Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

Cohon opens doors to fans

Fans will get a chance to attend CFL commissioner Mark Cohon’s state of the league address during Grey Cup week in Calgary.

Cohon announced the move Thursday on his Twitter page: “At this year’s Grey Cup I am inviting fans to my state of the league — usually it is just for the media — that is changing!!”

Cohon said that while the logistics haven’t been worked out, fans will be able to ask questions at the event.

Earlier this year Cohon asked fans for input on possible rule changes, some of which were adopted.

Alouettes sign a pair of Canadians

The Montreal Alouettes signed first-round draft pick Dylan Steenbergen and Canadian free agent Kwasi Nkansah to three-year contracts on Tuesday. Both deals also include an option year.

Steenbergen, six-foot-five and 285 pounds, played on the offensive line with the University of Calgary Dinos last season.

Nkansah, five-foot-10 and 190 pounds, had 35 tackles, two tackles for losses, one interception, two knockdowns and a fumble recovery as a cornerback with the St. Francis Xavier X-Men.

Tiger-Cats sign six-pack

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Thursday announced the signing of four players selected in the 2009 CFL Canadian draft:_defensive lineman Scott McCuaig, running back Guillaume Allard-Cameus, defensive back Raymond Wladichuk and wide receiver Cassidy Doneff. The club also signed non-import offensive linemen Daniel Bederman and Francis Daneau.

McCuaig, a six-foot-three, 229-pound native of Surrey, B.C., finished his Canadian Interuniversity Sport career as Canada West’s all-time quarterback sack leader with 27.5. The University of British Columbia Thunderbird also recorded 147 tackles en route to being named a two-time Canada West all-star and a CIS first-team all-Canadian in 2008.

Allard-Cameus, a six-foot, 215-pound native of Laval, Que., carried the ball 274 times for 1,292 yards and 11 touchdowns while making 39 receptions for 318 yards and two majors in four seasons at Laval.

Wladichuk, a six-foot, 190-pound native of Vernon, B.C., had 95.5 tackles, three interceptions and one quarterback sack in three seasons at Simon Fraser. He also returned 22 kickoffs for 441 yards.

Wide receiver Cassidy Doneff, a six-foot, 183-pound native of Cochrane, Alta., won the 2008 Wally Buono Award as Canada’s top junior football player last season with Washburn University in Topeka, Kan.

Bederman, a six-foot-one, 320-pound Torontonian, was named an Ontario University Athletics first-team all-star in 2008 and a second-teamer in 2007 during four seasons at Queen’s.

Daneau, a six-foot-three, 270-pound native of Sherbrooke, Que., spent four seasons at Sherbrooke as a tackle, guard and centre.

Eskimos sign four more

The Edmonton Eskimos signed the remaining four members of their 2009 Canadian draft class:_defensive lineman Dee Sterling, linebacker Andrea Bonaventura, running back Eric Lee and linebacker/special teams member Jason Kosec.

Last season with Queen’s University, Sterling posted 33 defensive tackles (26 solo), 7.5 sacks, two pass knockdowns and one forced fumble, while being named a Canadian Interuniversity Sport all-Canadian.

Bonaventura led the University of Calgary defence with 73 defensive tackles (26 solo) and six tackles for a loss. He also recorded one sack, one interception (returned for 15 yards), one pass knockdown, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

Lee carried the ball 16 times for 66 yards in seven games in 2008 with Weber State.

Kosec was named University of Western Ontario defensive team captain in 2007 and represented the school at the 2008 East-West Bowl.

University of Alberta Golden Bears offensive lineman Gordon Hinse, the Esks’ first pick, had signed a contract earlier this month.

Bombers sign pair, extend Perry’s contract

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed import quarterback Darrell Hackney and import defensive back Jonathan Hefney on Thursday while extending the contract of defensive end Fred Perry.

Hackney, a six-foot, 235-pound Atlanta native, holds several University of Alabama-Birmingham records including passing yards (9,886), touchdowns (71), completions (694) and most total offence per game (243.4 yards per game).

He signed with the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns after going undrafted in 2006. He most recently spent time with the Denver Broncos.

“Hackney is a big, athletic player, who will bring a level of experience here and add to the competition in camp,” head coach Mike Kelly said in a statement.

Hefney, a five-foot-nine, 190-pound native of Rock Hill, S.C., was a four-year starter at cornerback or safety during his time at Tennessee.

“He was very impressive in our Florida mini camp, and I’d like to see more of the skills he displayed there in our training camp,” said Kelly.

Perry, a six-foot-one, 240-pound native of Fort Smith, Ark., was acquired in a trade with the Edmonton Eskimos on May 15.

Perry has 57 quarterback sacks and 345 defensive tackles during his CFL career, which includes 96 regular season-games, eight playoff games, and a Grey Cup victory with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007.

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