CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — Queen’s quarterback Dan Brannagan, Alberta safety Jason Hetherington and Wilfrid Laurier kick returner Dillon Heap are the Canadian Interuniversity Sport football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 26, 2009.
The selection was made by a committee comprised of members of University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC).
Brannagan, a fifth-year accounting student from Burlington, Ont., set personal records with 543 passing yards and five touchdown passes last Saturday in his return to the lineup after missing one game due to an injury. The 6-foot, 198-pound senior, who is named CIS offensive MVP for a second time this fall, also scored on a 10-yard run as the No. 4-Gaels improved to 4-0 on the season with a 67-0 shutout of York. Brannagan, the active leader among CIS quarterbacks in career passing yards (9,236 – 5th all-time) and TD passes (71 – 5th all-time), tops the nation in 2009 with an average of 367 yards per outing and is tied for second with nine TD strikes despite missing one contest.
St. Francis Xavier quarterback Steve Snyder, McGill running back Andrew Hamilton and Calgary quarterback Erik Glavic were also up for the award on offence.
Hetherington, a third-year arts student from Moose Jaw, Sask., took home the weekly honour on defence after he tied a team record with three interceptions last Friday in a 27-7 upset win over previously undefeated Saskatchewan (2-1), which was ranked No. 3 going into the duel. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound junior, who also had three solo tackles on the night, picked off Huskies quarterback Laurence Nixon once in the second quarter and twice in the fourth frame, his final steal coming at his own two-yard line. Hetherington, the first Golden Bear to have three interceptions in a game since Pete Rachmistruk in 1995, currently leads the country with four picks.
StFX linebacker Henoc Muamba, McGill cornerback Gregory Landry and Waterloo linebacker Jordan Verdone were also nominated.
Heap, a third-year business student from Waterloo, Ont., was the choice on special teams after he racked up 290 return yards, including a team-record 179 yards on eight punt returns, to help the No. 8-Golden Hawks (3-1) beat McMaster 30-14. The 5-foot-10, 175-pound speedster added 111 yards on three kickoff returns and 130 yards on four receptions – including a touchdown – to finish the day with an astounding 420 all-purpose yards.
Mount Allison kick returner Gary Ross, Montreal kicker Pierre-Paul Gélinas and Regina kicker Perri Scarcelli were also up for the distinction.
