Most Importantly The Cfl Reveals Its Year End Award Winners

The CFL Awards were held Thursday night at the Conexus Arts Center in Regina ahead of the 109th Gray Cup between the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Below is a list of those honored. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Most Outstanding Rookie — REC Dalton Schoen, Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers wide receiver Dalton Schoen was named the CFL’s Most Valuable Rookie after becoming the first player to lead the league in more than two decades. Schoen had 70 receptions for 1,441 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first season, averaging 20.6 yards per catch. No player has led the league in both receiving yards and yards-per-catch average since NFL draftee Milt Stegall accomplished the feat in 2002. He is the first member of the Blue Bombers to win the award since the Chris Matthews did in 2012. The former Kansas State running back had 12 receptions of 30-plus yards and 41 second-down conversions this season. He is the first rookie to lead the league in receptions since Curtis Marsh of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2000. Schoen received 48 first-place votes, edging out Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot. Schoen is expected to receive significant NFL interest this offseason. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Veteran Affairs Jake Gaudaur — OL Dan Clark, Saskatchewan Roughriders Saskatchewan Roughriders center Dan Clark has been presented with the prestigious Jake Gaudaur Veterans Award in his hometown of Regina. The award honors a Canadian player who embodies the characteristics of Canada’s veterans, such as strength, tenacity, courage, camaraderie and service to local communities. Named after longtime CFL commissioner Jake Gaudaur, a World War II veteran. “Dan represents the wealth of character and strength found among the tremendous players in our league,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosi. “He stands tall in the riders’ locker room as a veteran and as a leader, and just as importantly what he stands for in the community. He is an incredible role model for his teammates, the entire league and all Canadians.” In his tenth season in the CFL, Clark overcame a broken fibula and dislocated ankle he suffered in Week 2 to play four more games for the Riders in 2022. It was his second serious injury in four years after a serious car accident accident in 2019. Clark remained heavily involved in Saskatchewan’s day-to-day operations while rehabbing from injury. He is also extremely active in the community, leading many group initiatives that support mental wellness, healthy relationships and anti-bullying, including working with the Red Cross, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and the Game Changers Playbook. He was selected for the award by a committee consisting of representatives from Veterans Affairs Canada, TSN broadcaster Glen Suitor, CFLPA Executive Director Brian Ramsay and Commissioner Randy Ambrosie. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Most Outstanding Defensive Player — DL Lorenzo Mauldin IV, Ottawa Redblacks Ottawa Redblacks defensive lineman Lorenzo Mauldin IV was named the CFL’s defensive player of the year after a breakthrough season in 2022. The 30-year-old terrorized opposing quarterbacks all year, racking up 43 tackles, a league-leading 17 sacks and two forced fumbles over 18 starts at defensive end. This was Mauldin’s first year as a regular starter in the CFL, signing with the Redblacks after a two-year stint as a rotation player with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. “So proud of what you’ve done on the field for the club,” Ottawa general manager Shawn Burke tweeted to Mauldin on Thursday. “Equally proud of what you have brought to our team in the locker room and to the Ottawa community off the court.” A pending free agent, Mauldin told the media Wednesday night that he plans to pursue free agency this winter. He is the first member of the Reds and Blacks to be named the league’s best defensive player. The former third-round NFL draft pick collected 32 league-wide first-place votes to beat West Division contender Calgary Stampeders defensive end Shawn Lemon for the award. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Most Valuable Special Teams Player — KR Mario Alford, Saskatchewan Roughriders Saskatchewan Roughriders return specialist Mario Alford was named the CFL’s Most Valuable Special Teams Player after establishing himself as a dominant return player in Riderville. The 30-year-old was traded to Saskatchewan in July after losing his job with the Montreal Alouettes to Chandler Worthy, his rival for that award. He played 13 games for the Riders, returning 44 punts for 530 yards and a touchdown, 38 kickoffs for 990 yards and two touchdowns and three fumbles for 129 yards and a touchdown. Alford signed a contract extension with Saskatchewan on Wednesday that will keep him with the team until 2023. The West Virginia product received 38 first-place votes for the award. Photo courtesy: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Best Offensive Lineman – OL Stanley Bryant, Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive lineman Stanley Bryant has been named the CFL’s offensive lineman of the year for a record fourth time in his career. The 36-year-old started 17 games at left tackle this season, missing one game due to rest. He led an offensive line that allowed 29 sacks on the season, which was second fewest in the entire league. The Blue Bombers averaged 113.5 yards per game, which also ranked second in the CFL. Bryant is the only offensive lineman in CFL history to win this award more than twice. He is a seven-time all-star and three-time Gray Cup champion. The East Carolina product received 34 first-place votes to beat out Hamilton Tiger-Cats offensive lineman Brandon Revenberg for the award. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Tom Pate Memorial Award — REC Emmanuel Arceneaux, Edmonton Elks Edmonton Elks wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux has been honored with the Tom Pate Memorial Award, recognizing his outstanding sportsmanship and significant contributions to his team and community. The 35-year-old returned to the CFL in 2022 after a two-year absence, taking on a leadership role for a young Elks team. He caught 39 passes for 513 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. The award is presented by the Canadian Football League Players’ Association in honor of former Hamilton Tiger-Cats Tom Pate, who died in 1975 at the age of 23 after being seriously injured in a game. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Coach of the Year — Mike O’Shea, Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Mike O’Shea won the Annis Stukus Trophy as CFL Coach of the Year for the second year in a row, beating Gray Cup rival Ryan Dinwiddie of the Toronto Argonauts. O’Shea led his team to the West Division title for the third straight year, posting a club record 15 wins. He is the first coach to lead the Blue Bombers to double-digit wins in six consecutive years since the legendary Bud Grant. The native of North Bay, Ont. he is the first person to win this award in recent years since Charlie Taaffe did it in 1999-2000. O’Shea received 44 first-place votes for the award. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Most Outstanding Canadian — Nathan Rourke, BC Lions BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke has been named the CFL’s Canadian of the Year for the 2022 season. The 24-year-old entered the season as a first-time starter and took the league by storm over nine weeks, setting a record pace while leading his team to an 8-1 record. He finished the year completing 255-of-324 passes for 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 10 games, while adding 39 carries for 304 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Rourke’s season was derailed in Week 11 when he suffered a Lisfranc sprain in his right leg. He returned late in the year and led BC to a win over the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Semi-Final. The Victoria, BC native received 41 first-place votes for this award to edge out Toronto Argonauts receiver Kurleigh Gittens Jr., the East Division nominee. Rourke is the seventh member of the Lions to win this award, joining linebacker Bo Lokombo, defensive lineman Ricky Foley, receiver Jason Clermont, defensive lineman Brent Johnson, running back Sean Millington and receiver Jim Young. Photo: Arthur Ward/3DownNation. All rights reserved. Most Outstanding Player — QB Zach Collaros, Winnipeg Blue Bombers Winnipeg Blue Bombers quarterback Zach Collaros has been named CFL Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He is only the fifth player in league history to win the award back-to-back years. The 34-year-old threw for 4,183 yards, 37 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 17 games this year, missing one game of the final season due to rest. His single-season passing touchdown total ranks second all-time in team history behind only Khari Jones’ 48 in 2002. Collaros was acquired by the Blue Bombers via trade in October 2019 prior to their postseason run that culminated in a Gray Cup victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He led Winnipeg to another championship in 2021 after beating the Ticats at Tim Hortons Field, this time as a four-point favorite. The Cincinnati product suffered an ankle injury late in the West Final and was unable to take the field for the final drive of the game. He did not participate in Winnipeg’s first two practices of the week, but is expected to do so on Friday. Confirm…