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Tre Ford looking down field to pass
Courtney Caird

Football

Hec of a Player! Tre Ford claims 2021 Hec Crighton Trophy as U SPORTS Most Outstanding Player

Ford and brother Tyrell along with punter Cole Crossett named All-Canadians

Warriors quarterback Tre Ford has been named the recipient of the 2021 Hec Crighton trophy for the most outstanding player in U SPORTS. He becomes the first player in the history of the Warriors football program to claim the storied award.
 
The recognition caps one of the most dominant careers ever seen in Canadian university football. Since becoming the full-time starter in 2018, Ford leads the nation in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while sitting second in rushing yards.
 

 "It's a great honour," Ford said. "It's really a team award and I couldn't have done it without my teammates: The O-line blocking, our defence getting the ball back and obviously our coaches, setting me up for success with great play calls."
 
In 2021's shortened six-game schedule, Ford completed 63.4 per cent of his passes for 1465 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air, while adding 629 rushing yards and three scores on the ground. Ford averaged a combined 349 yards passing and rushing per game and he finished in the top 7 in the nation in passing yards, passing touchdowns, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and yards per rushing attempt. On top of his incredible accomplishments on the field, Ford was named to the 2020-21 President's Academic Honour Roll for obtaining 80% or higher while competing as a varsity student-athlete, the second time he achieved that honour in his five years at Waterloo.
 
"Winning the Hec Crighton award as National Player of the Year cements Tre's legacy in Warriors football history as arguably the greatest of all-time," head coach Chris Bertoia said.  "Tre is a trailblazer: With this award he is the first Waterloo Warrior to ever win it and he is the first Black quarterback to ever win it. I'm so proud of his perseverance and determination. It's been an honour to have the opportunity to coach Tre. He is a tremendous person, quarterback and teammate. He can and will be successful in whatever he puts his mind to. Our team, coaching staff and football alumni can't wait to see what is next for Tre."
 
Ford's university career traces back to 2017, in which he claimed the Peter Gorman Trophy as the national rookie of the year, while sparking his Waterloo Warriors to a four-win improvement in the standings. Heading into 2018, his first as a full-time starter, he was anxious to prove himself as one of the top university football players in the country.
 
On that late summer evening at Warrior Field, Ford put on a masterclass of the quarterback position. He completed 25 of 28 passes for a school-record 463 yards and six touchdowns, while adding six carries for 58 yards and a rushing touchdown. By the time the sun had set behind the west endzone, Ford had put himself in the Hec Crighton conversation – a conversation that he remained a part of for the next three years.
 
Since that night, Ford has only built his case as the nation's top player: at the end of that 2018 season, Ford claimed the OUA MVP award. Then, in 2019, he earned his first All-Canadian selection. And just two weeks ago, Ford was named the OUA's most valuable player for a second time. Now, 1194 days after he proclaimed his candidacy to the world, Ford has claimed the top individual prize in Canadian university football.

While his performance in 2021 was otherworldly, it was nothing new for Ford. In 2018, he completed one of the greatest seasons in U SPORTS history: Ford registered a 74.1 per cent completion rate, 2822 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions, while adding 641 yards rushing and two majors on the ground. In 2019, Ford was once again amongst the national leaders in virtually every passing and rushing category as he earned his first career All-Canadian selection.
 
In addition to being the first Warrior to win the Hec Crighton Award, Ford is also the first Black quarterback to claim the most outstanding player award. It's a responsibility that Ford doesn't take lightly and he hopes that this award will help enact some much-needed change in how Black quarterbacks are perceived.
 
"I'd love to see more Black quarterbacks come out and get a chance in U SPORTS," Ford said. "It would be great for kids to know that someone has their back like 'Bert' had my back."
 
FEATURE STORY – In Appreciation of Tre Ford: Quarterback, MVP and trailblazer
 
Ford departs Waterloo as the program's all-time leader in passing yards (7118) and passing touchdowns (56), while sitting fourth on the Warriors' all-time rushing list, with 2621 yards. In 2022, Ford will graduate with his degree in Recreation and Leisure and then he'll turn his attention to the pro ranks, where he'll pursue opportunities in either the NFL or CFL.
 
"I'm going to play football professionally. That's the hope," said Ford. "I just want a team to really give me a chance to play quarterback and I'm looking forward to that opportunity at the next level."

Listen to Tre Ford on the Beyond the Bulletin Podcast
Trio of Warriors named to All-Canadian team

Tre Ford added a first-team All-Canadian selection to his Hec Crighton award on Thursday, where he was joined by a pair of teammates – and one family member – on the 2021 All-Canadian team.
 
Cornerback Tyrell Ford was named a second-team All-Canadian for the second straight season, while rookie punter Cole Crossett was also selected as a second-team All-Canadian for his outstanding debut season with the Warriors.
 
Tyrell furthered his reputation as one of the best cover corners in the country, compiling an interception, two pass breakups and 12.5 tackles in five games this season. But Ford's impact goes well beyond the numbers – he forced opposing coaches to gameplan away from him and forced opposing quarterbacks to all but abandon the boundary side of the field as an option in the passing game.
 
Tyrell finishes his illustrious career with 6 interceptions and 15 pass breakups. In addition to his resume as a defensive back, Ford was also one of the most feared returners in the nation – he returned three punts for touchdowns and sits second all-time in school history in punt return yards. In his first career U SPORTS game in 2017, Ford brought two punts back to the house and set the single-game OUA record for punt return yards with 264.
 
"Tyrell is one of the most athletic, dedicated and driven student-athletes I have had the privilege of coaching," commented Bertoia. "I'm very happy that he received this recognition as All-Canadian, I have no doubt that Tyrell will have great success as a professional and we are very proud that we had the chance to coach such a fine young man, we will certainly miss him."

Crossett was a huge presence for the Warriors special teams unit, as he was named a second-team All-Canadian punter. His average of 42.7 yards per punt was top in the OUA and second in the nation, with 6 punts inside the 20.
 
Crossett's most important performance of 2021 was in Waterloo's must-win season finale against Laurier. In a game where field position and scoring were at a premium, the cold, wet conditions didn't bother Crossett one bit: he boomed 8 punts for a 40.4-yard average, with two punts landing inside the 20. His signature high and shallow pooch kickoff also led directly to a Hawks turnover and a Warriors touchdown, helping Waterloo secure a spot in the postseason with the victory.

"Cole was a key part of our special teams this season, especially in our punt game, pinning our opposition deep in their own zone on multiple occasions. He is very deserving of an all-Canadian nod and I look forward to see what he can do next season with a full off-season training together" concluded Bertoia.  
 
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