FRC - CIS football players of the week (#5): Canada West standouts Buckley, Filteau, Lyles honoured

OTTAWA (CIS) – Calgary quarterback Andrew Buckley, Saskatchewan linebacker Justin Filteau and Manitoba returner Jamel Lyles are the CIS football players of the week for the period ending Sept. 26, 2015.

Buckley, a fifth-year kinesiology student from Calgary, was honoured on offence for the second straight week after he helped the high-scoring Dinos put on yet another impressive display in a 72-8 win at Regina, on Saturday. The 6-foot, 201-pound reigning Hec Crighton Trophy winner was once again near perfect in top-ranked Calgary's fourth consecutive win, completing 21 of 29 passes for 478 yards and four touchdowns. At the midway point of the Canada West schedule, the 2015 Calgary Stampeders' draft pick is averaging a conference-best 369 passing yards per outing – good for second in the nation - and has yet to throw an interception.

Mount Allison running back Quinn LeBlanc, Laval running back Christopher Amoah and Guelph quarterback James Roberts were also up for the award.

Filteau, a first-year arts and science student from Moose Jaw, Sask., took home the award on defence thanks to a dominating effort in a 45-29 upset win over then-nationally sixth-ranked UBC, last Friday in Vancouver. The 5-foot-8, 200-pound freshman not only led all players on the field with an impressive 13.5 tackles, he scored on a 48-yard fumble return late in a first quarter after snagging the ball away from a T-Bird receiver. The No. 8 Huskies have now won two straight to even their record at 2-2.

Saint Mary's linebacker Brad Herbst, Bishop's lineman Mathieu Breton and McMaster linebacker Jake Heathcote were also nominated.

Lyles, a first-year University 1 student from Surrey, B.C., was the choice on special teams after he helped the reigning Canada West champion Bisons (2-2) get back on track with a 42-32 road win against Alberta, last Friday in Edmonton. The 6-foot, 205-pound running back racked up 139 yards on only six returns on the night, including a 73-yard touchdown off a punt return at the end of the third quarter which tied the game at 32 all. The super rookie, who had already been named CIS offensive player of the week earlier this fall, also rushed for a game-high 119 yards and one touchdown in the win to finish the contest with 258 all-purpose yards.

Kickers Ideen Samadi of Saint Mary's, Félix Ménard-Brière of Montreal and Nathan Mesher of Wilfrid Laurier were the other nominees.

Offensive nominees:
AUS: Quinn LeBlanc, running back, Mount Allison
RSEQ: Christopher Amoah, running back, Laval
OUA: James Roberts, quarterback, Guelph
CWUAA: Andrew Buckley, quarterback, Calgary (recipient)

Defensive nominees:
AUS: Brad Herbst, linebacker, Saint Mary's
RSEQ: Mathieu Breton, lineman, Bishop's
OUA: Jake Heathcote, linebacker, McMaster
CWUAA: Justin Filteau, linebacker, Saskatchewan (recipient)

Special team nominees:
AUS: Ideen Samadi, kicker, Saint Mary's
RSEQ: Félix Ménard-Brière, punter, Montreal
OUA: Nathan Mesher, kicker, Laurier
CWUAA: Jamel Lyles, returner, Manitoba (recipient)

WEEK 6 SCHEDULE (all times local)

October 2
19:00 Toronto (1-3) at York (1-4) (OUA.TV)
19:00 Regina (0-4) at No. 6 Manitoba (2-2) (CanadaWest.TV)

October 3
13:00 No. 7 McMaster (3-1) at Windsor (1-4) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)
13:00 Laurier (1-3) at Waterloo (0-4) (OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 5 Guelph (5-0) at Queen's (3-2) (TVCogeco & OUA.TV)
13:00 Carleton (3-2) at Ottawa (2-2) (OUA.TV)
13:00 No. 8 Saskatchewan (2-2) at No. 1 Calgary (4-0) (CanadaWest.TV)
13:00 No. 10 UBC (2-2) at Alberta (2-2) (Shaw TV, Access & CanadaWest.TV)
14:00 Saint Mary's (0-3) at StFX (1-2) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
14:00 Mount Allison (1-2) at Acadia (2-1) (Bell Aliant FibreOP TV1 & AUStv.ca)
15:00 McGill (2-2) at Bishop's (1-3) (TVA Sports & Gaiters TV)
16:00 No. 4 Montreal (3-1) at No. 9 Sherbrooke (2-2)

October 4
13:00 Concordia (2-2) at No. 2 Laval (4-0) (TVA Sports)

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.