November 1, 2011

2011 team Player Award nominees announced

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO — The Canadian Football League announced today the team nominees for the 2011 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards.

The players were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the CFL head coaches.

In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city plus the respective head coach submitted votes for the six categories. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards’ title – Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

The East and West nominees for the 2011 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards will be announced on Wednesday, November 9 at noon ET.

The league-wide winners will be announced during Grey Cup week at the Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards on Thursday, November 24 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, B.C.

Below are the first ballot nominee results:

* – Indicates a unanimous selection

BC Lions

Player – Travis Lulay*
Defensive – Keron Williams
Canadian – Paul McCallum*
Offensive Lineman – Jovan Olafioye
Special Teams – Paul McCallum*
Rookie – Tim Brown

Edmonton Eskimos

Player – Ricky Ray
Defensive – Rod Davis
Canadian – Jerome Messam*
Offensive Lineman – Greg Wojt
Special Teams – Corbin Sharun
Rookie – JC Sherritt*

Calgary Stampeders

Player – Nik Lewis*
Defensive – Brandon Smith
Canadian – Jon Cornish*
Offensive Lineman – Stanley Bryant
Special Teams – Larry Taylor*
Rookie – Demetrice Morley*

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Player – Weston Dressler
Defensive – Jerrell Freeman
Canadian – Chris Getzlaf
Offensive Lineman – Chris Best
Special Teams – Chris Milo
Rookie – Craig Butler

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Player – Jovon Johnson
Defensive – Jovon Johnson
Canadian – Cory Watson
Offensive Lineman – Brendon Labatte
Special Teams – Jovon Johnson
Rookie – Clarence Denmark*

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Player – Justin Hickman
Defensive – Justin Hickman
Canadian – Dave Stala
Offensive Lineman – Peter Dyakowski
Special Teams – Justin Medlock*
Rookie – Chris Williams*

Toronto Argonauts

Player – Chad Owens
Defensive – Lin-J Shell
Canadian – Rickey Foley
Offensive Lineman – Dominic Picard
Special Teams – Chad Owens*
Rookie – Chad Kackert

Montreal Alouettes

Player – Anthony Calvillo
Defensive – Chip Cox
Canadian – Sean Whyte
Offensive Lineman – Josh Bourke
Special Teams – Sean Whyte
Rookie – Seth Williams