The Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy is a Canadian football award recognizing the most outstanding football player of the Quebec Student Sport Federation (RESQ)[1] The trophy was originally presented to the player who best exemplified skill, sportsmanship, and courage in the Interprovincial Rugby Football Union.
[2] In 1973, it became the award to the Most Outstanding Player of the Canadian Football League's East Division and either the winner of this trophy or the winner of the Jeff Nicklin Memorial Trophy from the West would go on to win the CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award.
The trophy was donated to the Canadian Rugby Union in 1928, to honour former Montreal player, Jeff Russel, who was killed in 1926, while repairing damaged electric lines for the Montreal Power Company.
In 2003, it was re-established for recognizing the players in the Quebec conference of U Sports football and the winner is nominated for the national Hec Crighton Trophy.
Note: Prior to 1973 the Canadian Football League East Division's Most Outstanding Player was not the winner of the Jeff Russel Memorial Trophy, which was a separate award.