The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees football team represents the University of Ottawa in the sport of Canadian football. The Gee-Gees compete in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference of U Sports. Football at the University of Ottawa began in 1881, it was one of the first established football programs in Canada.
The Gee-Gees have appeared in five Vanier Cup championships, winning the national title in 1975 and 2000 and losing in 1970, 1980 and 1997. The team plays their games at TD Place Stadium. The Gee-Gees have also won a total of eight conference championships, including four Yates Cups and four Dunsmore Cups as the team split time between the OUA and OQIFC. conferences.
The Gee-Gees are also a part of a football rivalry with the Carleton Ravens. For over 50 years they have played the traditional Panda Game, which has gained worldwide attention.
History
Beginnings and dominance (1881–1913) Football had its inception at Ottawa in 1881. At the time, the game looked much more like its rugby union predecessor. The first organized college football game was only played a handful of years earlier in 1874 between McGill and Harvard.
In 1894, the Garnet and Grey joined the Quebec Rugby Football Union (QRFU) and dominated from their first year of play. The team won eight QRFU championships (1894, 1896–99, 1901–04).
During these years, the de facto national championship was awarded to the victor of the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU). Ottawa won the national title four times, in 1894, 1896, 1897, and 1901.Football Canada#Champions prior to 1909 The CRU's championship trophy was renamed in 1909, becoming the Grey Cup, and has since become the championship trophy for the Canadian Football League.
The Gee-Gees became Yates Cup champions for the first time in 1907. One star player from this era was Silver Quilty, who according to the Gee-Gees Football Hall of Fame, "played three roles for the Gee-Gees team, he was the first man to play the "flying wing" position, and he was the prime ball carrier as well as the team's kicker in 1908 and 1909." His contributions were significant in the team's first Yates Cup victory.
Father William Stanton (1911–13)
Father Stanton was the head coach of the Gee-Gees for three seasons, posting an 8–5–2 record. Although Stanton had a short tenure with the football team, his innovations to the game of Canadian football were great. His additions to the game include the spiral punt, the football sweater, and deception plays.
Modern era begins (1913–54) The game of football was now rapidly spreading, and popularity increased to go along with the use of the forward pass. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, more and more separation began to establish the game of football as it is seen today.
Like most football teams across North America, significant breaks in action were caused during WWI and WWII, as many men were serving in Europe.
In 1953, as the team's popularity rose, Gee-Gees moved on from their on-campus home at the Varsity Oval to the larger and more centrally located Lansdowne Park, which they would now share with the Ottawa Rough Riders. This move would coincide with a renaissance of sorts for football in Ottawa.
Matt Anthony era (1954–68)
Matt Anthony, fresh from a career playing offensive line in the CFL for seven years became the new head coach of the Gee-Gees. Fresh in their new home at Lansdowne, the team began to form into a national powerhouse on a new level.
During Anthony's 15 years at the helm, the Gee-Gees won seven league and conference championships, including three undefeated seasons. Anthony is still the winningest coach in Gee-Gees history. The operatic tenor Jean Bonhomme played center position for the Gee-Gees for seven years during Anthony's tenure.
At the same time, the Panda Game had begun as Carleton College began fielding football teams and the rivalry became centre of attention in the city and the nation. Early Panda Games featured an atmosphere much akin to NCAA Division I football in the United States, most iterations of the game during this era fetched over 20,000 fans.
After Anthony's death in 2000, the University of Ottawa opened the Minto Sports Complex in 2001, with it came a multi-use turf field that was named after the Gee-Gees legend. Matt Anthony Field served as the practice field for the football team until 2013. It is currently home to Gee-Gees women's soccer and rugby varsity teams, as well as men's soccer and rugby competitive clubs.
Bob O'Billovich (1970) Following the Gee-Gees success in prior years, new head coach Bob O'Billovich stepped up and led the team to one of their best seasons ever. After captaining the football, basketball, and baseball teams at the University of Montana, O'Billovitch had a career in the CFL before settling in as head coach of the 1970 Gee-Gees. The quality of team this year set the table for a run to the school's first Vanier Cup after posting a 7–1–1 regular season record.
In the playoffs, the team cruised to an Atlantic Bowl victory with a 24–11 win over the UNB Varsity Reds. The Garnet and Grey advanced to their first appearance in the Vanier Cup (then College Bowl) national final, but lost 38–11 to the Manitoba Bisons at Toronto’s Varsity Stadium.
Gee-Gees quarterback Paul Paddon was dominant all season long and was instrumental in the team's success. Paddon won the Hec Crighton Trophy for the most outstanding player in the nation, it was the school's first ever.
Following the season, O'Billovich stepped down and shifted focuses back to basketball where he coached the Carleton Ravens before returning to lead the Gee-Gees men's basketball team. O'Billovich went on to a long career coaching in the CFL and is currently the eighth winningest head coach in league history.
Don Gilbert led powerhouse (1971–75) Fresh from a National Championship push, the Gee-Gees reloaded with the hire of Don Gilbert, a former star quarterback for his hometown Buffalo Bulls, he went on to play in the CFL before landing with the Gee-Gees. One of Gilbert's key advantages he brought to Ottawa was a strong recruiting prowess on both sides of the border. With an influx of American talent from his native New York, the Gee-Gees began assembling what is hailed by many as the best Canadian college football team of all time.
