50TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: Matthew Leblanc, Laval University (2004)

50^TH VANIER CUP INTERVIEW SERIES: 2004

A conversation with...

Matthew Leblanc, receiver & kicker, Laval University Rouge et Or

In Vanier Cup XXXX, the first one played outside of Toronto, the Laval Rouge et Or became the fourth program to repeat as national champion thanks to a 7-1 win over the Saskatchewan Huskies at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton. It was the lowest-scoring affair in the 40-year history of the CIS football final, with the two teams combining for a field goal, a safety and a trio of singles. Freshman receiver Matthew Leblanc doubled as Laval’s emergency kicker that day and handled himself well enough to merit the Ted Morris Memorial Trophy as the game’s most valuable player.    

What is your major memory of the entire Vanier Cup week and the overall experience?

It was my first year, so of course it was my first Vanier Cup experience. I remember that we received sad news a week before the game: one of our teammates, an impact player, had been diagnosed with cancer. That news made the team even closer that it already was, and we now wanted to win the Cup not only for the team but also for our teammate and all the injured players who wouldn’t be able to suit up for the game.

There was also a very nice moment that happened at the awards banquet. During his speech, the J.P. Metras Trophy winner, Troy Cunningham from Concordia, said he’d gladly trade the trophy for a chance to play in the Vanier Cup and that he was glad he had the chance to play against the best team in the country, in his opinion, that season.

The team was trying to accomplish a rare feat in 2004 by winning a second straight Vanier Cup. Were the players talking about it among themselves?

It was pretty quiet on that front. The message around the team was to win the Vanier Cup to make the 2004 group special for its own accomplishments that year. It was an uphill battle early in the season because we had graduated so many talented players on offence, including star quarterback Mathieu Bertrand. Nobody seemed to give us much of a chance. Despite a tough road, the 7-1 defence-oriented win in the Vanier Cup was still memorable 

(Note: Prior to the 2004 final, the record for fewest combined points at the Vanier Cup was a pair of 19-point games, including a 10-9 Alberta win over McMaster in 1967 and a 16-3 Queen’s victory against UBC in 1978. Thanks to a 31-0 shutout of Saint Mary’s in 1992, Queen’s is the only program to allow fewer points than the 2004 Rouge et Or at the Vanier Cup)

What is your one major lasting memory of the actual game?

I’d have to say playing in such a low-scoring game, without any touchdowns scored. Every play seemed to be more important than the previous one. An interception by Jean-Philippe Lanthier early in the second half was definitely a key play. We had a solid defence.

(Note: Laval was trailing 1-0 when Lanthier intercepted a Steve Bilan pass at his own 20-yard line early in the third quarter. The Rouge et Or tied a Vanier Cup record with five interceptions against Bilan, a first-team all-Canadian, including three inside their own 25)

What do you remember as the key play of the game?

I’d love to give some love to the offence, but it’s impossible for that game. On defence, it wasn’t just one play, it was the performance of our D as a whole. For a defence not to allow a single point in such a big game... They made too many big plays for me to single out just one.

(Note: Laval held Saskatchewan to 223 of net offence, with Bilan completing only 11 of 33 passes for 113 yards. The Huskies scored their only point on a punt single in the first quarter) 

What was your personal greatest play or moment?

I was the kicker for that game because our regular kicker had been injured during the playoffs. To get a chance to put points on the board as a kicker instead of from my regular position as a receiver, that was pretty special, but I was glad I was able to contribute to the team’s success. I made a couple of catches and runs, but to be able to say I kicked field goals in the Vanier Cup remains one of my favourite memories to this day.

(Note: Leblanc finished the game with three receptions for 38 yards, a 20-yard run, and the only field goal of the afternoon, a 12-yard chip shot which gave Laval a 3-1 lead with three minutes remaining in the third quarter)

The offence produced only 12 first downs and 259 net yards in the game. What was the mood within the offensive unit during the contest?

We knew we couldn’t make a mistake. We had to protect the football and not make any selfish decisions that could cost us field position and give the Huskies scoring opportunities. Their defence played great as well, so we couldn’t afford to make life easier for their offence by giving them good field position when they were getting the ball back.

Did anything unusual or out of the ordinary happen during the game or during Vanier week?

It was a spectacular week, but our focus was on the game and we wanted to make sure we had a normal week of preparation, so it just seemed to fly by. It went by so quickly that I really didn’t get a chance to notice everything that was going on around us.

However, on game day, I did notice that Rouge et Or fans, as they always do, took over the parking lot at Ivor Wynne Stadium and had a huge tailgate party. It was as if they were in Quebec City. It was great to see that, even on the road, our fans were there to support us.

What are your memories of the post-game celebrations on the field and/or in the dressing room?

I had never seen fans rush a field that fast to come and congratulate us. I was so happy we had won that when they announced me as the player of the game, I was too far away from the stage. And later on, I even forgot to pick up the trophy so it stayed behind with the organizing committee. I was more concerned about celebrating with eight family members who had made the trip to Hamilton to support me on the road, as they had done so many times in the past. I wanted to make sure I thanked them for their support throughout my football career.  

Once we got back to the locker room, I had never seen so many champagne bottles popped all at once!

What was the reaction on campus when the team returned?

It was a lot of fun to be welcomed as champions on campus, by the rector, administrators, and even some of our professors. I also remember we were honoured at the Quebec Coliseum before a Remparts game and the autograph session that followed. There were a lot of emotions that week, little sleep, and getting back in the classroom to finish the semester wasn’t easy.

At the time, how did winning the Vanier Cup change your everyday life?

Honestly, we wrapped us that season knowing we had accomplished our goal. No one can take that away from us. But today, I realize how big that Vanier Cup victory really was when people stop me on the street and, even a decade later, start the conversation with, “Do you remember that time when...”. It’s great to know that win is not only ours, but it’s also the win of an entire city, maybe of a province. I see the importance of that win as much bigger today than I did 10 years ago.

How often to you reminisce about that Vanier Cup win?

Not too often, it’s in the past. Honestly, whenever I bump into old teammates, we don’t even have to say anything to understand each other, because only the players and coaches from that team know what we lived at that moment, but especially that entire season. It’s hard to put words on such a special season, year and Vanier Cup.