In a season that started hopeful, but turned dark, Darnell Sankey was a shining light throughout for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Signed as a free agent in February by the Green and White after leading the C-F-L in tackles in 2021 with Calgary, Sankey did it again in 2022. As a result, Sankey is the Riders’ nominee for two of the six C-F-L Awards…Most Outstanding Player and top defensive performer. Sankey started every game for the Roughriders and recorded 115 defensive tackles. In voting done by head coach Craig Dickenson and select members of the Football Reporters of Canada in the province, kick returner Mario Alford is the top Special Teams Player, receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker for Outstanding Canadian, guard Logan Ferland as top Offensive Lineman and running back Frankie Hickson as Rookie-of-the-Year. Saskatchewan closes out the regular season Saturday in Calgary.
Besides Sankey, other two-award nominee players around the C-F-L are B-C quarterback Nathan Rourke for Most Outstanding Player and Outstanding Canadian, Hamilton place-kicker Seth Small for top special teams player and rookie-of-the-year and Ottawa defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin the Fourth as Most Outstanding Player and top defensive player. The divisional finalists will be named next Thursday with the winners named November 17th during Grey Cup Week in Regina. Following is the news release from the Riders…..
DATE: October 26, 2022
RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATELY
RELEASE: SR22-150
AND THE NOMINEES ARE….
Earlier today the nominees for the 2022 CFL Awards were announced with five Roughriders being nominated. The CFL Awards happen each year during the Grey Cup Festival. This year, the awards will be on Thursday, November 17th.
The nominees from the Saskatchewan Roughriders are: Darnell Sankey (Most Outstanding Player/ Most Outstanding Defensive Player), Mario Alford (Most Outstanding Special Teams Player), Kian Schaffer-Baker (Most Outstanding Canadian), Logan Ferland (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman), and Frankie Hickson (Most Outstanding Rookie).
DARNELL SANKEY
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER/ MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER
About 71% of the Earth is covered in water. The rest is covered by Darnell Sankey. The 28-year-old was a beast for the Green and White at the middle linebacker position in the 2022 Season. Sankey started every game and recorded 115 defensive tackles, two special teams tackles, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. Sankey led the CFL in defensive tackles for the second straight season and had six games where he recorded 9+ tackles. With one game left on the schedule, Sankey needs just four more tackles to break the Rider single season record for defensive tackles (118) in a season set by David Albright in 1987. This is Sankey’s first career team award nomination.
MARIO ALFORD*
MOST OUTSTANDING SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
Mario Alford came over in a trade from Montreal in Week 5 and made his debut for the Riders in Week 6. The rest, as they say, is history. Through 17 games, Alford has accounted for 33% of the total return touchdowns in the entire CFL and is leading the league with four return touchdowns. He made an immediate impact on special teams for the Riders, taking a missed field goal by the Argonauts 112-yards to the house in just his second game with the Riders. This season, he recorded 43 punt returns for 524 yards (12.2 avg) and one touchdown, 37 kickoff returns for 937 yards (25.3 avg) and two touchdowns, and three missed field goal returns for 129 yards (43 avg) and another major. He also holds the Rider record for most returns for touchdowns in a single season (4). An electric athlete, Alford had a 98-yard kickoff return touchdown in Week 10 against the Elks and a 92-yard kickoff return touchdown versus the Blue Bombers in Week 14. In Week 20 against the Stampeders, Alford took a punt return 104-yards to the endzone to become the fifth player in CFL history and first-ever Rider to complete the ‘Trifecta’ (kick return touchdown, punt return touchdown, missed field goal return touchdown) in a single season.
KIAN SCHAFFER-BAKER*
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN
In his second season in the CFL, Kian Schaffer-Baker turned it up to another level. The 24-year-old has played in every game this season and he leads the team with 63 catches for 935 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Schaffer-Baker is 11th in the CFL and second out of all Canadian wideouts in receiving yards. A dynamic player with the ball in his hands, Schaffer-Baker is fifth in the league with a whopping 396-yards after the catch. He was also used in the running game, taking 13 handoffs for 74 yards. This is Schaffer-Baker’s second team award nomination after he was nominated for Most Outstanding Rookie following the 2021 season.
LOGAN FERLAND
MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
The home-grown talent, who rose through the ranks of Saskatchewan’s minor football and junior football programs, has been making an impact on the Riders offensive front all season long. Logan Ferland started 15 games at left guard during the 2022 season, setting a new career high. Ferland helped create holes for a strong running game, with two Rider running backs placing in the top-6 in the CFL in rushing yards. This is the 25-year-old’s first career team award nomination.
FRANKIE HICKSON
MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE
Frankie Hickson signed with the Riders prior to rookie camp in late April. Throughout his time with the team, Hickson emerged as not just a backup, but as the second piece of a two-headed monster in the backfield. Hickson currently ranks sixth in the CFL with 533 rushing yards on 85 carries, averaging 6.3 yards per carry, and added a rushing touchdown. Those numbers look even more impressive considering Hickson only started four games and has not played since week 15 due to injury. Hickson was also a threat in the receiving game, adding 17 receptions for 109 yards. In Week 12, Hickson made his first career start and ran for 129 yards on 15 carries (8.6 avg) to lead the Riders to a victory over the B.C. Lions. He has also contributed on special teams, returning seven kickoffs for 168 yards, averaging 24 yards per return.
*denotes unanimous selection
In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city plus the respective head coach submitted votes for the six categories. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who, through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards titled – Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special-Teams Player.
The East and West Division finalists for the 2022 CFL Awards will be announced on Thursday, November 3.
