WitP: Solomon Elimimian and Chad Owens

Two UH alums are highly respected by their peers, as revealed in a CFL player poll conducted by TSN.ca.

• Who is the CFL’s hardest hitter? Solomon Elimimian, LB, BC (28.2 %)

• Which CFL player is the biggest threat to score from anywhere on the field? Chad Owens, WR/KR, Toronto (43.7%)

The CFL announced that Elimimian is nominated for Most Outstanding Rookie and Owens is nominated for Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.

Elimimian is profiled in this article by Mike Beamish of the Vancouver Sun:

Elimimian says his end-of-days playing style comes naturally to him, but it’s also because he knows how easily the game can be taken away, as was the case last year when he was released by the Buffalo Bills. He despaired that he might not ever play again.

“Last year, I was at home [Los Angeles], praying to God that I could have a football career,"

Elimimian explained Wednesday. “ It was hard. Being knocked down, but not defeated, is a lesson you take from life. Football is easy. It’s the rejection that’s tough.”

And Owens is profiled by Terry Koshan of the Toronto Sun.

The Montreal Alouettes don't make many personnel mistakes, but in hindsight, they goofed up badly when they traded Owens, who appeared in one game for them last year, to the Argos in June.

"If I said I knew he was going to be (the favourite for) special-teams player of year, I would be lying," Argos head coach Jim Barker said. "He has turned out to be, well, you just never know until you coach a guy.

"He has the respect of everyone in this league Ñ they know he makes us a different team."