Cambpell out, who’s coming in?

After a promising 2-0 start to the 2019 CFL season, the Ottawa Redblacks went on to win just one more game that season which left them finishing 3-15 and at the bottom of the league. After taking part in 3 of the past 5 Grey Cups, the Redblacks and the city of Ottawa wasn’t sure how to take the disappointing season, although what would happen after the season would hit differently.

In the six seasons that the Redblacks have played, they’ve been coached by Rick Campbell, but after a 15 loss season, Campbell lost feelings with his coaching city. Rick Campbell and the Ottawa Redblacks decided to part ways following the 2019 season and the two will be in the looking for a replacement. Campbell is off looking around for a head coaching job, while the Ottawa Redblacks will search for a new head coach.

Following a great coaching career spent in Ottawa, it will be hard for the two to overcome what had happened this season, although if each of them come to the off-season with a positive mindset, they both will have a solid 2020 CFL season.

One year ago, the Redblacks were prepping themselves for the 106th Grey Cup where they would face-off against the Calgary Stampeders, fast forward one year, the Redblacks are trying to find their identity. The 2019 season hit pretty hard for Redblacks fans, although once you take a look at the games played it is clear that the Redblacks have a successful group to deal with, they just need a coach to cap it off for 2020.

Now to look forward to what could be next, here is a list of a few coaches with capability of filling Campbell’s spot for the Redblacks,

Tommy Condell

Although Condell does not have any experience of being a CFL head coach, Tommy Condell’s coaching resume is 20 years long which splits between his time in both the CFL and NCAA.

In the last year of Condell’s contract as the offensive character with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he brought a young QB in Dave Evans to the Grey Cup with a 15-3 regular season record.

In the 2019/2020 free agency period, Hamilton will have both Condell and Jeremiah Masoli on the market, and due to the success of Condell’s offense he will look forward to accepting a head coaching job which the Ottawa Redblacks have. Along with Condell’s success, the Tiger-Cats were brought to the Grey Cup by backup quarterback, Dane Evans which would give former starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli a chance at another starting job which the Redblacks may have depending on what happens between both Jonathon Jennings and Dominique Davis this offseason.

This offseason, it is possible that the Redblacks can get their hands on both Condell and Masoli, which could turn around the 3-15 season they had last year.

Paul LaPolice

To pair with Tommy Condell’s grey cup path taken with Dane Evans, Paul LaPolice took a similar path to this year’s Grey Cup with Chris Streveler, Matt Nichols, and Zack Callaros, although it took a long time for Winnipeg’s Offensive Co-ordination to take credit for a great season.

LaPolice, one of the greatest offensive minds in the CFL is in his 17th season as a CFL coach, and is ready to take the leap as a head coach once again. In 2010, LaPolice started a role as the head coach for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and in 2011 he took them to the Grey Cup. Unfortunately for the futures of his career, the Blue Bombers didn’t have much success the next season, therefore LaPolice’s career left him as the Blue Bombers offensive coordinator for the following 4 seasons.

Through those 4 seasons, LaPolice brought the Bombers offense to the Grey Cup playoffs in all 4 seasons, and with the Bombers juggling three different quarterbacks, like the Tiger-Cats, LaPolice may come in a dual package with either Chris Streveler or Matt Nichols.