CIS Football Preview: Montreal Carabins (1-0) vs. Sherbrooke Vert & Or (0-1)

Game Details

• Time: 1:00 PM ET
• Venue: CEPSUM, Montreal, QC
• Conference: RSEQ season opener

Season Context

Montreal enters Year 2 under head coach Danny Maciocia looking to build on a .500 finish in 2024. The Carabins added key pieces on both sides of the ball in the offseason and aim to challenge Laval atop the RSEQ standings.

Sherbrooke, under second-year coach Larry Cameron, is searching for its first home win after a tough 2024 campaign. The Vert & Or have injected youth into their roster and hope to show early signs of improvement in this road test.

Team Overviews

Montreal Carabins

• Head Coach: Danny Maciocia (7th season)
• 2024 Record: 4–4 RSEQ, missed Dunsmore Cup
• Offense:
  • QB Kyler Grice returns after throwing for 1,800 yards and 12 TDs
  • RB David Thompson (600 yds, 6 TDs) anchors a power-zone run game
• Defense:

• LB Devin Elisar led with 60 tackles and 2 sacks
• DL Maxime Carrier chipped in 5 sacks and pressures consistently

Sherbrooke Vert & Or

• Head Coach: Larry Cameron (2nd season)
• 2024 Record: 1–7 RSEQ
• Offense:
  • QB Maxime Léger threw for 1,600 yards and showed dual-threat ability
  • RB Charles Damas averaged 4.2 ypc as a change-of-pace back
• Defense:

• LB Jonathan Roy totaled 50 tackles with sideline range
• DB Simon Lapointe snagged 4 interceptions in center-field coverage

Head-to-Head

• Montreal leads the all-time series, 10–2.
• Last meeting: Carabins won 28–14 at Sherbrooke in 2024.
• At CEPSUM, Montreal has won each of the last five matchups against the Vert & Or.

Key Players to Watch

Montreal Carabins

• Kyler Grice (QB): Precision passer adept at hitting the seam and sideline routes.
• David Thompson (RB): Powerful runner who excels between the tackles and on short-yardage.
• Devin Elisar (LB): The heart of the defense, reads plays quickly and wraps up reliably.

Sherbrooke Vert & Or

• Maxime Léger (QB): Offers big-play upside with his legs and deep-ball accuracy.
• Charles Damas (RB): Quick-cut specialist who can turn a crease into a long gain.
• Jonathan Roy (LB): Agile playmaker who thrives in open-field pursuit.

Additional Notes

• Weather forecast: sunny, highs near 22 °C—ideal conditions for an open-field attack.
• Montreal’s O-line returns five starters; expect solid protection and rushing lanes.
• Sherbrooke’s punt-return unit ranked third in RSEQ last year—field position battle could hinge on special teams.