Brian Fryer

Brian Fryer (born July 16, 1953) is a Canadian former professional football player who starred at wide receiver for the University of Alberta, and played professionally for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Edmonton Eskimos and Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Early life Fryer was a three-sport athlete at Strathcona High School in Edmonton from the fall of 1968 to the spring of 1971, starring on the Lords' football, basketball and track and field teams all three years. As an intermediate boy in his grade 11 year at the Alberta Schools Athletic Association provincial track and field meet in Calgary, Fryer won and set the ASAA record for the 120 yard hurdles with a time of 14.4 seconds. The following year at the provincial championship in Edmonton, Fryer once again won the 120 yard hurdles, setting a new record of 14.2 seconds. He also broke the records in both the long jump (7.08m) and triple jump (13.8m). In total Fryer won four gold medals and set three provincial records in ASAA competition. In his last year Fryer was awarded the Most Outstanding Athlete award.

University career In Fryer's first season the Alberta Golden Bears went 9-1 and beat Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University) 20-7 for the Vanier Cup.

On October 12, 1974, Fryer set the single-game Canadian Interuniversity Sport (now U Sports) record with 227 yards receiving against the University of Calgary. In 1974, he set the single-season CIS record with 58 receptions, and recorded the first 1,000-yard receiving season in CIS history with 1,068 yards. In addition he scored 16 touchdowns, including a CIS record 14 receiving touchdowns. His total of 16 touchdowns on the season was the third-highest in a single-season, behind Paul Brule's 25 touchdowns at St. Francis Xavier University in 1967 and Brule's 20 touchdowns at St. FX in 1966. He finished 1974 as an all Canadian all-star and was nominated as the Canada West's nominee for the Hec Creighton Trophy.

In 1975, Fryer had 51 receptions for 943 yards during the season and won the Hec Crighton Trophy, which was awarded annually to the most outstanding football player in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. As well, he was on the all Canadian all star team.

Fryer finished his career at the University of Alberta with the CIS records for most receiving yards in a game, a season and a career, and the records for most receptions in a season and a career, and the most receiving touchdowns in a season. He made a record 136 career receptions, for a record 2,655 career yards receiving. His career total of 34 touchdowns was second on the CIS career list to the 51 scored by Paul Brule at St. Francis Xavier University from 1964 to 1967. His career total of 20 receiving touchdowns tied him for second all-time with all star wide receiver Mike Kirkpatrick of Saint Mary's University (Halifax), six behind Eric Walter's record 26 at McGill University. Fryer also totaled 1,068 rushing yards and 505 kickoff return yards during his four years at Alberta.

Professional career

Washington Redskins Fryer's accomplishments at the University of Alberta caught the attention of Bob Windish, the director of player personnel for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. After watching Fryer at a practice in September 1975 he passed a report on to Alouettes head coach Marv Levy. Levy, who was once an assistant with the Washington Redskins of the NFL, told Redskins head coach George Allen that Fryer was a player with NFL potential.

As an Edmonton-born and trained player, Fryer's CFL negotiating rights were held by the Edmonton Eskimos by territorial exemption, but the Redskins easily exceeded the Eskimos' top offer of around $100,000.

Fryer was inducted into the Alberta Schools Athletic Association Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 and inducted into the City of Edmonton's Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. As well he is inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame as part of the team awards for winning the Grey Cup 5consecutive seasons (1978–82).