Quebecois Antoine Pruneau has retired from football and embarked on a new phase in his career at a club he knows very well.
On Friday, the University of Montreal Carabins announced that the 33-year-old would join their coaching staff. He will serve as deputy defense coordinator. In addition to supporting Denis Touchette in his duties, Pruneau will also work alongside defensive back coach Marc-André Paradis.
This is a return to UdeM for Pruneau, who wore the colors of the blues from 2010-2013.
“I am honored to return to this organization,” he said in a statement from the Carabins. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, but knowing that I would end up here helped a lot in my decision.
“Antoine is one of the most dominant players that has come through our program,” said Carabins head coach Marco Iadeluca. He also had one of the finest careers in the CFL among Canadian players. I know he will help us maintain a very high standard of quality and allow us to take our players to a higher level.
A brilliant career
Pruneau, who was selected by the Ottawa Redblacks as the fourth overall pick of the 2014 draft, has had a fantastic career in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The defenseman played eight seasons with the Ottawa organization. In 122 games, he had 374 defensive tackles, 74 special team tackles, four quarterback sacks, and 10 interceptions. He also scored a touchdown during the 2017 campaign, where he was named to the East Division All-Star team.
Pruneau can also boast of being a champion, having won the Gray Cup in 2016. In the Rouge et Noir’s 39-33 win over the Calgary Stampeders, the No6 had retired from the game with a total of six tackles.
“I know I come here to train top athletes and I want to help them reach their full potential. I want this team to be successful and receive top honors. Winning the Gray Cup with the Rouge et Noir was the best moment of my life. I want them to experience something like that by winning the Vanier Cup,” Pruneau said.