1971 Award Nominees

Most Outstanding Player

RB Tyler Kuhn - Minnesota Serpents
STATS: 21 Rushing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Rushing Yards
Kuhn has been a rising star for the Serpents over the last couple of seasons and after a fully healthy season, he has broken through as one of the league’s best running backs. He managed to eclipse 20 touchdowns on the season while leading the league in rushing yards. It certainly helps being in such a run-heavy offence, but he is the main reason they are. 

QB Louis Vaughn - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
STATS: 27 Passing Touchdowns (2nd), 2nd In Passing Yards
Vaughn has continued to prove to the rest of the NAAF that he is at the top of his game right now. His 27 passing touchdowns along with the 2nd most passing yards, were only second to division rival QB Buck Murphy. However, Vaughn was much better when protecting the football, only throwing 12 interceptions to Murphy’s 22, as well as having his output despite missing several of his starting WRs for portions of the season.

DL Bartolo Cruz - Providence Gold Stars
STATS: 1st in Sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles
Cruz had a fantastic career-defining season. On the D-line, he was a nuisance to every QB in the league. It was a rarity if Cruz didn’t reach the QB at some point during a game this season. He earned 2 Player of the Week nods this season. He was a constant force that made offences uneasy when going up against the Gold Stars and may have been one of the biggest factors to the team’s #1 defence this season. On top of everything, he led the league in QB pressures and tackles for loss. 

Offensive Player of the Year

WR Casey Coleman - Louisville Thunder
STATS: 15 Receiving Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Receiving Yards
For the 2nd year in a row, Casey Coleman proved that he is one of if not the best WR in the NAAF. He tore up the field making catch after catch and scoring touchdown after touchdown. Coleman was in the MOP conversation but was left on the ballot, barely. 

RB Tyler Kuhn - Minnesota Serpents
STATS: 21 Rushing Touchdowns (1st), 1st in Rushing Yards
Kuhn, as mentioned before, is a rising star, with an electric rushing attack. Kuhn became the beating heart of the Serpents’ offence this season en route to leading the league in both major rushing categories. 

QB Louis Vaughn - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
STATS: 27 Passing Touchdowns (T-2nd), 2nd in Passing Yards
Vaughn’s poised performance this season has led the Blacksmiths to the top of the league. His ability to make something happen despite missing several key weapons throughout the season has thrown him to the top of the league in his performance this season despite finishing behind QB Buck Murphy in both passing categories. 

QB Kevin Westwood - Vancouver Wolves
STATS: 27 Passing Touchdowns (T-2nd), 4th in Passing Yards
Westwood has had some ups and downs this season, but when he has been up, Westwood has been one of the best QBs in the league. He earned himself 2 Player of the Week nods this season to go along with 27 passing touchdowns. He led the way for the Wolves who snuck into the playoffs on the final day of the season. 

Defensive Players of the Year

DB Sergio Alvarez - Ottawa Royals
STATS: 10 Interceptions (T-1st), 1 Defensive Touchdown
Right with Falkner at the top of the interception charts was Royals corner DB Sergio Alvarez. Alvarez has continued to prove that he is the next superstar at the position, and with a completely healthy season has solidified himself as that next star.

DL Bartolo Cruz - Providence Gold Stars
STATS: 1st in Sacks, 4 Forced Fumbles
As mentioned before, Cruz had a stellar performance throughout the season. His rushing attack was nearly impossible to stop as he ended up with the most QB pressures and sacks throughout the season. He also led the way in tackles for loss, finding a way to ball carriers before they even got out of the backfield. 

LB Kurt Warlock - Providence Gold Stars
STATS: 1st in Tackles, 6 Forced Fumbles
A regular DPOY nominee and last year’s winner, Warlock is back again with a fantastic season. He dominated once again to lead the league in tackles, on top of having 6 forced fumbles. The beating heart of the Gold Stars’ defence is again proving that he is the best in the league at what he does. 

