Andrew Harris named CFL.ca’s top newsmaker of 2019

TORONTO — After shouldering a mountain-sized chip throughout much of the season, Andrew Harris carried his hometown team to its first Grey Cup in nearly three decades.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back was voted CFL.ca’s Newsmaker of the Year on Monday, as the fourth annual year-end awards were determined by six writers from across the country.

“I don’t believe anyone in the CFL was as talked about as Andrew Harris,” said Don Landry. “In the early stages of the season, it was all about his dominance. Then, it was all about his failed drug test and two-game suspension, followed by discussions as to whether he should or should not have been eligible for end-of-the-year awards.

“And then, Grey Cup Sunday was all about him as he copped both the Most Valuable Canadian and Most Valuable Player awards.”

While Harris just couldn’t avoid the spotlight in 2019, plenty of other Blue Bombers made headlines this season including Zach Collaros, Kyle Walters and Mike O’Shea, as the team made an historic run to a title, earning road victories over Calgary and Saskatchewan before defeating the CFL-leading Ticats.

As another year comes to a close, CFL.ca’s writers and staff vote on year-end accolades for eight major categories: Newsmaker, Person, Story, Comeback, Breakout Star, One-Game Performance, Game and Canadian.

Let’s look back on the best of 2019 in the eyes of our writers:

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR:

ANDREW HARRIS

Photo: Dave Chidley/CFL.ca

While drama followed him everywhere throughout 2019, Andrew Harris did all of his talking on the football field. The Bombers’ running back faced backlash following a positive drug test, but silenced his detractors with an historic performance when his team needed him most.

In the 107th Grey Cup, Harris rushed for 134 yards and a touchdown, adding an 18-yard major through the air.

“From his surprise suspension for violating the CFL’s drug policy to being the star of Winnipeg’s Grey Cup win, Harris made news both good and bad,” said Jim Morris.

“There was no bigger storyline than Andrew Harris and his torrid start, his 2-game PED suspension, the controversy around player awards, and then his triple win of a Grey Cup, Grey Cup Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian,” added Jamie Nye.

Harris led the CFL with 1,380 rushing yards in the regular season, then became the first player in history to win both Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Canadian in the Grey Cup during a win over the Ticats.

Writer Picks: Newsmaker of the Year

The 32-year-old continues to defy his age, averaging a career-high 6.1 yards per carry at a position where performance often declines at 30. Furthermore, he’s one of the league’s top ratio-breakers, posting elite numbers at a position generally occupied by Americans.

Five out of six votes went to Harris, as Bombers teammate and starting quarterback Zach Collaros was also recognized.

“He was injured and recovering for most of the season, but Collaros sent a wave through the entire league,” said O’Leary. “First with his injury, then with his two subsequent trades and finally with the storybook ending for himself and the Grey Cup-starved Blue Bombers.

Last Year’s Winner: Johnny Manziel

PERSON OF THE YEAR:

ZACH COLLAROS

Photo: Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

In a story of turning points and cliffhangers, there couldn’t have been a better ending for Zach Collaros.

The Blue Bombers quarterback suffered an injury on his first drive of the season, was traded twice, and went roughly five months between starts before eventually leading his team to a Grey Cup Championship.

“Anybody see that script coming?” asks Marshall Ferguson. “Zach was doubted over and over again, and all he did was find a way to win the Grey Cup on his third team of the season.”

Collaros’ career is a story fit for Hollywood. Years after a devastating knee injury ended his bid for a Most Outstanding Player award, the veteran pivot found redemption by leading his team to consecutive road playoff wins, followed by victory against his former team in the Grey Cup.

For Matthew Cauz, one word sums it up: Perseverance.

“Find me a better story of perseverance on the field of play than what Zach Collaros went through this year.”

Writer Picks: Person of the Year

Four other players received votes, including Simoni Lawrence, Martin Bédard and Cody Fajardo. Lawrence, often regarded as a villain, had a career year on the field, recording 98 tackles, including a CFL record 17 in one game vs. Winnipeg.

“I don’t know that you can say he’s even polarizing; I think at one point this year every fan base in the league other than Hamilton’s was angry with him, but Simoni was the most talked about player in the league,” said O’Leary. “Despite facing (well-earned) criticism at the start of the year, he put together a career season and breathed life into the Ticats’ defence.”

While Bédard is always an unheralded contributor for the Alouettes on the field, his biggest impact was made off it. The Als’ long snapper was awarded the Jake Gaudaur Veterans’ Trophy in November.

