FRC - CIS football players of the week (#13): Bowl winners Deschamps, Luke, van Gylswyk honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – UBC running back Brandon Deschamps, Montreal defensive lineman Junior Luke and UBC kicker Quinn van Gylswyk are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending Nov. 21, 2015.

Deschamps, a fifth-year arts student from Prince George, B.C., was honoured on offence following his game-MVP performance in a 36-9 Uteck Bowl over StFX, last Saturday in Antigonish, N.S. The 6-foot senior, who put the Thunderbirds up 9-1 with a one-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, racked up 178 all-purpose yards in the victory, including 128 on 20 rushes and 50 more on three receptions. The Thunderbirds (9-2) advanced to the national final for the first time since 1997 and now face the defending champion Montreal Carabins (9-2) Saturday at 1 p.m. EST in Quebec City in the ArcelorMittal Vanier Cup presented by Promutuel Assurance (Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, TVA Sports & CIS-SIC.tv).

St. Francis Xavier wide receiver Randy Roseway, Montreal running back Sean Thomas Erlington and Guelph receiver A'dre Fraser were also up for the award.

Luke, a third-year intervention student from Montreal, took home the award on defence after he helped the Carabins return to the Vanier Cup final thanks to a 25-10 win against host Guelph in the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Mitchell Bowl, also last Saturday. The 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman, who merited the Maury L. Van Vliet Trophy as the game's MVP, was all over the field finishing with three tackles, including two for losses and one quarterback sack, as well as a key interception at the Montreal 21-yard line with five minutes remaining in the contest. Luke anchored a defensive unit that limited the Gryphons to just 14 first downs and 265 yards total yards on offence.

StFX linebacker Daniel Tshiamala, Guelph linebacker John Rush and UBC safety Taylor Loffler were also nominated.

Van Gylswyk, a third-year arts student from Victoria, was the choice on special teams for the third straight week after going 4-for-5 on field goal attempts in the Uteck Bowl, his only miss coming from 50 yards out. The 6-foot-4 kicker, who scored 16 points in the game, split the uprights once in the third quarter and three times in the fourth from distances of 26, 20, 14 and 25 yards. The Canada West all-star also maintained an average of 35.5 yards per punt and 57.3 yards on kickoffs.

StFX cover man Keon Hughes, Montreal kicker David Deschamps and Guelph returner Ryan Nieuwesteeg were the other nominees.

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Randy Roseway, wide receiver, StFX
RSEQ: Sean Thomas Erlington, running back, Montreal
OUA: A'dre Fraser, receiver, Guelph
CWUAA: Brandon Deschamps, running back, UBC (recipient)

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Daniel Tshiamala, linebacker, StFX
RSEQ: Junior Luke, lineman, Montreal (recipient)
OUA: John Rush, linebacker, Guelph
CWUAA: Taylor Loffler, safety, UBC

Special team nominees:
AUS: Keon Hughes, cover team, StFX
RSEQ: David Deschamps, kicker, Montreal
OUA: Ryan Nieuwesteeg, returner, Guelph
CWUAA: Quinn van Gylswyk, kicker, UBC (recipient)

WEEK 14 SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

November 28: No. 4 Montreal (9-2) vs. No. 6 UBC (9-2), TELUS-UL Stadium, Quebec City
12:00 EST Pre-Game Show (TVA Sports)
12:30 EST Pre-Game Show (Sportsnet & Sportsnet 360)
13:00 EST 51st Vanier Cup (Sportsnet, Sportsnet 360, TVA Sports & CIS-SIC.tv)

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.