TORONTO – Steve Slaton, Khreem Smith, Glenn Love and James Yurichuk were named the Canadian Football League Players of the Week for Week 18 of the 2014 Canadian Football League season.
The four players were chosen by a panel of judges including: former Canadian Football League players Matt Dunigan and Duane Forde of TSN, and Pierre Vercheval of RDS.
CFL Offensive Player of the Week
Steve Slaton
RB – Toronto Argonauts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24 @ Toronto Argonauts 26
Toronto Argonauts running back Steve Slaton was named the Offensive Player of the Week for Week 18. Slaton recorded 157 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches and scored a touchdown in Toronto’s 26-24 victory over their cross-town rivals, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Slaton, the single-season rushing yards leader at West Virginia, ran the ball a career-high 16 times for a personal best of 80 yards in the Argos’ pivotal game at the Rogers Centre on Saturday.
Not only was the Levittown, Pennsylvania native efficient running the ball, but he was also a key target in Ricky Ray’s passing game. He caught five passes for 77 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown reception to extend the Argos’ early advantage to 14-0.
In his first season in the CFL, Slaton has averaged 5.8 yards per carry, giving him 428 rushing yards on the year. Additionally, he has 34 receptions for 301 yards and has a total of five majors this season.
This is the first Player of the Week honour of Slaton’s career.
CFL Defensive Player of the Week
Khreem Smith
DE – BC Lions
BC Lions 28 @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers 23
BC Lions defensive end Khreem Smith was named the Defensive Player of the Week for Week 18. Smith recorded career-highs in tackles (eight) and sacks (four) as the Lions registered a 28-23 road victory over the Blue Bombers.
The former standout from Oklahoma State sacked Drew Willy four times, resulting in a total of 29-yards lost. Smith led the way as the Lions swarmed the Blue Bombers pivot for 10 sacks. The St. James, Jamaica native registered a rare feat in the fourth quarter with back-to-back sacks on consecutive plays.
In his fourth year in the league, Smith is having a breakout campaign, having already established new career marks in tackles (46) and sacks (11) with two games remaining.
This is the first time that Smith has received a Defensive Player of the Week award.
CFL Special Teams Player of the Week
Glenn Love
LB – Calgary Stampeders
Saskatchewan Roughriders 27 @ Calgary Stampeders 40
Calgary Stampeders linebacker Glenn Love was named the Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 18. Love compiled a career-high four special teams tackles to help the Stampeders fend off the Roughriders and emerge with a 40-27 decision at home on Friday night.
The product of UCLA recorded his sixth multi-special teams tackle game on the season and currently sits second on the Stamps with 17 on the season.
The native of Champaign, Illinois is currently in his third season in the CFL and this is his first Player of the Week award.
CFL Canadian Player of the Week
James Yurichuk
LB – Toronto Argonauts
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24 @ Toronto Argonauts 26
Toronto Argonauts linebacker James Yurichuk was named the Canadian Player of the Week for Week 18. Yurichuk notched a trio of tackles including a sack, a tackle-for-a-loss, and a special teams tackle, while adding an interception in the Argonauts 26-24 win over the Ticats.
Yurichuk, a product of Bishop’s, intercepted a Zach Collaros pass on the second play of the fourth quarter to help ignite the Argos’ comeback. His interception gave Toronto the ball at midfield and the Double Blue came away with a field goal to cut Hamilton’s lead to three.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Yurichuk recorded his first career sack on the final play of the game to seal the Argonauts victory over their East Division rivals.
This is Yurichuk’s second career Canadian Player of the Week Award with his last coming in Week 6 of the 2012 season.
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