faces on the sidelines for the Golden Bears this year.
The most significant change this offseason was Stevenson Bone being named the team's 29th head coach after running UBC's offence for the past three seasons.
Golden Bears fans will remember Bone was on the sidelines for UBC's Hardy Cup win in 2023 and helped lead them to the Vanier Cup later that season.
But Bone's resume goes much deeper than that. He was also a former quarterback at Western from 2013 to 2017, winning a Vanier Cup with the Mustangs in 2017.
Returning to the sidelines for another season is Smith Wright, who served as the team's assistant head coach in 2024 under Chris Morris. Wright will also become the director of football operations and recruiting for the Golden Bears.
Among the other changes is the addition of J.G. Poulin, who will serve as the team's defensive coordinator. Poulin played alongside Bone at Western from 2014-2017 as a linebacker before moving on to the CFL for three seasons with the Montreal Alouettes.
Former UBC wide receiver Josh Martin will be taking over as run game coordinator after serving as a running backs coach for UBC from 2022 to 2024.
And a name that will be familiar to Edmonton football fans, Almondo Sewell, also joins as a defensive line coach. Sewell played 12 years in the CFL at defensive line and is a two-time Grey Cup champion, having won one in Edmonton in 2015 and another in Montreal in 2023. He is also fifth all-time in franchise history for sacks with Edmonton.
Roster Analysis
Starting with the offence, the most notable name not returning is 2023 Canada West Player of the Year, Matthew Peterson. The team's leading rusher has now graduated to the Blue Bombers and leaves a significant void in the backfield. The good news? The team has plenty of players who can step into the role — but can whoever take the spot be as dominant as Peterson?
Alberta is returning the majority of their roster on offence outside of Peterson. That includes the likes of quarterback Eli Hetlinger, and wide receivers Chevy Thomas and Kolby Hurford. There may be some competition for the quarterback position, but regardless of who lines up under center for the Golden Bears, this offence is poised to have a great season.
The same cannot be said for the secondary. The most notable departure is Second-Team All-Canadian defensive back Mack Bannatyne, but the turnover goes much deeper than just that. Romeo Nash, Jonathan Giustini, Charlie De Land, and Crozier Holmes will not return to Alberta in 2025.
The Golden Bears have a tall task ahead of them to fill those roles with new players. How quickly they do so will have a significant impact on their start to the season.
The good news on defence is that the team's top two linebackers — and top two leaders in tackles last season — Chase Tataryn and Dayton Ingenhaag, are both returning for their fifth year of eligibility.
Expect these two to hold significant roles on defence for the Golden Bears with the roster turnover on defence this season. Alberta will also be losing 2024 Canada West All-Star defensive linemen Ty Anderson, however, they are bringing back Tyler Morris, who tied for the second most tackles for a loss on the team in 2024.
There will be some new faces in new roles on defence for the Golden Bears, and this is an area to watch for throughout the season to see who steps in and where.
New Additions
A few players were mentioned by Bone as ones to watch through training camp.
Among them are defensive lineman Carson Hartmann, who Bone says "had opportunities" to play NCAA football, but committed to the Golden Bears instead. Bone added they "expect him to be in the rotation immediately."
Others include Ethan Ginogino, a junior linebacker transfer from the CJFL's Langley Rams, Alejandro Ogunyemi, a receiver who recorded a 4.5 40-yard dash and Seth Poelzer, a running back, who Bone said "has the potential to be one of the best freshman backs we've seen in Canada West in years."
Keep an eye on these rookies and where they filter into the lineup throughout the season.
Position Battles
One of the biggest storylines in training camp is at quarterback. Bone shared in an interview with OB.SESSED that he was considering multiple players for the starting quarterback position.
"I know Eli Hetlinger has been the starter here for three years, [but] he was injured in 2022 at the end of the year, and he was injured in 2024. And then the year that they had success in 2023, he was healthy," Bone said.
"That's Eli's number one thing. He's got to stay healthy... Cade Labrecque came in last year and threw four touchdown passes in his first start... so to me that's the most important one that I have to to get right."
"Those two are really vying for it right now, and they're alternating days, and there has been no starter named here for quarterback. I think people assume that the incumbent is just the incumbent, but to me, the incumbent is Cade. He's the guy that took the snaps at the end of the last year... And if Eli wins it, it's because he's definitely the better player and made more plays in camp."
At a team practice the following week, it appeared that Hetlinger was receiving first-team reps over other quarterbacks, such as fourth-year Troy Reider and first-year players Lucas Feaver and Finn Goerzen. The battle could come down to the final day, but that does not mean there won't be a possibility of change down the road.
