HAMILTON - The 2023 OUA football season gets underway on Saturday August 26^th with the McMaster Marauders opening the regular season with an evening game against the Windsor Lancers at Ron Joyce Stadium.
 
McMaster football was a perennial playoff contender for 22 straight years, including nine appearances in the Yates Cup, but it has been an uncharacteristic past few seasons for the Marauders with their last trip to the post-season coming in 2019. After posting a 2-6 record in 2022, Head Coach Stef Ptaszek, now entering his 14^th season with the McMaster football program, will look to lead the team back to the playoffs with a strong veteran core and some exciting new additions from the 2023 recruiting class.
 
The eleven football programs from across the province will each play eight games over the nine-week OUA season with only seven of those teams earning a spot in the post-season. The top Ontario team will subsequently be determined at the 115^th Yates Cup on November 11.
 
Offensively, the Marauders will have a new look this year:

Keagan Hall, a Burlington local, will take over as quarterback for McMaster this season. The fourth-year commerce student went 19 for 29 last year for 195 total yards. He tallied one touchdown on the season and recorded a pass efficiency of 133.4. Over the summer, Hall spent time training with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and will bring that experience to the Marauder squad this season.
 
A 6'0", 170 lb receiver, Jacob Patten will be one of the main targets for Hall this season. In 2019, the Hamilton local competed with the UBC Thunderbirds where he averaged 72.6 yards per game and 15.3 yards per catch. He also recorded four touchdowns. Now the fifth-year humanities student will look to build on that success with the maroon and grey.
 
In the backfield this year, the Marauders will have impressive depth at the running back position. A member of the 2022 OUA All-Rookie Team, Jawaun Smith returns for his sophomore season where he looks to improve on his solid rookie campaign. The Hamilton local recorded 33 rushes for 145 yards, averaging 29 yards per game last season and will be instrumental as part of a balanced attack for McMaster in 2023.
 
The 2023 McMaster offensive line has taken shape and will feature both veterans and rookies. Once again, the line will feature 6'5", 295 lb tackle, Jacob Bradley, who is back with the Marauders for his fifth season of eligibility. The sociology major from Cambridge brings valuable experience to the O-line. Alongside Bradley will be first year Marauder, Christian Cote, who hails from Toronto. The 6'4" freshman brings added size to the line and will be looking to work his way into the starting lineup in 2023 as soon as possible.

On the opposite side of the ball, the Marauders will want to continue the momentum of last year as the OUA's leader in defensive interceptions (11).
 
The 2023 Marauder defensive line unit features a few returning starters with experience that will challenge opposing quarterbacks. The line will be led by defensive tackle Mitch Price. Price returns for his third season with the Marauders. The 6'1", 280 lb interior lineman was invited to the 2023 East-West Bowl after appearing in all eight Marauder games in 2022.
 
McMaster's secondary boasts extensive experience. Safety, Nana Yaw Serbeh, will be an integral part of the Marauder defence. The Ottawa local recorded 18 solo tackles in his third year of eligibility in 2022.
 
Carter Blad contributed one interception against Waterloo in 2022 while also recording six solo tackles. The Scotland local played in five of the Marauders' contests last season. Teammate Josh Cumber enters his fourth season with the Marauders. He recorded three interceptions last season, ranking him third in the OUA in that statistical category.
 
A newcomer to the maroon and grey, Hamilton local Sean Underhill, will be one to watch for Marauder fans this season. He joins McMaster as a DB from Bishop Ryan.
 
With the combination of quality veterans and rookies on the roster this year, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the McMaster Marauders football program in 2023 as the team looks to make an immediate impact in the OUA this Saturday.

All eight of McMaster's regular season games will be broadcast live on OUA.tv free of charge. Both single game tickets as well as season ticket packages are available for purchase online at marauders.ca/tickets.