Ottawa Redblacks back on the football field, prepare for 2-0 Saskatchewan Roughriders

After the first two weeks of the 2021 CFL season the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders have settled in as the favourites to win the Grey Cup and are found at 1 and 2 in the CFL’s power rankings while the Ottawa Redblacks who quote by 3DownNation’s Josh Smith “could legitimately go winless.” yet sit at 1-0 are at 9 in the power rankings. Ever since the Redblacks lost Trevor Harris, William Powell, Greg Ellingson, Rico Murray and Sir Vincent Rogers in the 2019-19 free agency period the league has doubted them. Nobody except for R-Nation and the Redblacks had faith that they would be able to look past the losses in free agency and rebuild the look of the team on the run. To a certain extent, yes the Ottawa Redblacks failed to rebound from what they lost in that free agency period, but that was in the 2019 CFL season. Since then, the team has completely changed their look. The coaching staff, the backfield, the receiving core, the offensive line the defence and hey even the jerseys have changed and there is no reason why their record can change too. In the beginning of their bounce back from the 3-15 season in 2019 Matt Nichols brings his 1-0 Ottawa Redblacks to Saskatchewan to kickoff against the 2-0 Roughriders in a big test for the Redblacks.

Many would have thought that the biggest test would have come in week one against the Edmonton Elks, considering it was the first game with the new look however the Redblacks’ offence weren’t able to move the ball like they would have wanted to. They showed potential on multiple occasions, eventually moving the ball 127 yards, 71 in the air and 56 on the ground but it was on the defensive side of the ball where the Ottawa Redblacks proved themselves the most. They sacked Trevor Harris 3 times and intercepted him 3 times as well, one of which went for an Abdul Kanneh touchdown, really making their presence felt, especially in the pass game, shutting down Harris on a number of plays. One thing that the Redblacks should prepare for moving into the game this Saturday in Saskatchewan on the defensive side of the ball would be stopping the run game. Former Redblacks running back William Powell is found on the Roughriders side of the field with 132 rushing yards in the first two games of the season, coming off of a game which he had 107 yards of offence alongside Cody Fajardo’s 66 rushing yards and rushing touchdown against the Hamilton Tiger Cats so after Ottawa gave up 89 rushing yards to Edmonton’s James Wilder Jr, it will be crucial to keep the Powell and Fajardo duo from running away with the win. They will also want to create pressure on Fajardo. He’s only been sacked 4 times to start out the season and the Roughriders offensive line has done a fantastic job in keeping him on his feet, however like every quarterback once Fajardo gets hit enough times and senses the pressure he will feel the urge to run or throw the ball faster than he should. This could cause some interceptions and incompletions for the Redblacks defence and get them back to a similar position as they were when they played the Elks in week one; if the Redblacks defence continues to play like they did against Edmonton and the offence matches that efficiency they will be a hard team to beat.

How can the offence match the efficiency that the Redblacks defence has? Well they need to start the game hot. Moving the ball well early on in the game can transition into early success and can give them the advantage over the Roughriders. The Roughriders have done a good job defending the run game, giving up just 20 yards in their latest game against the Hamilton Tiger Cats to Sean Thomas-Erlington, meanwhile the Redblacks’ Timothy Flanders ran for just 39 yards in the season opener. If the Redblacks can establish the run game early, call for explosive run plays where Flanders can accelerate off of the handoff they can then open up their offence. The Roughriders are yet to see a good run game. Their week one matchup consisted mostly of passes, having had a large lead, up to 30-plus points at one point in the game so if Flanders is able to run the ball efficiently on the Saskatchewan that could expose their defence and help the Redblacks offence. Once they’re able to open their offence up some more, Ottawa can experiment more with the abilities that Ryan Davis, Anthony Coombs and DeVonte Dedmon have. In week one Coombs didn’t see much of the field having dealt with an injury and Dedmon was mainly on special teams, returning kicks for a total 111 yards but Ryan Davis provided a well needed spark to the offence every time he touched the ball so if they are willing to do so, having that trio on the field throughout the game, either all at once or on a rotation could benefit the Redblacks offence. It adds another level of versatility to the offence. They are able to do anything from jet sweeps to double passes with the group of slot receivers. Each of them provide the ability to catch and run the ball, breakaway for a long run and depending if you need them to do so they are also able to receive handoffs and play out of the backfield. In the season opener Davis caught 6 of 7 targets for 33 yards and ran the ball once for an additional 6 yards, also being the owner of the longest offensive play for the Redblacks on a 15 yard catch on a crossing route and in Saskatchewan’s first few games they were faced by a few similar players as Davis, Dedmon and Coombs.

