MontrealAlouettes.com
MONTREAL – The Canadian Football League announced on Wednesday the Montreal Alouettes’ nominees for the 2013 Most Outstanding Player awards as selected by the voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and CFL head coaches. With brilliant performances throughout the whole season, international receiver Duron Carter was named the Alouettes’ Most Outstanding Player for this 2014 campaign while his teammate Bear Woods deserved the honour on defense. National Lineman Jeff Perrett picked up dual honours, being named the Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman as well as the team’s best Canadian player. Kicker Sean Whyte received the nod on special teams while Gabriel Knapton earned the recognition for Most Outstanding Rookie.
Most Outstanding Player: Duron Carter
It’s no surprise that international receiver Duron Carter was selected as the team’s Most Outstanding player for the Montreal Alouettes in 2014. In only fourteen contests this season, Carter currently sits third in the league for pass receiveing with an impressive total of 987 yards and six touchdowns on 71 catches. He is without a doubt the preffered target of young quaterback Jonathan Crompton. At 23 years of age, the young receiver also scored a touchdown on a missed field goal he returned 123 yards. The Fort Lauderdale, FL native was voted player of the game by supporters of Percival-Molson Memorial Stadium seven times. He had the best outing of his career on November 2 when he amassed 181 receiveing yards in 11 receptions. He also tallied the winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter that helped his team clinch a playoff spot for the 19th consecutive year. This performance earned him the title of Offensive Player of the nineteenth week in the CFL. The son of legendary Cris Carter has truly established himself as one of the biggest offensive threats in the league.
Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Bear Woods
In his fourth season with the team, international linebacker Bear Woods has been a key contributor in defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe’s squad. After missing the team’s first six outings in 2014, the 27 year-old athlete had an immediate impact when he returned to the roster and is currently experiencing his best career moments in the CFL. The Troy University product currently places third in the league with 80 defensive tackles, including seven sacks. His sensational season was emphasized on several occasions this year when he notched two Defensive Player of the Month honours in September and October as well as a Defensive Player of the Week title on week fourteen. His presence has transformed a very effective defensive squad in a threatful unit. He has been an integral part of a defence that leads the CFL with 45 turnovers.
Most Outstanding Canadian and Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Jeff Perrett
Jeff Perrett, who started all 17 contests for the Alouettes so far this season, continues to highly contribute to the success of the Alouettes’ offensive line that has once again been dominant throughout the season allowing only 30 sacs – good for second fewest in the CFL – on 523 passes attemped. Since the Alouettes’ remarkable season turnaround, him and his teammates of the offensive line have only allowed seven sacks in nine outings. In addition to having been at the heart of the solid protection the offensive line gave to the club’s four quaterbacks this season, Perrett helped pave the way for the team’s running backs in participating to the effective running game throughout the campaign. In making key blocks at the line of scrimmage, the Alouettes third-round pick in 2008 (24thoverall) supported Brandon Whitaker collecting an impressive total of 764 rushing yards on 169 runs. Whitaker was the CFL rushing yards leader before injuring his foot on October 10. The Alouettes veteran has been an example of consistency for coach Kris Sweet’s unit. Perrett also helped Tyrell Sutton obtain his best performance of the season on November 2 against the Toronto Argonauts amassing 135 rushing yards and a touchdown in 23 runs. Jeff Perrett and the Alouettes’ offensive line deserves a lot of credit in the recent success of this well balanced attack. The Alouettes average time of pessession is an impressive 31:10 minutes.
Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Sean Whyte
Alouettes’ kicker and field goal specialist Sean Whyte is once again having a sensational season prooving everybody that he is among the bests in his profession. The White Rock, BC native highly contributed on offence with 38 field goals and 12 singles. On October 24, 2014 against the Ottawa REDBLACKS, Whyte tied his personnel best, which is also an Alouettes record, of 24 consecutive made field goals. This record puts him ahead of star-kickers in Alouettes’ history, including Don Sweet, Damon Duval and Terry Baker. Subsequently, this personal record placed him fourth on the CFL all-time list. Throughout the entire season, Whyte was able to get his teammates favorable field positions with his power and high precision.
Most Outstanding Rookie: Gabriel Knapton
Gabriel Knapton has been impressive during his first year in the Canadian Football League. The Alouettes’ rookie, a product of the University of Wyoming, recorded 34 defensive tackles, including nine sacks in only 13 outings. The versatile defensive end is currently second on the team in sacks behind veteran John Bowman who has 12. Knapton also forced a fumble and knocked down one pass. The Mead, CO native is now considered a major threats for quarterbacks and offensive lines throughout the league.
