McMaster University Men's Football

Hometown: Burlington, Ontario University: Wilfrid Laurier, University of Toronto and UBC High School: Nelson High School McMaster Experience: 13 seasons (2006-2015, present) Ptaszek returned to the role of Marauders head coach, which he had previously held for 10 seasons, on November 28, 2018. The Burlington, Ontario native guided McMaster to four Yates Cup titles in 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2019, and advanced to the Vanier Cup on all four occasions, while bringing the university its first Vanier Cup title in 2011. Twice named the OUA Coach of the Year (2012 and 2014), Ptaszek received the Frank Tindall Award as the CIS Coach of the Year in 2012. He left McMaster in 2016 to assume the role of Offensive Coordinator with the Canadian Football League's Hamilton Tiger-Cats, a position he held for two seasons before moving to the University of British Columbia, where he served as the Thunderbirds Offensive Coordinator in 2018. A star receiver at Wilfrid Laurier during his playing days, Ptaszek graduated as the Golden Hawks' all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards, was a three-time All-Canadian and winner of the 1991 Vanier Cup. He was drafted in the first round of the 1994 CFL Draft by the BC Lions, and went on to play four seasons in the league with the Lions, Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts. Turning his attention toward coaching, Ptaszek returned to his alma mater and served as Laurier's Offensive Coordinator between 2003 and 2005, with the Golden Hawks winning two Yates Cup titles and the 2005 Vanier Cup during his tenure. He was named as the 22nd Head Coach of the McMaster football program in 2006. Season by Season: 2021: The Marauders finished the regular season with a conference record of 3-3. The McMaster Marauders won the battle, but lost the war missing the OUA playoffs on a tiebreak despite a 27-22 victory over the No. 7 Guelph Gryphons during the final game of the regular season. Jackson Cooling was named to the OUA All-Rookie team. Taylor Burns was named to the offensive First-Team All-Star roster and Chinedu Ezeonwurie was named to the defensive First-Team All-Star roster. Nate Edwards was a Special Teams First-Team All-Star and a defensive Second-Team All-Star. Andreas Dueck, and Liam Putt were named to the Offensive Second-Team All-Stars roster and Nolan Putt was named to the Defensive Second-Team All-Star roster.   2020: Season canceled due to Covid-19 pandemic. 2019: The Marauders completed regular season with a conference record of 6-2-0, securing their spot as second in OUA West... With a postseason record of 2-1 the Marauders took down the Western Mustangs - 29-15 - in the Yates Cup finals to secure the title... McMaster fell short to the Calgary Dinos 30-17 in the U-SPORTS Mitchell Bowl national semifinal... Noah Hallett was named to the defensive line for the 2019 First Team OUA All-Stars... Trio of REC-Tommy Neild, T- Max Guy, and G- Jakub Szott were named to the offensive 2019 Second Team OUA All-Star roster... SAM- Eric Blake and CB- Nolan Putt were named to the defensive 2019 Second Team OUA All-Star roster... OL- Taylor Burns was named as an 2019 OUA All-Rookie. 2015: McMaster finished third in the OUA standings with a 6 and 2 record, but was upset by Laurier in the quarterfinals. It was a record-breaking season in many respects, as QB Asher Hastings set a new CIS record for TD passes in a season with 31.   Dan Petermann set a team record with 61 receptions, while Danny Vandervoort led the CIS with 12 TD grabs, also a new team record. The Marauders placed 11 players on the OUA 1st and 2nd all-star teams and saw Vandervoort named a 1st-team All-Canadian and linebacker Jake Heathcote a 2nd-team All-Canadian. 2014: Led Marauders to a 7-1 OUA record and first-place in the conference. The team then defeated Ottawa 42-31 in the semi-finals and beat Guelph 20-15 to win the 7th Yates Cup in McMaster history. Coach P was the 2014 OUA Coach of the Year.  The Marauders next defeated Mt. Allison in the Mitchell Bowl 24-12, played at Ron Joyce Stadium.  In the 50th Vanier Cup game played at Molson Stadium in Montreal, the Marauders dropped a narrow 20-19 decision to University of Montreal Carabins.  Tyler Crapigna was a 1st team CIS All-Canadian, while CB Joey Cupido, SB Danny Vandervoort, and LB Nick Shortill were on the CIS 2nd team. 2013:  Guided the Marauders to a record of 5-3 in the OUA, good for fourth-place in the league standings.  