Against the B.C Lions in week one they were faced against speed receiver Lucky Whitehead who caught 5 of 8 targets for 136 yards and a 75 yard receiving touchdown. Then against the Tiger Cats they played Brandon Banks and Papi White who combined for 72 yards on 9 offensive touches. Hamilton also had some success using both Banks and White in the backfield or on jet sweeps so that may be something coach LaPolice points out while watching film. If LaPolice does indeed use that offensive trio and are able to run the ball well early in the game the other options like number one receiver RJ Harris who is often open on hook, crossing, in and corner routes, Daniel Petermann who can catch the short throws and turn them into big gains and Jordan Smallwood who at 6-foot-2 can catch the deep ball.

Outside of that, the Redblacks have proven to be able to win with their defence and their special teams unit which will be crucial moving forward, especially for their week three matchup.

The Ottawa Redblacks will kickoff against the Roughriders on Saturday at 7:00 eastern. They will look to improve to 2-0 early on in the season and if they do so they will be first in the east.

“I play with a lot of passion.” Free agent James Harden wants to bring passion to a professional football team

  • Harden at New England Patriots’ Gillete Stadium
  • James Harden vs Cowboys’ Jourdan Lewis
  • Harden at Dallas Cowboys training facility

Right now, the CFL is two weeks into their 2021 regular season and the NFL is two weeks into their 2021 pre-season. Over 75 players are found on each of the 32 NFL rosters and close to 60 are on the 9 CFL teams’ rosters but one player that is found unemployed during this time is James Harden. No, not the basketball player James Harden who made a name for himself with both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets and is now with the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA. This James Harden is a 5-foot-7, 186 pound football player from the Dallas, Texas area. He plays everything from slot receiver to defensive back and as a current free agent to all CFL and NFL teams all he wants is one opportunity to prove that he can play at the professional stage.

He has played for a number of different semi-pro teams including the Texas Power, North Texas Savages, Texas Revolution, Cedar Rapids River Kings and most recently the teams in the Fan Controlled Football League, but eventhough he has played almost every position on the football field in those opportunities he has had he believes he has a lot more left in the tank. “I still haven’t played to my highest potential.” he said in an interview with Jordan Zlomislic of JZ Media, “In High School I only played a little bit. I was always hurt so I couldn’t play enough to get recruited and go to a big school, at Tyler (Junior College) I was just there as a walk on shortly and never got any film there so I’m fresh.” At 26 years old James Harden has been going to NFL stadiums across the USA to show how fresh he is. Really trying to get the opportunity he wants. Harden was found at the Dallas Cowboys facilities for the longest time. He says, “I was going to be there until I met Jerry Jones. I needed to talk to him and prove to him that I can play for his team.” Well, Harden met Jones and unfortunately for him an opportunity was not the result in the conversation. “He laughed at me.” Harden told Zlomislic, “He noticed me. I told him that I need a try out and that I am ready, but all he did was laugh and really that hurt me. I came to the stadium everyday with my sign (which read ‘What can U Lose, Just 1 shot’ with his name, phone number and positions played on it) and the fans were on my side. They wanted me to get a shot but Jerry Jones was laughing.”

James Harden and his team in the FCF after the Championship

Jones’ laugh hurt Harden but also motivated him. He then went on to visit a number of other teams, including the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, and New York Jets and despite not getting an opportunity to try out for an NFL team, Harden was shown love by athletes and people in the football community. He was connected with NFL players who he later trained with like Dez Bryant, Laquon Treadwell, Lance Lenoir, and Rashard Robinson in the Dallas area with Craig LeBlanc’s 2 Live Late Night Crew. “They are all saying good things about me. They think I can play with them too.” he said, and it has often been the athletes that are the ones to go out of their way to help Harden. Former NFL defensive back Ray Austin signed him to the Fan Controlled Football League, Ottawa Redblacks linebacker Don Unamba of the CFL paid for his flights to Atlanta to play in the league and there has been several professional athletes sharing social media posts about James Harden, a main reason why he has 20 thousand followers on instagram and has turned into an influencer and role model for athletes growing up.

If a team were to come across that Instagram account, any posts regarding James Harden, or even saw him outside their stadium and felt generous to sign him the main question would be; what kind of player are they getting? Not many people have actually seen Harden play, simply because he hasn’t really been able to play just yet but he is loved by many on social media. He says, “I am a player that brings a lot of positive energy. I have a great work ethic and really I play with a lot of passion. Speed is one of my biggest assets on the football field, it helps me get open and I’ve gotten open against some NFL dbs with it but really I am also just a player that can play everywhere.” Harden joked, “Put me on the offensive line if you have to. I will bring it my all.”

Ottawa Redblacks practice twice over bye week, things to keep eyes on moving into week 3 of the 2021 CFL season

The 2021 CFL season kicked off last Thursday in a 2019 Grey Cup re-match between the reigning champions the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger Cats. This was followed by three other games over the weekend, including the last one for week 1 at 10:00 eastern on Saturday, featuring the newly named Edmonton Elks who were hosting the Ottawa Redblacks. Ottawa brought the victory back home to the capital in a 16-12 defensive win, thanks to the likes of defensive back Abdul Kanneh, kickoff returner DeVonte Dedmon and the coaching staff who put the team in the best situations throughout the game, but eventhough they came away with the win, and they are 1-0 it is clear that they have some more work to do.