"There's flexibility at all the positions, guys have to perform," Bone said. "The identity of your team definitely takes after that guy [the quarterback]. We've got to get it right here. We got to get the right guy... I definitely do want to establish an order. I think that I don't want to be the guy that's just changing every week. That's not in my nature either."
The other position battles mentioned by Bone included at running back and in the secondary.
Matthew Peterson's graduation leaves a giant hole in the Golden Bears' backfield waiting to be filled. Bone wouldn't hint at who he was leaning towards, but mentioned in his interview early in camp, there were four players in the running for the spot: third-year Duncan Critch, fifth-year Ope Oshinubi, second-year Joe Murphy and first-year Seth Poelzer.
However, in the same team practice, Oshinubi was playing alongside Hetlinger, taking first-team reps, so he may have the edge heading into Week 1.
And on the defensive back side, Bone believes the secondary is "wide open," with the departure of some key veterans, including Mack Bannatyne, Romeo Nash, Jonathan Giustini, Charlie De Land, and Crozier Holmes.
"It's like four of the five guys that lined up in Week 1 in the secondary aren't there from last year. So that's definitely a position that we need to address and improve. It's probably the number one in terms of the amount of guys on our roster right now, which is also good," Bone added.
"We have to definitely replace those guys in the secondary, and we're working on that. But that's the biggest area of competition right now."
Outside of quarterback, the first two positions to watch closely will be running back and defensive back. A favourite seemed to be emerging at quarterback and running back during training camp; however, will that translate to Week 1?
Strengths and Weaknesses of 2024
2024 may have been an anomaly for the Golden Bears, but that does not mean their stats did not count.
Alberta's offence was carried by Matthew Peterson on the ground last year. He recorded 785 rushing yards through six games and helped the Golden Bears finish sixth in the country for total rushing yards. Will that change now that he is gone? Like many aspects of this team, it's a wait-and-see situation.
One area that the team needs to improve is the passing game. Alberta finished second last in Canada West and ninth last in the nation for passing yards as a team.
As mentioned previously, this was inflated due to Hetlinger missing time last season. However, it is still noteworthy and a reason why the team ultimately missed the playoffs. This will be the most important stat line to watch during Week 1.
On defence, it was a mediocre year for the Golden Bears when analyzing where they stacked up across the nation. They allowed the 11th most points per game and seventh most yards per game — the majority of which came through the air — last season.
This will need to be improved if the Golden Bears want to become serious contenders for the conference championship. But with some serious departures in the secondary, it will depend on how quickly Alberta can get players adjusted to their new roles for that to become a reality.
Player Spotlight
The two players who deserve the most spotlight this season are Eli Hetlinger and Chase Tataryn.
If Hetlinger is named the starter for Week 1, be prepared for a terrific campaign from the fourth-year signal caller. He threw for 1396 yards and nine touchdowns in five games in his rookie season and followed it up with a 1956-yard and 12-touchdown season in 2023.
Last year saw a significant drop in production, though, only recording 969 yards and seven touchdowns in the five games he played. Injuries have held Hetlinger back, but if he can stay healthy, there is no reason to think he can't return to 2023 form and help push this team to a deep playoff run.
Tataryn was the best player on the Golden Bears' defence last season, leading the team in tackles, tackles for a loss, and sacks. Tataryn told OB.SESSED in an interview that, as one of the veterans on the team, he tries to "make himself available" to some of the younger players on the team and is embracing the role he has been assigned.
"It feels like not that long ago I was a first-year, and like time flies, I am already in my fifth year," Tataryn said. "I just try to be myself every day... bring the energy every day."
He will be a key player in helping the defence not just this season, but also in years to come, by guiding some of the new recruits through the transition to university football. Tataryn says his biggest goal this offseason was to improve on the mental side and is ready to tackle the challenge of leading the defence once again.
"Last year, I felt like there were a lot of expectations on me, and I didn't handle it too well. So when it came to those big moments, I felt like I wasn't performing at my highest," he shared. "I think I improved on that near the end of last year and this year I'm just trying to be more confident in myself ... and I think I've improved quite a bit on that in the offseason."
A new defensive coordinator could unlock a new level of Tataryn's game and push him to be in contention for an All-Canadian spot. However, the fifth-year linebacker is taking it day-by-day and is focused on helping his team finish what they started in 2023.
"There's not really any personal goal ... a big emphasis for me is just enjoying every day, like all the meetings, every practice, just try to take it all in and appreciate it," Tataryn said. "I don't think anyone really expected us to go 2-6 last year ... I am not too sure where we're on the coaches poll this year, but I have a feeling we're not too high."
