For the second year in a row, University of Regina Rams quarterback Teale Orban has been named the most outstanding player in Canada West and the conference's nominee for the Hec Crighton Trophy as the top university football player in Canada.

"If (winning the Crighton) happens, great," said Orban, who is also the Canada West nominee for the Russ Jackson Outstanding Student-Athlete award. "If it doesn't, the respect from the guys in the West is enough. That means as much as anything if the guys you play against respect you enough to put you up for that."

Orban, a fourth-year player, lost the Hec Crighton to Windsor Lancers running back Daryl Stephenson last season.

Out of the six Canada West awards announced Thursday, the Rams won four of them. Linebacker Mat Nesbitt was named the top defensive player and Frank McCrystal was named the coach-of-the-year.

Calgary Dinos running back Matt Walter was named the rookie-of-the-year and Manitoba Bisons defensive end Justin Cooper was named the lineman-of-the-year.

The Rams will meet Cooper's Bisons on Saturday (3:30 p.m., The Score, 620 CKRM) for the Canada West championship.

As good as Orban was to earn the conference award (the Frank Gnup Memorial Trophy) last season, some say he was even better in 2007. His numbers have dropped (2,273 passing yards and 22 touchdowns this season compared to 2,619 yards and 26 majors in 2006), but he also led the Rams to a 6-2 record and was a more patient quarterback.

"I'm not saying our receiving corps isn't good, but last year we had (Chris) Bauman and (Chris) Getzlaf, who were obviously studs," said second-year wide receiver Jordan Sisco. "It must have been a lot easier, because now (Orban) is playing with a lot of guys he's really never played with too much. He's become a lot smarter and making better decisions."

Orban also upped his completion percentage from 56.8 per cent last season to 60.4 this season while throwing more short-yardage passes to underneath receivers.

"All you ask him to do is go out and perform to his best capabilities," said offensive co-ordinator Bernie Schmidt. "These are awards that the whole team relishes in because we've got a tremendous offensive line that affords him time to throw the ball. We had two returning receivers (Sisco and Chad Goldie) that are very good and the kids out of high school (Brenden Owens and Kolten Solomon) have done a great job."

The whole team would certainly relish it if Orban were able to bring home the Hec Crighton and Russ Jackson from this season's Vanier Cup festivities in Toronto.

If Orban had his pick of the awards, his choice might surprise some.

"I was at the luncheon last year and the guy that won the Jackson (Ottawa's Naim El-Far) was just amazing," said Orban, whose fellow Jackson Award nominees are St. Francis Xavier's Jonathon Campbell, Toronto's Mike Goncalves and Sherbrooke's Clovis Langlois-Boucher. "And to hear Russ Jackson speak when he gives out the award is a pretty cool thing."

Orban is up against two other quarterbacks (Ottawa's Josh Sacobie and Erik Glavik of the St. Mary's Huskies) and Bishop's running back Jamall Lee for the Crighton.

Often times in the past, the Crighton hasn't necessarily gone to the top player in that particular season, but rather the nominee who put together the best career numbers.

"There's a lot of factors and just exposure in itself helps you out," said Orban. "Maybe the fact that I got exposure last year helps this year, maybe it doesn't."

The CIS major awards will be handed out at a banquet on Nov. 21. The Vanier Cup final will be played on Nov. 23.

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