If Abdul Kanneh doesn’t get two interceptions, one going for a touchdown and/or make that game saving tackle with one second left in the game, the Redblacks are 0-1. DeVonte Dedmon and the kickoff/punt return team helped Ottawa’s offence on multiple occasions get into good field position for 3 Lewis Ward field goals, but if those returns were only 5-10 yards instead of 26 and 24 yards like his longest ones in the game, the game could have been much different and the Redblacks are completely aware of that and do not want to lean on the defence or special teams to be the ones making the plays always.

  • Abdul Kanneh

Following the victory on the road, the Ottawa Redblacks have been scheduled a bye week, meaning they do not play in week 2 of the 2021 CFL season, but just because they don’t play a game doesn’t mean they can’t improve and continue to work. Head coach Paul LaPolice, who like the majority of the coaching staff other than Bob Dyce and Patrick Bourgon is new to the organization this season made the decision to have two practices during the bye week. They practiced both Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 through 12:50, making up of 4 hours and 40 minutes of field time on a bye week for the team to regroup and get ready for next week’s game week against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the road at Mosaic Stadium on the 21st.

In the game against Edmonton, the Redblacks’ passing game was close to being non existent. Quarterback Matt Nichols didn’t have a bad outing by any means, completing 12 of 20 attempts, however the completions went for just 71 yards. The offence struggled to move the ball consistently during the game, gaining just 127 yards of offence all game but that is something that can be and already has been worked on in practice in Ottawa. Nichols has been completing deep passes in practice, and connecting on throws to a variety of different receivers, including Ryan Davis who looked to be his favourite target in the season opener. Davis caught 6 of 7 targets for 33 yards while running it once for 6 yards and returning a kick for 22 yards. He also was found returning a punt for a touchdown on a lateral pass from DeVonte Dedmon which eventually was called back after the command centre called it an illegal forward pass. Davis, R.J Harris and Jordan Smallwood should remain starters moving into week 3’s game against the Roughriders but some names to keep eyes on if they are able to make their way into the offence would be DeVonte Dedmon who of course is the team’s kick return specialist but has experience at slot receiver, and could be a great utility player in the Redblacks offence, very similar to what Canadian slotback Anthony Coombs can do when he is healthy. Coombs dressed for the week one game in Edmonton and saw some action, however didn’t get his hands on the ball after being taken out of the game due to an injury he’s been nursing since training camp. Canadian receivers Nate Behar and Daniel Petermann also played in week one and each can deliver some big plays to the offence when their names are called, but the biggest names to keep eyes on from the offensive side of the ball would have to be running backs Timothy Flanders and Justin Davis.

  • Charone Peake
  • Nate Behar
  • DeVonte Dedmon
  • RJ Harris
  • Davon Grayson
  • Ryan Davis

If you know anything about football, you would know that establishing a run game is crucial if you want to win games. The Redblacks were held to just 56 rushing yards on 16 attempts in the season opener. Flanders had 11 carries for 39 yards, which was enough to move the ball here and there but with an 8 yard run as the longest on the day, it wasn’t enough to bring a much needed spark to the offence. Flanders has continued to take reps at running back and looks to be the starter moving forward, however with Brendan Gillanders suffering a leg injury from the game in Edmonton, there is a slight chance we see Justin Davis get some reps as well. Davis is a speedy and agile running back out of the University of Southern California who spent time with the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL. He’s someone that can bring an extra spark to the Redblacks’ offence, and at just 25 years old, he, alongside Ryan Davis who is 24 years old and DeVonte Dedmon who is 25 could be seen as a part of the Ottawa Redblacks’ future plans. Considering Timothy Flanders’ last game was in the 2018 CFL season, and has missed out on over two years of football, he is likely just getting started this season and R-Nation should expect to see him move the ball more efficiently in week 3’s game in Saskatchewan, so keep eyes on that as well as the status of running back Brendan Gillanders, because if he isn’t able to go next Saturday against the Roughriders, we may be able to see the first of Justin Davis in red and black.

After Thursday’s practice as well, the Ottawa Redblacks released both Rafael Araujo-Lopes and Brandon Hitner while signing defensive back Jordan Beaulieu, receiver Wesley Lewis and defensive tackle Chigozie Nnoruka who played his collegiate career with UCLA and Miami.

Ottawa Redblacks single game tickets on sale NOW; 5 reasons to attend the home opener against the BC Lions on August 28th

After bringing home the win from their first game of the 2021 CFL season in Edmonton against the newly named Elks in a 16-12 defensive battle, the Ottawa Redblacks have officially began to sell single game tickets for the home opener on August 28th. Approximately 12,000 season ticket holders have already received their tickets to the game against the B.C Lions, while close to 3,000 people can still attend the game with the 15,000 fan maximum due to COVID-19 restrictions. Here are 5 reasons why you should be among the 15,000 fans at TD Place watching the Ottawa Redblacks live against the B.C Lions.