1975 Vanier Cup champions The undefeated 1975 National Championship team (11–0) is considered to be one of the most dominant in Canadian university history. That team became the first to finish with a perfect record after winning a Vanier Cup. Even to this day, the 1975 team still holds several CIS and OUA team and individual records. Players from the 1975 team were selected to the CIS All-Canadian team 13 times during their university careers. During their CIS careers, players from the 1975 team were selected as OUAA an OQIFC All-Stars 42 times.http://www.75geegees.com/3/miscellaneous3.htm 1975 Ottawa Gee-Gees
'75 Gee-Gees career awards 13 All-Canadian Selections during their CIS careers 42 OUAA All-Star Selections during their CIS careers 1 Hec Crighton Finalist (CIS Outstanding Player) 2 J.P. Metras Trophy Finalists (CIS Outstanding Lineman) 1 Frank Tindall Trophy (CIS Coach of the Year) 1 Ted Morris Trophy (MVP Vanier Cup)
'75 Gee-Gees in the CFL A total of 21 players from the 1975 Vanier Cup Championship team were selected in the Canadian Football League draft, including nine players in the first round or higher including six CFL Territorial Protections (from 1973 through 1982 each CFL team was allowed to pick and protect 2 players from their region before the 1st round began). During their careers as professionals, players from the 1975 Vanier Cup Championship team appeared in 23 Grey Cup games and went on to collect a total of 12 Grey Cup Rings. The following is a brief list of the impact that these players have had in the Canadian Football League. Eric Upton – Guard – 10 years CFL Edmonton Eskimos-3 time Western All-Star, 6 Grey Cup Appearances, 5 time Grey Cup Champion Rocky DiPietro – Slotback – 14 years CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats, CFL All-Time Pass Reception Leader, Canadian Football Hall of Fame Inductee, 2 time CFL Outstanding Canadian, 3 time Lew Hayman Trophy Outstanding Canadian Eastern Division, 5 time Eastern All-Star, 4 Grey Cup Appearances, 1986 Grey Cup Champion Neil Lumsden – Fullback/kicker – 10 years CFL Toronto Argonauts/Hamilton Tiger-Cats/Edmonton Eskimos, Winner 1976 Frank M Gibson Trophy CFL Outstanding Rookie Eastern Division, 2 Time Eastern Division All-Star, 1981 Grey Cup Canadian MVP, 3 time Grey Cup Champion Miles Gorrell – Offensive tackle – 19 years CFL Calgary Stampeders/Hamilton Tiger-Cats/Montreal Alouettes/Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 5 time Eastern Division All-Star, 2 time Winner Leo Dandurand Trophy CFL Outstanding Lineman Eastern Division, 5 Grey Cup Appearances, 1 time Grey Cup Champion Jeff Avery – Wide receiver – 6 years CFL Ottawa Rough Riders, 1 time Eastern Division All-Star, 2 Grey Cup Appearances, 1976 Grey Cup Champion Al Moffat – Defensive tackle – 6 years CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 1 time Eastern Division All-Star, 1 Grey Cup Appearance Mike Murphy – Fullback – 4 years CFL, Winner 1977 Frank M. Gibson Trophy CFL Outstanding Rookie Eastern Division Doug Falconer – Defensive back – 4 years CFL Ottawa Rough Riders/Calgary Stampeders, 1976 Grey Cup Champion Tim Berryman – Linebacker – 7 years CFL Edmonton Eskimos/Ottawa Rough Riders, 1 Grey Cup Appearance Bill Harrison – Halfback – 5 years CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats/Toronto Argonauts Ian Mac Pherson – Defensive tackle – 3 years CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Dwight Fowler (1976–79) After the undefeated '75 season, Don Gilbert stepped down and assistant coach Dwight Fowler stepped up into the head coaching role. Fowler's team was not quite the same quality of the prior team, but still made light work of opponents. The team won the 1976 Yates Cup, led by quarterback Jamie Barresi the team moved on to the Atlantic Bowl where they met the Acadia Axemen. In a tight battle, the Gee-Gees lost 18–16 to the hometown team, Ottawa's Mike Murphy was named Most Valuable Player.
Cam Innes era (1979–82) Under Cam Innes, the 1980 Gee-Gees stepped out of the shadows and expectations of the '75 team and began the pursuit of a third Vanier Cup appearance in 10 years. The team defeated the Acadia Axemen in the Atlantic Bowl to reach the Vanier Cup final, but ran into a powerful Alberta Golden Bears team, to whom the Gee-Gees lost 40–21.16th Vanier Cup Innes won the Frank Tindall Trophy for Most Outstanding Coach in the nation.
Joe Moss and Jim Clark (1982–83) In 1982, the team posed a 7–1 record, but were unable to reach the Dunsmore Cup. The team was led by senior quarterback Rick Zmich, who became the second Gee-Gee to win the Hec Crighton in his final year.
In 1983, with Jim Clark at the helm, the Gee-Gees had fallen from their usual perch in the top of the OQIFC standings and found themselves winless midway through the season. It was at this time that Ottawa and Carleton were involved in a scandal where the teams were docked two points after swapping game tapes with each other, a practice that was only reserved for the playoffs.
Jim Daley era (1985–90) The hire of local product Jim Daley helped the Gee-Gees return to grace after struggling under Clarke. Daley led his team to the Dunsmore Cup final in 1989.
Larry Ring era (1991–97) The team continued to be a national powerhouse during the early and mid-1990s. The teams led by former Concordia Stinger Larry Ring won three consecutive Dunsmore Cups in 1995, 1996, and 1997.
In the 1997 season, the team went on to play in the Vanier Cup, they lost to the UBC Thunderbirds 39–23. Following the season, the Gee-Gees were stripped of their Dunsmore Cup and Churchill Bowl for the play of ineligible players.
Marcel Bellefeuille era (1998–2000)