DL Butcher Callahan - Regina Wheat Kings
STATS: 2nd in League in Sacks, 2 Safeties, 6 Forced Fumbles
Callahan, as a rookie, burst onto the scene and immediately made a name for himself. Some may argue he might have been MOP-worthy without DL Bartolo Cruz’s performance. Callahan became one of the biggest factors in the Wheat Kings' defence and caused a lot of issues for teams this season. Callahan also scored 2 safeties this season to add to his stellar rookie performance. 

Special Teams Player of the Year

K Albert Wickerweaver - Halifax Mariners
Despite a tough season for the Mariners, Wickerweaver was always reliable for the team and managed to keep them in games throughout the season. Wickerweaver was also the long kicker to earn a Player of the Week nod this season after hitting 6 field goals in a win over the London Tigers.

K Ray Bough - Minnesota Serpents
Ray Bough has been a great kicker for the Serpents continuing to prove it this season. Bough didn’t have a big performance like Wickerweaver, but he was still consistent and a big part of a successful Minnesota team. 

K Sterling Brooks - Vancouver Wolves
Early on it was clear that Brooks was going to be a front runner for the STPOY award as he was leading the league by 10 field goals at one point this season. While his production did slip in the second half of the season, although for the team that was due to more touchdowns being scored, Brooks remained a reliable and productive scorer for the Wolves this season. 

Offensive Lineman of the Year

OL Carlton Vanderbilt - Boston Independents
Vanderbilt is only in his 3rd season in the NAAF, but the young lineman has made a strong impact already. Vanderbilt’s well-rounded ability to block in both passing and rushing has made him a valuable piece for the Independents who sport both a good passing and rushing attack. Vanderbilt let one of the fewest pressures on his QB Nathaniel Braddock and opened the way for RB Reggie Whitehead throughout the season.

OL Elias McCarren - Minnesota Serpents
McCarren remains a sturdy leader for the Serpents. His technical skills make him one of the league's best and most consistent blockers. When he wasn’t opening up holes and blocking downhill for RB Tyler Kuhn, McCarren was a wall in protecting the young QB Martin Keller. 

OL Erik Nelson - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
The former 1st overall pick proved just why he was taken for Pittsburgh’s first-ever draft selection. Last season, Nelson provided a lot of help to a lacklustre backfield that got boosted by the star’s physicality. With RB Max Tracy there this season, the run game was miles better with Nelson leading the charge. He also continued to be a perfect protector for QB Louis Vaughn. 

Coach of the Year

HC Malachi Knowles - Montreal Rouge - Record: 12-2
The last time Knowles coached a team was only a couple of years ago in 1969, when he led the Louisville Thunder to an 0-12 season. The disappointing season certainly hurt Knowles’ reputation, but this season, Knowles completely redeemed himself, earning each and every one of those 12 games back with a 12-win season in Montreal. Knowles’ “QB Whisperer” moniker returned as well as he rejuvenated veteran QB Gene Bishop’s career after he had been struggling for the last couple of seasons. An all-around huge bounce-back year for Knowles.

HC Ted McMahon - Pittsburgh Blacksmiths - Record: 12-2
In McMahon’s career coaching the Blacksmiths, one thing has been a constant, and that is a steady improvement with each season. Yes, the first couple of seasons in Pittsburgh were not pretty, but he has continued to improve the team to make the playoffs and the final four in back-to-back seasons. Now, he has led the team to a league-best 12-2 season, earning the #1 seed and Pittsburgh’s first home playoff game in the NAAF. McMahon’s offensive mind has been one of the best in the league and was on full display with and without star players in the lineup. Another great season by a great coach.

HC Tommie Warner - Providence Gold Stars - Record: 11-3
Warner returns as a nominee for Coach of the Year. Warner continued to work on the already strong defence and helped its stars to become super this season. Two of his players had DPOY-level seasons with several others in All-Star consideration. Warner has completely turned the Gold Stars’ fortunes around and has made them into a defensive powerhouse that looks to be dominant over the next several seasons with their young QB Red King only getting better. 

