Gaels head football coach: "We're not defending anything... we're chasing something new."

Steve Snyder wants his team to move on from last season where they won the Yates Cup as they get set to host Laval in a pre-season game.

Don't call the Queen's Gaels football team the defending Yates Cup champions.

Head coach Steve Snyder wants to put last season behind them and instead focus on the season ahead.

Snyder and the rest of the coaching staff are preparing for the upcoming Ontario University Athletic football season. 

He says the football program is a year-round operation where players come into camp during the off-season doing drills, work on their conditioning, and go over fundamentals.

Alex Vreeken will be back as the team's starting quarterback, most of the offensive core and defensive front will also be returning.

One member of the team's offensive line that is not expected back is Niklas Henning. 

Henning signed with the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL and got in some snaps in the Raiders' first pre-season game against the Arizona Cardinals last Thursday. He was also drafted second overall by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2026 CFL draft. 

Snyder says Henning was one of many players that excelled last season and looks forward to seeing him play professional football.

Other players not returning to the Gaels include linebacker Justin Pace, running back Jared Chisari, and receiver Nathan Falconi. Pace is playing with the Edmonton Elks of the CFL while both Chisari and Falconi have both graduated.

Despite losing a number of veteran players, Snyder says he expects to field a very competitive team this season.

Fans can get a first look at the football team this Saturday afternoon when they host the Laval Rouge et Or at Richardson Stadium at 3 pm. 

The Gaels open the regular season on Sunday August 30 against the Varsity Blues in Toronto. The first home game is on Saturday September 12 against the Waterloo Warriors.

Story by Ken Hashizume