Québec announces football award nominees

Hec Crighton (outstanding player): Jamall Lee, Bishop's running back. One fun fact with Lee, the record-setting Gaiters tailback, is that before his season he changed his jersey number from No. 32 to the No. 28 sported by the Minnesota Vikings über-rookie Adrian Peterson.

Lee told the French-language La Tribune that Peterson is a runner he's tried to emulate: "When he played at the University of Oklahoma, my father told me to watch him closely. He's basically the same height and the same weight, he's fast and can run with power."

Now Lee, on the much smaller CIS scale, has taken the league by storm much the same way Peterson is with the Vikings (and hey, their teams each wear purple).

Presidents' Trophy (top defensive player): Eric Maranda, Laval outside linebacker. Maranda is just way past most of his competition in terms of physical ability and he helped the Rouge et Or finish No. 2 in the country in total defence despite a rash of injuries.

Metras Award (top lineman): Martin Gagné, Montréal defensive end. Gagné, the Q's nominee last season and might have been a reputation pick, since he had only 1 1/2 sacks last season after being credited with 4 1/2 in 2006. In fairness, since it's hard to evaluate linemen, let's assume that what he's done isn't reflected on the field.

Peter Gorman (top rookie): Liam Mahoney, Concordia quarterback. This is probably the most contentious pick, since Laval wideout Julian Feoli also presents a very strong case. Mahoney came on halfway through the season to somewhat right a sporadic Stingers offence and has been perhaps the best running quarterback in the country, although there are several others who run well and are much more polished passers.

Russ Jackson (community involvement): Clovis Langlois-Boucher, Sherbrooke defensive back. Boucher maintained a high academic standing while balancing football and caring for his father, who is battling multiple schlerosis. He would be the first Vert et Or player to win a major CIS award.

Frank Tindall (coach of the year): Leroy Blugh, Bishop's. Blugh, who won the Presidents' in 1988 as a Gaiters linebacker, delivered Bishop's its first winning season this decade and has helped restore some hope to what had been a struggling program in the Eastern Townships. The coach-of-the-year award has Saint Mary's Steve Sumurah's name written over it, most likely.

Lee and Maranda probably offer the Q its best chance of winning a major award.