Hec Crighton Trophy-winning quarterback Taylor Elgersma did not like watching Michael Faulds leave Wilfrid Laurier for Western.
The 23-year-old has experienced a lot of emotions since the news became official. Elgersma’s thankful for what Faulds did for him and the entire Golden Hawks football program during his 13 years as head coach. However, the 2024 first-team All-Canadian feels disappointed and frustrated that his former bench boss has left for a big rival school. He would have liked him to stay with Laurier for his entire coaching career.
“I would definitely say that if there was a place that I would not want him to go, it would be there. I definitely hate to see him in any colours outside of Laurier colours, but definitely Western colours. That’s pretty well understood that two of the best programs in the OUA constantly compete and have battled, especially during my career,” Elgersma told 3DownNation.
“It’s very bitter to watch him change over to those sidelines. I hate to see that of course, but I still have a ton of confidence in our program and a ton of confidence in how we’re going to take care of business the next time we see them. I’m trying to use it to motivate our team and our group more than ever.”
Elgersma found out Faulds’ decision was official when the general public did, but he had inside knowledge about the process playing out behind the scenes and knew it was all but final a day or two in advance. As the deliberations were ongoing over the holidays, Elgersma sent Faulds a text message expressing his support during what turned out to be the coach’s final days at Wilfrid Laurier.
“We were able to have a phone conversation and I was able to let him know what he means to me as a coach, what he means to me as a person in my life, but also be able to candidly express my frustration for the decision. He’s a very intelligent guy, a very emotionally intelligent guy, and he understands exactly why I feel that way,” Elgersma said.
“He understands how much I loved having him on the right side of things. He understands the competitor in me that doesn’t want him to leave. It was a very mature conversation from both of us. We both understand each other very well and we’re always going to have an outstanding relationship, no matter what’s going on football-wise.”
From his head coach office at Alumni Stadium, the 42-year-old Faulds told 3DownNation he 100 percent understood how people with ties to the Golden Hawks would be upset, especially Elgersma. The two men developed a deep bond as the London, Ont. native worked his way from no-star recruit to elite quarterback and one of the best to ever play the position in Canadian university football.
Photo courtesy: Christian Bender/Laurier Athletics.
“I love Taylor Elgersma. We’re very much alike. I hold nothing personal,” Faulds said. “I told him I have six months of making a commute from (Kitchener-Waterloo) to London, so I’m going to be in my truck making a lot of phone calls every day, and he’s going to be a frequent call I make on those journeys.”
As much as Elgersma respects Faulds, the star QB made it clear Laurier will not falter simply because he left the program. The proud Golden Hawks alum, who helped coach the team during the 2025 season after impressing during training camp with the Green Bay Packers, believes his school can remain on top in the OUA.
“What I’ll say about the direction of the program, the message that is among Laurier football right now: he was not the culture here. This place is the culture here, the players are the culture here, the people are the culture here, and the culture’s not going anywhere,” Elgersma said.
“We’re building something that’s way bigger than one person and this program is going to keep ascending to new heights, they’re going to keep having success and winning football games. Anyone who thinks that’s going to change because one person leaves doesn’t understand the depths, the toughness, and the grit that Laurier football has and will always have.”
It seems as though the Golden Hawks could promote from within to fill the head coach position. Ron VanMoerkerke, the team’s associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and defensive line coach, seems like a great candidate.
“Coach V, he’s given 30 years to this program. He’s always been one of the best defensive coordinators in the country. We’ve had an outstanding defence under his guidance for a long time and he understands this game so well, he understands how to connect with the players so well,” Elgersma said.
Todd Galloway, the team’s offensive coordinator, receivers coach, and student-athlete development coach, also seems like a strong candidate. Elgersma indicated that Galloway called every single offensive play during his time with Wilfrid Laurier.
“I don’t think many people necessarily connect the dots of how impactful Galloway is to teams. Guelph in 2018, they went to a Yates Cup under coach Galloway’s interim head coaching role. When McMaster won the Yates Cup over Western in 2019, he was integral in the play-calling of that offence,” Elgersma said.
“When we won in 2024, he called every single play in the Yates Cup game. I don’t think many people realize, because Faulds was in this program, how much Galloway’s fingerprints were actually on our offence. He is the one who has really done an amazing job with our offence. He’d be an outstanding choice to be the next Laurier head coach.”
