By Andrew Papadopoulos

The Windsor Lancer football program reached new heights last season with their berth into the OUA final four coming off a spectacular season which saw them achieve their first 5-0 start since 1975 as well as that first playoff home victory since that same year and first ever done at Alumni Stadium. 
 
With expectations heightened this season, Lancer football head coach Jean-Paul Circelli believes that the team is in a great position to eclipse their exceeded expectations in 2023 and be able to build on that momentum heading into this fall's 2024 campaign with the season kicking off on Saturday August 24th against the Queen's Gaels at 4:00pm at Alumni Stadium.  
 
"Knowing how successful 2023 was for our team and how close we were to getting to the championship has fueled our student-athletes for this upcoming season." Circelli expressed when asked about his team's expectations going into the 2024 season. "The team knows that they have unfinished business and have the goal of winning their last game."
 
Unfinished business appears to be the mantra of the team going into this autumn's schedule as the Lancers gear up to take on the visiting Gaels from Kingston this Saturday before hitting the road for the next two weekends which includes a rematch with the Carleton Ravens on Saturday August 31st in the nation's capital with the team that the blue and gold earned their first playoff home win since 1975 in Windsor against the Ravens which granted the Lancers the chance to fight their way into the final four reaching a new milestone in the program's modern era that was one to remember for them to look back on and extract a key trait heading into this year.
 
"When we reflect on last year's (the 2023) season, one of the biggest takeaways is confidence." Coach Circelli stated who is been leading the helm of the blue and gold's football program since joining the Lancers from the London native's hometown Western Mustangs team in 2019. 
 
"To go toe-to-toe with the best teams in our conference and be one play away from the (Yates Cup) championship gives our student-athletes the confidence to know we are on the right path. As a football program, our players, coaches, and support staff know that we just need to work a little bit harder to achieve those goals, but we are right there in the conversation."
 
Reflecting on last year's success further, the Lancers remarkable run that earned them league-wide respect and national praise also brought together the local football community drawing out immense support which ignited the passion on the gridiron for the Windsor Lancers who hope to carry that energy and support with them heading into this season's schedule. 
 
"One of the best experiences from last year's season was seeing the entire Windsor Football community come together," coach Circelli reflected upon with pride. 
 
"The support we received not only in Alumni Stadium, but at the high schools, at WMFA games and within the Windsor-Essex community was special. It lets our team know that we represent something bigger than just ourselves and university, but a unique city and community that takes pride in their own."
 
The Lancers have also put in work this off-season with many team members participating in a couple of notable football events such as the East-West Bowl and the CFL Combine, experiences which Coach Circelli believes will translate well into the blue and gold's 2024 upcoming season debut. 
 
"As coaches, when we see all these players achieve success at the CFL Combine and East-West Bowl, it provides a great modeling effect that permeates throughout the rest of the Team," the Lancers head coach declared. 
 
"Our younger student-athletes can look up to our veterans and see what the standard is in terms of training and developing to get opportunities at the next level. It also provides motivation to the rest of the team that they can achieve similar goals as the veterans if they are willing to put in the work and take care of their business both on and off the field."
 
With a few noteworthy additions and notable departures from last year's squad in and out of the mix for the 2024 season, Coach Circelli believes there's quite a few names that have the potential to step in and make an immediate impact on the team eyeing more success this year. 
 
"There are three major departures from last year's team, the first is our former team captain and offensive guard OUA all-star George Una who was the 6th overall pick in this year's CFL draft with the BC Lions. Our outstanding middle linebacker Maceo Christmas and our second team all-Canadian and team MVP Muftah Ageli are three players that will be challenging to replace."
 
"New additions this year are graduate transfers defensive lineman Jakke Spencer and linebacker Tra Ranson, who should make an immediate impact on our defense. As well as freshman linebacker Marco Piccioni who should play a pivotal role on our special teams."
 
With that the Lancers football team are certainly looking to run it back with the momentum they generated last year and in his final thoughts Coach Circelli emphasized that the boys are ready to get buzzing again this fall out on the Alumni Field gridiron and are counting on the continued support of the Lancer family and local football fans this season to show up and out again faithfully this upcoming season.
 
"I know our student-athletes and coaches are excited about the 2024 season and have been looking forward to playing in front of our great home crowds." Coach Circelli asserted with confidence. 
 
"There are a number of veteran players who have been playing for the blue and gold for 4 or 5 seasons and want to leave a great legacy here that our Windsor-Essex community can be proud of. We hope to see everyone out cheering on the Lancers bringing that blue collar and gold swagger!"