Arnaud Desjardins wants to make history in Canadiens football

Arnaud Desjardins may not have heard his name called in the latest CFL draft, but the Université Laval Rouge et Or quarterback refuses to turn the page without delivering one last memorable chapter. The future lawyer has set his sights on a goal unique in the history of Canadian university football: to become the first quarterback to win three Vanier Cups.

Over the past 30 years, several great names have marked the history of the Laval program, but none have reached this plateau. Mathieu Bertrand, Benoît Groulx and Hugo Richard have each triumphed twice, without ever reaching this symbolic milestone. For Desjardins, the opportunity is too good to pass up.

Last year, he guided his team to victory in the national final, winning the title of Offensive Player of the Game and RSEQ Player of the Year in the process. Yet, despite a solid performance at the CFL evaluation camp in Regina, he was overlooked at the draft. it was a big disappointment,” he admits. But I never lost my passion. It was that fire that convinced me to come back for one last season before law school.”

A season to reinvent

While the Rouge et Or can count on nine returning starters on offense, Desjardins and coordinator Justin Éthier remind us that no success is guaranteed. “We're starting from scratch,” stresses the quarterback. Éthier agrees: “The worst mistake would be to believe that 2024 will automatically repeat itself. Every season is a new challenge

For his part, head coach Glen Constantin praised his veteran's maturity and mastery. According to him, rarely has a fifth-year quarterback looked so solid during a spring camp.

Backed by his future employer, the firm Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg, Desjardins will take advantage of a final season to leave his mark on history. His dream is clear: to write a unique page in Canadian football by lifting a third Vanier Cup.

This content was created with the help of AI.