The return of Rick Campbell

After spending 6 seasons as the Ottawa Redblacks’ head coach, fighting through a 2-16 inaugural season in 2014, making it to 3 Grey Cup games, and winning one in just the 3rd year of the team’s existence Campbell returns to Ottawa, but on the opposite side of the sidelines. He will be at the visitors bench as the head coach and co-general manager of the B.C Lions. Campbell is currently 0-1 as the Lions’ head coach but will look to improve to 1-1 in tomorrow night’s game against the Calgary Stampeders. Redblacks fans and all of Ottawa spent 6 years watching him on the sidelines at TD Place and cheered him on on multiple occasions so why not welcome him back to the nation’s, capital and see how your Ottawa Redblacks do against his Lions team.

The atmosphere

It has been a while since the Redblacks hosted their last CFL home game. Dating all the way back to November 1st of 2019 so even though it may not be a full house come August 28th it will definitely be a loud, energetic crowd full of different emotions. R-Nation is known to have quite the parties at TD Place and the first home game of the 2021 CFL season should be the biggest party.

New Look Redblacks

Along with the departure of Rick Campbell, who is now the head coach of the B.C Lions, the Ottawa Redblacks have been faced with many other changes. An entirely new coaching staff except for the likes of special teams co-ordinator Bob Dyce, a new quarterback in Matt Nichols and a very new defence, which after the first game of the season looks to be one of the better ones in the CFL all come to Ottawa for their first ever Redblacks home game on the 28th. It will be your very first opportunity to watch everything come together live at TD Place so don’t miss out on your opportunity to see the new look Redblacks. Not to mention that they will look much different in their new New Era uniforms!

Fast pace defence

The 2019 Ottawa Redblacks struggled in many different categories, including the defence. They were in last place for the majority of defensive categories in their 3-15 season, but after one week into the 2021 CFL season a lot has changed. Ottawa is now in first place in a few defensive categories, one week into the CFL season, and a major reason why that is the case is because of the speed they have on that side of the ball. Abdul Kanneh showed his speed on a 102 yard interception return for a touchdown, Micah Awe demonstrated it on a 7 yard sack in the first quarter and so did Avery Williams on his sack as well as his 14 tackles, a league lead. These are just three of many instances from the Redblacks-Elks game where Redblacks defensive stars showed speed but there were many, and there will be many more with defensive co-ordinator Mike Benevides in charge.

The rise of the Redblacks’ offence

Yes, the Ottawa Redblacks won their season opener over the Edmonton Elks 16-12, however their offence struggled to move the ball. It was a defensive and special teams win for the Redblacks, having scored all of their points through field goals and a pick six, however with Paul LaPolice in charge of the offence and Matt Nichols under centre alongside some young stars in RJ Harris, Ryan Davis and more it wont be long until the offence starts moving the ball successfully, and when the Redblacks offence is able too match the productivity that the defence and special teams provided in last weeks game, Ottawa could be the team to beat in the CFL. Will that come to fruition on August 28th for the home opener? Come to the game and see for yourself.

All photos from CFL, Ottawa Redblacks

Bryan Beasley and his staff at the Cajun All-Star Bowl are beyond excited to give “the golden ticket” to NFL and CFL draft prospects next February

Typically when you think of senior all-star games at the University level the Reese’s Senior Bowl, the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and maybe the East-West Shrine Game but after the first of many this up coming February, the Cajun All-Star Bowl will soon be in those conversations. The Cajun All-Star Bowl, which was founded by Bryan Beasley will be played at Lamar University’s Provost Umphrey Stadium in Beaumont, Texas on February 12th, 2022. Provost Umphrey Stadium seats up to 16,000 fans and unlike the other games mentioned previously, Beasley is “looking to have a packed out stadium.” In an interview he had with Jordan Zlomislic of JZ Media and the newest addition to the Cajun All-Star Bowl’s media staff Beasley had said, “Beaumont has never had an event like this before. They have some really good football in the area and it will not only help grow that connection that football fans have with the town but also everyone else. Our game is going to be something for everyone from the pre-game tailgate to the game to the half time performance we are super excited to make this happen.”

