Ilnicki favoured to win Hec Crighton Trophy
Running back’s record-breaking season returned Golden Bears to the playoffs
When Chris Morris took over the University of Alberta Golden Bears football program, he was looking to recruit players with several attributes.
He wanted strong leaders. They needed to be coachable. Show a strong work ethic. High character as well as being talented athletes.
Sometimes you don’t get an athlete that provides all of those attributes and qualities, but Ed Ilnicki has proven to to be all of those and whole lot more during his time with the Golden Bears program.
After Ilnicki’s record-breaking 2017 season, when he smashed the Canada West single-season rushing record by rambling for 1,468 yards and 11 touchdowns, the Spruce Grove product may become the first Golden Bears player in 42 years and the first running back since 2006 to win the Hec Crighton Trophy as country’s most outstanding player.
Ilnicki has is also nominated for the Russ Jackson award, given to the player who best exemplifies excellence in academic achievement, community service and outstanding play.
The graduating running back should be a lock for both awards.
“Winning the Hec Crighton would mean the world to me, because it would put our program on the national stage,” Ilnicki said Wednesday from Hamilton, Ont. where the U Sports national awards will be handed out on Thursday.
“We’ve done everything right in terms of being straight in the classroom and being a bigger part of the Edmonton community, but we haven’t had the win-loss success to get into the playoffs until this year.
“If I were to win this award, it would help elevate our program to where we’ve wanted it to be, and we’ve all worked incredibly hard along the way.”
Ilnicki has grown into an incredible leader for the Golden Bears both on and off the field. The program has had its share of ups and downs, but Ilnicki didn’t give up. He showed incredible perseverance and dedication to do whatever it took to help steer the program in the right direction.
Prior to his arrival, the program had hit rock bottom.
“The biggest misconception that a lot of kids have about university sport is that it’s all going to fun and games. It’s not. It takes hard work,” said Morris. “He wasn’t afraid to put the work in to become better. He wasn’t afraid to put extra work in to help others become better. Whether it’s on the football field or in the classroom, Ed is always striving for excellence and to be the best.”
Ilnicki embraced his opportunity with the Golden Bears and continued to flourish and get better every single year.
Ilnicki is a four-time Academic All-Canadian, and this year, he had one of the greatest individual seasons in Canada West history, helping the Bears to their first playoff appearance in eight years.
Ilnicki’s earned every ounce of accolades and success that’s come his way to becoming the best player in university football in Canada.
“The individual accolades are great, but nobody is going to remember the total yards I ran for throughout my career. It’s not what’s going to define me as a Golden Bear,” he said. “When you talk about our core values and our drive for success, I came in ready to work every single day and did everything I could to make myself and everyone around me better.
“I know how special this experience has been for me, and how much I’ve grown, and I want everyone who is part of this program to experience it the same way, too.”
Ilnicki is a draft pick of the Ottawa Redblacks, and whether he chooses to play professional football or moves into the business world, he has a bright future ahead.
“Ed has a lot of heart, and he has that level of tenacity and he stuck through everything. He was committed to helping change the culture and the attitude within this program. He wasn’t going to give up on our program,” said Morris.
“When we were 0-4 this year, he came into my office and he said ‘Coach, what more can I do to help this team?’ This is from the best player in the country. He never shifted the blame. He was always wanting to find ways to help us get better.
“The leadership skills he’s displayed are going to have a lasting impact on our program.”