No. 79 BC Lions | |
Born: | Courtenay, British Columbia |
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Career information | |
Position(s) | Offensive Guard |
Height | 6 ft 5 in (196 cm) |
Weight | 295 lb (134 kg) |
College | Montana Grizzlies football |
High school | Flathead High School |
CFL Draft | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 8 |
Career history | |
As player | |
2001 | BC Lions |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Leif Thorsen is a Canadian former offensive guard for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the Lions in the first round of the 2001 CFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Montana.
Thorsen was born in Courtenay, British Columbia and lived there until the fourth grade. He played high school football at Flathead High School in Kalispell, Montana. Thorsen then played college football at the University of Montana where he was a three-year starter at right guard. He became a two-time honorable mention All-Big Sky Conference selection. [1]
Thorsen was chosen eighth overall by the BC Lions in the first round of the 2001 CFL Draft. [1] He played for the team for one season before retiring from football. [2]
Robert O'Billovich, nicknamed "Bobby O" or "Obie", is an east regional scout for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). O'Billovich has been involved with the CFL since 1963 in the roles of player, coach, general manager, scout, and several front-office positions. As a long-time coach in the CFL, he won 107 regular season games in the CFL, the eighth highest win total by a head coach in the league's history.
David Dickenson is a Canadian football head coach and general manager for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played as a quarterback with the Stampeders and the BC Lions, where he won the 2006 Grey Cup and was named the game's MVP. Dickenson played college football for the Montana Grizzlies, where he led the team to the 1995 NCAA Division I-AA college football championship.
Bobby Singh is a retired professional American and Canadian football guard. He was drafted by the Calgary Stampeders in the first round of the 1999 CFL Draft. Singh has the distinction of being the only player in football history to have won an XFL Championship, a Super Bowl, and a Grey Cup.
Al "Dirt" Wilson is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League BC Lions. Wilson spent his entire 15-year career with the Lions as an offensive lineman. Wilson played American college football at Montana State University. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the B.C. Lions Wall of Fame, and has a street named in his honor, "Al Wilson Grove," in his hometown of Duncan. Wilson's #52 jersey is one of eight numbers retired by the B.C. Lions. In 2003, Wilson was voted a member of the B.C. Lions All-Time Dream Team as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebration. In 2006, Wilson was voted to the Honour Roll of the CFL's top 50 players of the league's modern era by Canadian sports network TSN.
Jamie Taras is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League British Columbia Lions, and current director of community relations with the BC Lions. Taras spent his entire 16-year career with the Lions as a fullback and offensive lineman, and played on two Grey Cup championship teams with the club.
Matt Kirk is a Canadian football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Ottawa Renegades in the 2004 CFL Draft. He played CIS Football at Queen's.
William B. Frank, Jr. was a Canadian football offensive tackle in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for the BC Lions, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He also was a member of the Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Colorado. He is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Kelly Bates is the offensive line coach for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a former professional Canadian football guard and former head coach of the Simon Fraser Clan. He was drafted by the Lions in fourth round of the 2001 CFL Draft. He played CIS football for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
Jesse Newman is a former Canadian football guard for the Calgary Stampeders and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted in the first round with the 3rd overall pick in the 2008 CFL Draft by the Calgary Stampeders. He played college football for UL Lafayette. He retired from professional football on June 4, 2010, for personal reasons. Following Calgary's bye week later that season, Newman announced that he was coming out of retirement, much to the chagrin of some of the team's players. Consequently, Newman was traded to the BC Lions on September 4 for a second-round pick in the 2011 CFL Draft as well as a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2012 CFL Draft.
Joe McGrath is a former professional Canadian football offensive tackle. He was drafted by the Stampeders in the first round of the 2003 CFL Draft. He played college football for the Miami Hurricanes.
Cole Bergquist is an American real estate broker and developer and a former Canadian football quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Montana.
Danny William Watkins is a former American football offensive guard in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted fourth overall by the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League in the 2010 CFL Draft, but played out his last year at Baylor University, the 2010 season.
Anton Christian Corbin is an American teacher and former professional football quarterback who played one season with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Corbin played college football at California State University, Sacramento and attended Turlock High School in Turlock, California. He was also a member of the Frankfurt Galaxy, Portland Forest Dragons, New York CityHawks and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He currently works at Mission Bay High School teaching computer animation and game design.
Tuufuli Uperesa was an American football guard who played one season with the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Eagles in the sixteenth round of the 1970 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Montana and attended ʻAiea High School in Aiea, Hawaii. Uperesa was also a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Rough Riders and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.
Dennis "Denny" Chronopoulos was a Canadian football offensive guard who played four seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Ottawa Rough Riders, BC Lions and Calgary Stampeders. He was drafted by the Ottawa Rough Riders with the third overall pick of the 1992 CFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue University.
Brett Young was an American football defensive back who played seven seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Ottawa Rough Riders, BC Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) in the eighth round of the 1989 NFL supplemental draft. He played college football at the University of Oregon and attended Phineas Banning High School in Los Angeles, California.
Matt Clark is a Canadian former football player who played for the BC Lions and the Edmonton Eskimos. He played from 1991 to 1998, played with famous quarterback Doug Flutie, and was named a Canadian Football League All-Star one time.
Garry Mark Porterfield is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for the Dallas Cowboys. He also was a member of the BC Lions in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at the University of Tulsa.
Nathan Rourke is a Canadian professional football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Rourke played college football for the Ohio Bobcats. Rourke set the single-season CFL record for completion percentage (78.7%) during the 2022 CFL season.
Jordan X. Williams is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was originally drafted first overall in the 2020 CFL Draft by the BC Lions. He played college football for the East Carolina Pirates.