Riders shut out as CFL announces award finalists

Members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders won’t be winning CFL awards in 2023.

The league announced its finalists for the player awards on Wednesday and the Roughriders were shut out.

The finalists for the award as the CFL’s most outstanding player are Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back Brady Oliveira and Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly. Linebacker Larry Dean was the Roughriders’ nominee for that award.

The award for top defensive player will go to either B.C. Lions defensive end Mathieu Betts or Argos linebacker Adarius Pickett. Dean was Saskatchewan’s nominee for that award as well.

Oliveira is the West Division’s nominee as outstanding Canadian, and he’ll face Montreal Alouettes safety Marc-Antoine Dequoy in the voting. Receiver Sam Emilus represented the Roughriders in that category.

The award as the league’s outstanding offensive lineman will go to either Winnipeg’s Jermarcus Hardrick or Toronto’s Dejon Allen. Saskatchewan’s nominee for that hardware was guard Logan Ferland.

The finalists for the award as the CFL’s top special-teams player are Lions kicker Sean Whyte and Argonauts returner Javon Leake. Punter Adam Korsak was the Roughriders’ nominee.

Korsak also was nominated for the award as the league’s top rookie, but voters in the West chose Edmonton Elks defensive back Kai Gray. He’ll face Argonauts defensive back Qwan’tez Stiggers in the league-wide balloting.

The finalists for the award as the CFL’s coach of the year are the Bombers’ Mike O’Shea and Toronto’s Ryan Dinwiddie.

Saskatchewan went 6-12-0 in the 2023 regular season and missed the playoffs. The Roughriders didn’t renew the contract of head coach Craig Dickenson after his fifth season at the helm.