FRC - CIS football players of the week (#8): Nassar, Jervis, Kodejs honoured

Photo credit Lindsay Nemeth

OTTAWA (CIS) – Quarterback Simon Nassar and defensive lineman Aaron Jervis, both of the Toronto Varsity Blues, as well as kicker Chase Kodejs of Saint Mary’s are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending Oct. 12, 2013.

Nassar, a third-year English major from Toronto, was honoured on offence after he led the Varsity Blues to a convincing 56-35 win over crosstown rival York in the 44th annual Red & Blue Bowl, last Thursday. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound junior completed 24 of 38 passes for 360 yards and four touchdowns, including a pair of TD strikes in a 32-point second quarter by the Blues. With a home win against Waterloo (1-6) in its conference finale on Saturday, Toronto (3-4) would finish with a .500 record for the first time since 1995 (4-3-1).

Mount Allison quarterback Brandon Leyh was also up for the award.

Jervis, a second-year computer science student from Oakville, Ont., took home the weekly honour on defence thanks to his all-around dominating performance in the Red & Blue Bowl. The 6-foot-4, 242-pound sophomore recorded a career-high 7.5 tackles, including one sack, to go with a pair of forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Jervis’ sack came on a second-and-goal situation late in the second quarter and was followed on the next play by an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown which increased the Varsity Blues lead to 34-14 going into halftime.

Mount Allison defensive back Donovan Saunders was also nominated.

Kodejs, a first-year arts student from Bedford, N.S., was the choice on special teams after he was successful on each of his three field goal attempts in a hard-fought 11-9 win over reigning two-time AUS champion Acadia, a game in which both teams failed to reach the end zone. With the Huskies (4-2) trailing 9-2 in the third quarter, the 6-foot-4 freshman split the uprights from 37, 12 and 17 yards out in the second half, including the difference-maker with 3:29 left in regulation. Kodejs also racked up a whopping 702 yards on punts and kickoffs in the defensive struggle.

Queen’s kicker Dillon Wamsley was the other nominee.

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Brandon Leyh, quarterback, Mount Allison
RSEQ: No games scheduled
OUA: Simon Nassar, quarterback, Toronto (recipient)
CWUAA: No games scheduled

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Donovan Saunders, defensive back, Mount Allison
RSEQ: No games scheduled
OUA: Aaron Jervis, lineman, Toronto (recipient)
CWUAA: No games scheduled

Special team nominees:
AUS: Chase Kodejs, kicker, Saint Mary’s (recipient)
RSEQ: No games scheduled
OUA: Dillon Wamsley, kicker, Queen’s
CWUAA: No games scheduled

WEEK 9 SCHEDULE (all times local)

October 18
18:00 Regina (2-4) at No. 3 Calgary (6-0) (video webcast)
19:00 Mount Allison (2-4) at Saint Mary’s (4-2) (video webcast)
19:00 Manitoba (3-3) at No. 7 Saskatchewan (4-2) (video webcast)

October 19
13:00 No. 9 McMaster (4-3) at Carleton (0-7)
13:00 No. 4 Guelph (7-0) at No. 5 Queen’s (6-1) (Sportsnet 360)
13:00 No. 10 Windsor (4-3) at Ottawa (4-3) (video webcast)
13:00 Waterloo (1-6) at Toronto (3-4) (video webcast)
13:00 No. 8 Bishop’s (4-2) at Concordia (0-6) (video webcast)
13:00 No. 6 Montreal (4-2) at McGill (3-3) (Radio-Canada TV, French webcast & English webcast)
13:00 York (2-5) at No. 1 Western (7-0) (Rogers TV London)
14:00 StFX (3-3) at Acadia (2-4) (Eastlink TV & video webcast)
14:00 Alberta (0-6) at UBC (3-3) (SHAW TV & video webcast)

October 20
13:30 Sherbrooke (2-4) at No. 2 Laval (6-0) (Radio-Canada TV & video webcast)

About Football Reporters of Canada

Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) represents journalists and broadcasters in every region of the country covering CIS Football. Since 1958, Football Reporters of Canada has been an organization of media members who have covered the Canadian Football League, serving to select the league’s outstanding players, coach-of-the-year and all-star teams through voting conducted by its members. In 2009, the FRC amalgamated with the University Football Reporters of Canada (UFRC) to give the organization greater scope in its affiliation with amateur and college football. FRC also works with the CFL and CIS to establish guidelines and working conditions for the men and women who report on the game. Selected members of FRC also help to choose builders, players and media members for induction into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

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