CFC100 Rourke earns top honours as Most Outstanding Canadian in NCAA

Quarterback Nathan Rourke Selected as Most Outstanding Canadian in NCAA Football in 2018-19, Repeats as Cornish Trophy Winner

HAMILTON, ON – Oakville, Ontario native and Ohio Bobcats quarterback Nathan Rourke has been selected as the winner of the Jon Cornish Trophy today at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Rourke is a repeat winner for the award presented annually to most outstanding Canadian player in NCAA Football.

The vote was conducted after the conclusion of NCAA bowl season. The panel of 14 voters was comprised of CFL player evaluators, Canadian-based media who follow the NCAA and former NCAA players who have a connection to Canada. Each voter was supplied with a highlight video of the player and a detailed statistical abstract for evaluation.

The final vote was extremely tight on the second ballot between the five finalists. Oklahoma State Cowboys running back Chuba Hubbard, a redshirt freshman from Sherwood Park, Alberta finished in a tie for first with Rourke. The tiebreaker was determined by Rourke receiving the greater number of first place votes. Third place finisher Chase Claypool was only one vote behind the leaders.

Second Ballot

Player Hometown School/Pos./Year Vote Total
CFC100 Nathan Rourke Oakville. ON Ohio/QB/Jr. 51 (6)
CFC100 Chuba Hubbard Sherwood Park, AB Oklahoma State/RB/Fr. 51 (4)
CFC100 Chase Claypool Abbotsford, BC Notre Dame/WR/Jr. 50 (3)
CFC100 Neville Gallimore Ottawa, ON Oklahoma/DL/Jr. 39 (1)
CFC100 Brady Oliveira Winnipeg, North Dakota/RB/Sr. 17

In total, there were 139 Canadians in NCAA, NAIA and Junior College in the 2018-19 season. From that list, 16 nominees were placed on to the first ballot. Here are the remaining 11 nominees in order of finish who did not advance for selection on the second ballot:

First Ballot (remaining order)

6 CFC100 Maleek Irons Chilliwack, BC Ohio/RB/Sr.
7 Justin McInnis Pierrefonds, PQ Arkansas State/WR/Sr.
8 Nathan Bennett Winnipeg, MB North Dakota/ DE /Jr.
9 CFC100 Joshua Palmer Brampton, ON Tennessee/ WR /So.
10 CFC100 Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund Dartmouth, NS Southeastern Louisiana/ DE /Jr.
11 CFC100 Patrice Rene Ottawa, ON North Carolina/ CB /Jr.
12 Shane Richards Calgary, AB Oklahoma State/ OL /Sr.
13 CFC100 Hergy Mayala Montreal, PQ U Conn/ WR /Sr.
14 CFC100 DeShawn Stevens Toronto, ON Maine/ LB /So.
15 CFC100 Jonathan Sutherland Ottawa, ON Penn State/ S /Fr.
16 CFC100 Nate Anderson Toronto, ON Missouri/ DE /Sr.


Nathan Rourke
Junior/Quarterback
Ohio Bobcats
Oakville, ON/Edgewood Academy (Alabama)

The repeat winner of the Cornish Trophy, Rourke started all 13 games for the Bobcats as a dual threat quarterback leading Ohio to a win in the Frisco Bowl and a 9-4 overall record. Via the air, Rourke connected on 164-of-274 (59.9%) for 2,434 yards and a TD-Interception ratio of 23/8. On the ground, he carried the ball 134 times for 860 yards, and 15 TDs.

He was selected as a second team all-conference QB. He was selected MAC East Offensive Player of the Week in weeks five, six and eight. In week five, he got the job done with both his arms and his legs in a 58-42 victory over UMass at Peden Stadium, rushing for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts. He also passed for 270 yards and three touchdowns, going 27-of-32 through the air with one interception. Rourke helped Ohio’s offense explode for a program-record 664 yards of offense (9/29)… In week six, he scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:28 for a 27-26 win at Kent State. Rourke completed 18-of-20 passes, setting an Ohio record for completion percentage in a single-game by completing 90 percent of his attempts. Rourke threw for 284 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also added 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground on 15 rushing attempts (10/06)… In week eight, he accounted for five total touchdowns, throwing a career-high four touchdown passes and adding another on the ground in a 49-14 win over Bowling Green. Rourke completed of 8-of-12 passes for 193 yards and carried 10 times for 101 yards. (10/20).

The trophy is named after Jon Cornish, a New Westminster, BC native who starred at running back at Kansas before moving on to a distinguished career in the CFL with the Calgary Stampeders. During his seven-year career Cornish was a three-time Most Outstanding Canadian (2012, 2013, 2014), Most Outstanding Player (2013) and winner of the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s top athlete (2013). He is a two-time Grey Cup Champion (2008, 2014). The trophy will be placed on permanent display at the CFHoF.

source: NB Group

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