CFL awards: Ticats’ Banks and Steinauer scoop honours
CALGARY— The CFL handed out its top individual awards on Thursday night. The winners included:
Outstanding player: Brandon Banks of the Hamilton TigerCats. Banks, 31, led the CFL in receiving this season with a club-record 112 catches for 1,550 yards and 13 TDs. He also ran 13 times for 56 yards and a TD, returned 13 punts for 140 yards, and five missed field goals for 283 yards (56.6-yard average) and two TDs. He’s the first Ticat to win since Danny McManus in 1998. Roughriders quarterback Cody Fajardo was the other finalist.
Top coach: Orlondo Steinauer of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The 46-year-old Steinauer enjoyed a stellar first season with Hamilton, leading the Ticats to a CFL-best 15-3 record and a spot in Sunday’s Grey Cup. Steinauer tied the CFL record for regularseason wins by a first-year head coach in guiding the Ticats to their best regular season.
Top Canadian: Montreal Alouettes linebacker Henoc Muamba. The six-foot, 230-pound Muamba, who grew up in Mississauga, finished second in the CFL in tackles with 93. He added one sack, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 17 games. Roughriders linebacker Cameron Judge was the other finalist.
Top rookie: Calgary Stampeders linebacker Nate Holley. The six-foot, 210-pound Holley had 78 tackles, 22 special teams tackles, a sack and an interception in the regular season. Holley, who played at Kent State, finished second in the league with 107 defensive plays. The other finalist was Montreal Als receiver Jake Wieneke.
Top defensive player: Defensive end Willie Jefferson of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The six-foot-seven, 245-pound Jefferson had a career-high 12 sacks in his first season with Winnipeg. Hamilton Tiger-Cats linebacker Simoni Lawrence was the other finalist.
Top lineman: Tackle Chris Van Zeyl of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The six-foot-six, 312-pound Van Zeyl anchored an offensive line that helped Hamilton lead the CFL in passing yards (5,626), touchdowns (48) and net offence (395.1 yards per game). Winnipeg tackle Stanley Bryant was the other finalist.