"But in our locker room, at least, expectations are as high as ever. We expect to be in that Hardy Cup, we expect to go to the Vanier Cup."
Goals and Expectations
In an interview with OB.SESSED, Bone made it clear he wants to win the Vanier Cup "right now."
"I think that they have the talent to do it. We just got to get it right, you know, got to have some luck, but also just got to get the right pieces in the right spot and really just keep to the process," he explained. "I'm trying to win this season with this group... I really do think that I owe it to this group to try and make a crack at it."
Bone added, "It may be a spectacular failure," but he believes "they're not far off" from being a championship pedigree team.
With the program coming so close to winning the Hardy Cup in 2023 and many of the players from that run returning this season, it is not out of the question to pick this team as an underdog candidate, considering how close they came to making the playoffs last year despite the injuries.
The team's ceiling seems to be around the Hardy Cup winner/dark horse Vanier Cup candidate, and their floor is a playoff team — if everyone stays healthy. Although the talent on offence seems excellent on paper and has the potential to push the team deep into the playoffs, what holds them back is the uncertainty in the secondary.
It doesn't mean the team won't figure it out and have a great defence this season, but until they prove they have fixed the issue, it will be what holds most people back from believing this team can become a conference champion.
This group has a lot to prove in 2025, and with a new coaching staff, they may have the answers to some of the Golden Bears' problems from 2024. This team has generated a lot of preseason hype, and they will be a fun team to watch throughout the entire season.
Schedule Overview
Week 1 & 2: vs. Huskies, @ Rams
The Golden Bears will open the season at home with a test against the Saskatchewan Huskies and then hit the road for a matchup against the reigning Hardy Cup champion, Regina Rams.
Two formidable opponents right off the bat won't be easy, but it is an excellent opportunity to see how the team measures up against some of the best in the nation.
Week 3 & 4: vs. Dinos, @ Bisons
The first game of the season against Calgary will be one the Golden Bears have circled on their calendar. It's another matchup they will have to win if they want to avoid falling into last year's form.
The Bisons are loaded up again for another great season. With the reigning Canada West Player of the Year back, this might be the team the Golden Bears have the most to gain from if they manage to find a win.
Alberta lost both matchups last year — losing by only one point in each matchup — and it should be another tight contest between the two schools.
Week 5 & 6: vs. UBC @ Huskies
UBC rolling into Foote Field will have a little bit more weight to it this year with Stevenson Bone facing his former team for the first time. The Golden Bears won on the road in Week 1 last year, but the Thunderbirds won at Foote Field 35-25 in the final matchup between these two teams.
UBC lost some key pieces in the offseason and has numerous questions to address. Will that play into the Golden Bears' hands?
Then, it's off to Saskatoon for a match against the Huskies. With the game being a rematch from earlier in the year, it will be a fun match to see who comes out on top.
The Huskies are loaded with talent on defence and offence. The key to winning will be shutting down Ryker Frank in the backfield and limiting mistakes on offence to prevent Saskatchewan from scoring easy points.
Week 7, 8 & 9: Bye Week, vs. Rams & @ Dinos
Both games will be rematches from earlier in the season and may ultimately decide whether the Golden Bears secure a playoff spot or not. The Rams are a dangerous team that cannot be counted out as the defending conference champions, and the Dinos are bringing in some fresh blood.
Can they step up and challenge for the final playoff spot like the Golden Bears seem poised to take? That is what will be on the line in Week 9 and should cap off a thrilling regular season in Canada West.
2025 could go one of two ways: the Golden Bears rebound, make the playoffs, and prove 2024 was truly a fluke caused by injuries, or they falter with the changes at head coach and turnover in the secondary, missing the playoffs, and setting the team up for more of a rebuilding stage.
It seems complicated to see the latter happening, considering how talented the offence is when everyone is healthy, and on top of that, throw in that Bone ran one of the best offences in the country last year.
UBC is a true boom-or-bust candidate, given the significant turnover they've experienced, and Calgary still seems to be a few steps away from contending. That should give the Golden Bears the edge to be the early favourite for at least the final playoff spot.
However, there is a potential that if the team gets off to a strong start, they will end up near the top of the always-open Canada West conference. The Golden Bears seem to be embracing the underdog mentality and have high hopes of capturing a Hardy Cup.
They very well could be the dark horse that nobody saw coming and shock the U SPORTS football landscape. One thing is clear, though: you won't want to sleep on the Golden Bears in 2025.