HAMILTON

Henry Burris is one step closer to proving that turning 40 isn't as bad as you might think.

The Ottawa RedBlacks quarterback was revealed as the East Division's best player on Thursday when the finalists for the league's six major player awards were announced.

Burris, who led the league in passing yards, completion percentage, completions, attempts, second down conversions, 30-plus yard completions and 300-yard passing games, will go up against Calgary Stampeders quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who earned the West Division nod.

Mitchell this season won more games than Burris, but his stats didn't measure up to the RedBlacks gun slinger, whose 5,693 passing yards were the most in the CFL since Montreal's Anthony Calvillo whipped up 6,041 in 2004.

Expect Burris to take home the hardware during the awards ceremony in Winnipeg on Nov. 26. The Football Reporters of Canada will vote to determine all winners.

The other award finalists are:

Defence

LB Adam Bighill (B.C.) vs. LB Simoni Lawrence (Ham)

Lawrence is the leader of one of the league's stingiest defences, but Bighill topped the league with 121 tackles and that should give him the nod in this battle of weak side linebackers.

Canadian

DE Jamaal Westerman (Wpg) vs. SB Brad Sinopoli (Ott)

Westerman finished second in the CFL with 17 sacks, while Sinopoli, a former quarterback, hauled in 1,035 yards worth of passes from Burris. Sinopoli will get enough of the love to take it.

Offensive Lineman

RT Jovan Olafioye (B.C.) vs. LT SirVincent Rogers (Ott)

Olafioye's Lions allowed the third fewest sacks this season, but Rogers was dominant while protecting Burris' blind side and will capture this honour.

Special Teams

K Rene Paredes (Cgy) vs. KR Brandon Banks (Ham)

Paredes has the third best field goal success rate in the league, but Banks returned four punts for touchdowns and a missed convert for two points as well. Banks is the man.

Rookie

WR Derel Walker (Edm) vs. WR Vidal Hazelton (Tor)

Walker, who had 1,110 receiving yards, will no doubt become the first rookie of the year who spent the first six weeks of his inaugural CFL campaign on the practice roster.

CLOSE CONNECTIONS

There weren't too many degrees of separation when the coach of the year finalists were announced Thursday morning.

Ottawa's Rick Campbell and Edmonton's Chris Jones are this year's nominees under the new format. The league used to name three finalists and announce the winner during the CFL's winter meetings in February, but now it will be part of the awards ceremony during Grey Cup week in an effort to attract more exposure.

Campbell and Jones were on John Hufnagel's staff in Calgary in 2010, and before that they both worked for the legendary Don Matthews. In addition, Jones coaches in Edmonton, where Rick's dad, Hugh, was named the CFL coach of the year in 1979.

“The thing I liked about Rick is he was so knowledgeable in all three areas, and there was probably a good reason for that,” Jones said during a conference call. “He grew up in a football household. Rick, I got a picture of your dad up here in my office, by the way. It's up on top of my TV here.”

Said Campbell: “I don't even have one, but you do. That's good.”

Campbell helped turn around a RedBlacks team that went from 2-16 in its expansion year to 12-6 this season, while Jones led the Esks to a league best 14-4 record and ended Calgary's two year reign atop the West Division.

HERE'S THE KICKER

Lions head coach Jeff Tedford on Thursday announced Richie Leone will perform the punting and kicking duties for B.C. on Sunday against the Stampeders.

That's news, because Leone has missed 11 converts this season and eight of them have come in his last five games. He has also missed nine field goals, but those whiffs were spread over the entire season.

Leone's saving grace is his punting ability, which is arguably the best in the league.

kirk.penton@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/PentonKirk