Blue Bombers announce team award winners

[ModAdmin]

Blue Bombers announce team award winners

WINNIPEG, MB., October 26, 2022 - The Canadian Football League today announced the team winners for the 2022 Most Outstanding Player Awards. The voting was conducted by members of the local chapter of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the league's head coaches.

The following Blue Bombers were recognized:

- Most Outstanding Player: quarterback Zach Collaros*
- Most Outstanding Defensive Player: defensive end Willie Jefferson
- Most Outstanding Canadian Player: receiver Nic Demski
- Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: left tackle Stanley Bryant
- Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: kick returner Janarion Grant
- Most Outstanding Rookie: receiver Dalton Schoen*
*Indicates unanimous selection

Most Outstanding Player

The CFL's reigning Most Outstanding Player and all-star quarterback Zach Collaros has now been named his team's MOP four times - the last two seasons with the Blue Bombers and twice with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2014 and 2015).

Collaros has set a career high in passing yards this season, throwing for 4,115 yards and a league-best 35 touchdowns heading into this week's regular season finale against the B.C. Lions. The 35 passing TDs are also tied for third-most in Blue Bombers history.
The Bombers are now a remarkable 31-4 in games Collaros has started since his arrival at the trade deadline in October of 2019 ? including back-to-back Grey Cup championships - making him just the second pivot in franchise history to lead the team to consecutive titles after Ken Ploen first accomplished the feat in 1961-62.

Most Outstanding Defensive Player

Willie Jefferson is the Blue Bombers' top defensive player for the second time - he was also honoured in 2019, the same year he was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player as well as named the Blue Bombers' Most Outstanding Player. Jefferson was also named the Saskatchewan Roughriders' top defender and most outstanding player in 2018.
A four-time CFL All-Star, Jefferson leads the Blue Bombers with seven sacks and has added 30 tackles, an interception for a touchdown, two forced fumbles and has 10 pass knockdowns, third-most in the CFL heading into the final weekend and the most among defensive linemen.
Earlier this season he became the first player in CFL history to record 50 sacks and 50 pass knockdowns.

Most Outstanding Canadian Player

Nic Demski has been named the Blue Bombers' top Canadian for a second straight season. Demski has posted career-best totals in 2022 with 64 receptions for 772 yards and 10 touchdowns despite missing four games earlier this year due to injury.

Demski had a streak of six consecutive games scoring at least one touchdown this year between August 25th and October 8th - the second-longest streak in franchise history to Milt Stegall's eight in 1997.

Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman

Stanley Bryant is the Blue Bombers' top offensive lineman for a sixth time - having also won in 2015, 2017-19 and 2021 - and has earned team honours for an eighth time, including in 2011 and 2013 as a member of the Calgary Stampeders.

Bryant is a three-time winner of the CFL Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award - the only player to do so in the award's history - winning in 2017, 2018 and 2021 as a member of the Blue Bombers, and was also the league runner-up in 2019.

Bryant has been a mainstay on the left side of the offensive line and a key part of an offensive unit that ranks second in points, sacks surrendered and rushing yards, and first in touchdowns.

Most Outstanding Special Teams Player

Janarion Grant has made history this season: Grant has the only two punt-return touchdowns in the CFL this year and has also added a score on a kickoff return. Those three TDs total seven in his career - in just 32 games - and make him the Blue Bombers' all-time leader in return touchdowns.

Grant is second in the CFL in punt return yards at 750 - ranking first overall with a 13.4-yard average - fifth in kickoff return yards at 767, and with his rushing and receiving contributions on offence, ranks fifth in the league in combined yardage at 1,735. This is Grant's first honour in his CFL career.

Most Outstanding Rookie

Dalton Schoen has already authored one of the most impressive rookie seasons in CFL history with one game remaining on the schedule.
The Kansas State product leads the league in receiving yardage with 1,357 on 68 receptions, is first in receiving touchdowns with 15 - a Blue Bombers franchise record for first-year players - with that total also tying him for the overall TD league with Caleb Evans of the Ottawa RedBlacks.

Schoen also leads the CFL in second-down conversion catches, with a remarkable 40 of his 68 catches keeping the offence on the field. He has also had five 100-yard receiving games this season.

The West and East Most Outstanding Player Award finalists will be announced next week, with the overall league honours coming on November 17th during Grey Cup week.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Here are the nominees from all teams.