Rookie of the Year

WR Ben Graham - Louisville Thunder
STATS: 8 Receiving Touchdowns (1st among Rookies), 1 Kick Return Touchdown
WR Lloyd Lane took a step back this season and in his place rose a new star in WR Ben Graham. Graham’s quickness and deep threat ability made him an instant star for the Thunder. On top of being a top WR on offence, Graham was also a key factor on special teams, being the team’s primary kick returner. A great all-around season from Graham in his first in the NAAF. 

WR Antonio Villanueva - Montreal Rouge
STATS: 6 Receiving Touchdowns (2nd among Rookies), 1st among Rookies in Receiving Yards
Villanueva became a massive part of Montreal’s offensive resurgence. He was a master of picking up yards after the catch, leading rookies in receiving yards this season. His ability to escape dire situations was his biggest impact and while he didn’t get into the endzone as frequently as he hoped, he is only in his first season and looked to be the next big star for the Rouge. 

DL Butcher Callahan - Regina Wheat Kings
STATS: 2nd in League in Sacks, 2 Safeties, 6 Forced Fumbles
Callahan’s rookie season is one that will be remembered for his ability to make just about anything happen on defence. He was constantly in the backfield and all over the opposing team’s QB. His 6 forced fumbles and 2 safeties pair nicely with the 2nd most sacks in the whole league. Callahan proved that he is a star for the future. 

Breakout Player of the Year

DB Davey Woods - Minnesota Serpents
STATS: 5 Interceptions, 2 Defensive Touchdowns
Woods has been in the NAAF for some time now, but this season he stepped up as one of the top guys on his team. He would pick up a career-high 5 interceptions, bringing 2 of them back for touchdowns. Woods also continued to improve on his ability to stick with guys and was able to lock down a couple of receivers this season.

DL Alan Franjkovic - Montreal Rouge
STATS: 5 Forced Fumbles
Franjkovic has slowly developed into a star for the Rouge on the D-line. The former 2nd Round Pick as blossomed into a powerful edge rusher. He had very solid numbers this season, though still behind that of the top guys in the league, but it was a breakout season to show the league that Franjkovic is here to stay.

WR Matthew de la Cruz - Ottawa Royals
STATS: 5 Receiving Touchdowns
De la Cruz was officially a rookie last season, but it was his second year where he showed that he could be a starting WR in the NAAF. He found the endzone 5 times this season and came 2nd in receiving yards on the Royals this season. His strong performance couldn’t have come at a better time for the WR who is looking to get a big-boy contract this offseason. 

1971 Recap and Playoff Preview

(8) BUF (7-7) @ (1) PIT (12-2) - OCT 9 - 2:00 PM ET

1971 Head-to-Head: W14 - BUF 15-29 PIT *(This is the first time Pittsburgh has beaten Buffalo)
Historic Head-to-Head: BUF 7-1 PIT
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: BUF 1-0 PIT
The City of Pittsburgh will host its first playoff game in decades as the Blacksmiths enter the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NAAF. QB Louis Vaughn has played at an MOP level this season, paired up with a strong performance from RB Max Tracy and a solid defence. Standing in their way of getting a big win at home is a team that has been a thorn in their side since joining the league: The Buffalo Blue Wings. In 9 total matchups between the teams, the Blue Wings have won 8 of them. The lone win for the Blacksmiths came just 2 weeks earlier. Buffalo enters the playoffs after pulling off a miracle in the final game of the regular season to continue their playoff streak. There are going to be a couple of firsts in this game for Buffalo as they will wear their white uniforms in a playoff game for the first time since 1961. On top of that, this will be their first non-championship, road playoff game since 1961. The Blacksmiths will enter the game riding an 11-game win streak, their last loss coming in week 3 against Louisville. They have all the momentum in the world, but last week also showed why you can never count out the Blue Wings despite several key injuries impacting their roster. I expect Buffalo to put up a fight, but Pittsburgh is still the better team right now and I don’t see them losing here. 
My Pick: Blacksmiths

