Photos: Scott Grant – Image Communications
Three members of the Ottawa REDBLACKS have been selected as East Division nominees for the Shaw CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards.
Quarterback Henry Burris, wide receiver Brad Sinopoli and offensive lineman SirVincent Rogers will represent REDBLACKS players at the Shaw CFL Player Awards gala on Thursday, November 26 during Grey Cup week in Winnipeg.
Burris is the East nominee for Most Outstanding Player. The 40-year-old quarterback set a career high with 5,703 passing yards and established a new CFL record for completions in one season with 481, as the REDBLACKS finished the franchise’s second year with a 12-6 record, clinching top spot in the East and became the first Ottawa CFL team in history – believe it or not – to reach one dozen wins in a regular season.
Included in Burris’ list of superlative accomplishments in 2015 was a 45-completion performance during a victory at TD Place on October 1 against the Montreal Alouettes, setting a new league record.
Burris also completed 70.9% of his passes, threw 26 touchdown passes against 13 interceptions. and ran for seven majors, the second-highest total of his career.
Last Saturday in a division-clinching victory over Hamilton, Burris threw six touchdown passes, a career best.
Burris joins Bo Levi Mitchell of the Calgary Stampeders as a candidate for the Most Outstanding Player award.
Sinopoli, the East nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian, was one of four Ottawa receivers to gain 1,000 receiving yards in 2015, along with Williams, Ernest Jackson and Greg Ellingson.
The four receivers became just the third group of teammates to gain 1,000 receiving yards in the same CFL season since the Montreal Alouettes accomplished the feat in 2004 and 2005.
Sinopoli, a Peterborough native and former quarterback with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, collected 1,035 receiving yards, leading all national players in the category. He also had three touchdown catches and led the CFL with 471 yards after catch (YAC; Williams was second with 467).
Defensive lineman Jamaal Westerman of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is the West nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian.
Rogers, the East selection for Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, joined the REDBLACKS as a free-agent acquisition last February. He started all 18 games at left tackle and was lauded throughout the season for his ability to protect his quarterback’s blind side.
Jovan Olafioye of the BC Lions is the West nominee for the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman.
REDBLACKS coach Rick Campbell is also a finalist a CFL Award. Earlier today, the league announced Campbell as the East nominee for AGF CFL Coach of the Year. The West finalist is Chris Jones of the Edmonton Eskimos.
