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Texas Tech football players have made their mark in the Canadian Football League for years.
Wide receiver Derrell Mitchell topped 12,000 career receiving yards in an 11-year career north of the border and was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame in 2016. Linebacker Micah Awe last year set a single-season tackles record for the Calgary Stampeders.
Former Tech offensive lineman Glenn January, defensive lineman Aaron Hunt and defensive back Jamar Wall all distinguished themselves in the CFL.
January was a three-time CFL All-Star in a nine-year career spent mostly with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Hunt was a two-time CFL All-Star and two-time Grey Cup winner in a seven-year career spent mostly with the British Columbia Lions. Wall was a two-time CFL All-Star and two-time Grey Cup winner in a 10-year career with Calgary.
Mitchell and Hunt won the CFL outstanding rookie award in 1997 and 2006, respectively.
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Saturday was final cutdown day for CFL teams. The regular season is under way this week. Here’s a rundown of former Texas Tech and Lubbock football players north of the border.
Linebacker Micah Awe, Calgary Stampeders
Awe is starting his seventh season in the CFL and second with Calgary. He racked up 134 defensive tackles last season, third most in CFL history, and was the Stampeders’ nominee for the league’s outstanding defensive player. He started all 18 games at middle linebacker and logged four tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions and six special-teams tackles. The Mansfield Summit graduate has played with six of the nine CFL teams.
Defensive back DaMarcus Fields, Saskatchewan Roughriders
After stints with the New Orleans Saints and the Washington Commanders, Fields signed with Saskatchewan in March. He was in the Roughriders’ two-deep at defensive halfback for the last preseason game on May 25.
Defensive end Pete Robertson, B.C. Lions
Robertson, an undrafted free agent in 2016, spent parts of four years with three NFL teams before establishing himself the past three seasons in Saskatchewan. From 2021-23, he racked up 86 tackles, including 21 sacks and six forced fumbles. His nine sacks in 2022 were fourth-most in the CFL, and he followed up with a career-high 55 defensive tackles and seven sacks last year. He signed a one-year deal with British Columbia in February.
Defensive back Marquis Waters, Toronto Argonauts
Undrafted in 2023 after earning first-team All-Big 12 recognition, Waters spent May to August with the New York Jets. He signed with Toronto in January and was on the depth chart at boundary linebacker for the Argos’ last preseason game last week.
Quarterback Jarret Doege, Edmonton Elks
The former Lubbock-Cooper standout spent time with four college programs from 2017-22 and signed with Edmonton in April 2023. He’s starting his second season with the Elks after throwing for 587 yards and four touchdowns last year. Doege started the Elks’ last preseason game, but left the game with a lower-body injury.
Defensive back Adrian Frye, Ottawa Redblacks
Frye has gone from the Red Raiders from 2018-22 to the Redblacks, with whom he signed in January. The Redblacks added Frye to the practice squad on final cutdown day last week.
Wide receiver Kaylon Geiger, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
An undrafted free agent in 2022, Geiger spent parts of the past two years with the Tampa Buccaneers and was on the active roster for three games in 2022. The Tiger-Cats added him to their practice roster last week.
Wide receiver T.J. Vasher, linebacker Tony Jones late cuts
Vasher and Jones were among those released on final cutdown day, Vasher by Hamilton and Jones by Edmonton. Jones played in 20 games the past two years for the Elks, making 56 tackles.
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This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: CFL season starts with Texas Tech football exes north of the border
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