QUÉBEC CITY, Que. – It has been 28 years since the Guelph Gryphon football program last produced this many All-Canadians in a single season. On Thursday night in Québec City at the Vanier Cup All-Canadian Awards Gala, a total of five members of the University of Guelph football team were recognized as U SPORTS All-Canadians for the 2021 season.
A.J. Allen (linebacker),
Harrison Bagayogo (cornerback),
Kiondre Smith (returner) and
Eric Stranz (place kicker) all earned the distinction of being U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians, while
Devynn Cromwell (halfback) rounded out the Gryphon selections by earning a spot on the list of Second Team All-Canadians.
Kiondre Smith, who was named the country's top returner, also earned a spot on the list of U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians for his contributions as a receiver, making him the lone player in the country this season to be named an All-Canadian at two different positions. With a total of five student-athletes earning All-Canadians honours, the Gryphons 2021 football team match the program's single-season record for the highest number of All-Canadian selections, with the 1993 season marking the only other time in which the University of Guelph has produced five All-Canadian football players (with Dave Irwin, Charles Assmann, Steven McKee, Hugh Tharby & Rob Wesseling earning CIAU All-Canadian status in 1993). The Gryphons were also represented on Thursday night among the U SPORTS major award winners from the 2021 football season, with offensive line coach Mike MacDonald being named the recipient of the Gino Fracas Award (outstanding career service by a volunteer coach).
Gryphon Football – 2021 U SPORTS All-Canadians & Major Award Winners
2021 U SPORTS First Team All-Canadians
A.J. Allen (linebacker) – U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian
Harrison Bagayogo (cornerback) – U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian
Kiondre Smith (returner) – U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian
Eric Stranz (place kicker) – U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian
2021 U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadians
Kiondre Smith (receiver) – U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian
Devynn Cromwell (half back) – U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian
2021 U SPORTS Major Award Winners
Volunteer Coach of the Year (Gino Fracas Award) – Mike MacDonald, Guelph Gryphons
2021 U SPORTS Football - Major Award Winners
Hec Crighton Award (Most Valuable Player) – Tre Ford, Waterloo Warriors (quarterback)
Lineman of the Year (J.P. Metras Award) – Deionte Knight, Western Mustangs (defensive end)
Outstanding Defensive Player (Presidents' Trophy) – Josiah Schakel, Alberta Golden Bears (linebacker)
Rookie of the Year (Peter Gorman Trophy) –
Jaylan Greaves, Concordia Stingers (receiver)
Community Service Award (Russ Jackson Award) – Francis Perron, Ottawa Gee-Gees (defensive lineman)
Fox 40 Coach of the Year (Frank Tindall Trophy) – Steve Snyder, Queen's Gaels
Volunteer Coach of the Year (Gino Fracas Award) – Mike MacDonald, Guelph Gryphons
Gryphon Football – 2021 U SPORTS All-Canadians
A.J. Allen, the OUA's stand-up defensive player of the year in 2021, becomes the first Gryphon linebacker since John Rush in 2015 to earn First Team All-Canadian status. The fifth-year senior from Burlington, Ontario put together a tremendous 2021 season and anchored a Gryphon defensive unit that finished the year at or near the top of almost every major defensive category.
A.J. Allen led the way both on and off the field, with the 6'1" 235 lbs linebacker finishing the 2021 regular season with 6.6 tackles per game, ranking him 2nd in the OUA and 6th in U SPORTS in that category. No team in the OUA had more sacks than Guelph's 24, with
A.J. Allen accounting for four of those sacks to go along with two forced fumbles and a pass break up. Allen, who has already graduated with honours at U of G as a double major in criminal justice and political science, was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 4th round of the 2020 CFL Draft. Throughout the 2021 season for the Gryphons, Allen showed tremendous versatility, impacting the game at linebacker as well as at the rush edge position, with Allen showcasing tremendous sideline-to-sideline ability. After helping limit Western to just 21 points in Guelph's season-opening 23-21 victory over the then No. 1-ranked Mustangs,
A.J. Allen would go on to help lead the way for a sensational stretch of defensive performances by U of G, with the Gryphons holding opponents to 12, 8, 10 and 0 points during a memorable four-game stretch from October 2 to 23, punctuated by Guelph's dominating 48-0 shutout of the Varsity Blues.