Played Ottawa in the OUA quarter-finals and beat the Gee-Gees 41-7 to advance to the league semi-finals for the 5th straight season.  Played Western in the semi-finals and dropped a 32-3 decision. Receiver Dan Vandervoort was named the CIS rookie of the Year, Steve Ventrasca and Mike Daly were 1st-team OUA all-stars, while Vandervoort, Aram Eisho and Tyler Crapigna were 2nd-team all-stars. 2012: Named CIS Coach of the Year, only the third Marauder coach to do so in school history... Headed into the season ranked at No. 1 and stayed there through the final rankings of the season.. posted a perfect 8-0 regular season record, the first time since 2003 and went on to win the Yates Cup with a 30-13 win over Guelph... Beat Calgary while hosting the Mitchell Bowl 45-6 but would suffer the only loss of the season to the hands of the Laval Rouge et Or at the Vanier Cup at Rogers Centre by a score of 37-14... Quarterback Kyle Quinlan finished his career by winning the Hec Crighton Trophy as the fifth Marauder to do so, along with being named a CIS First-Team All-Canadian, OUA MVP and OUA First-Team All-Star... Ben D'Aguilar won the J.P. Metras Trophy as well as set a new CIS record for sacks in one season with 12.5 along with being named OUA Lineman of the Year, a First-Team All-Canadian and an OUA First-Team All-Star... Second-year Aram Eisho was named OUA Defensive MVP as well as a First-Team All-Canadian and OUA First-Team All-Star... Also named CIS All-Canadians included Jason Medeiros, Joey Cupido, Tyler Crapigna, Matthew Sewell, Rob Babic and Mike Daly, all also OUA First-Team All-Stars.. Tanvir Bhangoo, Nick Shortil and Spencer Moor were OUA Second-Team All-Stars. 2011: Became the first coach in school history to lead the Marauders to a national football championship by winning the Vanier Cup over the Laval Rouge et Or... also won the team's first Yates Cup since 2003 over the hosting Western Mustangs... only lost one game all season long with a 7-1 regular season record and went 5-0 in the playoffs... Quarterback Kyle Quinlan was named game MVP at both the Yates Cup and the Vanier Cup... Five Marauders were named CIS All-Canadians including Mike DiCroce, Tyler Crapigna, Jason Medeiros, Matt Sewell and Quinlan.. DiCroce was named OUA MVP and Ryan Chmielewski earned OUA's President's Trophy for Stand-up Defensive Player of the Year... they were named OUA First-Team All-Stars along with Quinlan, Medeiros, Sewell, Crapigna and Mike Daly... OUA Second-Team All-Stars included Elliott Montag, Matt Peressini, Scott Caterine, and Steven Ventresca. 2010: Finished third in the OUA with a 6-2 record for the second consecutive season...defeated the reigning Yates Cup and CIS Champions, the Queen's Gaels for the second time of the season in the OUA quarter-final with a score of 40-19.. advanced to the semifinals to the hosting Western Mustangs and were defeated by a score of 34-28.. Justin Glover and Ryan Chmielewski named OUA First-Team All-Stars.. quarterback Kyle Quinlan named OUA Second-Team All-Star along with Michael Hoy, Matt Sewell and Joey Nemet on offence.. OUA Second-Team All-Stars on defence included Roberto Filice, Scott Caterine and Joey Cupido. 2009: Finished tied for second in the OUA after posting a 6-2 conference season which included a 42-35 defeat of the no. 2 Western Mustangs on October 3... Defeated Guelph 32-29 to advance to OUA quarter-final where they defeated the no. 8 Ottawa Gee-Gees 27-15...Ended season in OUA semifinal against eventual Yates Cup conference champion Queen's... Justin Glover named OUA First Team Offense All-Star while Ryan Chmielewski represented the defence at linebacker on the first team... Rookie Matt Sewell named to OUA Second Team for offensive tackle, Steve Cecchini, Byron Metcalfe and rookie Cody Lynch second team All-Stars on defence...Lynch named OUA Rookie of the Year. 2008: Finished 6th in the OUA after posting an even 4-4 regular season record...Won four of their last five regular season games after starting out 0-3...Lost 0-29 against the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA quarterfinal... Simon Binder, Mike Hoy, Kevin D'Hollander, Joey Nemet and James Edwards were named OUA All-Stars...Ptaszek joined junior national team coaching staff. 