The recent introduction of “Quirky Stats with Rob” to the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ video vault has created awestruck reactions from everyone who happens to be seated at my desk.
In a valiant attempt to turn this concept into a genuine phenomenon, we present the first written version of “Quirky Stats” — celebrating the Roughriders’ 2023 CFL Awards nominees.
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: LARRY DEAN
- Since the team awards were first announced in 1955, a Roughriders offensive player has been honoured on 57 occasions. A defensive stalwart has been recognized 11 times.
- However, five of Roughriders’ last nine MOPs have been defensive players — John Chick (2014), Jeff Knox Jr. (2015), Willie Jefferson (2018), Darnell Sankey (2022) and, of course, Dean (2023), following his standout season at middle linebacker.
- Also worth noting: Duron Carter, the 2017 recipient, started one game at cornerback — he was otherwise a receiver — and even returned an interception for a touchdown.
- Dean, 35, is the Roughriders’ oldest MOP since 1977, when Ron Lancaster was honoured shortly after turning 39. Lancaster also won the award at age 38, when he went on to become the league’s MOP for the second time.
- The first 24 MOPs in Roughriders history were offensive players. Defensive back Ken McEachern snapped that streak in 1979 and became a repeat winner in 1980.
MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: LARRY DEAN
- Dean recently became the second Roughrider to register 100-plus defensive tackles in multiple seasons. The totals: 101 (in 2022) and 104 (2023). He matched the feat of linebacker George White, who boasted tackle totals of 105 (2000) and 104 (2001). Somewhat surprisingly, White wasn’t named the Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Defensive Player in either season. The nominees were defensive linemen Demetrious Maxie (2000) and Shont’e Peoples (2001).
- Mind you, White was the West Division’s top rookie in 2000, when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Albert Johnson III won league honours.
- Quick! Name the last Canadian to be named the Roughriders’ top defensive player. We must rewind all the way back to 1990, when linebacker Dan Rashovich received the award.
- Since this award was first presented in 1974, all but four winners have hailed from the United States. The first three were recognized back-to-back-to-back: McEachern (1979, 1980) and defensive lineman Lyall Woznesensky (1981).
MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE: ADAM KORSAK
- Korsak finished the 2023 season with the second-best average yards per punt (47.9) in franchise history. Jon Ryan set the record of 48.8 in 2019.
- Korsak is the first punter to be named the Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Rookie since the award was established in 1972.
- Chris Milo, a punter/placekicker, enjoyed a notable debut season in 2011, even though the top-rookie award went to defensive back Craig Butler. Milo launched a 108-yard punt against the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Oct. 29, 2011, tying a CFL distance record that had been set by the Toronto Argonauts’ Zenon Andrusyshyn against Edmonton on Oct. 23, 1977.
- Korsak, who is from Melbourne, Australia, is the third non-Canadian-born, non-American-born rookie-of-the-year in Roughriders history — following Dave Ridgway of Stockport, England (1982) and Tuineau Alipate of Tonga (1989).
MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER: ADAM KORSAK
- Korsak leads the league in punting average entering the final weekend of regular-season play. If he remains in top spot, he will become just the sixth Roughrider to boast the loop’s best average — joining Ryan (2019), Larry Isbell (46.3-yard average, 1954), Ferd Burket (45.3, 1962), Martin Fabi (44.0, 1963) and Ken Clark (47.3, 1982).
- Between them, those six punters emanate from four different countries. Ryan (from Regina) is the lone Canadian in the group. Burket (San Antonio) and Isbell (Houston) were Americans. Clark was born in Southampton, England. Fabi’s birthplace: Durrbach, Transylvania.
- Korsak is the third punter to be named the Roughriders’ top special-teamer, following Eddie Johnson (2010) and Ricky Schmitt (2013).
- Digging deep: Korsak is the first Rutgers Scarlet Knights alumnus to play — or even audition for — the Roughriders. Until Korsak arrived, the team’s closest connection to Rutgers was via former Roughriders quarterback and Head Coach Kent Austin. His father, Bill Austin, was sixth in Heisman Trophy voting after a sensational 1958 season with Rutgers.
- Since the special teams award was first presented in 2002, only two non-kickers/non-returners have represented Saskatchewan — Sam Hurl (2012) and Dylan Ainsworth (2015).
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN: SAMUEL EMILUS
- Emilus is coming off a 70-catch, 1,097-yard breakout season. The initial expectation was for Emilus be a starting wideout in the absence of Kian Schaffer-Baker, who missed the first nine games following off-season hip surgery. However, the impressive Emilus became impossible to dislodge, so he and Schaffer-Baker were both in the starting lineup for the final nine games.
- On June 16, Emilus collaborated with Trevor Harris for three aerial touchdowns in the home opener against Winnipeg. Those were the first three CFL touchdown catches for Emilus, who tied a Roughriders single-game record for six-point receptions. The feat had been accomplished on 17 previous occasions.
- Hugh Campbell is the Roughriders’ All-Time leader in games with three touchdown receptions (four). Joey Walters and Curtis Marsh are next in line with two. Emilus, Jack Hill, Bob Renn, Tom Campana, Rhett Dawson, Ray Elgaard, Jeff Fairholm, Don Narcisse, Andy Fantuz and Weston Dressler are the other members of the three-TD-catch club.
- Elgaard and Fairholm owned the Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Canadian award for a seven-year period. Elgaard was honoured in 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994. Fairholm got the nod in 1989 and 1991.
MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: LOGAN FERLAND
- Ferland is the sixth straight winner to hail from Saskatchewan. Brendon LaBatte (from Weyburn) was honoured in 2017 and 2018. Dan Clark (Regina) followed in 2019 and 2021. Ferland (Melfort) is the latest back-to-back winner.
- A graduate of the Prairie Football Conference’s Regina Thunder has won the award in each of the past four years. The Queen City was also a springboard to the pros for LaBatte, who played for the University of Regina Rams.
- Twenty-five of the Roughriders’ 49 linemen-of-the-year were raised in Saskatchewan. Roger Aldag, from Gull Lake, won the award nine times (1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990). Gene Makowsky, who grew up in Saskatoon, was a five-time recipient (2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009). LaBatte won it in 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018. Ferland has joined Clark and Regina-born Mike Anderson (1994, 1995) as double honourees. The first Saskatchewan-born recipient: Regina’s Gary Brandt (1975).
- Ferland is one of 13 multiple winners in Roughriders history. He joins Aldag, Makowsky, LaBatte, Clark, Anderson, John Terry (1997, 1998, 1999), Jeremy O’Day (2001, 2006, 2007),
Ralph Galloway (1974, 1977), Don Swafford (1981, 1982), Vic Stevenson (1991, 1992), Andrew Greene (2000, 2003) and Dominic Picard (2012, 2014).
- In fact, there are nearly twice as many multiple winners (13) as single-time recipients (seven). The one-time honourees: Mike Dirks (1976), Joe Miller (1978), Curtis Wester (1979), Craig Hendrickson (1993), Scott Hendrickson (1996), Chris Best (2011) and Thaddeus Coleman (2016).
- Quirkily, Dirks was recognized after moving from defence to offence. A ferocious defensive lineman during his first two seasons with Saskatchewan, he shifted to guard in 1976 to fill a void created by the retirement of future Hall of Famer Jack Abendschan.
- Dirks leads all Roughriders’ linemen of the year in NFL touchdowns (one). He recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for the Philadelphia Eagles against the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 20, 1970. The punter, on that occasion, was also the Steelers’ quarterback — Terry Bradshaw.
- Bradshaw was then a rookie out of Louisiana Tech. The same description applied to Emilus last season.