On the 2021 season as a whole, the Gryphons held opponents to just 14.3 points per game, with Allen also contributing on the Gryphon special teams units, where he has now made a significant impact for several years, including the 2018 season in which he was named an OUA Second Team All-Star for his special teams play at the rush/cover position.
Kiondre Smith is the lone U SPORTS football player in 2021 to earn All-Canadian status on two separate occasions. The Markham, Ont. native earned a spot among the First Team All-Canadians for his contributions as a returner, where he ranked 2nd in the OUA with 339 total punt return yards, while also averaging 24.0 yards per return on kick returns. The criminal justice major was also rewarded for his impact as a receiver, with Smith being named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian receiver after averaging 94.4 receiving yards per game (2nd in OUA), with over 13 yards per reception and four touchdowns.
Quebec native
Harrison Bagayogo (Bois-Des-Filion, QC) earned U SPORTS First Team All-Canadian honours in just his second season of on-field action at the OUA level where he established himself as one of the top shutdown corners in the country.
After having impressed back in 2019 as a rookie, the sport and event management major took another big step forward in 2021, collecting 14.5 tackles and two pass breakups to help him become the first Gryphon defensive back to earn First Team All-Canadian status since James Savoie (2009, 2010).
For the second time in the past four seasons, the top place kicker in the country is a Guelph Gryphon. Standout kicker
Eric Stranz (Ayr, ON) was named a First Team All-Canadian after his sensational 2021 season. Stranz adds to Guelph's rich history of producing All-Canadian kickers, with Stranz becoming the first Gryphon since Gabe Ferraro in 2018 to be named the top place kicker in the country. The accounting major connected on an OUA-best 17 field goals this season, the second-highest total in U SPORTS, next only to Michael Arpin's 20 made field goals for the Montreal Carabins.
The graduate of Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge connected on an impressive 77.3% of his field goal attempts (17-for-22) this season, with the 21-year-old also accounting for the longest made field goal of the entire 2021 U SPORTS football season when he split the uprights from 50-yards out back on Oct. 16 versus Waterloo.
Rounding out the list of Gryphon All-Canadians in 2021 is
Devynn Cromwell, a standout member of the Gryphon secondary, who was named a U SPORTS Second Team All-Canadian at halfback. Cromwell, who turned 20-years-old on November 29, impressed in his first season of on-field action after having joined the Gryphon football program prior to the cancelled 2020 season. A talented and physical defensive back out of Clarkson Football North academy in Toronto, Cromwell finished the 2021 regular season with 7 pass break ups, with the U of G psychology major earning a spot on the 2021 OUA All-Rookie Team.
Mike MacDonald (Guelph Gryphons) --- Gino Fracas Award Winner (Volunteer Coach of the Year)
For just the second time in program history, a Guelph Gryphon football coach has been named the recipient of the U SPORTS Gino Fracas Award (outstanding career service by a volunteer coach).
Mike MacDonald, the Gryphons long-time offensive line coach who just completed his 11th season with the Gryphon football program, joins Brian Cluff (2011) as just second individual in Gryphon football history to be named the U SPORTS Volunteer Coach of the Year.
"Coach MacDonald is one of the classiest coaches I have ever had the privilege to work with," says Gryphons head coach
Ryan Sheahan. "He is truly deserving of this award, and myself and the entire Gryphon football family are thrilled that he is being recognized with the Gino Fracas Award as Volunteer Coach of the Year. Mike is somebody who works very hard to make sure his players are always at their best and his professionalism is surpassed only by his passion for his student-athletes." Throughout his 11 seasons overseeing the Gryphon offensive line, U of G has produced 11 CFL players on the o-line, including
Coulter Woodmansey who was the highest-drafted U SPORTS player in the 2020 CFL Draft, going 5th overall to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Outside of his role as offensive line coach with the Gryphon football team, Mike MacDonald has also made a lasting impact in his hometown of Burlington, spending six years as a high school offensive line coach for Notre Dame Secondary School, as well as 17 years as head coach of the Burlington Stampeders rep program. MacDonald, who spent his post-secondary playing days with the University of Waterloo, has also previously coached with Team Ontario and several all-star teams in the province. A retired member of the RCMP, MacDonald is known as a strong motivator and teacher, while always driving for his players' maximum effort.
