Yesterday, December 16th 2019 the CFL had released their official 2020 schedule. The Ottawa Redblacks will start off the 2020 campaign at home against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday June 12th for Friday Night Football.
The 2020 Ottawa Redblacks schedule
MacMillan back for 2 years
Nolan MacMillan, who was the Ottawa Redblacks first ever CFL draft pick is coming back to Ottawa for his 7th season in Red and Black. Just a week before Christmas, the Redblacks granted MacMillan a two year extension which would be a great gift as he will not have to go through the CFL free agency period.
MacMillan was interviewed by the media crew of the Ottawa Redblacks today and said, “Ottawa’s home and I can’t imagine playing anywhere else”. For MacMillan, that’s nothing but true. He has yet to play for another team in the CFL and with the 3 grey cups he’s been to with the group he says, “There is a lot to look forward to with this team and I’m excited to get back out there with the guys.”
New Defensive Coordinator in town
Along with MacMillan’s extension with Ottawa, Marcel Desjardins and Paul LaPolice came together to work out a coaching job for long time CFL coach Mike Benevides. During the time Marcel was out looking for a Head Coach, Mike Benevides name came up in multiple discussions, although with LaPolice being a recent Grey Cup champion, he was the favorite at the HC job. LaPolice may have won the job as the head man here in Ottawa, but the coaching staff needs to have some defensive minds on it also.
LaPolice’s offensive mastermind will be a great help to the Redblacks offense and with Mike Benevides on the defense, the team has a lot of potential going into 2020.
Over a month ago, the Redblacks future took a massive turn. For a team that has seen just one coach in the past 6 seasons and have had a great amount of success, the team’s future looked great with Rick Campbell in charge. Although just days following the team’s final game of the 2019 season, Rick Campbell and Marcel Desjardins made a decision behind closed doors which left Campbell on the market to coach any other CFL team.
Just a few weeks later, Rick Campbell took charge of the B.C Lions while Paul LaPolice signed up to coach the Redblacks. As LaPolice took over as coach in the nation’s capital, he mentioned there would be some changes within the coaching staff. Just one week with the job, LaPolice already brought in two coaches to the room and is hunting for more.
This week, TSN’s Farhan Lalji reported that both the Ottawa Redblacks and Montreal Alouettes have come in contact with Glenn about a quarterback coach job in the CFL. Even-though Glenn hasn’t made a decision on if he’d like to be a coach, this looks like a great option for the Redblacks moving forward.
REPORT: The @REDBLACKS and @MTLAlouettes are competing for the QB coaching services of Kevin Glenn
For all that know about Kevin Glenn’s tour of the CFL, this would be the second time he’d be called a Redblack along with the second time he works with Paul LaPolice.
In 2016, Glenn was the second string quarterback of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who’s offense was coached by Paul LaPolice.
Also in that great tour of the CFL, Glenn completed a career 62% of his passes for 52,867 yards and 294 touchdowns.
If Glenn is granted the opportunity to coach with the Redblacks, the quarterback room would be helped out from his experience.
Just this Monday the Ottawa Redblacks officially signed Paul LaPolice as the head coach, but with the moves he’s been developing are making it look like he’s been here for much longer.
To go back to his comments on Ottawa’s coaching staff, today he made two moves which would backup his opinions. Today, the Redblacks announced the bringing in of both Bob Wylie and Bob Dyce.
Bob Dyce has been with Ottawa for a while now and has been developing a great resume on the a Redblacks special teams. After both his kickers were granted NFL workouts, Paul LaPolice likes what he saw and decided to have him back with Ottawa going into 2020. In 2020, Bob Dyce will fill the role of being the team’s Special Teams Coach.
Along with Dyce, the Redblacks also announced that Bob Wylie would serve as the Ottawa Redblacks offensive line coach in 2020. Wylie has made a great background for himself with his last stint falling as the offensive line coach of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns. Before the Browns, Wylie has coached with Paul LaPolice 2 times in the CFL, with that experience together, they are already aware of eachothers main goals as coaches. Although he may have experience with Paul LaPolice and people may know him from the CFL, the Redblacks and Rnation may also know him from his special moments from the Cleveland Browns Hard Knocks series.
The season may seem like a long ways away, although the season will creep up on us very quickly, so make sure to keep up to date on the Redblacks and subscribe to Lil’ Z Big R to receive all of the Redblacks news you’ll need to prepare for 2020.
