Concordia Stinger linebacker Max Caron was named the RSEQ’s Outstanding Defensive Player at a press conference in Montreal this afternoon.
The second-year linebacker from Kingston, Ont. will also be the conference nominee for the CIS’s Presidents Trophy, which is awarded annually to the outstanding defensive player in the country. It will be presented Thursday, Nov. 24 in Vancouver as part of the Gibson’s Finest CFL Players Awards gala.
In nine university games Caron, a second-year Political Science student, collected 67 solo tackles and 23 assists for 78.5 total tackles to lead the CIS. He also led the nation in solo tackles, average tackles per game (8.7) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (3).
Caron had five interceptions overall which was tops in Quebec and the second best total in the CIS. He collected 3.5 sacks, 11 tackles for losses, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The 22 year old has stepped up as a team leader in just his second season of university football. Concordia head coach Gerry McGrath considers him an extra coach on the field. He admires Caron’s knowledge of the game and his communication skills.
“Max has tremendous functional intelligence for his position,” McGrath says. “He knows what’s going to happen before it happens. He’s so good at anticipating what is going to happen, sometimes you’d swear he was in the offensive huddle.
“His work ethic is exceptional. He watches more film than anyone. He knows what everyone else’s job his not just his own.”
Concordia has an excellent record for attracting and showcasing elite linebackers. In the last nine years, Stingers have been the Quebec conference’s top defensive players on six occasions and won the President’s Trophy four times.
Caron is the 11th Stinger nomination for Presidents Trophy. The elite linebackers include: Ross Reeves (1982), CFLer Greg Miller (’85), Luc Pelland (’94), Dwayne Bromfield (’98), Jason Casey (’99), Mickey Donovan (2003 and ’04), Patrick Donovan (’05 and ’06) and in 2009 Cory Greenwood who is currently a member of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs.
Casey was Caron’s coach with the Okanagan Sun of the Canadian junior ranks in 2008 and 2009. Pelland is the linebacker coach with Stingers, and Caron has developed under his tutelage.
Concordia CIS Major Award Winners:
1993 Paul Chesser (DE) Metras Trophy
2004 Mickey Donovan (LB) Presidents Trophy
2004 Troy Cunningham (DE) Metras Trophy
2005 Patrick Donovan (LB) Presidents Trophy
2006 Patrick Donovan (LB) Presidents Trophy
2007 Liam Mahoney (QB) Gorman Trophy
2009 Cory Greenwood (LB) Presidents Trophy
