The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks may have found a worthy successor to Taylor Elgersma.
Sources have told 3DownNation that former three-star quarterback recruit Callum Wither has committed to the school for the 2025 season. The native of Waterloo, Ont. returns home to Canada after spending the past three seasons at Ohio University, graduating with a degree in physical activity & sport coaching.
Wither was the top-ranked Canadian quarterback in the class of 2022 per CanadaFootballChat, and was one of just six passers from north of the border on an NCAA Division I roster last season. He is the second of those players to transfer to a U Sports program this offseason, following Drew Viotto at the University of British Columbia.
The six-foot-four, 211-pound pivot attended prep school at Clarkson Football North in Mississauga, Ont., throwing for 2,140 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final season against all American opponents. He originally committed to Ohio over offers from Bowling Green, Kent State, Central Michigan, Buffalo, and Western Kentucky, following the same path to Athens as fellow Canadian QBs Nathan and Kurtis Rourke. However, he did not see the field in his three years as a backup.
Laurier offers a chance to get on the field right away, as they are looking to replace the production of the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner and U Sports Male Athlete of the Year, Taylor Elgersma. The six-foot-five, 227-pound native of London, Ont. threw for 4,011 yards, 34 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions last season, while rushing 40 times for 223 yards and six touchdowns.
Elgersma made history by attending the prestigious Senior Bowl all-star game in February and later signed with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent, becoming just the fourth Canadian university quarterback to ever land an NFL contract. That new precedent and the development offered by head coach Michael Faulds make Wither’s hometown school an attractive landing spot.
The Golden Hawks won the Yates Cup last season as the top team in Ontario University Athletics and posted an 11-1 overall record, with their only loss coming against Laval in the Vanier Cup game. This latest recruit could be critical in allowing the team to reload for another shot at the national title.
