RSEQ announces major award winners

 

Running back Rotrand Sene (Montreal), defensive end John Samuel Blanc (Montreal), linebacker Frédéric Plesius (Laval), Shaquille Johnson (McGill), and Glen Constantin (Laval) were the major award winners in the RSEQ.

Rotrand Sene – League MVP (Hec Creighton)

Sené became the first player in Montreal history to win the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy awarded to the player of the year in Quebec.  Sene is vying to obtain the Hec Creighton, awarded to the player of the year in the country.

 

The 23 year old Montrealer had another excellent season in his fourth year of eligibility. He finished first in Quebec in terms of yards gained on the ground (813) and touchdowns with nine. Moreover, his record nine touchdowns on the ground are a team record. He also had nine catches for 142 yards (955 yards all-purpose).

“Although sometimes Rotrand was injured and he could not participate in all practices, it has delivered excellent performance at every game”, said head coach Danny Maciocia.  “He was a very effective player for us this season as evidenced by his nine touchdowns.  Rotrand is one of the major players in the history of this team, because he can make a difference on the ground. ‘

 

Jean-Samuel Blanc – Top lineman (J.P. Metras)

In his second season, Jean-Samuel Blanc was named best down lineman for the 2012 season of the Football League university RSEQ. Blanc set a CIS record with 12.5 sacks in a season.

“In my opinion, Jean-Samuel is one of the best defensive linemen in the CIS  and he still has a lot of potential and could develop his talent”, said head coach Danny Maciocia.  “He has speed and knows how to be physical. With his tools, he can beat the opponent in different ways on the field.  He also has a good head of football. He knows his role on the ground and understands what they he is being asked to perform.”

Blanc finished third on the team in tackles with 33, including 29 solo. He also stopped its opponents 18.5 times behind the line of scrimmage for losses of 114 yards. Blanc also blocked a pass and recovered a fumble.

Frédéric Plesius – Top Defensive Player (President’s Award)

Plesius was chosen defensive player of the year for the second time in three years. The former Baylor Bear finished the 2012 season with 34.5 tackles, including 27 solos, with an average of 4.3 per game. His best game of the season was against the Carabins (CEPSUM October 13, 2012) when he made 10.5 tackles, which would had earned the defensive player of the week in the RSEQ.

“Frederick is an athlete who has always thirst for victory and has impressive size.  He is fast and athletic, which allows him to be a constant threat to the opposing offense. Whenever he is on the field, he can make a big play that can change the course of the match, “said the Laval head coach Glen Constantin.

Shaquille Johnson – Rookie of the year (Peter Gorman)

Shaquille (Brampton, ON) had a break-out rookie season for the Redmen.  In nine games Johnson had 61 receptions for 792 yards and 5 touchdowns.  Shaquille improved as the season progressed, finishing the year with over 100 yards receiving and 1 touchdown in 4 of his last 5 games.  Johnson finished the regular season in style with 176 yards and a touchdown on 18 receptions.

“Shaq is a special athlete who got better as the year progressed”, commented head coach Clint Uttley.  “He got very comfortable mid-way through the season and the result was big plays and big touchdowns that helped our young offense.”

 Glen Constantin – Coach of the year (Frank Tindall)

Glen was awarded the RSEQ Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career. With this honor, he is now nominated for the Frank Tindall (CIS coach of the year), an honour he won in 2005 and 2010.

Constantine led his troops to a record of eight wins and only one loss in the regular season. His team outscored their opponents 348-114 in total nine regular season games, with an average points scored per game of 38.7. His team has won the last nine editions of the Dunsmore Cup.