The Cajun All-Star Bowl will have their first ever game this upcoming February. It will be a four day event, running two practices during the week prior to the game. They will be giving athletes at the event the best coaching and exposure possible to ensure that they don’t only have the opportunity to play at the professional level but also excel at the stage as well. The coaches and staff members on board as of now along with Bryan Beasley include Hal Mumme, who is known for his time at Kentucky, Valdosta State, New Mexico State and has most recently coached professional football in the XFL and The Spring League following his 11 roles played on NCAA coaching staffs, and Melvin Spears who will be the head coach, coaching against Mumme, the other head coach. Spears is an extremely experienced coach like Hal Mumme, having spent time at a number of different football programs over the years including Morgan State, Alabama Stat, Texas Southern, Grambling State and Alcorn State. He won the 2005 SWAC national championship, won the SWAC coach of the year the same year and now looks to bring that winning culture and experience to the next level of athletes at the Cajun All-Star Bowl.

Also on staff are long time NFL players Kevin Smith and Mike Hollis. Smith, a Texas A&M alum played with the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys from the 1992 NFL season all the way through the 2000 NFL season. He intercepted 20 passes over the span of 9 seasons in the Cowboys secondary and won 3 Super Bowls along the way. Hollis on the other hand was a place kicker in the NFL from 1994 to 2003. Spending time with the San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars he was able to appear in one 1997 pro bowl and set team records for the Jaguars as the team’s leading point scorer, and field goal kicker. Both Smith and Hollis will play major roles on the coaching staffs for the Cajun Bowl, and unlike other coaches out there have the ability to coach from experience in the largest stage.

Outside of the coaching staff, CFL hall of famer Uzooma Okeke, who was in the CFL from 1994 to 2006 as a player and since a scout with the Montreal Alouettes is a part of the scouting side of things at the Cajun All-Star Bowl alongside David Paine of the B.C Lions front office, Luis Ojeda who was previously with the East-West Shrine Game and Kyle Grove. The staff is like no other and Beasley said he is “extremely excited to be a part of the game and I can’t wait for it to happen.” when I spoke to him regarding the event. He says, “We are looking to use this game as a platform for players. We’re giving athletes the golden ticket when they are invited to play at the Cajun Bowl. They will have exposure to NFL and CFL teams at the event and really, the timing is perfect too. The NFL will have the Super Bowl the very next day and football fans can never get enough football, but what that also means is that the NFL season is over so the staffs around the NFL are focused on the draft. We will be the last of the bowl games before the NFL combine so it will be the last time some scouts see the players play against top tier talent before going into the draft.”

The players that will be found on the field at the Cajun Bowl in February will be 2022 NFL Draft prospects, but the catch with this game, which separates it from the other all-star games is that Bryan Beasley and his staff have come forward and said that they want 22 HBCU football players and 10 Canadian players at the minimum. Beasley told me, “This is going to be a great opportunity for a lot of players. There are a lot of great players that get overlooked by the other games being played before the draft but we want to see that come to an end. We want to provide the best opportunities to players that aren’t given the best exposure. At the game you will see at least 22 HBCU players and 10 Canadians.” He explains, “HBCU’s are generating a lot of hype now with Deion Sanders and others putting them in the spotlight so we want to give them the actual on the field spotlight for the scouts to see. Canadians have always played extremely well in the CFL and we are seeing a lot of them now making that jump in the NFL so we want to get some Canadians from Canadian schools and even those from NCAA schools to come and prove that they can play with some of the best players in the draft class. This will be good for their exposure to the NFL but also good for the CFL to be able to get a better in game look from their favourite draft prospects.”

Overall, this will be a great event and opening it in 2022 after seasons were cancelled and postponed in 2020 and 2021 will have Beaumont, Texas booming come February. Fans, coaches, scouts, players and media get ready for the 2022 Cajun All-Star Bowl. The game looks to be featured on national television and will showcase all of the hidden gems for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Antler down. Ottawa Redblacks’ defence led by Abdul Kanneh comes up big in week one victory

After a long off-season which began in November of 2019 the Ottawa Redblacks hit the field once again and did so successfully.

Coming out of Edmonton’s Commonwealth stadium with a 16-12 victory it is clear that the Ottawa Redblacks’ defence and special teams unit are the franchise’s biggest assets moving forward this season. Matt Nichols completed just 12 passes for 71 yards while Flanders gained just 39 yards on the run, so the Redblacks’ offence still have some work to do, but when they return from the bye week next week and Nichols regains his health the offence did show some sparks of what they can do. Receivers Ryan Davis, RJ Harris, Nate and Jordan Smallwood each had catches and could, alongside Daniel Petermann and DeVonte Dedmon get a lot more catches later down the road.

The defence, and the whole team on Saturday night was led by defensive back Abdul Kanneh. Making tackle after tackle on the game’s winning drive, including the game winning stop at the goal line and even intercepting two of Trevor Harris’ passes, one for a touchdown Kanneh stood on his head and reminded R-Nation exactly why the Redblacks won the 2016 Grey Cup, because of Kanneh’s shoe string tackle on Andrew Buckley.

“Our main goal is to get the ball back to our offence.” Kanneh said after the game.

