THE CANADIAN PRESS
CFL.ca Staff
TORONTO — Bo Levi Mitchell and Solomon Elimimian appear to be the fans’ choice for top 2014 CFL performers, after dominating in all of their respective awards categories in the fan Weekly Say vote.
Last week in the Weekly Say, fans voted in the CFL.ca fans’ choice awards for the year 2014 in a series of polls for who the league’s top performers were last season. Just like in the Grey Cup, Mitchell was the star of the show, taking home at least half the votes in Top QB under 30; Top Breakout Star of 2014; and best QB overall.
Elimimian meanwhile won 46% of the vote for Most Valuable Player, while winning top linebacker honours by an even greater 72% margin.
Chris Jones as Coach of the Year and John Chick as top D-linemen are among other notable selections, while Adarius Bowman earned top receiver and bounce back player of the year for his efforts following a record-breaking 2014 campaign.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Mitchell swept his three categories, storming through the 2014 season with just two losses and an eventual Grey Cup Championship, all in his first year as a full-time CFL starting quarterback.
The 24-year-old Katy, Texas native led the CFL with a 98.3 quarterback rating, going on to help the Stamps defeat the Edmonton Eskimos and Hamilton Tiger-Cats to capture the 102nd Grey Cup Championship. Mitchell was named the MVP of the Grey Cup game, capping off a dream start to his career as a starter.
Elimimian’s star was equally bright however, after the veteran linebacker set JC Sherritt’s recent all-time single-season tackles record. The 28-year-old finished with 143 defensive tackles, leading one of the league’s stingiest defences.
He later became the first pure-defensive player to ever win the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.
Chris Jones earning the nod over John Hufnagel as the fans’ choice for top coach may come as a surprise, but it’s hardly unearned after Jones led the resurgent Eskimos to a 12-6 record – an eight-win improvement over a year ago.
Brandon Banks joins Bowman, Mitchell, and Elimimian as a recipient of multiple awards, capturing most dangerous to score on any given play as well as the honour for top special teams player. The Stampeders earned the title of most difficult team to face on the road, edging a Ticats team that was undefeated at brand new Tim Hortons Field.
Delvin Breaux, Brett Jones, Jon Cornish, Dexter McCoil and Antoine Pruneau are among other award winners.
Weekly Say Fan Poll Results (Final results as of noon on Dec. 16, 2014):
Which QB under 30 impressed you the most in 2014?
Bo Levi Mitchell – 55%
Zach Collaros – 17%
Mike Reilly – 14%
Drew Willy – 14%
Who was the 2014 Bounce Back Player of the Year?
Adarius Bowman – 53%
Shawn Lemon – 26%
Eric Norwood – 12%
Ted Laurent – 8%
Who was the biggest breakout star of 2014?
Bo Levi Mitchell – 55%
Luke Tasker – 19%
Bear Woods – 15%
John White – 11%
Who was the best QB overall in 2014?
Bo Levi Mitchell – 57%
Mike Reilly – 20%
Ricky Ray – 13%
Zach Collaros – 10%
Which defensive back was the hardest to beat?
Delvin Breaux – 55%
Patrick Watkins – 26%
Jerald Brown – 13%
Cord Parks – 6%
Who was the best linebacker of 2014?
Solomon Elimimian – 72%
Dexter McCoil – 11%
Simoni Lawrence – 10%
Bear Woods – 6%
Who was the best defensive lineman of 2014?
John Chick – 47%
Shawn Lemon – 22%
Odell Willis – 19%
Eric Norwood – 12%
Who was the best offensive lineman of 2014?
Brett Jones – 75%
Josh Bourke – 10%
Jeff Perrett – 8%
Dan Federkeil – 7%
Who was the top running back in 2014?
Jon Cornish – 69%
John White – 12%
Anthony Allen – 11%
Nic Grigsby – 8%
Who was the best receiver in 2014?
Adarius Bowman – 60%
Duron Carter – 23%
Clarence Denmark – 10%
Chad Owens – 7%
Who is your 2014 Rookie of the Year?
Dexter McCoil – 60%
Nic Grigsby – 22%
Tristan Okpalaugo – 10%
Taylor Reed – 9%
Who was the biggest threat to score on any given play?
Brandon Banks – 70%
Chad Owens – 17%
Duron Carter – 9%
Emmanuel Arceneaux – 5%
Which 2014 CFL Draft pick made the biggest impact?
Antoine Pruneau – 46%
Devon Bailey – 27%
Quinn Smith – 16%
Mathias Goossen – 11%
Who was the top special teams player in 2014?
Brandon Banks – 59%
Swayze Waters – 21%
Lirim Hajrullahu – 14%
Deon Lacey – 7%
Which team was the toughest to go on the road and face?
Calgary – 51%
Hamilton – 25%
Saskatchewan – 23%
Winnipeg – 2%
Who’s your 2014 Coach of the Year?
Chris Jones – 41%
John Hufnagel – 36%
Kent Austin 16%
Tom Higgins 7%
Who was the 2014 Most Valuable Player?
Solomon Elimimian – 46%
Jon Cornish – 36%
Adarius Bowman – 11%
Ricky Ray – 7%
