Hilltops QB Walls named top-ranked player in CJFL
Fifth-year leader more concerned about leading Saskatoon to fifth Canadian title
Jordan Walls has gone from question mark one year ago to exclamation mark.
The Saskatoon Hilltops’ starting quarterback finds himself the top-rated player in the Canadian Junior Football League.
A year ago, he was unranked and transitioning into a starting position.
While his No. 1 status in the CJFL is “cool,” Walls said he isn’t about to get caught up in all the hype. He has other goals in mind, like winning a fifth straight Canadian Bowl for the Toppers.
“It’s not something I push for or try to get,” Walls said of the CJFL player rankings.
“I come out here to have solid outings and get wins for the program. To get recognized is nice but it’s not something I hang my hat on.”
The Hilltops are hanging their helmets on their fifth-year veteran pivot, who took over the reins a year ago from graduating starting quarterback Jared Andreychuk, who had been the undisputed No. 1guy.
Now, it’s Walls.
“He is THE guy,” says longtime Hilltops head coach Tom Sargeant, whose team played its annual Blue and Gold alumni game Thursday night at SMF Field.
“We need Jordan to take that next step. I had a good conversation with him. He had a good season last year but I’m expecting him to go way up. I expect us to throw the ball more this year.
“He’s a fifth-year guy and he knows our offence inside and out. Now it comes down to mechanics, his belief in trusting himself and going out and making plays.
“Hey, if people voted him the No. 1 player, he’d better act like it and better perform like it. We love big expectations and any time you have a fifth-year quarterback in your program, you expect him to do some pretty good things here.”
Last season, Walls completed 157 of 256 passing attempts for 2,267 yards and 19 touchdowns. He gave up only three interceptions.
Walls also rushed the ball 20 times for 138 yards and three TD majors.
“It’s a little bit easier this year,” said Walls, who has one full year as a starter under his belt. “You know the league, you know the speed, you know what everybody does. For me, it’s a little bit more comfortable, understanding our offence a little bit more, opening up our playbook and also getting into the film, what to watch for and what are the teams trying to bring.”
Walls also likes what he sees around him in the team’s Drive for Five.
“I love this team,” offered Walls. “We look fast. We’re pretty athletic. I think we’ve got a little bit more vertical offence where we can push the ball down the field a little more. We’ve got guys going down the sidelines. It’s nice to have that.
“We’ve got some big bodies. We’ve got most of the offensive line returning, four of five starters from last year, so that’s nice. They give me a lot of time throwing the ball down the field to make my reads.
“Yeah, I think this team has a real good chance to get the fifth one.”
Walls admits he got razzed a little bit in the locker-room for being the No. 1-rated CJFL player. It was a bit of a mixed bag — praise mixed with harassment.
“The guys like to kind of give it to you and kind of congratulate you at the same time,” explained Walls, adding he thought the Hilltops had a couple of guys who should have made the list but didn’t.
“But that’s natural — you’re going to have that all over the league. The guys who were ranked, I think it’s well deserved, but we’re here for a championship. We’re not going to look too much into that.”
The Hilltops finished with seven players among the CJFL’S top 50.
Linebacker Cody Peters (No. 7), receiver Jason Price (No. 21), defensive back Colton Holmes (No. 27), running back Josh Ewanchyna (31), Joe Carter (38) and offensive lineman Kirk Simonsen (No. 45) also made the grade.
“Not bad,” Sargeant said. “Usually the Hilltops don’t get that much love and that type of thing. We don’t sell too much about the awards and all that, but I’m happy for those kids and I thought we should have had more kids involved.
“Those are just (individual) rankings. We just want to be the No. 1 ranked team. We don’t care about the individual stuff.”
He had a good season last year but I’m expecting him to go way up. I expect ustothrowthe ball more this year