So season nine has finally come to a close, and while not everyone can be in Miami to celebrate a National Championship, players get to celebrate a memorable season. And what a memorable season it has been, with record setting performances, teams making the playoffs for the first time in their CFSL history, and new teams beginning to set a firm foundation for many seasons to come. With a National Champion crowned, we also crowned our awards winners last night as part of the National Championship Pre-Game Show, and we’ll cover them here.
OPOTY: Lyle Fletcher, Oklahoma State
The freshman sensation captured the eyes of many. At one point this season, the quarterback completed 30 consecutive passes. Lyle Fletcher went on to finish his season with 3,606 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns to only nine interceptions. But Fletcher’s player of the year campaign wasn’t solely based on his ability to throw the ball. No, the freshman signal-caller was able to run in six touchdowns, and guided Oklahoma State to their first conference championship, in their debut season no less. Fletcher entered into the season in the perfect system, tailored to his skillset, and he was able to thrive.
DPOTY: Jedidiah Longtree, ORE
The Oregon linebacker came on late, especially down the stretch. The man went 15 consecutive games with a tackle for a loss in his young CFSL career. The sophomore linebacker was a dominant force in the opposing backfield, finishing his season with 21 tackles for a loss and had four turnovers in total, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. Yes, there were several worthy candidates, but few were as consistently dominant as Oregon’s Jedidiah Longtree, who the Ducks could always count on to make a play when it was needed most by this defense.
Most Improved: Justin Williams, OKST
The Cowboys’ defensive end in Williams was able to do much more than turn things around from his freshman campaign. The sophomore took games over, and established himself as a dominant pass rusher in this league, jumping from just seven tackles for a loss and three sacks to his 24 tackles for a loss and 17 sacks this season. A significant improvement, and one that is rarely ever seen to be so steep among pass rushers, but Williams benefitted by the change in scenery with his move to Stillwater to join Oklahoma State, and it more than earned him the award.
Freshman of the Year: Lyle Fletcher, OKST
There’s a reason the quarterback was a freshman sensation, and so it shouldn’t be surprising to see the signal-caller win the award. He completed 80% of his passes, put up 30 passing touchdowns and avoided double digit interceptions with a brand new team in his first season. Fletcher made throws that left many in awe, and he follows in the footsteps of last season’s freshman sensation, Texas’ Vito Pipino. And now, the two young sensations are now racing to see who can win a National Championship first, if either of them.
AD of the Year: OKST56, Oklahoma State
OKST56 took over a brand new team this season. He was the athletic director at Alabama last season, before moving on to Stillwater and bringing in the Oklahoma State Cowboys to the league. And he went from a 2-6 record as an athletic director last season, to winning the entirety of the Big Ten this season, compiling a 7-1 record to earn a first round bye and the top seed in the playoffs. While he was unable to make a National Championship appearance, it’s a remarkable feat for one of the more well-respected and respectable athletic directors in the entirety of the CFSL, and it is a well deserved honor for the former Fan of the Year.
Fan of the Year: AssuredFame
Speaking of Fan of the Year, there’s always a plethora of deserving candidates in the CFSL for this award. Some have been here for a few seasons, steadily growing comfortable, and then there are thsoe who jump right in. AssuredFame is one who jumped right into the fray, instantly joining into the community that had been built within the CFSL, and adding upon its amicable legacy. AssuredFame entered, instantly seeking means of contribution to the league, whether through content, broadcasts, or simply just engaging and helping to add to the exciting atmosphere in league chat. Many are well-deserving, but the peers and members of the community observed AssuredFame as this season’s fan of the year.
Most Outstanding Senior: Blaze Gunner, MIA
The big play receiver of Miami is a hard one to overlook, and the Hurricanes have really come to appreciate his big play ability. Gunner came out of the gate strong in his senior season, putting up 866 receiving yards through the season and playoffs on just 44 catches. While he only had four receiving touchdowns, they were often deep strikes for this Hurricane offense and the senior receiver made such a splash that he couldn’t be forgotten by the voters.
Best Team Spirit: Alabama
Every season sees new teams take center stage. Part of what makes the CFSL community so exciting is the fans of the teams, and every team shows their fandom in league chat in different ways, but always with a passion that is difficult to encompass. In the ninth season of the CFSL, Alabama was one of the more passionate, and ever attending fanbases in the league, showing out every week for games outside of their own, and being a constant presence within league chat for the season.
Broadcaster of the Year: David Roy
The CFSL has recorded a longstanding tradition of excellent broadcasters, and in recent seasons they began recognizing the broadcaster of the year. For David Roy, it’s his second consecutive season winning the award outright, after splitting the award with Matt Pack. Of note, David began his broadcast career in the CFSL as the number one color commentator, but over the past couple of seasons has transitioned into the lead play-by-play role and is widely recognized across the vast majority of CFSL broadcasts, essentially becoming the Voice of the CFSL.
