Three Stars: Jon Cornish, John Bowman and Will Ford lead the way in Week 11

Here's the next entry in our Three Stars series, examining the best showings from offensive, defensive, special teams and Canadian players in Week 11.

First star/offensive player of the week: Jon Cornish, running back, Calgary Stampeders: Cornish was the key catalyst in Calgary's 22-12 win over Edmonton Friday, rushing for 131 yards on 14 carries (giving him a stellar average of 9.4 yards per carry) and adding 46 yards and a touchdown on six receptions (7.7 yards per catch). The Canadian running back, a former NCAA star with the Kansas Jayhawks, has been the key unchanging figure in Calgary's offence over the last couple of years, and he's helped the Stampeders find consistent success despite their revolving door at quarterback. Through 11 weeks of play, Cornish is second in the league with 946 rushing yards, and his average of 6.8 yards per carry is better than that of any other running back. He's a key reason why Calgary is 8-2 and tied for the West Division lead.

(Honourable mentions: Henry Burris, QB, Hamilton; Nick Moore, SB, B.C.; Zach Collaros, QB, Toronto.)

Second star/defensive player of the week: John Bowman, defensive end, Montreal Alouettes: While Bowman's Alouettes came up short against Toronto Sunday, falling 37-30, his individual performance was still very impressive. Bowman recorded four tackles, two sacks and a fumble, and he was crucial to putting pressure on Argonauts' quarterback Zach Collaros. The Montreal defence as a whole underwhelmed, but Bowman's performance off the edge was still notable. The eight-year CFL vet out of Wingate University is having yet another solid season, with the six sacks he's recorded to date just one behind his 2012 total. His pass-rushing abilities have been crucial for the Alouettes this year.

(Honourable mentions: Marty Markett, CB, Winnipeg; Cordarro Law, DE, Calgary; Bryant Turner, DT, Winnipeg.)

Third star/special teams player of the week: Will Ford, kick returner, Winnipeg Blue Bombers: Ford's 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was essential to Winnipeg's 25-13 win over Saskatchewan in Sunday's Banjo Bowl, especially considering the offensive struggles the Bombers experienced during that game. Ford, a South Carolina State product in his second CFL campaign, wasn't great in the rushing game Sunday, collecting just 43 yards on 13 carries, but his first-quarter return helped the Bombers to an early lead and perhaps gave them the confidence to hang in there against the highly-favoured Roughriders. We'll see if he can provide them with more key returning highlights, but this one was certainly helpful.

(Honourable mentions: Rene Paredes, K, Calgary; Chris Milo, K, Saskatchewan; Tristan Jackson, PR/KR, Saskatchewan.)

Bonus star/Canadian player of the week: Jon Cornish, running back, Calgary Stampeders: Much has been said about Cornish above, but it's worth noting that he's really come into his own in the last few years. Cornish is in his seventh CFL campaign, but 30 carries was the most he earned in a season until 2010, where he started to share reps with Joffrey Reynolds and racked up 85 carries. Cornish then beat out Reynolds for the starting job midway through the 2011 season, finishing with 119 rushes, and he really took things to a new level last year, collecting 1,457 rushing yards on 258 carries and earning the nod as the West Division's top player. Cornish already has 139 rushes this year, and his 6.8 yards-per-carry average is much better than even last year's impressive 5.6. He's become one of the most dynamic and impressive offensive players in this league, and he's showing that Canadian running backs can be just as impressive as their import colleagues.

(Honourable mentions: Andy Fantuz, SB, Hamilton; J.R. LaRose, safety, B.C.; Andre Durie, SB, Toronto.)

Want to nominate a candidate for next week's Three Stars? Get in touch with me during the week's games via Twitter or e-mail.