(Toronto, Ont.) - Jakob Loucks, a first-year quarterback from Mount Allison University, was named the U Sports football rookie of the year for the 2016 season during the All-Canadian Awards Gala Thursday evening.
Loucks has become the fifth Mount Allison player to capture the Peter Gorman Trophy for U Sports Rookie of the Year, following in the footsteps of linebacker Sébastien Roy (1999) and running backs Éric Lapointe (1995), Grant Keaney (1988) and John Hutchinson (1980. He is the first winner from the AUS conference since StFX linebacker Jeremy Steeves in 2001.
Originally from Cornwall, Ont., Loucks had big shoes to fill this fall following the graduation of four-year starter Brandon Leyh, a two-time AUS all-star.
The 5-foot-10, 195-pound psychology student not only started all eight regular season games in his university debut - a rare feat for a freshman – he was also the only quarterback used by the Mounties in all but two contests. He helped Mount Allison to second place in the league standings with a 3-5 record.
Loucks was consistent at the helm of a young offensive unit and finished second in the Atlantic conference in most passing categories, completing 54.2 per cent of his passes for 1,325 yards, five touchdowns, and only seven interceptions in 225 attempts. He also proved a dual threat for opposing defences as he carried the ball 56 times for 404 yards and one major, finishing second in rushing yards among U Sports pivots behind Alberta's Ben Kopczynski (443).
"Jakob had an outstanding rookie season and is very deserving of this award," said first-year Mounties head coach Scott Brady. "He improved each and every week and is a true playmaker at the quarterback position - he consistently turns bad plays into great ones. His toughness is incredible and has quickly won him the respect of everyone in our program. He is a special player with a very bright future ahead of him."
The gala was held as part of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco Vanier Cup, which will see the Laval University Rouge et Or and University of Calgary Dinos battle for national supremacy Saturday at 1 p.m. EST at Tim Hortons Field.
Television coverage on Sportsnet / Sportsnet 360 and TVA Sports gets underway with pre-game shows at 12:30 p.m. The 52nd U Sports championship game is also available online through Sportsnet NOW and TVASports.ca.
PETER GORMAN TROPHY (Rookie of the Year):
2016 Jakob Loucks, Mount Allison
2015 Mathieu Betts, Laval
2014 Hugo Richard, Laval
2013 Daniel Vandervoort, McMaster
2012 Shaquille Johnson, McGill
2011 Tyler Varga, Western Ontario
2010 Eric Dzwilewski, Calgary
2009 Linden Gaydosh, Calgary
2008 Jordan Verdone, Waterloo
2007 Liam Mahoney, Concordia
2006 Dalin Tollestrup, Calgary
2005 Martin Gagné, Montréal
2004 Kyle Williams, Bishop's
2003 Maxime Gagnier, Montréal
2002 Andy Fantuz, Western
2001 Jeremy Steeves, StFX
2000 Jean-Frédéric Tremblay, Laval
1999 Sébastien Roy, Mount Allison
1998 Kojo Aidoo, McMaster
1997 Paul Carty, StFX
1996 Jeff Johnson, York
1995 Éric Lapointe, Mount Allison
1994 Andre Arlain, StFX
1993 Jerome Pathon, Acadia
1992 Sean Reade, Western
1991 Dominic Zagari, Manitoba
1990 Bill Kubas, Wilfrid Laurier
1989 Chris Banton, Ottawa
1988 Grant Keaney, Mount Allison
1987 Dan Farthing, Saskatchewan
1986 Michael Soles, McGill
1985 Mark Brown, Carleton
1984 Jeff Funtasz, Alberta
1983 Paul Nastasiuk, Wilfrid Laurier
1982 Mike Fabilli, Ottawa
1981 Glenn Steele, UBC
1980 John Hutchinson, Mount Allison
1979 Joey Tynes, StFX
1978 John Lowe, Guelph
1977 Gord Goodwin, Calgary
1976 Jim Reid, Wilfrid Laurier
Source: U Sports Communications