“Bédard’s long career and his life have been punctuated by perseverance and service to his community,” said Landry. “He is an ambassador with Montreal’s “Together at School with the Alouettes” program, and apart from that, he visits youth centres and minor football teams. As well, Bédard regularly visits a seniors’ residence in Montreal. What more could one ask for in a Person of the Year?”

Last Year’s Winner: Bo Levi Mitchell

STORY OF THE YEAR:

BACKUP QUARTERBACKS

Photo: Johany Jutras/CFL.ca

One of the biggest lessons of 2019? The value of a good backup quarterback. Widely considered the CFL’s toughest player, even Mike Reilly couldn’t avoid a trip to the injured list last season as every one of the league’s opening day starters was forced to miss action.

As Dane Evans, Cody Fajardo and Vernon Adams Jr. became household names, the story of the year, CFL.ca writers voted, was the emergence of backup quarterbacks across the three-down game.

“We hadn’t seen anything quite like this, previously, in the CFL,” said Landry. “Week after week, it seemed, another team’s number one quarterback went down to injury, forcing understudies into the limelight. The story of injured quarterbacks was only made more remarkable by the fact that the most physically brutalized of them all – Mike Reilly – was the last to go down to injury.”

“The Grey Cup was a battle of one backup (Dane Evans) and another who wasn’t ‘good’ enough to stick with the Argonauts (Zach Collaros),” added Cauz. “Cody Fajardo started the year as Saskatchewan’s backup and finished the year leading the league in passing. Finally, quarterbacks like Vernon Adams Jr. and Nick Arbuckle also had a big impact on the 2019 season.”

The rise of the backups could make for an intriguing off-season. Winnipeg has three pending free agent quarterbacks, while Arbuckle could be ready to leave the shadow of Bo Levi Mitchell in Calgary. Jeremiah Masoli is also primed to return from injury.

“It means some general managers have big decisions to make over the winter,” said Morris.

Writer Picks: Story of the Year

The Bombers ending a 29-year Grey Cup drought was the honourable mention. Winnipeg overcame a season-ending injury to quarterback Matt Nichols and a third-place finish to capture its first championship since 1990.

“It seemed unlikely most of the way through their injury-riddled journey, right up until they took the field for the Grey Cup,” said O’Leary. “Then, four defensive stops into the game, it felt inevitable that the Bombers’ Grey Cup drought was coming to an end. Watching their fans celebrate on the field and in the days/weeks since has been one of the best things I’ve seen in my time covering the CFL.”

“The bombers didn’t make it easy on themselves,” added Nye, “but winning the title after 29 years led to some epic partying and a great return to Winnipeg with a parade and rally fit for one of the top markets in the CFL that has been waiting a long time to celebrate.”

Last Year’s Winner: Lewis Ward

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

ZACH COLLAROS

Photo: Matt Smith/CFL.ca

One catalyst in the Bombers’ Grey Cup run came off the field, in a last-minute move by General Manager Kyle Walters just ahead of the trade deadline. When Walters acquired quarterback Zach Collaros, few could have predicted what would follow.

“Out of the lineup almost as soon as the season began, Zach Collaros led many to wonder if he’d just hang up his cleats for what we figured was his own good,” said Landry. “Instead, Collaros persevered, rehabbed and answered the call in tremendously successful fashion when he landed in Winnipeg in October. He became a key reason why the Blue Bombers ended up in the Grey Cup Game.”

Collaros put aside his injury history and defied the odds for the Bombers, earning the nod for CFL.ca’s Comeback Player of the Year.

“How else do you define a comeback then a player rising from injury forced obscurity to win the ultimate prize?” asked Ferguson.

“You couldn’t say Collaros’ name without thinking of his history of injuries,” added O’Leary. “That stuck with him until the final few weeks of the season, when he got in the game and stayed in it, rolling out a redemption tour in fast-forward.”

Writer Picks: Comeback Player of the Year

Perhaps most surprising was that Collaros was able to adapt to his new surroundings in Winnipeg — despite being traded twice in the same season.

“It may have only been five games but I couldn’t believe how quickly Collaros picked up the offence and went from a player that people questioned would ever play again to being traded twice and becoming the saviour of the Bombers championship quest,” said Nye.

“It looked like Collaros’s career might be over after just three plays in 2019,” added Morris. “Two trades later, he leads Winnipeg to a Grey Cup.”

Collaros took five out of six votes, with Riders leading tackler Solomon Elimimian also receiving a vote.

