McGill University Athletics

Dallon Kuprowski is a great student but a superb QB, as well

When he's away from class at All Saints Catholic High School, where he's a 90 per cent student and an athletic council leader, life is all about football for Dallon Kuprowski.
But after playing in two off-season summer programs, the talented quarterback, who has grabbed the attention of nine Canadian-based university football teams, wasn't sure he'd even find an opportunity to play this fall.
In the end, however, it all fell into place -- just like that long, late Hail Mary bomb that miraculously finds the receiver's hands in the end zone.
An age rule was adjusted. He signed with his team of choice. He led them to an undefeated regular season. As the youngest player in the league at 17, he sparked them to a championship during an unexpected snowstorm. Friday, a national football website named him the top high school quarterback in Canada, even though his school doesn't have a team.
As a Grade 12 student at All Saints, he campaigned to get an Avalanche senior football team, but for the second straight year, it didn't happen. There's plenty of equipment, not enough coaches.
The Kanata resident then looked at playing midget football in his community, but the Knights haven't had a team for a few years. Playing for the Bel-Air Norsemen or Nepean Redskins midget teams didn't appeal to him.
Playing for the Ottawa Junior Riders excited him because it would have been more challenging, but there was a problem: He was too young.
Realizing a highly skilled athlete may not play fall football in his critical graduating year, the Riders took his case to the Quebec Junior Football League, a circuit for players aged 18-22.
"We wanted to give him another year of high-level football and help him prepare for university," says Sandy Ruckstuhl, president of the Junior Riders and Myers Riders football club. "He handled it quite well."
Kuprowski was known to the Riders after playing last summer for the under-18 Myers team in the Ontario Varsity Football League. He was a receiver for his first four games and quarterback for the final five. He also played for Team Ontario East at the U18 Football Canada Cup. He was named MVP in one of the team's three games.
After the Quebec league ruled Kuprowski was eligible to join the Riders, he jumped at the opportunity, sparking the undefeated Riders to their fourth Quebec title in five years.
As a result of playing for the Junior Riders, Myers Riders and Team Ontario East this year, Kuprowski was named the top high school-aged quarterback in Canada by canadafootballchat.com, an all-purpose football service operated by Ottawa's Lee Barrett.
In 2009, Kuprowski led Team Ontario East to the U17 title at the Football Canada Cup and was selected the tournament's offensive MVP.
"Dallon was the catalyst for everything we did on offence," said Blaine Scatcherd, a former CIS quarterback, Hec Crighton nominee and a U17 Team Ontario East coach.
"His ability and his knowledge of the game were big factors in our success. We were able to install a fairly sophisticated offence in a short period of time because of Dallon."

As for competing with older players, Kuprowski kept a positive attitude despite hearing that other teams looked at him as "another body to beat up on."
"In all honesty, give me the opportunity and I'll prove them wrong," he calmly said.
He certainly did that.
After becoming the starting quarterback in training camp, Kuprowski took the six-team Quebec league by storm. While directing the Riders to an 8-0 regular season, the first undefeated pennant-winning team in four years, he also posted the best quarterback numbers in the league.
He completed 109 of 178 passes (61.2 per cent) for 1,925 yards, 20 touchdown and only had seven interceptions. He had a quarterback efficiency rating of 119.2, which is a based on a formula using completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns and interceptions.
When he wasn't passing, Kuprowski was seventh in league rushing, 224 yards on 32 carries and scoring two touchdowns.
In the championship final last Saturday on the snowy Minto Sports Field, the Riders blanked Chateauguay Raiders 10-0. Kuprowski ran for 80 yards and had two touchdowns, one of 100 yards, nullified by penalties.
During a regular season game in Montreal, the game referee asked Kuprowski if he was the 17-year-old in the league.
"I was playing quarterback for a team in a leadership role and having a lot of success," the well-spoken and thoughtful Kuprowski said. "He recognized it as an impressive accomplishment."
For obvious reasons, Kuprowski thoroughly enjoyed his first season with the Riders, beating out returning quarterback Leith Fisken for the starting job.
"I picked up the system immediately. Once the players saw my positive attitude and hard work ethic, they accepted me," he added.
At 5-10, 170 pounds, Kuprowski may be small for a quarterback, but he makes up for it in other ways.
"He has proved at every level that his lack of stature is not a liability," Ruckstuhl says. "It's amazing that as a 17-year-old, they (teammates) respected his leadership without question. Because he's such a good athlete and proved himself on the field, the kids were quick to follow."
Reflecting on the past three months, Kuprowski called it "a dream season ... it was surreal. I had success, worked hard and it was fun to head to practice."
When Kuprowski attends his next training camp, he expects it will be with a Canadian Interuniversity Sport team. He has talked to eight CIS schools: Ottawa, McGill, Queen's, Guelph, McMaster, Western Ontario, Acadia and St. Francis Xavier. He recently heard from Simon Fraser University, which started Division 2 play in the NCAA this season.
He's not ready to commit just yet, but his brother Taylor, a third-year student, was the leading rusher for the McGill Redmen with 444 yards on 100 carries.
Does that mean McGill has the inside track? How often does a brother get to hand off the ball to another brother?
"It would be interesting," Dallon says. "I haven't been on a team with him since I was seven. It's an interesting prospect.

"But where I end up, I have to make sure it's for academic and athletic reasons."



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