Yesterday, the Ottawa Redblacks and Paul LaPolice were full of smiles after announcing a three year deal they had agreed on. They might have had a celebration at yesterdays press conference, but it didn’t stop them from getting to work toay.
Following yesterday’s announcement, Marcel Desjardins and the Redblacks front office agreed to sign Akeem Hunt.
In his career, Hunt has experienced a lot of football. Coming out of high school, he was a top running back in the country and later landed at Purdue University. With the Boilermakers, he played all four seasons putting up great numbers.
In Purdue, he was mostly used as a backup for the first two seasons as he totaled for just 96 touches where he turned in 1,870 all-purpose yards and 7 touchdowns. With him averaging 19.4 all-purpose yards per touch in the first two seasons he was granted a flex position in the Boilermaker offense to finish his college career.
With the new role in Purdue’s offense, he had 314 more touches than the previous two seasons and he brought in 2,753 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns in his final two seasons.
The great improvement in the final two seasons helped him on scouting boards as he was given a contract from the New York Giants which gave him the opportunity to show what he had to offer. Unfortunately for Hunt, this opportunity wasn’t good enough and neither was the next stint with the Baltimore Ravens.
After being cut by both the Giants and Ravens early on in the 2015 season, he was granted a contract which would last. On November 2nd, he was signed by the Houston Texans and just 20 days later he suited up for his first NFL game. He only got 4 yards off two carries in game one, but with 7 total games in 2015 he ran and received for over 135 yards.
The 2015 season fell short due to the Texans getting back their starting backs for their playoff run, but that didn’t stop him from coming back to the Texans in 2016. To start off 2016, Akeem Hunt ran over all defenders in pre-season running for 122 total yards and leading the team with 3 touchdowns. In 2016, the Houston Texans got Lamar Millar, who took away snaps from Hunt, although he was still fortunate to play 8 games, running the ball 20 times for 109 yards along with catching it 3 times for 29 yards.
Hunt had his best year yet with the Texans in 2016, although the free agency period came by and took him away from the team he knew best.In 2017, Hunt played with the Kansas City Chiefs where he’d play a big role on their special teams along with being a running back if they needed one.
With the Chiefs already having Kareem Hunt, and Charcandrick West they weren’t in need of Akeem Hunt on the offense as he got just 12 touches in the 15 games he dressed. Although he had just 12 touches for 54 yards in the 2017 season, his 15 games on special teams led to a total of 5 defensive/special team tackles.
After the 2017 season, the Chiefs were in good hands with the running backs group they had therefore they let go of Hunt going into the 2018 season.
Although he wasn’t given a contract from an NFL team, Hunt didn’t leave football quite yet, he ended up signing a contract with the AAF’s Orlando Apollos where he’d be their 3rd string running back behind both D’Ernest Johnson and De’Veon Smith. In Orlando, Hunt played all 8 games of the AAF’s existence and tallied up 234 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns.
As we all know, the AAF later folded in Feburary of 2019 and this suspension of operations left Akeem Hunt without a contract for the 2019 season. Unfortunately, without the AAF, he was also unable to land a job back in the NFL. He sat out all of 2019,but he was still on the Redblacks negotiations list, and after the 2019 CFL season and the announcement of Paul LaPolice as the coach it was announced that the Redblacks would have Akeem Hunt on their roster going into 2020.
This Saturday, both the Ottawa Redblacks and former Winnipeg Blue Bombers Offensive Co-ordinator agreed on a 3 year contract which left LaPolice as the Redblacks next head coach.
After Rick Campbell and the Redblacks decided to move on over a month ago, this has been known as a great move by the organization. LaPolice has been a well known offensive co-ordinator for the past few seasons after going to the Grey Cup as the Bombers head coach in 2011 he was then known as one on the CFL on TSN panel with his very own segment “The Coach’s playbook”.
Since the time as the coach on TSN, he has been an offensive mastermind with the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers! LaPolice was found calling plays for Winnipeg in 2016 al the way to the Grey Cup just two weeks ago.
Just two weeks ago, Paul LaPolice and his family were a part of Winnipeg’s big celebration about their big Grey Cup win, but that didn’t distract him to being a part of the Redblacks interview process. After being a part of 2 interviews with Marcel Desjardins, the two worked out a 3-year contract.
Just 2 days after the announcement on social media, the Redblacks and Paul LaPolice ended up having a press conference in light of the big news.
