Tag: Canadian Football League

Former Husker selected with first overall pick in CFL global draft

A former Nebraska football player was taken with the first selection in the Canadian Football League global draft.

A former Nebraska football player was taken with the first-overall selection in the Canadian Football League global draft. Linebacker Eteva Mauga-Clements was taken by the Edmonton Elks.

Mauga-Clements spent three seasons with the Huskers, playing from 2020-2022. He was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection (2021, 2022) while at Nebraska.

Elks assistant general manager Geroy Simon said the team targeted the linebacker early in the process.

“Eteva is a player we’ve targeted from the beginning of the Global process. He’s a high-level player who will contribute on special teams from the first day of camp.”

The Elks finished the 2023 season with a league-worst 4-14 record.

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Adam Korsak is up for some big CFL honors

Adam Korsak is impressing in the Canadian Football League.

A first season in the Canadian Football League is going along quite well for Adam Korsak. The former Rutgers football punter is off to a strong start to his professional career in the CFL.

Korsak, who won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter in his last season at Rutgers, has picked up where his college football career left off. He has had a good first for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

As a rookie, he has averaged 47.9 yards per punt and had a 90-yard punt in Week 3.

His impressive performance throughout his season has seen Korsak be nominated for two pretty big awards in the CFL Not a bad start to his professional career for the former Rutgers punter:

 

At Korsak’s alma mater, things are going along well.

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Flynn Appleby, in his first season as Korsak’s replacement, is averaging a solid and steady 41.8 yards per punt.

Of his 32 punts, Appleby has landed 13 inside the 20-yard line. Only one of Appleby’s punts has been a touchback.

Two former Buckeyes make PFF CFL Team of the Week

Two former Ohio State football studs players Austin Mack and Najee Murray are tearing it up in the @CFL according to @PFF #CFL #GoBucks

The first week of the Canadian Football League is in the books and two of the three former Buckeyes in the league shined brighter than most. The CFL recently partnered with Pro Football Focus and one of the cool things they have provided is a weekly Team of the Week.

It shouldn’t be surprising that Austin Mack made the list as we already discussed how amazing his northern debut was with four receptions for 120 yards and player of the game honors for the Montreal Alouettes,

The other former Buckeye on the PFF list is another Alouette as well in Najee Murray.

Murray is the former Ohio State stud with the most CFL experience and that was evident during the season opener as he made a crucial interception in the fourth quarter. Buckeye fans may remember Murray best for his days at Kent State as he transferred to the MAC school.

 

 

Former Buckeye shines in CFL debut

Former Buckeye shines in CFL debut #GoBucks #CFL

The Ohio State football program has a decent history of providing playmaking wide receivers to the Canadian Football League, whether it be former CFL All-Stars, Duron Carter and Ken-Yon Rambo or former Grey Cup MVP, DeVier Posey.

The CFL appears to have another future star in former Buckeye, Austin Mack. It is not surprising that Mack shined in his debut up North and I would bet that this continues for the rest of the season. Mack was a former four-star recruit who started in 28 games during his career in Columbus and snagged 79 receptions for 1,050 yards and six touchdowns in his four seasons.

Mack would have likely accomplished more but was hampered by injuries throughout his college career. He went undrafted in 2020 and spent the season with the New York Giants and spent 2021 with the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers. After being released by San Francisco Mack took a chance up North.

In his CFL debut, Mack snagged four receptions for 120 yards in a big season-opening win for Montreal over the Ottawa Redblacks, 19-12.

For his efforts, the former Buckeye was also named player of the game.

Adam Korsak talks ‘tremendous opportunity’ with the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Adam Korsak is hoping to make an impact in the CFL.

Adam Korsak signed with the Canadian Football League (CFL) last week. The former Rutgers football punter, now with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, is looking to seize this chance and platform.

The best punter in Rutgers history, Korsak may well be the best player the program has ever seen, regardless of position. Last season he won the Ray Guy Award as the nation’s top punter.

It was the first time that a Rutgers football player has ever won a national award for on-the-field performance. Korsak was a finalist for the award in 2021 as well.

Now in the CFL, Korsak is getting an opportunity to take the next step in his career.

“It is a tremendous opportunity. I have enjoyed the fellas on the team as well as the coaching staff so far,” Korsak told Rutgers Wire last week.

“I’m looking forward to doing my best and being the best teammate I can be.”

It was a bit of a surprise that the Australian punter was not selected in April’s NFL draft. Korsak did, however, participate in two NFL rookie minicamps with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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The CFL is affording Korsak a chance to prove himself on a very big stage and continue his development from Australia, through the ranks of the Big Ten and now in professional football.

And perhaps back to the NFL someday.

“This league is a tremendous opportunity and right now I am enjoying being a Saskatchewan Roughrider,” Korsak said.

“I will do my best to help the team and any future opportunities will be handled at the appropriate time.”