Last Year’s Winner: Travis Lulay

BREAKOUT STAR OF THE YEAR:

CODY FAJARDO

Photo: Matt Smith/CFL.ca

After several seasons as a backup and short-yardage quarterback, Cody Fajardo proved to be quite the hidden gem for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The 27-year-old won the second string job in camp, then took over for an injured Zach Collaros and never looked back.

Finally, the Riders have the long-term answer at quarterback that’s eluded them ever since the departure of Darian Durant.

“All we’d ever really seen Cody Fajardo do during his time in Toronto and B.C. was surge forward on third and one, or occasionally tuck and run on a bootleg,” said Landry. “When he signed in Saskatchewan, most met the move with a shrug, never expecting Fajardo to be a franchise quarterback with a new, long-term contract by season’s end. But that’s exactly what happened and that’s about as breakout as you can get.”

Fajardo finished his first season as a starter with 4,302 yards, 28 combined touchdowns and just eight interceptions, winning West Division Most Outstanding Player.

“The fifth year player was a short yardage specialist with nobody buying in that he could lead a team,” said Nye. “But then he got his chance and helped the Riders get 13 wins and top spot in the West.”

“No one, not even the Riders organization, saw Cody Fajardo having the year that he did,” added O’Leary. “In a matter of weeks he went from a backup to a bonafide starter and was extended in October. With Jason Maas joining the Riders as OC, Fajardo is poised to take the next step in his promising career.”

Writer Picks: Breakout Star of the Year

In a year with no shortage of candidates — Vernon Adams Jr. also had an exceptional season to lead Montreal — Fajardo took four of six votes. Bralon Addison and Dane Evans also received one vote each, a duo that led Hamilton to a 15-win season and an appearance in the 107th Grey Cup.

“Hamilton’s season could have swerved into the ditch when Jeremiah Masoli was injured, but Evans stepped in and steered the Ticats to the Grey Cup. Raise your hands who saw that coming,” said Morris.

While Brandon Banks was dynamic on his run to winning Most Outstanding Player, Bralon Addison’s role as the No. 2 option had a critical impact on the Ticats’ league-leading offence.

“Every Batman needs a Robin,” said Ferguson. “Without Addison the Ticats would have had trouble playing off Brandon Banks’ greatness and Addison was consistently fantastic.”

Last Year’s Winner: Jeremiah Masoli

ONE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR:

VERNON ADAMS LEADS 24-POINT COMEBACK

Photo: Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes

From Willie Jefferson‘s three-sack effort in the Grey Cup to Trevor Harris breaking his own completion percentage record in the post-season, there were plenty of standout performances in 2019. The best, however, goes to Alouettes quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.

Adams was already emerging as one of the CFL’s most electrifying players, but on a late-September Saturday he led the Alouettes back from a 24-point deficit, including three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to stun the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

“The numbers alone — 526 total yards and a combined five touchdowns — are eye-popping,” said O’Leary, “but the fact that the Als erased a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter to steal a win from the Bombers caps this off as the best one-game performance of the year.”

“Three touchdowns in the final frame by Adams gave the Alouettes their 2019 signature win,” added Cauz.

Writer Picks: One-Game Performance of the Year

* Tie broken by CFL.ca Staff

Andrew Harris‘ two-touchdown performance in the Grey Cup was the runner-up. The Winnipeg native totaled 169 yards on the ground and through the air to end a 29-year Grey Cup drought for his team.

“From the opening moments, it was clear that Harris was not going to be denied,” said Landry. “It was his best, against a terrific defence, under the season’s brightest lights. And his performance underpinned everything that the Blue Bombers did right on offence against the Ticats. What a game, capped by collecting three trophies.”

Due to the Lions’ regular season struggles, Bryan Burnham flew under the radar all season — but his three-touchdown, 148-yard performance against the Argos was one of the better individual performances league-wide in 2019.

“Burnham was one of the few bright spots in a cloudy season for the Lions this year,” said Morris. “His performance against the Argos was outstanding and included a circus touchdown catch.”

Also receiving a single vote was Simoni Lawrence, who broke the single game tackles record with 17 against Winnipeg.

“Breaking the single season tackles record is no easy task but Lawrence was all over the field against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to make 17 tackles and crack Reggie Hunt’s single game record by one.”

