Nominees announced ahead of 2022 CFL Awards, 5 Roughriders make the cut

Six players from each Canadian Football League (CFL) organization are being recognized for their outstanding performances and will advance to the next stage of voting ahead of the 2022 CFL Awards.

The winners were selected by their city’s voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) as well as their team’s head coach.

The categories for awards include Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders 2022 Team Award Winners are:

Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Darnell Sankey.

“When I found out (I was nominated for two awards), I was definitely proud, you know, and I thank all the coaches and my teammates for doing their job and allowing me to play,” said Sankey.

Sankey signed with the Roughriders for the 2022 season. He currently leads the league with 115 defensive tackles. Something he also accomplished in the 2021 season. He has also recorded two special teams tackles, one interception, and three sacks on the season. Sankey needs four more tackles to break the Riders’ single-season record for defensive tackles (118) set by David Albright in 1987.

Most Outstanding Canadian: Kian Schaffer-Baker

Schaffer-Baker is in his second season with the Riders and has 63 receptions for 935 yards and five touchdowns on the year. He currently sits in fifth in the league with 396-yards after catch.

“As much as they want to say it’s an individual award, it’s not an individual spot so none of this is possible without all the guys beside me,” said Schaffer-Baker.

Schaffer-Baker was voted unanimously for the award by the FRC and head-coach, Craig Dickenson. This is his second nomination as he was also nominated for Most Outstanding Rookie in 2021.

Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Logan Ferland

The Melfort, Sask. product is in his second season with the Roughriders and became a key player amongst the offensive line after an injury plagued veteran, Dan Clark, for most of the season. It was also an area the Riders took the brunt of the criticism for.

Ferland started all 15 games at left guard during this season.

“It’s the hardest working group on the team. I don’t care what anybody else says, that’s a fact,” said Ferland. “When you get as much negativity as we’ve gotten, you know we still have guys showing up three and a half hours early to work every day. How many other, you know, jobs at work can say that?”

Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Mario Alford

Alford joined the Riders in week 5 after a trade with Montreal. He has accounted for 33 per cent of the total return touchdowns in the CFL and is leading the league with four. He holds the Riders’ record for most returns for touchdowns in a single season. He is the fifth player in CFL History and first-ever Rider to complete the ‘Trifecta’ in a single season: a kick return touchdown, a punt return touchdown and missed field goal return touchdown.

“That’s pretty awesome, man. I work hard and grind for my time to come. If I stay healthy the whole season, I can be a pretty dangerous guy,” said Alford.

Alford was voted unanimously for the award by the FRC and head-coach, Craig Dickenson.

Most Outstanding Rookie: Frankie Hickson

Hickson signed with the Riders just before training camp this season. Hickson is currently sixth in the CFL with 533 rushing yards on 85 carries. He also recorded 17 receptions for 109 yards so far this season, albeit while dealing with an injury that kept him out for the last few games of the year.

“More time for sure would’ve (been better). You know, I felt like every game I got better out there and I would’ve gotten even better. (If I could’ve played more),” said Hickson.

The 2022 CFL Awards take place on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. Tickets can be purchased here.