2007: Finished 4th in the OUA for the second consecutive time with a 5-3 regular season record...Won the last three regular season games after starting out 2-3, to secure homefield advantage in the playoffs. Lost 25-21 against the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA Quarterfinal. Quarterback Adam Archibald was named the CIS player of the week and OUA Athlete of the week. 2006: Posted a 6-2 regular sesaon record and finished fourth in the OUA. Opened the season with five consecutive wins including a clutch week 3 victory over the otherwise undefeated Ottawa Gee Gees (eventual Yates Cup winners). Finished the regular season ranked # 9 in the CIS and were upset by Queen's in the first round.25-19. Nine Marauders were named tas OUA all-stars. Two players named to CIS all-star team. One player named first team all-Canadian. Ptaszek joined team Canada at the NFL Global Junior Championship. McMaster's Chris Van Zeyl was selected eighteenth overall, second in the third round, by the Montreal Alouettes in the 2007 CFL Canadian Draft... The Marauders had the most athletes drafted out of all 31 CIS schools this season with a total of four. Coaching Record: Conference Post Season Overall Season Win Loss Win Loss Win Loss 2023 2 6 0  0 2 6 2022 2 6 0 0 2 6 2021 3 3 0 0 3 3 2019     6 2 2 1 8 3 2015 6 2 0 1 6 3 2014 7 1 3 1 10 2 2013 5 3 1 1 6 4 2012 8 0 3 1 11 1 2011 7 1 4 0 11 1 2010 6 2 1 1 7 3 2009 6 2 1 1 7 3 2008 4 4 0 1 4 5 2007 5 3 0 1 5 4 2006 6 2 0 1 6 3 Totals 73 37 15 10 85 44   Additional Coaching Assignments: Location Position Year Notable Achievements University of British Columbia Offensive Coordinator 2018 Hamilton Tiger-Cats Offensive Coordinator 2016-2018 Wilfrid Laurier University Offensive Coordinator 2003-2005 2 OUA Championships, 1 Vanier Cup University of British Columbia Special Teams Coordinator Southwood Secondary School Offensive Coordinator Burlington Nelson Lords Assistant Coach 1995-1996 2 Waterloo County Titles Other Highlights: As a player, Ptaszek played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the BC Lions, where he was drafted in the First Round, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts. He played university football at Wilfrid Laurier from 1990-1994 where he was a three-time All-Canadian and a member of the Vanier Cup Championship team in 1991. He was inducted into the Golden Hawk Hall of Fame in 1999, and still holds the Wilfrid Laurier record for Career Yardage and Receptions. Ptaszek helped coach the Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks to a Vanier Cup in 2005. He also captured a Waterloo County Titles in 1995-96 and 1997-98 with the Burlington Nelson Lords. Ptaszek holds an Honours Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier, Bachelors of Education from the University of Toronto, and Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of British Columbia. He was born and raised in Burlington, Ontario and played High School Football at Burlington Nelson. He currently resides in Dundas, Ontario with his wife Karen, a producer for TSN, and three children Christopher, Anna and Stefan.

Behie continues in his dual role of Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. Now entering his 10th season on staff, he spent five years as a Marauder student-athlete, playing football and basketball, and graduating with degrees in history and geography. On the gridiron Behie played quarterback and receiver, and he was the pivot for two Marauder (2002, 2003) OUA Yates Cup titles. He was recognized as a member of McMaster's Team of the Decade for 2000-2009. In 2008 Behie did double duty, spending the season as an offensive assistant with the CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cats and joining the McMaster staff. Also in 2008, he was the event coordinator for the CIS East-West Bowl that was hosted at McMaster. A graduate of Nelson high school in Burlington, he has worked with the Ontario provincial program, and was the Offensive Coordinator for Team Ontario-West at the U-18 Canada Cup from 2010-2011. Coach Behie resides in Waterdown with his wife Jenn, son Will, and daughter Isla.  

Smith works very closely with head coach Stefan Ptaszek handling the day-to-day operations of the football program. Smith also assists Coach Gesztesi with recruiting. Before working with McMaster, Coach Smith was a long-time coach with the Burlington Stampeders. 

Gesztesi has coached football at all levels and enjoys building relationships with young players. In 2001 Gesztesi was the recipient of the given to the CIS Volunteer Coach of the Year, and he has been recognized as a McMaster Athletics . Coach Gesztesi has also coached on the staff at St. Francis Xavier University, and was with the X-Men when the team advanced to the 1996 Vanier Cup game. He has seen several of his linebacker pupils graduate to the Canadian Football League. Coach Gesztesi resides in Stoney Creek, with his wife Diane and daughter Melissa.