Last Year’s Winner: Trevor Harris’ 6-TD game

GAME OF THE YEAR:

ALS, STAMPS OVERTIME THRILLER

Photo: Dominick Gravel/Montreal Alouettes.ca

For a late-August, cross-division battle, the Week 10 Calgary-Montreal matchup had it all. Reggie Begelton scored four touchdowns, quarterbacks Vernon Adams Jr. and Nick Arbuckle combined for 777 passing yards, a late onside kick forced overtime and, finally, a game-ending incompletion to Eric Rogers in the end zone had to be settled by review.

In the end it was Adams finding the end zone four times, including twice in overtime, to lead Montreal to a 40-34 victory in front of Stamps fans at McMahon Stadium, last-second heroics becoming a common theme for the Als in 2019.

“The Als were the funnest team to watch in the league,” said O’Leary. “There were all of the comeback wins and a fearless, try-anything offence. While the defence gave up a lot, it had a ton of playmakers and it felt like an endless supply of some of the hardest hitters in the league.”

“An 11-point comeback in the final minute with a recovered on-side kick and double overtime,” said Nye. “That finish was absolutely crazy.”

Writer Picks: Game of the Year

*Tie broken by CFL.ca Staff

Hamilton’s fourth-quarter comeback against BC in Week 10 — settled by a Brandon Banks touchdown with 1:02 remaining — was the runner-up, after the Ticats erased a 15-point deficit in the final frame. On the last play, BC receiver Ryan Lankford recovered his own punt and lateraled to Duron Carter, who was finally tackled to end the contest.

“This game had a little of everything,” said Morris. “Mike Reilly threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns. Bryan Burnham and Lemar Durant had highlight-reel touchdown catches. Hamilton’s Frankie Williams returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown and had a big punt return. And the game ended on a play you would only see in the CFL.”

“This felt like the game that jump-started Dane Evans‘ remarkable 2019 season,” added Cauz. “A week earlier Evans made his first start after the Jeremiah Masoli injury and lost to the Roughriders. Now, against the lowly Lions, Evans, with the help from Banks, Addison and others, came back for the one-point win.”

A wild, action-packed Touchdown Atlantic also received a vote, along with a Week 2 contest between Ottawa and Saskatchewan that totaled 85 points.

“Touchdown Atlantic was crammed with big plays and momentum shifts,” said Landry. “The Argos drive the field in the final minute only to fail on goal-to-go on the three-yard line on the last play of the game. This one included lots of spectacular catches, 799 yards in passing, and a trick-play touchdown bomb by the Als as a cherry on top. What a beauty.”

“Cody Fajardo in his first start vs. Dominique Davis on a Thursday night should not have yielded that type of entertainment but it was unforgettable,” said Marshall Ferguson.

Last Year’s Winner: Esks, Stamps Labour Day rematch

CANADIAN OF THE YEAR:

THE CANADIAN MAFIA

Photo: The Canadian Press

Led by Head Coach Mike O’Shea, the Canadian Mafia deservedly wins Canadian of the Year, as determined by the CFL.ca writers. The trio of CEO Wade Miller, General Manager Kyle Walters and O’Shea famously adopted the moniker in 2018, and, a year later, followed it up by ending a 29-year Grey Cup drought.

“It was a long, steady climb for the Bombers but it paid off for them in the end,” said O’Leary. “Miller, Walters and O’Shea — the latter two extended on Dec. 13 — took a long, patient approach to getting Winnipeg its first Grey Cup since 1990. As they inched their way through the playoffs the last four years, everything was questioned about the organization. Their patience was finally rewarded this year.”

O’Shea is the longest-tenured coach and deserves credit for a Bombers team that’s won 10 or more games in each of the last four seasons. Walters, meanwhile, is the architect of a championship roster that includes a core of Andrew Harris, Willie Jefferson, Matt Nichols and Adam Bighill.

“Not long ago inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, now O’Shea has his efforts validated in the form of a championship, while Walters’ roster-building vision came to a head in a magical three-game playoff run,” said Ferguson.

Writer Picks: Canadian of the Year

Canadians have had a significant influence on the Bombers’ success this season. O’Shea, meanwhile, has earned the contract extension that will keep him in Winnipeg for the foreseeable future.

“The Blue Bombers head coach had a lot of pressure going into his final contract season in Winnipeg,” said Nye. “They came out on fire and then O’Shea had to coach through troubled water with injury to his quarterback and a suspension to his top player. He achieved the ultimate prize by seeing his team win three straight road games. He becomes the first Canadian head coach to win a Grey Cup since Wally Buono in 2011.”

Bombers running back Andrew Harris was a close runner-up, while Alouettes long snapper Martin Bédard also received a vote.

Last Year’s Winner: Brad Sinopoli