Michael Arruda has succeeded at every level he has played at. Starting at Philemon Wright High School in Gatineau, Quebec, Arruda quickly rose through the ranks of Quebec-born players.
By the time he had entered CEGEP, he had already represented and won a Bol D’or (the Quebec championship for both high school and CEGEP) with his high school team. With early success, he was able to make a name for himself as an impressive quarterback.
Already a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, he attended Champlain-Lennoxville, a CEGEP just outside of Sherbrooke, QC.
He attended the school for three years, starting in both his second and third years on the team. During his time at Champlain, he also led the Cougars to a Bol D’or of their own, and was named the leagues most valuable player and a Division 1 All-Star in 2015.
“It was new for me going into CEGEP, first year was the toughest,” Arruda said, but he said that despite how much more difficult it was compared to his high school days, it is what made him into the quarterback he is today.
“I was learning everything, the playbook, spread offence, coverages and pressures defences and I think it helped big time, it was a big transition,” he said.
The transition to CEGEP meant that he had to be a lot more independent and step into a leadership role on the team as a quarterback.
“I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t go to CEGEP,” Arruda said.
Coming out of CEGEP, Arruda was again highly-touted and widely recruited. Originally choosing to come back home and play for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, he attended training camp, but quickly realized he didn’t mesh with the team.
Before committing to Carleton, Arruda was able to come visit and watch the Carleton football team play live.
“I came to watch them [the Ravens] against Western . . . From that game on I said the vibe here [at Carleton] is insane and I want to come here, it was an easy decision,” said Arruda.
He added that the transition has been an easy one so far, with the team welcoming him right from the beginning and helping him adjust to life at the new school on and off the field.
Arruda maintains that the hardest part so far about his transition has been being a student.
“It’s not easy because of the schedule. I had a workout at 7 a.m. this morning, class for three hours, then right back to watching film,” he said. “You have to both really want it and want to work at it. A lot of the guys do their homework on the bus to keep on top of things. having a calendar and sticking to it, keeping on top of assignments, I’ll get used to it but its been hard so far.”
A natural leader in the dressing room, he said he uses his age and experience to help guide the team.
“It is tough [to come into the locker room as a first-year leader]. I think my personality is that I’m always smiling and that’s the leadership I try to bring, just always smiling and bringing that good energy to the table,” Arruda said.
He describes himself as not the most vocal guy, but that he still has the responsibility of being a leader on the team.
At 21 years of age, the rookie is quick to point out that he is around the same age as some of the graduating players on the team. Despite the quarterback generally being the position of leadership on the field, Arruda makes no qualms about leaning on the experience of the receivers and of the backfield to help him out.
Arruda’s leadership has been tested early in the season as the Ravens have started their season going 1-3; stuggling with both consistency and discipline.
“You can have that fire and energy that that wasn’t the right call, but just go talk to the ref rather than scream at them. The ref is going to listen, but if you start yelling you’re just going to piss him off,” Arruda said.
Though the offensive line in particular has taken a lot of penalties, Arruda said he talked to them about it and maintains how much he appreciates them having his back. When describing the past game against the Waterloo Warriors Arruda said he was hit late and had his linemen defend him and push back, not allowing free runs at the quarterback.
“A lot of these guys are fifth years, and they really know the offence and the reads,” Arruda said. “They help me so much, even in the locker room sometimes they’re the ones telling me ‘maybe you shouldn’t throw this’ or ‘you should’ve come here on this play.’ They still see me as the quarterback, but these guys have helped me big time, I owe everything to those guys.”
“I think what he’s done is the right thing,” said Steve Sumarah Ravens head coach when asked about Arruda leaning on the receivers for guidance. “Lean on those who can help you, it just speaks to his maturity.”
“The biggest thing about the position is you have to be level-headed; it’s all about the next play,” Sumarah added.
With his experience on offence, Arruda is among the leaders in the Ravens’ conference in vital statistics, sitting fourth in average passing yards with 273.5 yards per game and in third for touchdown passes with 7 in 4 games. Arruda has stepped into a tough situation with a Carleton offence that fequently switches play styles on the fly.
Arruda credits Jean-Philipe Asselin, the Ravens’ offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach, with helping improve his game.
“Even in CEGEP I was more of a running quarterback, . . . he’s really trusted me with staying in the pocket, I’m 5’9”, it’s not every coach that wants me to stay in the pocket in order to grow as a quarterback,” he said. “Even the [plays] he’s thrown at me are out of this world, it’s tough, but I respect it so much cause its making me grow as a quarterback, there’s a lot going on in my head during the play but I think that all starts with me and we’re progressing big time.”
Despite a tough start to the season with a record of 1-3, Arruda said that it is important that both he and the coaching staff try to keep everyone on the same page by taking it one week at a time.
“This is my first time starting, so obviously it’s a little slow, and it’s normal for the first two games to be like that, I think we’re just picking up and its about time we start to pick it up,” Arruda said.
Despite the losing record so far, the team stresses that the focus is still the same and it is all about taking it week by week.
“We have a rule on the team, which is you can take 24 hours to sulk after a tough loss, 24 hours to get over it. Once Monday hits, we have to move on,” Arruda said.
But, Arruda hasn’t had to navigate the adjustment to being part of the Ravens on his own. He added that several alumni have also contributed to helping the team, with former wide receiver Nate Behar, now with the Edmonton Eskimos, and former quarterback Jesse Mills being among those who have extended a hand and messaged him to help him out.
Michael Arruda will soon face his biggest test as the new Carleton quarterback, in front of a potential 23,000 people Arruda will face his former team UOttawa.
Last year’s Panda game boasted a record setting sell-out crowd of 23,329 people in attendance and Carleton has won the last three matchups. The Panda Game will be Carleton’s next outing taking place on Sept. 30 at TD Place.
Photo by Meagan Casalino
