Bleeding Tricolour: All-Canadian wideout Valberg granted sixth season

Queen's wide receiver Scott Valberg is out to wash away the stain, as the school song goes.

A source has confirmed the all-Canadian wideout, who is attending teacher's college in the fall, won his appeal to have a year of eligibility restored. Needless to say, this helps with Queen's bid to try to make a deeper playoff run after you-know-what the past two seasons. (It's a pain that never ends.)

As a frosh in 2004, Valberg played in Queen's opener vs. Windsor. He dressed for the second game vs. Guelph, got in for about four plays and suffered a serious muscle pull which knocked him out for the rest of the season.

As is my understanding, the eligibility people are pretty forgiving if a football player participated in only one game. Because Valberg suited up a second time that season but saw only nominal action, it was less clear-cut.

Needless to say, this should be welcome news in Kingston. Valberg led the country in yards (1,013) and touchdown catches (11) last fall and provides ton of experience in the receiving corps.

Queen's already has inside-receiver position to fill, since tight end Scott Stinson graduated. They also lost an all-Canadian on each side of the ball to the CFL, with tailback Mike Giffin and defensive tackle Dee Sterling respectively moving up to Montreal and Edmonton.

Fourth-year slotback Devan Sheahan (28 catches for 427 yards) last season also returns, with former Alberta receiver Matt Chapdelaine transferring in. (Nope, he is going to Simon Fraser.)

A big question — besides who's going to be the feature back — surrounding the Golden Gaels six weeks out from the season opener is who else might be returning to a team which went 8-0 in the regular season before suffering a bitter defeat to Ottawa in the OUA semi-final.

The door is open to all-Canadian defensive end Osie Ukwuoma coming back from the Calgary Stampeders, where he is on the practice roster. Presidents' Trophy-winning inside linebacker Thaine Carter dinged up his shoulder at Winnipeg's camp, so his status might not be known until some time in August. There could be a few more surprises.

In the here and now, though, Valberg's return means QB Dan Brannagan has his No. 1 receiver back.

In the here and now, though, Valberg's return means fifth-year QB Dan Brannagan has his No. 1 receiver back. Slotback Devan Sheahan, who's had his moments the past two seasons, is also going into his fourth year, which is often where the light bulb goes on for a player.

Only six weeks until the season opener!

(Photo courtesy Jeff Chan. Cross-posted to cisblog.ca.)