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Former Ohio State football players in the CFL for 2023

Former Ohio State football players in the CFL for 2023 #GoBucks #CFL

The Canadian Football League has started training camp. Four former Ohio State football players were on opening-day rosters in 2022, but that number has decreased. Only three are on rosters as the 2023 season gets underway. Two of the names on this list have been in the CFL for a decent amount of time and were a part of all the fun north of the border last year. One is a bit surprising — and even exciting.

One interesting name not on this list is Duron Carter, the son of former Ohio State great, Cris Carter. The younger Carter had some off-field issues at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama and Florida Atlantic, but he has been a cornerstone in the CFL for almost a decade. I expect him to join a roster possibly midseason, so stay tuned.

Let’s dive into the former Buckeyes in the CFL.

Doug Nussmeier officially named Chargers’ quarterbacks coach

Doug Nussmeier brings over 20 years of coaching experience into his new role as the Chargers’ quarterbacks coach.

The Chargers made several changes to their coaching staff on Monday, naming their new defensive coordinator, defensive quality control coach, and linebackers coach among other moves. But the only swap on the offensive side of the ball was Doug Nussmeier being tapped as the team’s next quarterbacks coach.

Nussmeier, a former NFL quarterback, was a fourth-round selection by the New Orleans Saints in the 1994 draft class. However, he found most of his success as a professional football player in Canada, where he was a Grey Cup champion with the BC Lions in 2000.

He has held various roles on coaching staffs in Canada, in the college ranks in the United States, and in the NFL since his playing days ended. Initially a quarterbacks coach for the BC Lions and Ottowa Renegades in the CFL in 2001 and 2002, Nussmeier eventually found his way to Michigan State in the same role in 2003 before landing his first gig as an NFL head coach with the St. Louis Rams in 2006.

Over the years, Nussmeier has held a variety of positions ranging from offensive coordinator to tight ends coach, and with his new position in Los Angeles should be primed to lend his exceptional experience to help bolster the Chargers’ offense in 2023.

Under his direction, quarterback Justin Herbert seems primed to take a step forward next season, and if the cards fall their way, Nussmeier could prove to be a key piece in Los Angeles’ quest to secure their first playoff win since 2018.

CFL star QB Nathan Rourke reportedly visiting Jaguars

CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian is spending Monday visiting the Jaguars.

BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke of the Canadian Football League is on a tour of NFL visits and it included a Monday stop with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Rourke, 24, was named CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian for the 2022 season, earning Top Performer of the Week five times and Top Performer of the Month twice. After the Lions lost to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the West Division Finals in November, Rourke announced that he had several NFL workouts lined up.

According to Schefter, that included a stop with the Las Vegas Raiders last week. Rourke is also scheduled to visit the Denver Broncos on Tuesday after spending Monday with the Jaguars.

Jacksonville has its starting quarterback for the foreseeable future in Trevor Lawrence, but could easily be in the market for a backup quarterback.

Second on the depth chart right now is former San Francisco 49ers passer C.J. Beathard, who has thrown five passes over two seasons with the Jaguars. In his four years with the 49ers, Beathard had a 2-10 record as a starter with 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.

The Jaguars also have undrafted rookie E.J. Perry on the practice squad.

Rourke completed 78.7 percent of his passes during the 2022 season with 3,349 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also added 304 rushing yards with seven touchdowns. In May 2021, he tried out with the New York Giants as a wide receiver.

WATCH: Felton Davis III with an impressive diving catch for Calgary Stampeders

Felton Davis III is starting to look like his old self again

The Canadian Football League has always been a good haven for former Michigan State football players, with names like BJ Cunningham and Jeremy Langford suiting up in the CFL in recent years. Another beloved Spartan, Felton Davis III, recently signed with the Calgary Stampeders and he impressed on Saturday with a nice diving catch.

You can watch it below:

Davis originally joined the Kansas City Chiefs after leaving MSU, but injuries derailed his career. It’s good to see him back to making the highlight plays he was known for at Michigan State.

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Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

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Report: De’Anthony Thomas ‘no longer expected’ to join B.C. Lions after failing to attend rookie camp

It doesn’t look like De’Anthony Thomas will be joining the B.C. Lions any longer. The Oregon legend was a no-show at rookie camp on Thursday.

A few months ago, it appeared that we were getting ready for a De’Anthony Thomas renaissance, this time in the Canadian Football League, as the former Oregon Ducks legend was signing a contract to play for the B.C. Lions.

However, that doesn’t appear the be the case anymore after Thomas failed to show up at rookie camp with the team on Thursday afternoon. There is not yet a reason for why Thomas didn’t show up, but according to Farhan Lalji, a reporter for TSN, Thomas is not expected to be with the team any longer. We will wait to hear anything further on the situation.

Thomas was recently enjoying the limelight in Eugene where he was an honorary coach with the Ducks at their annual spring game. Thomas was also expected to participate in the Oregon Pro Day earlier this spring alongside former Duck Devon Allen, but he was reportedly unable to join due to his CFL contract with the Lions.

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