U SPORTS Gino Fracas Award Nominees
| David |
Burns |
Mount Allison |
AUS |
| Vaughan |
Mitchell |
Manitoba |
CW |
| Mike |
MacDonald |
Guelph |
OUA |
| Luc |
Sylvain |
Sherbrooke |
RSEQ |
For more information on the rest of the 2021 U SPORTS football major award winners and All-Canadians, head to usports.ca.
2021 U SPORTS Football First-Team All-Canadians
Offence
Quarterback: Tre Ford - University of Waterloo (OUA)
Running Back: Adam Machart - University of Saskatchewan (CW)
Running Back: Rasheed Tucker - Queen's University (OUA)
Receiver: Tyson Philpot - University of Calgary (CW)
Receiver: Jalen Philpot - University of Calgary (CW)
Receiver: Savaughn Magnaye-Jones - Western University (OUA)
Receiver: Jaylan Greaves - Concordia University (RSEQ)
Centre: Elliot Beamer - Western University (OUA)
Guard: Rodeem Brown - University of Alberta (CW)
Guard: Nicolas Guay - Université Laval (RSEQ)
Tackle: Noah Zerr - University of Saskatchewan (CW)
Tackle: Andy Genois - Université Laval (RSEQ)
Defence
Corner: Marcel Arruda-Welch - University of Manitoba (CW)
Corner: Harrison Bagayogo - University of Guelph (OUA)
Half Back: Daniel Bell - Mount Allison University (AUS)
Half Back: Tyshon Blackburn - University of Alberta (CW)
Linebacker: Nick Thomas - University of Manitoba (CW)
Linebacker: Josiah Schakel - University of Alberta (CW)
Linebacker: A.J. Allen - University of Guelph (OUA)
Free Safety: Daniel Valente - Western University (OUA)
Defensive Tackle: Reece Martin - Mount Allison University (AUS)
Defensive Tackle: Nathan Cherry - University of Saskatchewan (CW)
Defensive End: Deionte Knight - Western University (OUA)
Defensive End: Philippe Lemieux-Cardinal - Université de Montréal (RSEQ)
Special Teams
Kick Returner: Kiondre Smith - University of Guelph (OUA)
Place Kicker: Eric Stranz - University of Guelph (OUA)
Punter: David Solie - University of Saskatchewan (CW)
2021 U SPORTS Football Second-Team All-Canadians
Offence
Quarterback: Olivier Roy - Concordia University (RSEQ)
Running Back: Malcolm Bussey - St. Francis Xavier University (AUS)
Running Back: Keon Edwards - Western University (OUA)
Receiver: Kiondre Smith - University of Guelph (OUA)
Receiver: Kevin Mital - Université Laval (RSEQ)
Receiver: Darius Simmons - McGill University (RSEQ)
Receiver: Hassane Dosso - Université de Montréal (RSEQ)
Centre: Connor Berglof - University of Saskatchewan (CW)
Guard: Che Morales - St. Francis Xavier University (AUS)
Garde: Phillip Grohovac - Western University (OUA)
Tackle: Gregor MacKellar - St. Francis Xavier University (AUS)
Tackle: Zach Fry - Western University (OUA)
Defence
Corner: Tyrell Ford - University of Waterloo (OUA)
Corner: Ahmadou Boubacar - Concordia University (RSEQ)
Half Back: Devynn Cromwell - University of Guelph (OUA)
Half Back: Bruno Lagacé - Université de Montréal (RSEQ)
Free Safety: Jayden Dalke - University of Alberta (CW)
Linebacker: Alec Poirier - Université Laval (RSEQ)
Linebacker: Michael Brodrique - Université de Montréal (RSEQ)
Linebacker: Benjamin Carré - McGill University (RSEQ)
Defensive End: Brock Gowanlock - University of Manitoba (CW)
Defensive End: Anthony Federico - Queen's University (OUA)
Defensive Tackle: Malcolm Hinds - Western University (OUA)
Defensive Tackle: Jean William Rouleau - Université Laval (RSEQ)
Special Teams
Kick Returner: Justin Julien - Saint Mary's University (AUS)
Place Kicker: Michael Arpin - Université de Montréal (RSEQ)
Punter: Cole Crossett - University of Waterloo (OUA)