Defensive back Randall Evans also had an interception, Micah Awe and Avery Ellis each had sacks and so did Avery Williams, adding to his 14 tackles. Sherrod Baltimore made 8 tackles, shutting down Greg Ellingson on the side of the field with both Abdul Kanneh and Don Unamba too.

Another bright spot in week one for the Ottawa Redblacks came on special teams where we almost saw a punt return touchdown from Ryan Davis after a forward lateral from DeVonte Dedmon, but it was Dedmon who totalled for 160 yards on 11 kickoff and punt returns in Edmonton. Lewis Ward made his presence felt yet again as the Redblacks’ kicker, making two 50+ yard field goals and one 21 yarder.

This win came after a long off-season of doubt coming from the outside looking in, and even-though it may not have been a pretty win, it was a win and thats all that matters.

“This is Redblacks football. This is definitely Redblacks football.” Kanneh said in an exciting fashion after the big win and it is Redblacks football that all of the CFL should keep eyes on this 2021 CFL season as it will only improve from here on.

Ottawa will be on a bye week two and will then travel to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders for a week 3 battle. In the meantime, Antler Down!

“Is this real life?” Edmonton Elks’ cornerback Jonathan Rose returns to the field after 25 months away from it; A Jonathan Rose Story

For the most part of CFL players, when they hit the field in August it will mark close to 20 months since they were on the field last for a CFL game. Due to the spread of the coronavirus and the world-wide pandemic that we’ve been faced with, there was no 2020 CFL season but for two time CFL Eastern All-Star Jonathan Rose that was just one of two seasons that he’s missed, making the CFL’s 2021 comeback season even more exciting. In his CFL career, he has played the majority of his team’s games when he was with the Ottawa Redblacks, missing just 4 games in his first 3 seasons in the league although after suffering a neck injury in a July 5th game in 2019 vs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at TD Place and the on-going COVID-19 pandemic Rose will have been sidelined for 25 months come August 7th when he plays again with the Elks. 25 months may seem like a long time, and it is but it is much better than not playing ever again like he was told to when he first suffered his injuries in 2019, “I was told a couple times that I probably shouldn’t (play again) but I didn’t let that get to my head. A lot of people do meditations or yoga to put themselves in a good place mentally, football is my yoga and I need it just as much as those people need their meditations and yoga.”

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Having his mind set on playing football again, Jonathan Rose stayed around the game of football. Even though he couldn’t play for the team, he spent the remainder of the 2019 CFL season with the Ottawa Redblacks, installing a powerful energy into the locker room. When talking about the season he spent on the sidelines he said, “it wasn’t fun. It was my first major injury where I had to sit out a full season, but for me I felt like it was good to stay around my teammates and give the team the energy they needed during games.” For Rose and the Redblacks, it was a good situation for both sides, he was able to keep his mind set on football and in a 3-15 season the Ottawa Redblacks needed all of the energy they could get on the sidelines for the rest of the season. For the rest of the season as well, while being on the sidelines and being around the team Jonathan Rose was starting his rehabilitation, doing everything he had to to be able to play football again, starting off by having neck surgery in late January in 2020. “After I had surgery, I had a neck brace so I couldn’t do any workouts or anything, but as soon as it was off in March I was working consistently to be healthy enough to play again because that was the goal.”

In early March, Rose’s neck brace was taken off and he was then able to work on getting strong enough to play again, though unlike a usual injury rehab he was forced to do it on his own at home. During the exact time period in which he had his neck brace taken off, a world-wide pandemic had started and due to the coronavirus gyms were closed, hospitals and doctors offices were emergency only, team facilities were closed as well as the majority of stores and public areas. This affected his rehab, but at the same time helped his rehab. Along with the closures and cancellations, the CFL was forced to shut down their 2020 season which while still being stuck at home for his rehab gave Jonathan Rose more time to get himself ready to play football again and also life after football. “It was a blessing in disguise.” Rose said, “Having the CFL season cancelled in 2020 I didn’t have to worry whether I’d miss another season or not so it gave me more time to workout and get ready to play in 2021.” He then continued to talk about what he ended up doing throughout the lockdown, “I tried to stay as busy as possible during the time I had. In June when I was officially cleared to play football again I continued to do small workouts and build my strength up but I also explored opportunities for what I’ll do after football. Being hurt and being told that I might never play again gave me a reason to do stuff to prep for my life after football.”

As for his life after football, Jonathan Rose wants to explore his chances at becoming a guidance counselor and thanks to this quarantine he was able to learn more about the job and finish his degree at the University of Nebraska where he had his football scholarship when he played there. He said in an interview with Jordan Zlomislic of JZ Media, “I want to be a guidance counsellor of some sort later on when I’m done with my football career. It’s always been something I’ve been interested in, just to be able to help the younger generation and thanks to a few teachers in Ottawa, I was able to meet with a few classes and talk to them.”  For the most part when you hear of professional athletes talking to a class or a group in general it would be about sports but for Rose it was different, he explained, “It was the first time I talked to a group and was focused on talking about life and not just sports. For me it was a great experience to be able to do that, and to be able to do something where I can see more of what I might do in a job in the future and I was also able to finish my degree which is going to help in the future too and I’m excited about that.” Of course finishing his degree and focusing on his life after football was something Rose had higher up on his priorities list, and just recently we were taught as football fans that the players aren’t the only ones working during the pandemic. In the CFL, since the league shut down in August and after the free agent list came out in November, teams have been actively working on building their rosters for the 2021 season and among the teams doing exactly that is the Edmonton Elks. 

