Ravens linebacker Jack Cassar’s fourth and likely final year playing for Carleton has earned him an impressive collection of hardware, most notably his nomination as a first-team U Sports football All-Canadian.
Awarded on Nov. 21 at the Vanier Cup gala in Quebec City, the national recognition only piled more praise on the OUA Stand Up Defensive Player of the Year.
Cassar was honoured to receive the accolade, but a healthy mixture of hope and confidence had him well-prepared for the congratulatory email from U Sports.
“Obviously I was happy,” Cassar admitted. “But I wasn’t surprised.”
Cassar was a juggernaut for Carleton’s defence this season, finishing third in the province with 6.3 tackles per-game and fourth in total tackles, despite playing one fewer game than the leaders in that category.
His dominance this season was undeniable, but Cassar considered his entire U Sports career an ascent to those heights.
Cassar adamantly attributes his success to his fellow Ravens, including the coaches on the sidelines.
“Having a great coaching staff calling the right plays at the right time helped me out to receive all these accolades.”
Cassar did not neglect his teammates in his gratitude for his season. He specifically pinpointed the defensive line as his benefactors, absorbing shocks and battering opponents so he could assess the play and react accordingly.
He also a productive role as a veteran on the team this year, advising the younger linebackers around him and bettering them on the field. This role, he noted, played no trivial part in his All-Canadian performance.
“I was a vocal leader. I was able to have some of those younger guys under my wing.”
Such younger guys included Louis Cavanagh, the second-year backup middle-linebacker who often played alongside the All-Canadian when the Ravens ran a fourth linebacker position on their defence. At other times, Cavanagh stepped up when injuries struck.
Lastly, Cassar owed his All-Canadian calibre season to a deftly balanced workload. Juggling the demands of being a fourth-year business student and a varsity football phenom could daunt the unprepared, but Cassar saw the value in his heavy schedule.
“We’d have football stuff from 3 p.m. to about eight at night,” Cassar explained. “So I got schoolwork done before or after that. I believe if you’re able to manage your time and you have a list of things that you need to get done, you’re going to be well off… that kind of kept me in line throughout the season, just being able to focus on nothing but school and football.”
While his younger teammates train for another season in their Ravens uniforms, Cassar is pivoting this winter to pursue grander aspirations. He considers playing a fifth year for Carleton unlikely as he chases his dream of playing professional football.
To mold himself for this undertaking, Cassar is taking the second semester off of school to concentrate solely on honing his physique and game.
“My goal right now is to get an opportunity to play in the NFL,” Cassar said.
Despite his ambitions, Cassar considers his retiring from Ravens football a bittersweet ending to an incredible four years. At the Vanier Cup Gala where he received his first-team All-Canadian distinction, Cassar reflected on the joyous whirlwind that was playing for Carleton.
“I got to see a lot of the coaches that used to recruit me … it really made me realize how grateful I was that I actually chose Carleton. I can easily say, and I’ve told Coach Sumarah this many times, that it was probably one of the better decisions of my life, if not the best decision of my life.”
Feature image by Tim Austen.
