VANCOUVER – Following an outstanding 2022 season that saw him as one of just two unanimous selections as a Canada West offensive All-Star, UBC Thunderbirds offensive lineman
Theo Benedet has won the J.P. Metras Award as U SPORTS Lineman of the Year.
Also named a First Team All-Canadian Thursday night at the Vanier Cup awards gala in London, Ontario, Benedet becomes just the second Thunderbird in history to win the prestigious award after Tyson St. James first received the Trophy in 1999. The 6-foot-7, 305 pound North Vancouver native is also the first offensive lineman to receive the honour since McGill's Laurent Duvernay-Tardif in 2013, putting Benedet in some elite company.
"Even though it's an individual award in a primarily team oriented sport, to have one of your players identified as one of the best at his position is just an indication of excellence and I think it's something that his teammates, his coaches, everyone can sort of smile about," said UBC head coach
Blake Nill who attended the awards ceremony with Benedet and his family. "His physical maturity is starting to be apparent. Once he becomes even stronger and faster, he's going to start dominating his opponents, not only with his athleticism but with his sheer strength and power."
Entering the 2022 football season, Benedet was listed as the eighth-ranked CFL Draft Prospect, the highest among any U SPORTS based athlete. The fourth-year tackle has more than lived up to the hype, helping the T-Birds boast the Canada West's top rushing offence, providing key protection for his running backs and receivers.
"When you have a young man, specifically a lineman, who's one of your top players I think it represents well," added Nill who values Benedet's leadership in many ways. "Often the top players are looked at as quarterbacks or running backs or receivers – statistical positions. But in my experience over my career some of my best leaders have been the guys that are down in the trenches."
In addition to Benedet's accolades, four other T-Birds were announced as All-Canadians Thursday night in running back
Isaiah Knight, defensive lineman
Kyle Samson, linebacker
Ryan Baker, and offensive lineman
Giovanni Manu. The five Thunderbird selections is tops among all Canada West schools with only three other programs across the country boasting a higher number.
"You got to tip your hat to the recruitment of these kids. We're recruiting talent and Coach
Shomari Williams deserves a lot of credit for that," said Nill who sees their recognition as the culmination of a true team effort. "Then you talk about their physical development which is Coach (Joe) McCullum and his strength and conditioning program which I think is one of the premiere such programs in the country. Then you look at your assistant coaches who look to develop skill sets with these guys. Combine it with the academic support to keep them well rounded and this is why you get kids like this – they're able to come into your program as young men, they develop physically and talent-wise, but they're also growing into outstanding young men and I couldn't be happier with those young men who have been identified as All-Canadians this year."
