‘I was able to play my best’
Blue Bombers’ Andrew Harris first player to win MVP, MOC awards in Grey Cup game
CALGARY — He was shut out on the end-of-season awards front.
Snubbed because he tested positive for a banned substance midway through the Canadian Football League campaign.
But Andrew Harris wasn’t about to be stuffed Sunday in his quest for Grey Cup glory.
Harris was the offensive catalyst in a Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 33-12 victory to claim the CFL championship at McMahon Stadium.
That meant taking home the honours as the game’s Most Valuable Player and Most Outstanding Canadian.
The double distinction in the Grey Cup tilt is a first for a CFL player.
“For everyone that kicked me when I was down, you know where to stick it,” said Harris, who — because of that same positive test — was also left off the CFLPA-voted all-star team list at season’s end.
“To me, there’s been a lot of negative attention about it that’s gone on. For everyone that wrote an article or said something on Twitter or said something to anyone about it, I just wanted to come out here and play my best game. This was a big game for me, and I was able to play my best.
“I’m just happy to come out on top.”
It began early for Harris. The Winnipeg native popped off 15 yards for a touchdown on his first carry of the game, giving the Bombers the early lead one play after a strip-sack of
Hamilton Tiger-Cats QB Dane Evans.
Then Harris stepped up during three second-quarter drives that gave the Bombers the ball game. He had a 10-yard run and a nine-yard reception as part of an eight-play drive that ended with a Justin Medlock 45-yard field-goal. He rumbled for 21 yards on a key run to set up his own TD pass from Chris Streveler covering 18 yards one play later. And finally, he had a key eight-yard rush to keep a drive alive for another Medlock fieldgoal — this one of 17 yards — to help put the Blue Bombers up 21-6 at halftime.
So during the first half, Harris had 53 yards the rush and 35 more via the catch.
It proved to be the difference in the game.
But he didn’t stop in the second half, running for another 81 yards along the ground.
Two nine-yard rushes right off the hop helped lead to a 39yard Medlock field goal. Harris had another two rumbles as part of another drive for another Medlock third-quarter fieldgoal — this one of 41 yards.
The fourth quarter saw him rush three times for 40 yards on yet another drive that ended in three points booted by Medlock. Then, the league’s top rusher during the regular season helped bleed the clock with a handful of runs on the final few possessions.
All totalled, Harris put up a Grey Cup team-record 134 yards on 18 rushes for 169 yards in total.
“He was pissed off,” said Bombers QB Zach Collaros. “I love that dude, man. He’s just awesome. He’s always focused. He’s just a great teammate.”
No CFL player has ever won both of the Grey Cup’s individual awards since the Most Outstanding Canadian honour was introduced in 1971. And the 32-year-old Harris is the first Canadian since Russ Jackson in ’69 to win the Grey Cup MVP award.