A visit to Windsor University confirmed why Brett Conlon was interested in signing on the dotted line with the Lancers.

Conlon has since signed with the football team and its sense of family was one of the deciding factors.

The southern Ontario university had been pursuing Conlon since the end of the high school football season and one of the teams the provincial Tier III champion quarterback put at the top of his list.

When he and his father visited the university on the Apr. 5 weekend they made him feel wanted and he especially liked the fact that Windsor is a relatively small centre with Detroit, Michigan just five kms away across the Detroit River.

"The coaching staff made me feel like family," says Conlon. "That's special; you can't get that at a lot of places. It's that small town kind of feel. It's fairly small and I feel like I have the same sort of thing going on here in Cochrane with Calgary just down the road."

With Detroit so close he believes there will be plenty of scouts in the area and while he says it's a long shot, he would love the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL or CFL.

Conlon uses his size to his advantage, whether he's helming the Cobras or playing linebacker. He's 17, stands 6'2" and weighs around 220 lb. That gives him a presence on the field and with his able feet and size is able to crunch out those extra yards after contact.

That and his love of the long bomb makes him a double threat to defenders.

"I feel more natural taking the five-step (drop) and being able to look down the field and read the defence and maybe have some time with it. I feel that's my biggest strength."

He doesn't hesitate to take flight to grab some yards, though.

"Because of my size, it feels easier to gain extra yards after contact; I just try to get lower and drive my way through it."

While Conlon hasn't been assigned any particular position with the Lancers he hasn't crossed quarterback off his list.

"The backup quarterback is getting shoulder surgery. As it stands, they think I could compete for a backup role, but I'm just going to keep training and see where that takes me."

Right now he continues his off-season training in preparation for the South team tryout this weekend for the Alberta Senior Bowl.

Conlon has played six years and got his start with the Rocky View Rage. He was largely a runningback and linebacker before ending the bantam season sharing duties as quarterback. For the Cobras,  he played several backup positions in his first year before being selected to backup quarterback for Tae Gordon, then became starting quarterback for the 2017 season.

Like many graduating Cobras, he has three provincial championship rings and the last one was particularly special because they proved the naysayers wrong.

"There was something different about the team this year. We didn't have many all-stars out there to lead the game for us,  but we ground it out and played as a team. I was just ecstatic when we won. Everything lifted off your shoulders, all the doubt, all the people who thought we were too small of a team to do it this year or that didn't have the right skill set; now we can say we did it."

It will take a little time to adjust to being far away from his family and friends, but Conlon says it's all good. He hasn't declared his degree yet but is considering human kinetics and kinesiology in particular. If pro ball doesn't become an option he leaves the door open to coaching and teaching

Training camp for the Lancers opens Aug. 6 and they kick off their season against Waterloo on Aug. 26. Conlon may see Cobra alumni Jack Tocher when the Guelph Gryphons come to Windsor in week four.

Rob McNab, co-head coach of the Cobras who calls the offence, takes pride in the team having their last three consecutive quarterbacks recruited by university colleges. 

"Anytime a kid gets signed anywhere across the country is good, but obviously you want them closer to home for selfish reasons; you want to watch them play."

McNab says Conlon's passion for the sport and his size are big pluses for him.

"He was not afraid to take on the challenge physically and that was the big thing with him. He's not a pure passer, although he throws the ball very well, but he's pretty good with his feet. He had to take on the challenge of running the ball a little bit, especially the last three games for us and I imagine the university is going to use his feet, too."

Senior Bowl Tryouts 

Tryouts for the Southern Alberta Senior Bowl Team are this weekend after having been postponed due to in-climate weather earlier this month. The camp is being held in conjunction with Football Alberta's final selection camps for their U16 and U17/18 teams.

Last year, four members of the Cobras and one from the Bow Valley Bobcats were on the south team that came away with a 26-15 victory.

The Senior Bowl offers graduating high school football players a chance to play one final game. Several Cobras are trying out for the team, including Conlon, and indications are Austin Javorsky, the Bow Valley Bobcats quarterback will also be participating.

Cobra coach Seth Henderson has been named the defensive coordinator for the south team. Last year, McNab was head coach, Jim Forrest defensive coordinator and Dean Lang, of the Bobcats, was the defensive linemen coach. 

Countdown to season

Members of the Cobras team have been in the weight room since December in preparation for the season, says McNab. They'll start throwing the ball when the season is afoot May 1, weather permitting. Their spring camp starts the first week of June.