3DN's Mid-season Award Winners

[Mocha]

I'm not sure I'd argue much about any of their picks, though admittedly I'm not the best judge of O-Linemen in particular.

It should be a great race for MOP over the second half. How much will Collaros' injury affect him? Can VAJ and Kelly continue to play at such a high level?


https://3downnation.com/2023/08/16/3downnations-2023-mid-season-cfl-award-winners/

Most Outstanding Player: QB Chad Kelly, Toronto Argonauts
It’s a three-horse race for M.O.P between the CFL’s elite quarterbacks, but Kelly has the edge at the midway point thanks to a career-best performance last week. In his first year as a starter, the 29-year-old has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 2,041 yards, 13 touchdowns, and just five interceptions while rushing for another 129 yards and a league-high five scores on the ground. His growth from unlikely Grey Cup hero to bona fide superstar is the biggest reason Toronto is favoured to repeat.
Runner-ups: QB Zach Collaros, WPG and QB Vernon Adams Jr., B.C.


Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: KR Javon Leake, Toronto Argonauts
You can make the argument that a massive late-game return from Leake in last year’s Grey Cup should have earned him the MVP of that contest, but now his eyes are set on a bigger prize. The most dangerous punt returner in the league right now is averaging 15.3 yards per return, has busted six of over 30 yards, and scored three times — all tops in the CFL.
Runner-ups: KR Mario Alford, SSK and LB Carthell Flowers-Lloyd, HAM


Coach of the Year: Ryan Dinwiddie, Toronto Argonauts
Keeping a Grey Cup-winning team at the top of the league is no easy feat, but Dinwiddie has made it appear almost effortless. With a first-year starting quarterback at the helm, the Argos are the runaway favourites to finish on top of the East Division for a third straight season, largely thanks to the guy holding the play sheet.
Runner-ups: Rick Campbell, B.C. and Mike O’Shea, WPG

[AngeloV]

You know it killed them to have to give the nod to the Argos payers and coach. They still haven't come to terms with the fact the Argos deserved the Grey Cup last year, still insisting that the Bombers beat themselves.

[Will]

With the Argos only having given up 10 sacks in 8 games, and A.J running the ball effectively, there could be an opportunity for one of the OL to win that award as well.

[Argo57]

Josh Smith must have thrown a hissy fit during this process.

[Will]

Josh Smith must have thrown a hissy fit during this process.

I think he even acknowledged (a while back mind you) that the Argos are the ones to beat in the East.

[Argo57]

I think he even acknowledged (a while back mind you) that the Argos are the ones to beat in the East.

Must have almost killed him to do so.

[Mocha]

PFF's take on mid-season awards:

https://www.pff.com/news/cfl-midseason-all-star-team-and-player-awards-winnipegs-zach-collaros-takes-home-the-most-outstanding-player-award-ottawas-dustin-crum-is-most-outstanding-rookie

MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER: QB ZACH COLLAROS, WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERSHonorable Mentions: QB Chad Kelly, RB A.J. Ouellette, CB Garry Peters
While the candidates around him have changed throughout the season — and one has actually overtaken him as the betting favorite (https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/football/canadian-football-matches) — Collaros is still the leading candidate for Most Outstanding Player.
The Blue Bombers signal-caller is the highest-graded player in the league at 90.7 overall, and his adjusted completion percentage is over 75.0%, near the top of the league. He has 18 big-time throws to just five turnover-worthy plays, the best ratio in the CFL by far.
Collaros has really shined against the blitz this year. Across 130 dropbacks against the blitz, he has been sacked just five times, and he's thrown 14 touchdowns to just three interceptions (one of which was off a dropped pass). No quarterback in the league has earned a higher PFF grade on blitzed dropbacks (91.7).
If he continues to play like he’s been playing, Collaros should be taking home his third straight Most Outstanding Player Award.
MOST OUTSTANDING ROOKIE: QB DUSTIN CRUM, OTTAWA REDBLACKSHonorable Mentions: WR Austin Mack, RB Taquan Mizzell Sr., CB Kordell Rodgers
Montreal’s Austin Mack and B.C.’s Taquan Mizzell Sr. have been impressive in Year 1, but this award is Crum’s to lose. In a quarterback’s league, his 84.5 overall grade ranks third among all players at the position, while his 81.2% adjusted completion percentage leads the league.
However, Crum isn’t just doing his damage from the pocket. He also leads the position with 402 rushing yards on 58 attempts. He has forced 20 missed tackles, 12 more than the second-place quarterback.
The former Kent State star is proving to be a true dual-threat quarterback and possibly the future for the Redblacks. He’s seemingly got a vice grip on this award already.
MOST OUTSTANDING CANADIAN: RB BRADY OLIVEIRA, WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERSHonorable Mentions: RT Landon Rice, S Alonzo Addae, EDGE Mathieu Betts
While B.C.’s Mathieu Betts has been getting a lot of attention this year as he chases the sack record, Oliveira has been the best Canadian in the CFL this year. His 82.2 overall grade ranks seventh among all offensive players, and his 87.8 rushing grade ranks third. He leads the league in rushing yards, first downs gained, yards after contact and explosive runs.
Oliveira has been stuffed (a rush for no gain or a loss) on only 6.3% of his carries this season, the lowest percentage at the position. He also sits second in receiving yards among running backs at 249.
MOST OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: CB GARRY PETERS, BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONSHonorable Mentions: HB Robertson Daniel, DI Mike Rose, EDGE Willie Jefferson
This award is always tough to hand out, as comparing a shutdown coverage player like Peters to a pass-rush extraordinaire like Rose or Jefferson can be tricky.
Ultimately, Peters has just been playing at such a high level this season that he should be the midway favorite for the award. His 88.1 PFF grade leads all defensive players. He’s seen the second-most targets of any defensive player this season (49) and has allowed just 24 catches for 318 yards. But more impressively, he has allowed zero touchdowns. He leads the league with eight pass breakups and has hauled in three interceptions.
Quarterbacks targeting Peters have a passer rating of just 45.0, one of the lowest marks in the league. He has done more than enough to be considered the favorite for this award.
MOST OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: RT LANDON RICE, MONTREAL ALOUETTESHonorable Mentions: LG Pier-Olivier Lestage, RT Dejon Allen, LG Brandon Revenberg
The honorable mentions for this award all deserve merit. Lestage, Allen and Revenberg have been playing at an extremely high level — but not quite to Landon Rice’s level.
Nobody has been as good at both facets of offensive line play as Rice this season. His 79.8 pass-blocking grade ranks third among offensive linemen, while his 81.6 run-blocking grade ranks third. He’s allowed just one sack and six total pressures all season, giving him a pass-blocking efficiency score of 98.3 (tied with Allen for first among tackles).
His all-around play is why he is the only offensive lineman with an overall grade above 80.0. After 10 years in the CFL, Rice could be looking at his first-ever Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman award.
JOHN AGRO SPECIAL TEAMS AWARD: PR JAVON LEAKE, TORONTO ARGONAUTSHonorable Mentions: PK René Paredes, PK Lewis Ward, ST Kene Onyeka
This award could be a 1a and 1b right now between Leake and Paredes. On one hand, Paredes has made 27-of-30 field goals this season. That alone isn’t overly impressive, but the fact that he is a perfect 6-of-6 on 50-plus-yard field goals certainly is. The CFL record for 50-plus-yard field goal makes in a season is eight, and it would be more surprising if he didn’t break the record.
On the other hand, there’s Leake, the best punt returner in the CFL. He’s leading the CFL with a 15.3-yard average return, and he's scored three punt-return touchdowns. The record there is five in a season, so he’s also on pace for a record-breaking campaign.
Both are strong candidates, but ultimately Leake’s ability to completely turn the tide of a game with his punt returns put him just slightly over the edge for this award.
ANNIS STUCKUS TROPHY (COACH OF THE YEAR): RYAN DINWIDDIE, TORONTO ARGONAUTSHonorable Mentions: Rick Campbell, Jason Maas, Mike O’Shea
With all due respect to the other top-level coaches in the CFL this season, this award is pretty obvious. Dinwiddie has led the Toronto Argonauts to a league-leading 7-1 record, their only loss coming when their starting QB was injured.
The Argos offense, led by first-time starting QB Chad Kelly, is one of the best in the league. They have one of the most creative rushing attacks and a passing game that threatens deep more than almost any other team.
Defensively, they have one of the stingiest pass defenses despite the fact that they are almost always winning and having to play against a pass-heavy, comeback style of football. Their special teams play has also been second to none all around.
Dinwiddie has this team playing at high levels in all three phases of football and is a lock for this award if Toronto continues to play as they have been.