Edmonton, recently has been in the headlines for changing their name to the Elks, moving on from the previous name “Eskimos” but have also been in headlines for signing a number of key free agents, continuing to improve for the 2021 CFL season like how they’ve signed Jonathan Rose. The contract between the two is a huge headline for the CFL. Rose, a two time CFL Eastern All star, Redblacks’ 2016 rookie of the year and Grey Cup Champion is without a doubt one of the best cornerbacks in the CFL right now and there is no arguing that the Edmonton Football Team won big with this signing. “I’m very excited.” said Jonathan Rose, “Its been a longtime for everyone in the CFL since we played but adding that injury to it for me its been even longer and I speak for all of the CFL players when I say this, we’re going to be like kids in a candy store when we get on that field in August.”

With that being said, its clear that Jonathan Rose and his teammates will be excited for when CFL football returns and now with his new contract Rose has, “one less thing to worry about” he says. In June of 2020 when he was cleared to play football again he was officially released by the Ottawa Redblacks, making him a free agent and he hadn’t heard from the Redblacks’ front office to bring him back, giving him the go ahead to talk to new teams. Out of all of the teams in the CFL that he was talking to the Edmonton Football Team is the team he feels the most “comfortable” with, he said himself, “the team has a lot of familiar faces. Even though its a new team, new colors and a whole new city for me it isn’t all that different. They have Brock at GM who helped bring me in the CFL in the first place and then on the coaching staff they have Thorpe who coached me in 18’ and 19’, not even talking about the players you can call it the ‘Redblacks 2.0’ with Trevor (Harris), Greg (Ellingson), Sir V(intent Rogers) and everyone else there.” 

FA Most Wanted: Rose on the rise among CFL's elite - CFL.ca

In football, and in all professions it often comes down to who you know. For this case, with Jonathan Rose becoming a free agent and all of the familiarity he has in Edmonton it did come down to just that, but it also came down to the talent as well. Rose isn’t just some average player that the Edmonton Football Team wants to have around because they ‘know’ him, they brought him in to win. Rose, in 4 seasons in the CFL has played in 53 career games, tallying up 166 total tackles while forcing 15 turnovers, scoring two touchdowns as well as getting one quarterback sack. The numbers speak for themselves and show exactly what kind of player he is and he wants to make sure that people know that Jonathan Rose can still play in the CFL, even after not playing for over two years. He commented, “Edmonton has had a lot of success, and we can have some more success. I’m there to be the best player that I can be and to give them the best chance to get their 15th Grey Cup Championship.” Not only is he looking at winning but also creating opportunity, “The franchise has a good history of bringing guys to the NFL and as much as it may seem like a closed opportunity I still want to get a shot at it and being in Edmonton gives me the best chance to make that a possibility.”

To start off what we hope will be a good CFL season in 2021, Jonathan Rose is in Edmonton ready to play football after 25 months without it. He will be facing off against his old team, the Ottawa Redblacks tonight at 10:00 eastern time at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, but its a weird feeling for Rose for two reasons. He was told he would never play football again, but now he is here. “Is this real life?” he questions, “Am I really going to go back on the field and play football after I was told it was taken away from me for life? I’ve been a football guy my whole life. I have built a name for myself and created my platform through the game of football so to get back on the field after 25 months is surreal.”

Also a weird feeling is the fact that he has to play his first game against the Ottawa Redblacks, a team that he played four seasons with and created a unforgettable bond with. He says, “I love that I’m playing again but I hate that it has to start against my old team. Its not that I’m not competitive and I don’t want to beat them, its just that I’ve put so much into that organization and now I have to go against them. It’s going to be tough to face that reality but I’m ready to hit the field again.”

Rose has already received the Joey Moss award in Edmonton which is given out to an Elks player at the end of each training camp and the player who’s persevered through adversity and embodies Joey’s positivity in everything he does. As he steps foot on Commonwealth Stadium’s field tonight for his first game in 25 months he will show exactly why he won that award and will remind everyone around the CFL who Jonathan Rose is.

Congratulations and good luck Jonathan Rose. 

The wait is over. It is Ottawa Redblacks game day, finally

The last time we had the ability to say the words, “It is Ottawa Redblacks game day” was on November 1st 2019 when the Redblacks hosted the Montreal Alouettes for their 2019 CFL season finale but today we can say it again. Ottawa will kickoff against the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium tonight at 10:00 eastern open up their 2021 CFL return to play season and R-Nation should be beyond excited to have Redblacks football back.

