MONTREAL | The Carabins have added a very dangerous weapon to their arsenal.
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The University of Montreal football program has announced the recruitment of Elans du Cégep Garneau wide receiver Adam Bernier.
The 20-year-old young man was the one who made the most catches (52), amassed the most yards (692) and scored the most touchdowns (7) among all the receivers playing in the first division of the Quebec collegiate circuit in 2025.
The Quebec native was highly coveted. In addition to the Blues, he met the leaders of the Rouge et Or of Laval University, the Vert & Or of the University of Sherbrooke, as well as those of some programs on the Ontario university circuit.
“It was the best fit with my personality, explains Bernier. The values of the organization, especially the family aspect, appealed to me. The Carabins also had the best plan for my style of play.”
“I am a player who likes to get the ball quickly. The Carabins advocate a system of play where the objective is to give the ball to athletes capable of breaking tackles.
Making the opponent miss is Bernier’s greatest strength on a football field.
A chemistry to develop
The fact that a certain “Pépé” Gonzalez works as quarterback at UdeM also weighed heavily in the balance. The pivot will only play his second university season in 2026, after leading his team to conquer the Vanier Cup in his first round.
“Having an excellent quarterback, who is young, is a big plus. We will be able to create chemistry right now. The connection you have with your quarterback has a significant impact on the success of a pass catcher,” underlines the one who could receive Gonzalez’s offerings over the next four seasons.
The Carabins have also proven that they are not afraid to use their first-year players extensively, which notably allowed Gonzalez and receiver Enrique Jaimes Leclair to win the rookie of the year title in Canada and Quebec during the last two campaigns.
Photo JAMES HAJJAR
The call from Montreal
Even if it’s more common than ten years ago, it’s still rare to see a guy from Quebec choose the Carabins when he has the opportunity to join the Rouge et Or.
Bernier is now one of these rare exceptions, he who grew up in the Duberger-Les Saules district.
“When I announced my choice, several people said to me: “Oh yeah, I thought you were going to be a Rouge et Or guy”. It’s understandable, because when you give up playing in your city, it comes with lots of other challenges like living in an apartment and taking care of your grocery store,” he says.
“Personally, I have other goals in life outside of football and I think moving to Montreal will be profitable,” continued the man who wanted to take a further step towards adult life in his transition from CEGEP to university.
- The Carabins also announced the arrival of running back Kelian Nah Goueu. The Cégep Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Giants product had 419 yards and two touchdowns on 111 carries in 2025. He also caught eight passes for 68 yards.
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