Photo Credit: Bob Davies

The Sault College Cougars are set to begin a new chapter in the program’s young history as they prepare for their second season in the Ontario Conference (OFC). After laying the foundation during their inaugural campaign in 2025, Head Coach Paul Orazietti believes the 2026 squad is in a much stronger position thanks to returning veterans, an improved recruiting class, and a year of valuable experience.

The Cougars will get their first taste of game action on Saturday, August 8th, when they travel to North Bay for an exhibition matchup against one of the OFC’s most established organizations, the Ottawa Sooners. While the preseason contest won’t count in the standings, it will provide an important measuring stick before the regular season kicks off.

A Different Team Than One Year Ago
The biggest difference between this year’s team and last season’s group is experience.

Heading into their second season, the Cougars are no longer building from scratch. With veteran players returning on both sides of the football, the coaching staff has been able to install offensive and defensive systems much more efficiently than they could during the program’s inaugural training camp.

“Heading into the 2026 season and actually having some veteran players has made the learning curve not quite as steep and the understanding of both offense and defense much easier in terms of installation,” said the head coach. “Perhaps the biggest change from last year is how much further we are ahead in training camp this year as compared to starting with a bunch of rookies.”

That additional experience has allowed practices to become more productive while giving younger players quality examples to follow.

Recruiting Continues to Drive Success
Recruiting remains the cornerstone of the Cougars’ long-term vision.

The coaching staff spent the offseason aggressively recruiting talent from across Ontario and Quebec, believing that building roster depth is the key to sustained success at the post-secondary level.

“I have always had the philosophy that recruitment is 80 percent of the success of any post-secondary program,” the coach explained. “We’ve spent a significant amount of time recruiting from all parts of Ontario and Quebec to build an even stronger and deeper team.”

The results are already showing.

The Cougars enter camp with more size, strength, maturity and overall depth than they possessed a year ago, giving the coaching staff greater flexibility throughout the roster.

Exhibition Game Provides Valuable Test
Saturday’s exhibition matchup against Ottawa is less about the scoreboard and more about development.

The Sooners have long been one of the OFC’s premier programs, making them an ideal opponent to test the Cougars before the regular season begins.

“For us this game is about getting better and putting our processes on the sideline and on game day into place,” the coach said. “To me the final score will be irrelevant as we really want to evaluate our new guys and lay the foundation for our game day sideline operations going into Week 1.”

At the same time, the Cougars know competing well against an established program would be another sign that the program continues moving in the right direction.

“Having said that, Ottawa is a proven franchise in this league and we would love to be able to play an efficient game against them while achieving some real work at the same time.”

Quarterback Position Shows Major Improvement
Among the biggest improvements during training camp has been the quarterback position.

Combined with significantly improved overall roster depth, the Cougars feel they are in a much better position entering the season than they were a year ago.

“I would say the two biggest areas of improvement that we have seen during training camp have been at the quarterback position and overall team depth as compared to last year.”

While pleased with the progress, the coaching staff still wants the team to consistently practice with greater tempo and energy.

“We’re still learning how to practice at a high tempo and with high energy on a daily basis, but I’m confident our guys will continue to work hard to master those skills.”

Leadership Driving Program Culture
Building a winning culture has become just as important as winning football games.

The Cougars have named nine team captains—four on defense and five on offense—who have embraced the responsibility of helping establish the standards expected within the program.

“Our team captains are doing a great job of helping us build the culture that we are looking for within Cougars football,” the head coach said. “I’ve been impressed with all of them in terms of supporting team initiatives and culture building.”

One player who has stood above the rest in terms of leadership is Samy Pierre Alexandre of Gatineau, Quebec.

“He has pulled on the rope every time we’ve asked, he is pure positive energy, and he does the little things that nobody else wants to do,” said the coach. “We have other leaders who do more things, but Samy jumps out to me over the last 12 months.”

Rookies Pushing Veterans
Competition throughout training camp has been fierce.

The coaching staff believes this year’s incoming rookie class is one of the strongest assembled since the program began and expects between six and eight newcomers to earn starting jobs.

“Our rookie incoming class is very deep and very strong and I suspect when the dust settles we’ll have approximately six to eight new starters on our team based on how our rookies are competing with some of our veteran players.”

The internal competition has raised the level of play throughout camp.

“Frankly, this is a very good thing because we believe you have to earn it every year and every week.”

Veterans Ready to Shine
Several returning players are expected to play major roles in 2026.

Offensively, Gabe Barkley is expected to be one of the team’s biggest difference-makers.

“Gabe is the complete package. He’s a fantastic leader, he’s physical, he’s athletic and he’s smart. Having him healthy and at his position this year is going to make a big difference to our offense.”

On defense, Adelewa Anifowshe has the coaching staff excited about what could be a breakout campaign.

“Adelewa is a rare talent in terms of speed and athleticism. I think he’s due for a breakout season in Year 2.”

New Faces to Watch
The Cougars also boast an exciting rookie class.

Quarterback Emerson Peterkin, a polished CEGEP transfer who originally committed to the University of Ottawa, has turned heads throughout training camp.

“He’s incredibly athletic and possesses great arm strength. He’s a lot of fun to watch.”

Fans attending the exhibition game should also keep an eye on offensive lineman John Lemalu, defensive backs Shadrac Kasongo and Russell Beauburn, along with running backs Jayden Ralph and Jayden Downey as they compete for significant playing time entering Week 1.

Building a Stronger Program
Rather than setting a specific win total, the Cougars are focused on continuing to build a competitive football program capable of challenging every opponent in the OFC.

“I don’t really like to put a number value on wins or losses,” the head coach said. “But I think we’re going to be tougher to beat this year than last and overall I think a stronger program.”

The coach knows success will ultimately be measured over the course of the season, beginning with the regular-season opener.

“Our focus is to win Week 1 and evaluate from there.”

If training camp is any indication, the Sault College Cougars have taken a significant step forward entering Year Two in the Ontario Conference. With experienced veterans, a talented rookie class, improved depth and a stronger understanding of the league, the program appears poised to continue its upward climb as it opens the 2026 campaign.