QUEBEC—Quarterback Jordan Heather helped turn Bishop’s University football around this season and he was rewarded on Thursday night with the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canadian university player of the year.

Heather, the first Gaiter to win the award, set a Canadian Inter-university Sport record with 3,132 passing yards in eight league games, an average of 391.5 yards per game.

That beat the mark of 3,047 set only one week earlier by Western’s Will Finch, a Hec Crighton finalist. The previous record of 3,033 was set by Michael Faulds of Western in 2009.

“I always knew I could play at a high level and this year was kind of the culmination of my career,” said Heather. “I always told my coaches that I don’t care if I throw for 200 yards or 50 yards as long as we win the game.

“I’d trade all this if I could play in the (Vanier Cup) game on Saturday.”

Other Crighton finalists were running backs Mercer Timmis of Calgary and Jordan Botel of Mount Allison. It was the seventh straight year it was won by a quarterback. Kyle Quinlan of McMaster won last year.

Heather’s heroics helped the Gaiters (6-2) to second place in the Quebec conference — after going winless the year before — and gave the Lennoxville, Que., institution its first home playoff game since 1994.

He set a conference record with 20 touchdown passes and a team record with 199 completions. His totals included throwing for 538 yards in a 46-38 loss to the Laval Rouge et Or, a record against the defending Vanier Cup champions, who had the best defence in Canada.

Heather ended his career with Bishop’s records for completions (565), attempts (998), yards (7,983) and touchdown passes (50).

Kevin Mackey of Bishop’s took home the Frank Tindall Trophy as CIS coach of the year. The 34-year-old engineered a remarkable turnaround for a team that had not won six games in a season since 1993.