Get to Know Your Orange Man: #60, OL Matthew Bergeron

Name: Matthew Bergeron

Position: Offensive tackle

Year: Sophomore

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 305 lbs.

Hometown: Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada

High School: Cégep de Thetford

2019 stats: I said last year that Bergeron was likely heading for a redshirt. Instead, he started the last five games for the Orange at right tackle, following the departure of Ryan Alexander and solidified his starting spot. In fact, solidified it enough to earn second team freshman All-American honors from Pro Football Focus on the season. Also and All-Academic team member.

2020 projections: Bergeron is probably sitting as the most penned in starter on the line with respect to position. Matt earned his starting spot and won’t be giving it up. After averaging five pancake blocks per start as well, the sophomore proved he’s got some legs in the run game as well. The unit looked markedly improved with him in there, and I’m assuming another year of college conditioning can’t hurt. He also is listed down around ten pounds on the year. With him likely adding muscle while dropping weight, this could help his pass protection game even more on quicker ends.

How’d he get here?: Coach Mike Cavanaugh, his position coach, and former offensive coordinator Mike Lynch recruited Bergeron out of Quebec, following him attending camp at Syracuse. We were his only offer.

What’d recruiting sites say?: Three stars from all the sites. He was noted as the #2 overall Canadian prospect as well.

Money quote: Coach Dino Babers had some kind words on Matthew’s future —

“Matthew is not a normal freshman,” Babers said. “He’s stronger and bigger than what you think he is. He’s not full-grown because he can be a lot stronger and he will be a lot stronger.”

Twitterfeed: @matthewkberger1

Tweets of wonder: A little levity from Bergeron... and an excuse to post that ridiculous Josh Black flip again. The man has a point though. Between Alton Robinson, Kendall Coleman and this current crew, he’s gotten a trial by fire when it comes to daily practice.

What movie would Dino Babers recommend for him?: Last year we went with the 80’s classic, War Games. This year we’re sticking in the 80’s with Gremlins. In the film, Tom Bergeron, of Hollywood Squares, America’s Funniest Home Videos and Dancing with the Stars fame, has a role as an uncredited TV Reporter. It’s a stretch, but we’re sticking to a plan here.

*Update — For the record, and from the source himself, Tom Bergeron was not in the movie Gremlins, thanks IMDB!

Interesting nugget o’ interest: His step into the starting lineup made him the first true freshman to start at tackle for the Orange since Quinn Ojinnaka started a game against Rutgers in 2002. Prior to that it was 1986 and Blake Bednarz, who started at guard that season.

Let’s get a good look at ya: Here’s his senior highlights —