Jason French
Encyclopedia
Jason French is a former professional Canadian football
slotback
. He was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders
in the second round of the 2001 CFL Draft
. He played college football
for the Murray State Racers.
for two years after transferring from Middle Georgia College
. After spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at Middle Georgia, French was Murray State's third leading receiver. He had 31 catches for 547 yards and three touchdowns. During his senior season he caught 24 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown, making him the Racers fourth leading receiver.
in the 2001 CFL Draft
. During his rookie season he caught 12 passes for 197 yards. As a second year player, French was one of 13 wide receiver
s trying to make the Roughriders final roster. He played in 15 games in 2002 and recorded 16 receptions for 218 yards. French played in every game for Hamilton in 2003 and recorded his first career touchdown
. For the season he had 37 catches for 385 yards with two touchdown. In 2004, French made a total of 13 starts with 10 coming at slotback and the other three at wide receiver. In week seven he had a career high with six receptions for 129 yards. Overall, French had 52 catches for 869 yards with four touchdowns. At the end of the season, French was nominated for the CFL's Top Canadian Award. French started 16 games and missed the other two due to injury. Arguably his best game came in week five when he had 11 catches for 118 yards with a touchdown. For the season he had 52 receptions for 601 yards and three touchdowns. In 2006, he started half of the Roughriders games and also played in both playoff games. French's season totals were almost cut in half with 28 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown.
. On August 13, 2007 in a game against the Edmonton Eskimos
, fellow Murray State graduate Andrew Nowacki
caught his first career touchdown
pass. On Hamilton's possession following Nowacki's score, French caught a touchdown. The two touchdown catches for Nowacki and French came one minute apart. For 2007, a season in which French split time between Saskatchewan and Hamilton, he recorded 34 receptions for 417 yards and tied his career high with four touchdowns. In 2008, his final professional season he failed to record an offensive stat.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
slotback
Slotback
Slotback is a position in Gridiron football . The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and often farther back...
. He was drafted by the Saskatchewan Roughriders
Saskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in the second round of the 2001 CFL Draft
2001 CFL Draft
-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:- Notes :...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the Murray State Racers.
College career
French attended Murray State UniversityMurray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
for two years after transferring from Middle Georgia College
Middle Georgia College
Middle Georgia College is a publicly supported, residential,charter unit of the University System of Georgia, in the city Cochran in the U.S. state of Georgia. Founded in 1884, the school is the oldest two-year college in the United States. It is currently being transformed into a 4 year college...
. After spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at Middle Georgia, French was Murray State's third leading receiver. He had 31 catches for 547 yards and three touchdowns. During his senior season he caught 24 passes for 195 yards with a touchdown, making him the Racers fourth leading receiver.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
French was drafted by the Saskatchewan RoughridersSaskatchewan Roughriders
The Saskatchewan Roughriders are a Canadian Football League team based in Regina, Saskatchewan. They were founded in 1910. They play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor...
in the 2001 CFL Draft
2001 CFL Draft
-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:- Notes :...
. During his rookie season he caught 12 passes for 197 yards. As a second year player, French was one of 13 wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
s trying to make the Roughriders final roster. He played in 15 games in 2002 and recorded 16 receptions for 218 yards. French played in every game for Hamilton in 2003 and recorded his first career touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
. For the season he had 37 catches for 385 yards with two touchdown. In 2004, French made a total of 13 starts with 10 coming at slotback and the other three at wide receiver. In week seven he had a career high with six receptions for 129 yards. Overall, French had 52 catches for 869 yards with four touchdowns. At the end of the season, French was nominated for the CFL's Top Canadian Award. French started 16 games and missed the other two due to injury. Arguably his best game came in week five when he had 11 catches for 118 yards with a touchdown. For the season he had 52 receptions for 601 yards and three touchdowns. In 2006, he started half of the Roughriders games and also played in both playoff games. French's season totals were almost cut in half with 28 catches for 335 yards and a touchdown.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
On June 24, 2007, French along with Thyron Anderson for Tad KornegayTad Kornegay
Tad Kornegay is an American Canadian football player for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Previously, Kornegay joined the Saskatchewan Roughriders just prior to the start of the 2007 regular season on June 24, 2007 via a trade with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. In 2011, Kornegay was traded...
. On August 13, 2007 in a game against the Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
, fellow Murray State graduate Andrew Nowacki
Andrew Nowacki
Andrew Nowacki is a professional Canadian football wide receiver for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was drafted by the Eskimos in the third round of the 2004 CFL Draft...
caught his first career touchdown
Touchdown
A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...
pass. On Hamilton's possession following Nowacki's score, French caught a touchdown. The two touchdown catches for Nowacki and French came one minute apart. For 2007, a season in which French split time between Saskatchewan and Hamilton, he recorded 34 receptions for 417 yards and tied his career high with four touchdowns. In 2008, his final professional season he failed to record an offensive stat.