CFL.ca Staff
OTTAWA — A number of star players hope to find their way into the CIS football record book by the end of the 2012 regular season, which got underway last night in Saskatoon.
Among standouts looking to make CIS history, a pair of fifth-year seniors could reach the top of the charts early in the schedule.
Saskatchewan defensive back Bryce McCall heads into the new season with 19 career interceptions, only two shy of the all-time CIS mark shared by three players, including former Huskie Bob Coffin (1970-74). McCall gets the first chance to add to his total tonight when Saskatchewan kicks off the campaign at home against Alberta.
In the RSEQ conference, Sherbrooke kicker William Dion has 63 career field goals and needs only eight more to tie CIS record holder Aaron Ifield of Calgary (2006-10). Dion, who takes the field on Saturday night when the Vert & Or host Montreal, is also first among active players with 285 career points and could soon become only the 11th player in CIS history to reach the 300-point plateau.
Other players to keep an eye on this fall include:
– Scoring/kicking: Ottawa kicker Matthew Falvo is right behind Dion in career points with 282 (20th all-time). Falvo is also second among active players with 55 field goals (15th all-time);
– Rushing: While he won’t catch CIS record holder Daryl Stephenson of Windsor (5,163) anytime soon, Montreal running back Rotrand Sené enters his fourth university season with 2,735 yards on the ground (33rd all-time) and is in good position to be the next member of the 3,000 Club;
– Receiving: Regina wideout Mark McConkey has 145 career receptions going into his final CIS campaign and needs 28 to crack the all-time Top 10 list. McConkey is also second among active players in career receiving yards with 1,646, trailing only Windsor’s Jordan Brescacin (1,857). Both players should easily hit the 2,000 mark this fall;
– Passing: UBC quarterback Billy Greene isn’t threatening any national marks going into his final year but the reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner is the active leader among CIS pivots for career passing yards (6,666), attempts (906) and completions (485).
He ranks second to McMaster’s Kyle Quinlan (41) in touchdown passes (36). Greene, who is coming off a 2,558-yard season, needs a 2,100-yard campaign to move into the all-time Top 10 leaders.
– Punt returns: Saint Mary’s Jahmeek Taylor, also a fifth-year senior, enters the season with 1,666 career punt return yards, good for 10th place on the all-time CIS list.
While he would need to register the second-best single season in CIS history to catch career leader Chris Evraire of Ottawa (2,517), Taylor is within striking distance of the second spot held by former Saskatchewan great Eric Duchene (2,279).
With files from CIS