BC LIONS

Player: Nathan Rourke
Defensive: Garry Peters
Canadian: Nathan Rourke
Offensive lineman: Joel Figueroa
Special teams: Sean Whyte
Rookie: Emmanuel Rugamba

EDMONTON ELKS

Player: Kenny Lawler
Defensive: Jake Ceresna
Canadian: Adam Konar
Offensive lineman: Mark Korte*
Special teams: Christian Saulsberry
Rookie: Kevin Brown

CALGARY STAMPEDERS

Player: Ka?Deem Carey*
Defensive: Shawn Lemon
Canadian: Cameron Judge
Offensive lineman: Derek Dennis
Special teams: Rene Paredes
Rookie: Peyton Logan

SASKATCHEWAN ROUGHRIDERS

Player: Darnell Sankey
Defensive: Darnell Sankey
Canadian: Kian Schaffer-Baker*
Offensive lineman: Logan Ferland
Special teams: Mario Alford*
Rookie: Frankie Hickson

WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS

Player: Zach Collaros*
Defensive: Willie Jefferson
Canadian: Nic Demski
Offensive lineman: Stanley Bryant
Special teams: Janarion Grant
Rookie: Dalton Schoen*

HAMILTON TIGER-CATS

Player: Tim White
Defensive: Jovan Santos-Knox
Canadian: Tunde Adeleke
Offensive lineman: Brandon Revenberg*
Special teams: Seth Small
Rookie: Seth Small

TORONTO ARGONAUTS

Player: McLeod Bethel-Thompson
Defensive: Wynton McManis*
Canadian: Kurleigh Gittens Jr.
Offensive lineman: Dejon Allen
Special teams: Daniel Adeboboye
Rookie: Gregor MacKellar

OTTAWA REDBLACKS

Player: Lorenzo Mauldin IV
Defensive: Lorenzo Mauldin IV*
Canadian: Nate Behar
Offensive lineman: Jacob Ruby*
Special teams: Louis-Philippe Bourassa
Rookie: Devonte Williams

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

Player: Eugene Lewis*
Defensive: Adarius Pickett*
Canadian: Marc-Antoine Dequoy
Offensive lineman: Landon Rice
Special teams: Chandler Worthy
Rookie: Tyson Philpot*

[Norm W]

"Schoen also leads the CFL in second-down conversion catches, with a remarkable 40 of his 68 catches keeping the offence on the field. He has also had five 100-yard receiving games this season."

More than 3/4's of his targets and catches have kept drives alive, that's some money stuff right there. I would think that's a statistic that can be exploited by an offence.

[GOLDMEMBER]

Congratulations
No surprises there at all!

[M.O.A.B.]

Collaros and Schoen should win it for West and the league. In my mind, they should have the edge against their respective competition.

If Bryant wins the West he should win the league awards also. I think he has slight edge against Figueroa. Denis should not win it since like Rouke he's been on IR for the most part.

Jeffersion, Demski and Grant will have tough time beating their competition in the West.
I'm guessing Rouke will get the Canadian (if not Judge), Sankey might get the Defense and Whyte on Special Teams.

[bwiser]

I think Demski has a good chance of representing the west. Rourke was very good when he played but its too small a sample size. Shoen and Colleros are locks to win the CFL award.

[TecnoGenius]

Nice seeing MB boy Rice getting the Als OL nod.  Dude plays RT, not easy.  He'd look good as a ratio-buster in WPG one day...

To think, no one wanted him 3-4 years ago and was bouncing around PRs until MTL gave him a chance.

[pjrocksmb]

All beasts

[M.O.A.B.]

Nice seeing MB boy Rice getting the Als OL nod.  Dude plays RT, not easy.  He'd look good as a ratio-buster in WPG one day...

To think, no one wanted him 3-4 years ago and was bouncing around PRs until MTL gave him a chance.

He's gonna be 35 by the time 2023 CFL starts.

[TecnoGenius]

He's gonna be 35 by the time 2023 CFL starts.

How old did Walby go?  Bryant?

[Jesse]

How old did Walby go?  Bryant?

This is a weird argument to try and make. Whose spot would be take?

[Pigskin]

Rice has been in the CFL for 8 years. Nearly 5 years with Hamilton, and rest with Montreal. 111 games played. He wasn't very good with Hamilton but has played well the last couple of seasons with Montreal. The Bombers haven't had any interest in him 8 years into his career, not sure at 35 he fits into their plans.

[GOLDMEMBER]

How old did Walby go?  Bryant?

I think Walby did 40

[TecnoGenius]

This is a weird argument to try and make. Whose spot would be take?

Everyone's always talking about Hardrick or Bryant retiring.  Presser today had Bryant saying he has no intention of retiring, feels great, etc.  But if Yoshi eventually goes because of his health, Rice would sure fit nice into that LT!!  Gray is also a candidate.  I'm liking Gray when he starts at tackle.  Weird, he seems better at tackle than guard.  Is that possible?

Goldie: Walby: thanks, kinda makes my point.

Pigskin: yes Rice has a strange career path.  But never forget, he is an ex-Bison.

In any event, I doubt MTL would ever be dumb enough to let him go.  He's turning into their Walby.

And think of the food stand possibilities!  Instead of the Walby Burger you could have the Landon Rice Bowl!  Mmmm.

[ichabod_crane]

I think Walby did 40

Been a few o-lineman that have played at 40 and beyond, but a very small list.