Following the press conference, I was granted the opportunity to have an interview and a laugh with Paul LaPolice about his new job and a few jokes.
Interview
Zlomislic: In the time you spent here in Ottawa, you coached multiple games here in Ottawa, what did you like most about playing here?
LaPolice: “I didn’t like many things because we had a lot of real close games here in Ottawa, I believe we had an overtime game and a ‘drive to win’ game also. I might not have liked those games at the time, but now that I’m a part of Ottawa, those games can be crucial and the fans got really involved. Everytime I coached at TD place, I expected a battle. You’re on the road, nice stadium, and one of the loudest crowds I didn’t find a reason not to like the games played here.”
Zlomislic: Those games played in Ottawa, you were a part of an away team, now you will be with the home team here at TD Place. How does it feel to be a part of the home side?
LaPolice: “It is exciting, as I said in the conference earlier I hope to make an impact and make this the loudest fan base in the east. Ottawa has a really young fan base, and they care about football. As a head coach, you like working in a place which cherishes their football and that is something Ottawa does. Not only does the fan base care, so does the management. Just to look back, Rick Campbell and his staff did a great job of bringing this team to the top of the league and I look to do the same.“
Zlomislic: After winning the Grey Cup with Winnipeg, you had the chance to go back for round two, but instead you took on the challenge to come to Ottawa. What sold you on the idea of working here?
LaPolice: “Certainly, the idea of being a head coach was really attractive and secondly the idea of coaching in this city kind of settled me in. I believe this team is one of the best organizations in the CFL and with the facilities, management and fan base it had around it gave me a great decision to work here in Ottawa.”
Zlomislic: After signing up on Saturday, today’s press conference was the first activity for you in Ottawa. What are your first impressions of Ottawa?
LaPolice: “Well, the impressions are great. Last week following my interview, I walked around the Christmas Market here at TD Place and it really got me into the Christmas spirit. The restaurants are good, and everyone seems to be much ore festive than I’m used to in Winnipeg. They had open fires out there, games for kids and I feel like Ottawa is a great place for my family as I did see a lot more outdoor activities than Ive seen in the Peg (Winnipeg). My first impressions are pretty well, this city is great and I’m looking forward to the next few seasons that I’m here for.”
Zlomislic: What excites you the most about your new job here in Ottawa?
LaPolice: “I think I’m most excited about the process of building our team’s identity. How to be a team, what our team defines and how we play as a team. I feel like last season, the Redblacks lost an identity after losing some key components, although with me here, I hope to change that and create a well advertised team in Ottawa.”
Zlomislic: Surrounding the time with the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers is the time you had spent a part of the TSN’s CFL panel. On the panel, you were among many great football minds. If you could choose one of your former colleagues at TSN to help coach here in Ottawa, who would you bring?
LaPolice: Can I say Rod Smith? Oh never-mind, he would just be the funnest guy there. I would have to say my man Milt Stegall. I remember Milt telling me his coaching philosophy; he said he’d only coach if there were 12 Milt Stegalls on the field for him. So if I had him help me here in Ottawa, I don’t think I’d have to worry about my receiving core. Although behind that, Id also have a great group of guys. When Milt played, he was one of the hardest workers, he always knew what was going on and he was one of the greatest guys off the field too. Milt would make up of a great coach here in Ottawa if I got to choose him.”
Zlomislic: When you were signed on Saturday, all of Rnation hopped onto social media to welcome you in to Ottawa. What can the fans here expect from you here in Ottawa?
LaPolice: “I hope to be consistent, I will make sure that our team plays fast, physical and have fun. These guys on the field are just playing a game they love and having fun is what they do, so if they’re having fun, it means success as a coach.”
Zlomislic: Yesterday, you were spotted in the airport wearing a Hakuna Matata Lion King shirt, is Lion King your favorite Disney movie?
LaPolice: “YES! If you put the Avengers to the side, Lion King has been a favorite movie of mine and my family for a while. Earlier, we actually had a house in Florida which was found just outside the Disney parks and what we did was live there for a month every winter and in the kids rooms were Lion King designs, so you can say its a family favorite.”
Following Campbell’s signing with the B.C Lions earlier this week, the Ottawa Redblacks and Paul LaPolice have agreed on a deal which would make him the next head coach in Ottawa.
