CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — Queen’s quarterback Dan Brannagan, Sherbrooke defensive end Jonathan L’Espérance and Queen’s kick returner Jimmy Allin are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 7, 2009, as selected by University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC).
Brannagan, a fifth-year senior from Burlington, Ont., was sensational on Labour Day Monday as the No.7-ranked Gaels (1-0) opened the regular season with a dramatic 52-49 win over Guelph (0-1). The 6-foot, 198-pound accounting student threw three touchdown passes, set career highs with 495 passing yards and 32 completions, and marched the Gaels down the field on the final drive of the contest to help set up Mike Petranovic’s game-winning field goal as time expired. The 2008 second-team all-Canadian is now tied for fifth place on the CIS career list with 65 TD strikes and needs 371 passing yards to become the fifth pivot in CIS history to reach the 9,000-yard plateau.
Laval quarterback Benoit Groulx and UBC running back Dave Boyd were also up for the award on offence.
L’Espérance, a second-year law student from Granby, Que., took home the weekly honour on defence after he recovered two fumbles and returned one for a touchdown to help the Vert & Or (1-0) kick off the campaign with a 25-20 victory over cross-town rival Bishop’s (0-1) Friday night. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound sophomore, who also had four tackles on the evening, scored on a 35-yard return with 19 seconds left in the first half to give Sherbrooke a 15-7 lead at the break, and helped preserve the win when he picked up another loose ball at his own 44-yard line with two minutes remaining in the duel and the Vert & Or holding on to a two-point advantage.
Ottawa cornerback Chayce Elliott and Saskatchewan safety Bryce McCall were also nominated.
Allin, a fifth-year life sciences student from Belleville, Ont., put together one of the best special-team performances in CIS history in Queen’s season-opening win. A first-team all-Canadian as a return specialist a year ago, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound defensive back scored three special-team touchdowns against Guelph including a pair on punt returns of 66 and 78 yards and another on a kickoff return of 105 yards. Allin finished the day with an astounding 439 return yards including 259 on punt returns, the second highest single-game total in CIS history.
Laval kicker Christopher Milo and Saskatchewan returner Travis Gorski were also up for the distinction.
