Four weeks remain in the Canadian Football League's regular season. Playoff positions in both the East and West Divisions are anything but decided. And while the teams battle it out on the field to determine who’s the best, fans have started weighing in on the best individual players.
The CFL awards will be handed out during Grey Cup week in Vancouver and fans across the country are chiming in on who they feel is most deserving of year-end recognition. As always, the most debate revolves around the George Reed Most Outstanding Player award.
Several players have made some excellent cases for consideration. In Saskatchewan, the conversation starts and ends with defensive back Rolan Milligan Jr. Currently in his fourth year with the Riders, he's trending toward career-highs in defensive tackles, special teams tackles and interceptions. These numbers haven’t gone unnoticed by opposing teams and his head coach, Corey Mace.
“Everybody knows where No. 0's at and he's able to make plays. There's a lot of great players in this league, and I don't have the vote, but if I did, that would be mine," Mace said referring to Milligan Jr. as M.O.P.
Entering Week 17, Milligan Junior has made 65 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles (1st), seven interceptions (1st), 10 pass knockdowns (1st) and 103 total defensive plays (3rd). All this in 14 games and less than a season removed from a foot injury that limited him to four games in 2023.
Roughriders' quarterback Trevor Harris knew that Milligan Jr. was something special when he faced him for the first time with the Edmonton Elks in 2022.
“I remember going after the game. Who is No. 0? I looked him up, and I was like, this guy is good. He was awesome in the open field, tackling, and sticky in man coverage," Harris said.
“He's a tremendous dude. He's a father of four and a really mature, smart guy. He's a really, really good football player, and I'm glad people are finally realizing it.”
If named the Most Outstanding player, Milligan Jr. would be the fourth Roughrider ever to win the award. Reed won in 1965, QB Ron Lancaster won in 1970, and fellow pivot Kerry Joseph was the winner in 2007.
Even rarer than a Saskatchewan Roughrider winning the M.O.P award, is a defensive player taking the crown. Only one full-time player from the defensive side of the ball has earned the award: B.C. Lions linebacker Solomon Elimimian in 2014.
Milligan Jr. travels to Edmonton as the Riders take on the Elks on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium. Countdown to Kick-off begins with Justin Dunk and Wes Cates at 2 p.m. Luc Mullinder and I will join at 4 p.m. with the kick-off to follow at 5 p.m. on the Co-operators Roughrider Radio Network.
