Bishop's Gaiters, Coach Nicolas gearing up for first season of AUS conference play

So who are those guys in the purple?

AUS football fans have a new team to watch in 2017 with the addition of the Bishop's Gaiters to the traditional four-team alignment.

The Gaiters, under new head coach Cherif Nicolas, leave a Quebec conference where long-time powers Laval and Montreal made it hard to compete. The team went a combined 3-21 over the past three seasons.

The AUS makes a comfortable fit for the university in Lennoxville, Que., which better matches the size of its AUS brethren. The school has 2,400 students.

The addition of Bishop's has forced some changes. The season calendar has been pushed ahead, with exhibition action on two fronts this weekend, and the regular season set to begin next weekend.

The Gaiters will be idle for the first week before playing at Acadia to begin its campaign on Sept. 2.

"It's not about our opponent," Nicolas said this week in a break from training camp. "It's about how we prepare.

"We're expecting to play great football out there against great football traditions that have been around for a very long time."

Having Bishop's in the AUS made practical sense for years. The conference hung by its fingertips each year with Saint Mary's, Acadia, St. Francis Xavier and Mount Allison always hoping for an expansion partner that never could be realized within the conference membership.

An interlocking arrangement with the Quebec conference since 2003 allowed football fans some variety in the scheduling and provided teams with access to at least two of the national football elites. That arrangement expires with the addition of the Gaiters.

Nicolas played for three programs—Concordia, Carleton and Montreal. He played two years at Montreal while studying law, but later returned to coaching and has spent the past seven years at Cégep de Vieux Montréal.

"I think the school size and the environment here resembles much more the AUS teams than the we do the RSEQ teams," he said.

"Some of the bigger schools in Quebec are upwards of 25,000. Our campus here looks like the campuses in the AUS."

Nicolas can't speak to the past. He wasn't there.

Bishop's didn't always struggle to compete, but it has been a tough go in recent times.

Bishop's will go from a team with little chance to be a playoff team in Quebec to a playoff contender, and maybe much more, in its new digs. The team's lone victory in 2016 came on a last-minute rally to defeat Saint Mary's by a point in their homecoming game at Coulter Field.

"We're really excited to be in the AUS and we're really excited to play against well-established football teams," said Nicolas, not looking to make any old predictions on the season ahead. "I've met all the coaches and they are great men. It's going to be great to compete with them."

The players will be names on paper for most Maritime fans until Bishop's arrives to start play in September, but the Gaiters have some quality talent.

Nine starters are back on offence, including receivers Michael Nelson and Trey Mullings-Wilson.

Only six return on the defence, but Mathieu Brenton and Jeremy Magan-France are experienced up front and sophomore linebacker Keagan Hughes was one of the team's top tacklers a year ago.

Defensive back Arnaud Dandin, a native of Paris, France, returned a fumble 104 yards for a touchdown last season.

"The two words I would use are fast and physical," Nicolas said of his club. "That's how we want to play and that's how we hope to look on Sept. 2."

One of the adjustments Bishop's will have to make is the possibility of as many as six trips to the Maritimes in the regular season and AUS playoffs.

The Gaiters will fly to all of their destinations on the day of the games and return immediately after.

"So that will be a different animal in itself," said Nicolas. "But I think it will be a great experience for the kids.

"Obviously, if we were busing 14 hours, to be honest with you I'm not sure I'd be here under those conditions."

Cecil Belanger is a receiver and long-snapper with the team.

He said it was an honour for him to compete in Quebec and face down perennial Vanier Cup contenders.

"But going to the AUS, they still have just as good athletes and just as much talent as any of the programs out there."

He said the players are looking forward to the road trips. They will be short and intense with the prospect of a happy return flight.

The Gaiters are happy for the warm welcome into the AUS, but they might not be friendly house guests. They are playing to win.

"Every team's dream across the board is to go to the Vanier Cup," Belanger. "Every team in the country is wishing that."

There will be a few familiar faces around the Gaiters. Former Mount Allison head coach Marc Loranger is the defensive coordinator.

Pre-sesaon action is this Saturday with Saint Mary's at Acadia and StFX hosting

Mount Allison and Guelph in a mini-tournament.