Rolan Milligan Jr. named Riders’ most outstanding player

Rolan Milligan Jr. has been one of the premier defenders in the CFL this season.

Heading into the final week of the season, the 30-year-old product of Lake Wales, Fla. leads the CFL in interceptions with eight, and is tied for second in special teams tackles, with 20 so far.

Those stats have led to the Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive back being named the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

The rest of the team awards were also announced on Wednesday.

In this first ballot, representatives from the Football Reporters of Canada from each CFL city plus the respective head coaches submitted votes for the six categories.

The West Division nominees will be announced on October 31 and the CFL Awards will be handed out on November 14 during the Grey Cup Festival in Vancouver.

The Riders take on the Calgary Stampeders in the CFL regular-season finale on Saturday.

Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player: Rolan Milligan Jr.

Milligan Jr. is taking home a trio of awards for his work on the field this season. Not only is he a talented defender, but he has also been one of the league’s top contributors on special teams.

This led to him being a unanimous choice for all three team awards. He is the third Riders’ player to be unanimously nominated for three awards in a single season. Defensive back Ken McEachern in 1979 and 1980 was nominated for Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, and Most Outstanding Canadian. In 2015, linebacker Jeff Knox Jr. was unanimously voted the team’s Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player and Most Outstanding Rookie.

Along with his interception and special teams tackle numbers, Milligan also has 10 pass knockdowns (tied for second in the CFL), 111 total defensive plays (fourth), and 71 defensive tackles.

“It just kind of validates how I feel about myself. Everyone has a personal thought about who they are as a player and other people thinking the same thing lets me know I’m doing what I’m supposed to do,” Milligan Jr. said.

Head coach Corey Mace said before he was the bench boss in Saskatchewan, you could tell on the tape how good Milligan Jr. was as a football player.

“To see what he has been able to do this year has been outstanding,” Mace said. “Just being around the guy every day and seeing how he conducts himself and how he prepares himself, it doesn’t shock you to the success that he has had.

“Did I anticipate he was going to be up for all three? No. But now that I’m here, it doesn’t shock me at all.”

This is the third year in a row a defender has claimed the Riders’ Most Outstanding Player award. Linebacker Darnell Sankey was the team’s most outstanding player 2022 with Larry Dean won the award in 2023.

Most Outstanding Canadian: Sam Emilus

For the second straight season, Sam Emilus has been named the Riders’ Most Outstanding Canadian.

The 26-year-old product of Montreal has over 1,000 receiving yards for the second year in a row. He has 1,064 yards and five touchdowns on 86 catches heading into the team’s final regular-season game. According to Riders’ historian Rob Vanstone, Emilus is just seven catches away from tying the Riders’ regular-season record for most receptions by a Canadian. Ray Elgaard set that record with 94 in 1990.

Emilus, who was the Riders’ first-round pick in the 2022 CFL draft, was the team’s nominee last season as well after putting together a campaign that saw him haul in 70 catches for 1,097 yards and six touchdowns.

“Any time you can contribute to the success of the team in a big way, it’s always huge. I wouldn’t be able to do it without all those guys in the locker room, those coaches, and everybody in the organization,” Emilus said. “It’s big.”

Mace praised Emilus for the work he does when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands.

“He’s going to get the accolades for the 1,000 yards and all that stuff. Time and time again we show clips in team meetings and it has nothing to do with the catches,” Mace said. “You cut the tape, you’re going to see him blocking his tail off for his teammates. You’re going to see him in there tussling with defensive ends and not losing the battle. Super selfless guy.”

Emilus is the first repeat nominee for Most Outstanding Canadian since Scott Schultz (2005 and 2006).

Most Outstanding Offensive lineman: Logan Ferland

Logan Ferland has become a mainstay along the Riders’ offensive line since he became a starter back in 2021. He has started 65 games in his CFL career, all with the Riders.

The Melfort product and former member of the Regina Thunder has proven his versatility this year, moving along the line as injuries have decimated the group. Ferland has started 11 games at right guard this season, one game at right tackle, and the past five games at centre. Despite all the injuries and new faces, Ferland has been the anchor for a group that has only given up 32 sacks this season – fourth-fewest in the CFL.

“I think versatility is important. I think a lot of our guys are able to do it as you’ve seen — we’re able to fill in multiple spots,” Ferland said. “Props goes to (offensive line coach Edwin Harrison) for keeping us prepared for every possible outcome. I also think a lot about my Thunder days and I had to change a lot of positions then so I started out young so that has really helped me out.”

This is the third season in a row Ferland has been the team’s nominee for the award — so Ferland has his sights set on a bigger award.

“It doesn’t mean much without a Grey Cup. That’s the main thing we are here for,” Ferland said. “I think you’ll hear any of the individual awards from anyone, I think they are going to be saying the same thing.

“I’m going to celebrate the individual award

He was a unanimous choice.

Most Outstanding Rookie: Trevor Reid

The only other player to play in every game along the offensive line this season is first-year CFL player Trevor Reid.

The Griffin, Ga., product spent parts of the 2023 season on the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons practice squads after going undrafted in 2023.

“I’m just trying to talk to the older guys and pick their brains and try to do whatever they do,” Reid said. “That’s one of my biggest things — try to take up after what they do.”

Reid signed with the Riders on Dec. 4, 2023. He has played in all 17 games as the team’s left tackle.

“I just came here with the mentality that I’ve got to get it. I have two little boys, I just have to go get it,” Reid said.

The last Rider offensive lineman to receive the team award was Xavier Fulton in 2012.