BLOG: Andrew Buckley – CIS’s ‘Andy Dalton’ captures Hec Crighton

The Calgary Dinos fourth year Pivot, Andrew Buckley made history on Thursday night as he became the first player to win both the Hec Crighton trophy for most outstanding player in the nation and the Russ Jackson award for his academic achievement, football skill, and citizenship toward the game . Buckley stated after he won the two awards “This will go down as one of the best days of my life because it is so significant”. Buckley was also named to the CIS first team all-Canadian team. The other winners on Thursday night were Saint Mary Huskies linebacker, Jonathan Langa won the President trophy for best defender in the CIS. Ottawa Gee-Gees defensive tackle,Ettore Lattanzio won the J.P Metras trophy for best lineman in the country. Laval’s Rouge et or pivot, Hugo Richard won the Peter Gorman trophy for rookie of the year. Mount Alison Mounties coach, Kelly Jeffrey won the Frank Tindall for coach of the year.

Hec Crighton- Andrew Buckley QB from the Calgary Dinos.
Buckley becomes the fourth Calgary Dinos to win the Hec Crighton. He followed in the footsteps of the great Dino quarterback, Greg Vavra who won the trophy in 1983.Dino great wideout, Don Blair won the trophy in 1995 and former Dino quarterback, Erik Glavic won the trophy in 2009 after he won the trophy in 2007 with the Saint Mary Huskies. It was the first time a player had won the Hec Crighton with two different schools. Buckley this year lead the Dinos to a 6-2 record this year in his fourth year with the team. He threw for 2175 passing yards(8th in CIS standings) with 18 touchdowns(3rd in the CIS) and only four picks not to mention a completion percentage of 64.3% which was good enough for fifth place in the CIS.He averaged 271 passing yards a game.
Andrew Buckley on winning the Hec Crighton”It’s just a big culmination of all the work I have put in, I been playing football for 15 years now, to win this award It is just huge milestone in my life”.
Buckley on the Dinos season which saw them lose to their Canada West foe, The Manitoba Bisons in the Championship game ” We had a disappointing ending, we had a sights set on the Vanier Cup as our team goal, I still have empty feeling in my stomach, I wanted to get to the Vanier more than anyone”.

Russ Jackson Award-Andrew Buckley, Calgary Dinos.
This makes two straight years that Andrew Buckley has won the Russ Jackson award. He joins an exclusive list of two time winners of the award, names like former Manitoba Bisons linebacker Thomas Hall also former Alberta Golden Bear offensive lineman, Carlo Panero, former Saint Mary Huskies quarterback, David Sykes and lastly former McGill Redmen lineman, J.P Veri. Buckley is a three-time academic all-Canadian who studies Kinesiology. In his free time, he likes to volunteer with the Alberta Health service. He also in the past went to Guatemala for ten days where he helped create wood-burning stoves. Buckley had a 3.93 GPA last year.
Andrew Buckley on the Russ Jackson award, “The Community work is part of my life”. Buckley on his free time when he not busy with school, “In my free time I try fill up with community stuff and school, I just try to be the best student athlete I can be”.

President trophy –Jonathan Langa, linebacker from Saint Mary Huskies
Langa becomes the second Huskie to win defense player of the year in the CIS. The first winner was Alex Eliopoulos who captured the trophy in 1992. Langa had a career year as he had 62 solo tackles which was a CIS best and 36 assists which is good for second in the CIS stats for that category. In total Langa had 80 tackles which was a CIS best and also averaged 10 tackles per a game which also had him at the top of the CIS leader board. The Huskies had a record of 0-8 this season.
Langa on the winning the trophy and year “It means a lot winning it, I was shocked…words can’t describe how I feel right now”.

J.P.Metras award- Ottawa Gee-Gees defensive tackle, Ettore Lattanzio.
Lattanzio became the third Gee-Gee to win the J.P Metras award. Chris Gioskos won it in 1989 and Boyd Young captured it in 1984. Lattanzio this season had eight sacks which was good for him to be third in the country in that category. He also force quarterbacks in sacks to loss of 43 yards which was good for him to be eighth for sack yards. He had 26 solo tackles.
Lattanzio on the award, “It just exciting that I’m able to bring this trophy back home and represent Ottawa U both athletics and academically”
Lattanzio on the Gee-Gees year, “We were underdogs all the time, the fact that we went this far means that it not about who has the top athletes but who can work together as a team”.

Peter Gorman trophy- Laval Rouge et or QB, Hugo Richard.
Hugo Richard had one of the best CIS season ever by a QB and for me just to be a rookie is unbelievable. He is only the second Laval player to win this trophy after wideout, Jean Frederic Tremblay won it in 2000. Hugo Richard threw for 2578 passing yards with 22 touchdowns and only four interceptions which are a CIS best in statistics. He finished fourth in completions percentage with 65.4%. Richard averaged around 322 yards per a game.
Hugo Richard about the winning the trophy, “It is a great honour and good to be recognize individual at this stage of the season at the end of the year but I honestly I rather be here on Vanier Cup duty instead being here for the prize” .

Frank Tindall trophy- Mount Allison Mounties coach, Kelly Jeffrey.
Jeffrey has been at the helms in Sackville for the past eight seasons. He has lead the Mounties to back to back CIS national semi-finals games. This season was a special one as he coached his Mount Allison Mounties to an undefeated regular season of 8-0 in the AUS conference. This also the first time a Mount Allison coach as won the award. The Mounties lead the CIS least amount points allowed in a game with 8.0 per a game and also least amount of points all year which was 64 points. Mount Allison had 15 fumble recoveries which is second best in the CIS and also had 14 interceptions which put them fourth in the CIS. The Mounties had 27 quarterback sacks which is third best in the CIS.
Jeffrey on the award, “I’m really happy to acceptance this as a representative of our team, we have great kids and great coaches”.
Jeffrey on the team and it undefeated season,”We had veteran team, continuity among the coaching staff and we were able to provide sustainability to where we are today”.

I called Andrew Buckley,the Andy Dalton of the CIS because he has red hair and also he reminds me little of him. Just some information on him. His favorite player is Tom Brady and his favorite college team is Texas.
congratulations to all of the winners and nominees.

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