(7) VAN (7-7) @ (2) MTL (12-2) - OCT 9 - 7:00 PM ET
1971 Head-to-Head: Did Not Play
Historic Regular Season Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
The Montreal Rouge return to the postseason for the first time since 1967. They feature a roster that has a good balance of players like DB Lamar Brown, WR Antonio Villanueva, and RB Bo Frazier, who have not seen the playoffs before, and veterans like QB Gene Bishop, WR Taylor Karis, and S Mathieu Cazenave who have been there before. The Rouge will be up against the Vancouver Wolves. The Wolves enter the postseason riding a pair of excellent performances from QB Kevin Westwood, to get them into the dance. The Wolves do face the question of which team is going to show up for this game, as they have had games where they have beaten top teams like Providence and Boston, but then others where they have fallen to bottom-dwellers like Regina and London. As for Montreal, they enter the game as a team that has been very strong in close games this season, tending to find ways to win when it gets down to the wire. I am expecting a close game, but I see the Rouge as a stronger team in crunch time.
My Pick: Rouge 

(5) LOU (9-5) @ (4) PRO (11-3) - OCT 10 - 2:00 PM ET
1971 Head-to-Head: W7 - LOU 21-17 PRO
Historic Regular Season Head-to-Head: LOU 5-7 PRO
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: Have Not Played
The Gold Stars’ defence has been the driving force behind the team’s 11-3 record this season. They will have to continue to rely on the stars as they enter the playoffs looking to get to another McCallister Cup being hosted at their home stadium. They will also be without young starting QB Red King, who is out for the remainder of the season. QB Landon Ross will lead the way, and should still provide solid play as he is 9-3 as a starter for the team. Visiting Providence is a team that has already gone up to the Rhode Island capital and won a game this season. With the high-flying offence behind WR Casey Coleman, WR Lloyd Lane, and WR Ben Graham leading the way, they were able to overcome the strong offence. However, the Thunder have struggled as of late, going 1-3 in their last 4 games, and will be missing Lane in the receiving corps. The shaky play from the team as a whole and starting QB Buck Murphy, who was outplayed by his backup, QB Xerxes Wynn, last week. The Gold Stars on the other hand have won their last 4 games and will be hungry for revenge. I think the defence will pull it together and the Gold Stars will move on.
My Pick: Gold Stars

(6) OTT (9-5) @ (3) MIN (10-4) - OCT 10 - 7:00 PM ET
1971 Head-to-Head: W11 - OTT 17-23 MIN
Historic Regular Season Head-to-Head: OTT 1-1 MIN
Historic Playoff Head-to-Head: OTT 1-0 MIN
The final game of the week is a rematch of the 1969 East Division Semi-Final, which saw the Royals take down the Serpents in Minnesota’s first season in the NAAF. Minnesota will be looking for revenge and some redemption after losing to the 4 seed Wolves last year in the first round of the playoffs. They will have to do it without a couple of key contributors on offence in WR Sebastian Dassler and RB Hugo Hughes. Ottawa, on the other hand, is getting a lot of their talent back this week with DL Bernhard Hartmann, RB Corbyn Knight and LB Tuukka Tariitt returning to the lineup. However, they will still be without QB Drake Young, who will miss at least one more week, meaning QB Ulysses Lawyer will make his first career playoff start. Lawyer has become more comfortable in the Royals’ offence with each game he has started since Young’s injury, while the Serpents will be without their stars for the first time this week. I feel like there has got to be an upset somewhere, and I feel like this is the perfect storm to see the Royals top the Serpents once again. 
My Pick: Royals

Team Awards

Boston Independents
MOP: QB Nathaniel Braddock
OPOY: RB Reggie Whitehead
DPOY: S Ernie Osborne
OLOY: OL Carlton Vanderbilt
BPOY: WR Tyreek Flores
ROY: DL Joseph Kerr

Buffalo Blue Wings
MOP: QB Charles Lemieux
OPOY: WR Tracy Driscoll
DPOY: LB Randall Lambert
OLOY: OL Artem Sobakov
BPOY: RB Yancy Harrison
ROY: DL Kevin Patterson