Some things to be excited about and to keep eyes on as Redblacks fans would be the following:

Having a veteran starting quarterback again in Matt Nichols. Nichols will look to give a Trevor Harris or Henry Burris impact to the Redblacks offence in 2021 after a 2019 season which the team saw three different starting quarterbacks including Dominque Davis who will back up Nichols this season.

An experienced play caller in head coach Paul LaPolice. In 2019 the Redblacks had both Joe Paopao and Winston October calling plays for the offence. The two didn’t have much success, but LaPolice, coming off of a Grey Cup Championship in 2019 with Winnipeg should give Ottawa’s offence a fresh new look offence.

A new look receiving core. Ottawa had just one 1,000 yard receiver in 2019 in Dominique Rhymes but after losing him to the B.C Lions in free agency, and both Jalen Sunders and Brad Sinopoli to retirement the Redblacks have zero returning 1,000 yard receivers and only have one receiver under contract with a season over 500 yards in RJ Harris who looks to be the number one receiver in the capital. Eventhough they only have the one experienced receiver the Redblacks also have Daniel Petermann, Anthony Coombs and Nate Behar as Canadian receivers who have played in the league previously and CFL rookie receivers Jordan Smallwood and Ryan Davis alongside returner and receiver DeVonte Dedmon. This receiving core is a whole brand new look in the nation’s capital and Jordan Smallwood, Ryan Davis, DeVonte Dedmon, Anthony Coombs, R.J Harris and Daniel Petermann each will be exciting players to watch on the Redblacks offence. Just because they aren’t big names in the CFL like the opposing Greg Ellingson, Derel Walker, Armanti Edwards and Tevaun Smith it doesn’t mean that they won’t be big names by the end of the year.

Mike Benevides’ defence. One of the best in the league? Led by Cleyon Laing, Avery Ellis, Avery Williams, Don Unamba, Micah Awe, Sherrod Baltimore, Abdul Kanneh and Antoine Pruneau, Benevides has a very hungry defence in the capital and as they set up to play the Edmonton Elks today expect them to be on the front lines of the Redblacks success today and even moving forward into the season.

The special teams unit. Like always, the Ottawa Redblacks have the best special teams in the CFL. With Lewis Ward and Richie Leone kicking with the team once again, the Redblacks defence should always have the advantage as for field position, same with the offence with DeVonte Dedmon returning kicks if the return doesn’t make it all the way to the end zone.

Tune into TSN at 10:00 eastern time tonight for the Ottawa Redblacks’ first game of the 2021 CFL season.

Actions speak louder than words; Ottawa Redblacks set to prove themselves to the CFL in season opener in Edmonton

After a hot start in 2019 when the Ottawa Redblacks opened their season 2-0, winning two big games against the Calgary Stampeders and Saskatchewan Roughriders, things went down hill in the nation’s capital. The team lost too many key parts in the free agency period leading into the season and never replaced those players, ending the season on a 1-15 note with both Dominique Davis and Jonathon Jennings getting most snaps at quarterback, Mossis Madu and John Crockett at running back, Dominique Rhymes, Brad Sinopoli and RJ Harris at receiver while the defensive side of the ball was faced with a number of injuries, eventually placing them in dead last in most defensive categories. The front office in Ottawa has since chosen to improve the defence, signing a number of talented players over the long off-season and bringing in not only a great defensive co-ordinator in Mike Benevides but an entirely new look coaching staff and team which looks to have been largely improved since the 3-15 season in 2019.

Although they have improved, brought in a number of proven veterans on the defensive side of the ball and hired a great group of coaches it still isn’t enough for the outsiders to respect the team like they once did. Media covering the league and fans around the country have extremely low expectations for the 2021 Ottawa Redblacks led by quarterback Matt Nichols but they simply do not care about the outside noise. It has been completely blocked out by many on the team. Nichols even saying on TSN 1200 radio with Lee Versage just prior to training camp opening, “I hope everyone picks us to finish dead last, I love playing with a chip on my shoulder.”

The Redblacks will definitely be playing with chips, the size of boulders on their shoulders on Saturday when they play the Edmonton Elks at Commonwealth Stadium at 10:00 eastern day light time and a lot of those players doing so will be new. As mentioned the team has a new look, a new, and improved look this year but many do not believe that the additions of new receivers Jordan Smallwood, Ryan Davis, Daniel Petermann, and Anthony Coombs to the starting line up alongside Timothy Flanders at running back are good enough. CFL fans across the country and even major media outlets like TSN have already counted the Redblacks’ offence out, simply because they “don’t know who the players are.”

Well, they will learn who the players in Ottawa are very fast as they look to make play after play in the season opener.

See the Ottawa Redblacks 2021 CFL season opener depth chart below.