TORONTO — With just one week of preseason football to go, it’s almost time to focus on the 2024 season.
You notice we said almost and that’s because we have one more week to look back on the 2023 campaign before CFL Kickoff on June 6.
It’s a long off-season and as we get ready for this year, you may find yourself asking some questions: Who led the league last year in passing touchdowns? Who was the interceptions leader? Who was tops in the rushing category?
CFL.ca has you covered with those answers and more as we look back at the stats leaders of 2023.
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PASSING YARDS | VERNON ADAMS. JR. | 4,769
No quarterback threw for more yards in 2023 than BC Lions pivot Vernon Adams Jr. VA completed 333 of his 488 passes for a league-leading 4,769 yards. His passing total was just over 500 more yards than the next best, Zach Collaros, who threw for 4,252. Adams Jr.’s highest single-game total was in Week 17 when he threw for 458 yards against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He seemed to have the Riders’ number in 2023 with his second-highest single-game total coming against them in Week 11 (455 yards).
PASSING TOUCHDOWNS | ZACH COLLAROS | 33
Speaking of Zach Collaros, he may not have led the league in passing yards but he did lead in passing touchdowns. The Bombers pivot finished with 33 passing majors last season, two more than Adams Jr. and 10 more than the third place finisher, Chad Kelly. Collaros threw for five touchdowns, the most he threw in one game last year, in Week 14 against the Roughriders.
RUSHING YARDS | BRADY OLIVEIRA | 1,534
Brady Oliveira was named league’s Most Outstanding Canadian Player and earned a nomination for the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2023 after breaking the 1,500-yard rushing mark. The running back became the second National player to reach the 1,500 milestone and 2,000 yards from scrimmage. His best outing was a 169-yard performance in Week 17 against the Toronto Argonauts.
RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS | BRADY OLIVEIRA/DUSTIN CRUM | 9
There were two kings of the castle in rushing touchdowns last season: a running back and a quarterback. Oliveira found the end zone nine times on the ground (and another four times through the air, for the record), while Crum rushed in for the same amount. The REDBLACKS quarterback was dangerous with his feet any time he was on the field but most notable was his Week 15 contest against the Lions where he scored a trio of majors on the ground.
RECEIVING TOUCHDOWNS | DALTON SCHOEN | 10
Dalton Schoen led the CFL in touchdowns through the air, hauling in 10 last season. The 27-year-old’s season-high in one game was in Week 14 when he caught three touchdowns. Alexander Hollins (nine) and White (eight) were right behind the Bombers receiver in the category.
RECEIVING YARDS | TIM WHITE | 1,269
Tim White emerged as the league leader in receiving yards in 2023 with over 1,200. What makes it even more impressive is the pass-catcher had a revolving door of quarterbacks throwing him the ball as well. The 29-year-old’s best game was a Week 14 contest against the Ottawa REDBLACKS where he hauled in 180 yards and two touchdowns.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES | MICAH AWE | 134
Micah Awe was all over the field for the Calgary Stampeders in 2023, finishing the year at the top of the stats boards with 134 tackles on defence. He had two games last season where he hit 13 tackles in a single outing; Week 19 against the Roughriders and in Week 21 against the Blue Bombers. He sat 27 tackles ahead of the next-best player, Nyles Morgan, who tallied 107 on the year.
SACKS | MATHIEU BETTS | 18
Mathieu Betts has decided to take his talents to the NFL, signing with the Detroit Lions this off-season, but it’s worthwhile to note that when he was in the CFL last season, he knew how to get after the quarterback. His quick release off the line and precise pass rush moves helped him to beat offensive linemen and take down quarterbacks 18 times, six more than the second-best in Jake Cerensa (12).
INTERCEPTIONS | DEMERIO HOUSTON | 7
Demerio Houston led the CFL in interceptions in 2023, picking off quarterbacks seven times. He turned one of those interceptions into six points, returning a pick on his now teammate Jake Maier to the house in Week 11. In Week 1 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the 27-year-old snatched two interceptions, his season-high in one game.
SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES | CARTHELL FLOWERS-LLOYD | 31
Any time you saw a Hamilton Tiger-Cat making a tackle on special teams last season, it was more often than not Carthell Flowers-Lloyd. Flowers-Lloyd flourished (pardon the pun) on specials in 2023, racking up 31 tackles. On three occasions, Week 3, Week 9 and Week 17, Flowers-Lloyd tallied four special teams tackles in one game.
RETURN TOUCHDOWNS | JAVON LEAKE | 4
Javon Leake burst onto the scene in 2023 and ended up winning Most Outstanding Special Teams player that season. He returned four kicks for touchdowns, just one ahead of 2022’s winner of the same award, Mario Alford, who had three.
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE | BORIS BEDE | 94.9%
The most accurate field goal kicker in 2023 was Boris Bede, who connected on 37 of his 39 attempts, finishing the year with a 94.9% field goal percentage. BC’s Sean Whyte was second-best with a 94.3% followed by Winnipeg’s Sergio Castillo at 90.2%.