John Grace
[edit] BiographyAcquired Traded to Calgary by Ottawa on January 13, 2004. Played in 18 regular season games with Calgary including the Western Semi-Final...after the season Grace was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year...named to the CFL and Western All-Star team…he finished the season recording 76 defensive tackles (2nd on the team, 6th in the league), eight special team tackles, eight quarterback sacks (tied for 1st on team), six tackles for a loss (tied for 1st on the team), three pass knockdowns, three fumble recoveries (tied for 1st on team), two interceptions (one of which was for a touchdown) and one forced fumble...he was named Player of the Month for September as he recorded 19 tackles, four quarterback sacks, one pass knock down and one interception return for a touchdown in four games...he was also named Player of the Week for his performance against the Edmonton Eskimos on September 9th (Labour Day). Grace played in 17 of the 18 regular season games with Calgary...John was named the Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year for the Stampeders, Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year for the Western Division (runner-up to Anwar Stewart for CFL Defensive Player of the Year)...he was also named Western Division All-Star, CFL All-Star and CFL Intergold All-Star...he recorded 53 defensive tackles (5th on the team), seven sacks (1st on team), seven pass knockdowns (tied for 2nd on team), five tackles for a loss (tied for 3rd on the team), four special team tackles, three interceptions (tied for 1st on team), two fumble recoveries (tied for 2nd on team), and one blocked kick (tied for 1st on team). Grace achieved individual single season career high’s in the following: sacks (7), interceptions (tied with 2002 total at 3), interception return yardage (117 yards which included 2 TDs), and pass knockdowns (7)...Grace may have had his most impressive game against his former club, the Ottawa Renegades, back on July 29. In the first quarter alone, Grace recorded 3 quarterback sacks for a total loss of 43 yards along with a tackle for a loss of 2 yards, moving the Renegades back 45 yards. Grace finished the game making a statement as he recorded 3 defensive tackles, 3 quarterback sacks, 1 tackle for a loss and 1 special team tackle ..he also holds the CFL season’s longest interception return for 95 yards and tied with several players for most interceptions in one game, with 2 on August 7th vs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Grace was named Defensive Player of the Week four times (Week 2, 7, 8, 12) and Defensive Player of the Month twice (August and September). During the month of August Grace recorded 13 tackles, one (1) special teams tackle, four (4) quarterback sacks and two (2) interceptions for 95 yards, returning one for a touchdown...in September, Grace recorded 18 defensive tackles, one special teams tackle, two quarterback sacks, five pass knockdowns, and one fumble recovery...he was also named the CFL Defensive Player of the Week first runner up during week 15. Grace led Ottawa with three fumble recoveries...ranked second on the team with 74 defensive tackles behind Kelly Wiltshire...he also finished second on the team in tackles for loss recording four for eight yards...Grace also recorded one interception on October 13th vs the Toronto Argonauts and finished the season with one QB sack, one special team tackle and two knockdowns. Named Renegades Most Outstanding Player by Ottawa sports media... became the first Renegades player to be selected to the CFL All-Star team (November 2002)...led the league with eight forced fumbles, four more than any other player...shared the league lead with Willie Fells of Calgary and Brendon Ayanbadejo of B.C. with five recovered fumbles...blocked one punt, intercepted three passes and knocked down a pass...led the Renegades with eight tackles for losses...shared the team lead with Shawn Gallant with 16 tackles on special teams...ranked third on the Club with 66 defensive tackles behind Kelly Wiltshire and Donnovan Carter... recorded first sack in Renegades history when he tackled Saskatchewan quarterback Nealon Greene for a 10-yard loss June 28 in the club's first game...won league Defensive Player of the Week award after a stellar performance Oct. 6 vs. Edmonton recording three defensive tackles, one special tackle, one sack and two forced fumbles in the first quarter that led to 10 Ottawa points. Played his first CFL game against Toronto on July 11, 2000 leading Montreal with five total tackles. College Voted Marshall's Defensive MVP (1998, 1999)... voted to first All-MAC team with Marshall (1998, 1999)...totaled 437 tackles (fifth all-time at Marshall), 54 tackles for losses, and 15 sacks (1996 to 1999)… Graduated from Marshall with a degree in Criminal Justice (2000)...Spent off-season working on a Masters degree in Adult Education at Marshall [edit] Statistics<stats> Player= John Grace Sport= CFL </stats> [edit] References[edit] Related Articles[edit] Recent John Grace ArmchairGM Stories
|
|