Calgary Predators
MOP: DL Damian Battles
OPOY: RB John Drexel
DPOY: LB Junior Abbott
OLOY: OL Charles Schwartz
BPOY: QB Emmitt Jackson
ROY: LB Marcus McGhee

Edmonton Rangers
MOP: RB Gary Hubbard
OPOY: WR Stanley McClendon
DPOY: DL Steven Montgomery
OLOY: OL Charles Creighton
BPOY: S Josh Spight
ROY: WR Stanley McClendon

Halifax Mariners
MOP: DL Pat Butler
OPOY: WR Shane Steadman
DPOY: DB Joe Robinson
OLOY: OL Kane Warwick
BPOY: LB Frederic Macnamara
ROY: DB Jack Treadaway

Indiana Victors
MOP: DB Neville Falkner
OPOY: QB Tom Applewhite
DPOY: DL Eugene Case
OLOY: OL Viktor Stahl
BPOY: DB Byron Knight
ROY: WR Lew Wallendowski

London Tigers
MOP: QB Tyrion Gainsborough
OPOY: WR Cole Fletcher
DPOY: LB Reuben James
OLOY: OL Shane Willis
BPOY: WR Leon Hudson
ROY: DB Victor Vratislav

Long Island Raiders
MOP: WR Frank Drysdale
OPOY: QB Ivan Sanchez
DPOY: DB Ross Conroy
OLOY: OL Doyle MacInnis
BPOY: LB Callum Owen
ROY: DL Chris Price

Louisville Thunder
MOP: WR Casey Coleman
OPOY: QB Buck Murphy
DPOY: DB Aquilio Ruiz
OLOY: OL Gordie Hammarstein
BPOY: LB Daniel Timothy
ROY: WR Ben Graham

Minnesota Serpents
MOP: RB Tyler Kuhn
OPOY: WR Sebastian Dassler
DPOY: DB Austin Sherebernikoff
OLOY: OL Elias McCarren
BPOY: DB Davey Woods
ROY: WR Sam Gorychka

Montreal Rouge
MOP: DB Lamar Brown
OPOY: WR Taylor Karis
DPOY: S Mathieu Cazenave
OLOY: OL Elliot Barrett
BPOY: DL Alan Franjkovic
ROY: WR Antonio Villanueva

Ottawa Royals
MOP: QB Drake Young
OPOY: WR Marshall Leonard
DPOY: DB Sergio Alvarez
OLOY: OL Matt Helmut
BPOY: WR Matthew de la Cruz
ROY: WR Charles Toothacre

Pittsburgh Blacksmiths
MOP: QB Louis Vaughn
OPOY: RB Max Tracy
DPOY: DB Zed McLaughlin
OLOY: OL Erik Nelson
BPOY: LB Patrick Hamilton
ROY: WR Edward Washington

Providence Gold Stars
MOP: DL Bartolo Cruz
OPOY: RB Tresean Jones
DPOY: LB Kurt Warlock
OLOY: OL Emil Jennings
BPOY: DB Michael Cope
ROY: QB Red King

Regina Wheat Kings
MOP: DL Butcher Callahan
OPOY: RB Deion Chapman
DPOY: LB Brett Pride
OLOY: OL Hugh Johnson
BPOY: QB Stanley Evans
ROY: DL Butcher Callahan

Toronto Steelheads
MOP: LB Judge Barrett
OPOY: RB Shannon West
DPOY: DB Santino Arriola
OLOY: OL Alan Farquharson
BPOY: DB Santino Arriola
ROY: DL Max Russland

Vancouver Wolves
MOP: QB Kevin Westwood
OPOY: WR Keshawn Johnston
DPOY: LB Shawn Anderson
OLOY: OL Aaron Wilkinson
BPOY: DL Qian Zhou
ROY: DB Apollo Duckworth

Winnipeg Falcons
MOP: RB Joe Rivers
OPOY: WR Terry Upshaw
DPOY: LB Claude Clarke
OLOY: OL Josh Rowell
BPOY: WR Ryan Conway
ROY: S Vernon Redgate