Double Nomination for Rourke as CFL Announces Team Outstanding Player Winners
October 26, 2022 – Canadian Football League (CFL) – B.C. Lions News Release
(Vancouver)- The ballots have been cast. The BC Lions announced this morning their team nominees for CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards as voted on by the Football Reporters of Canada.
The team nominees are as follows:
Most Outstanding Player: QB Nathan Rourke
Most Outstanding Canadian: QB Nathan Rourke
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: DB Garry Peters
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: K Sean Whyte
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: OL Joel Figueroa
Most Outstanding Rookie: DB Emmanuel Rugamba
The CFL will next announce one award finalist in each division who will be up for the hardware on Thursday, November 17 at the annual Awards Banquet which takes place in Regina as part of festivities for the 109th Grey Cup.
Most Outstanding Player And Most Outstanding Canadian: Nathan Rourke:
A double nomination for the Victoria-born gunslinger who emerged as the CFL’s top story through the first nine games of action. Prior to suffering his injury on August 19 in Saskatchewan, Rourke led the league in every major passing category including completions (248) passing yards (3,281) and passing touchdowns (25).
With a 436- yard performance in a win over Toronto in week three, Rourke broke Gerry Dattilio’s 41-year-old single-game passing record for Canadian quarterbacks. Rourke would then break his own record in back-to-back weeks with 477 yards in an August 6 win over Edmonton and 488 yards in a thrilling comeback victory at Calgary.
Rourke was also a force in the running game with 304 yards and seven touchdowns on 24 total carries. Following an extensive and committed rehab process following foot surgery, Rourke is on track to return to action on Friday night in Winnipeg.
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Garry Peters
The veteran defensive back turned in his best season as a Lion in 2022 with a career-high and team-leading five interceptions.
Peters also recorded 44 total tackles (41 defence, three special teams), one fumble recovery and is on track to suit up in every contest for the fourth consecutive season since originally joining the Lions as a free agent in 2018.
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Sean Whyte
The pride of White Rock has proved in 2022 that he is still one of the league’s most reliable place kickers.
Entering this week, Whyte has made good on 33 of 36 field goal attempts (91.7 percent) and is 54 of 55 on convert attempts (98.1 percent).
Whyte’s most successful run came when he made good on 17 consecutive field goal tries over a nine-game span from August 6-October 8.
He has also surpassed the 100-point mark for the ninth time in his brilliant career.
Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Joel Figueroa
The big left tackle has played a major role on what has been a vastly improved Lions offensive line this season.
Starting all 17 games at the ‘blind side’ position, Figueroa’s performance helped Rourke emerge as the league’s top passer through August and also enabled running back James Butler to record over 1,000 yards on the ground and over 1,400 yards from scrimmage.
Most Outstanding Rookie: Emmanuel Rugamba
One of the more impressive defensive newcomers at training camp in Kamloops, Rugamba made his CFL debut on August 13 in Calgary and has since become an impact rookie at the SAM linebacker position.
In ten games, Rugamba has recorded 37 total tackles (32 defence, five special teams), one interception, one sack and notched his first fumble recovery in last week’s win in Edmonton.
Head to CFL.ca to see the complete list of CFL team nominees for Most Outstanding Player Awards.
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