Paul LaPolice, the offensive co-ordinator of the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers, and the coach who used 3 quarterbacks in the 2019 season to get to the Grey Cup. After winning the big game, the Redblacks and Blue Bombers came in touch about interviewing LaPolice. A interview may come up in the coming days. As a Redblacks fan, you may ask why we’d want him to take the spot as the HC here in Ottawa, well he’s experienced as a HC and he can bring championship level talent with him to Ottawa. Before bringing the 2019 Bombers to the Grey Cup, LaPolice was the head coach of the Bombers from 2010-2012 and has been a offensie co-ordinator for them since.
Going into free agency, LaPolice has the opportunity to help Marcel Desjardins bring championship talent to the nations capital. After bringing a CFL offense to the 2019 Grey Cup, there are many of his former players on the open market. With the quarterback position being a need for the Redblacks going into the season, all eyes are on Chris Streveler this offseason. LaPolice has worked with Streveler for the past two seasons and has brought a big light to the pass/run options in the CFL. With Dominique Davis and William Arndt the only QBs under contract for 2020, Streveler can be a great fit into the offense.
Found below is the list of Winnipeg Blue Bombers free agents going into free agency, so you Redblacks fans can use your imagination and build next years team with LaPolice.
In 2019, the Ottawa Redblacks were faced by a season they’d never see coming. After going 11-7 the previous season, and starting 2-0, they were shot in the foot. Following their wins over both Calgary and Saskatchewan, the Redblacks won just one more game in the duration of the season. During the time Campbell spent as the Redblacks HC, Campbell made it to the Grey Cup three times and after failing to make the playoffs for the second time with the Redblacks, he parted ways with the franchise and later signed a HC job with the B.C Lions. The Redblacks, who have been in their offseason for a month now are in the search for a new head coach going into 2020.
Head Coaching job stays wide open
Over the past weeks, Marcel Desjardins has found himself a part of many head coaching interviews. To begin the process, it looked as if Tommy Condell, the long time offensive co-ordinator would land the job, although later in the process he decided to remain in Hamilton. Following Condell’s decision, the Redblacks have had interviews with Mark Washington, Mark Kilam, Mike Benevides, Steve McAdoo, Paul LaPolice and the Ottawa Redblacks special teams co-ordinator Bob Dyce.
Among the big list of possible coaches is Paul LaPolice who is favored by many. LaPolice has found himself speaking with Desjardins about this spot multiple time since Campbell left Ottawa, and Today’s interview may have sealed a possible hiring.
Being told that Mike Benevides interviewed for the #RedBlacks head coach job yesterday. Was 33-21 in his last stint as a head coach with a revolving door at QB. Paul LaPolice is interviewing in Ottawa today, believed to be the last interview. Six names still in the mix @CFLonTSNpic.twitter.com/YWcobyf5Ha
In the tweet found above, TSN analyst Farhan Lalji reports that LaPolice’s interview may be the last one along with Mike Benevides interview that took place yesterday.
Both Benevides and LaPolice have a lot of coaching experience behind them and would be great placements in Ottawa. LaPolice, who won the Grey Cup as the Offensive Co-ordinator in Winnipeg has 3 seasons of head coaching experience in which he took place in 2011’s Grey Cup where he lost to Benevides’ Lions. Although Benevides was just a defensive coach at the time, he had the opportuity to coach for both B.C and Edmonton where he combined for a 33-21 head coaching record. Along with his winning percentage, Benevides also racked up 3 Grey Cups during his coaching career. Since his last stint with the Edmonton Eskimos, Benevides has taken a spot on the CFL on TSN panel.
Offensive Co-ordinator who?
The two experienced coaches may seem like the best fit at a head coaching position here in Ottawa, although how about the Redblacks’ open spot for the offensive co-ordinator? In the 2019 season, the Redblacks played all 18 games without an OC and after going 3-15, it looks to be a priority in the 2020 off-season. Without a contact in the 2020 season is Calgary Stampeders Quarterbacks Coach Ryan Dinwiddie. Many see Dinwiddie as a possible head coach here in Ottawa, although he has experience as just a quarterbacks coach from 2015 all the way to now. With his resume lacking some experience, a head coaching ob may be a little too much for him, although the Redblacks Offensive Co-ordinator job would be a perfect fit for Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie has been the QB coach of Bo Levi Mitchell and Nick Arbuckle who have a combined 64-21-2 record with Dinwiddie on the staff.
Among the two quarterbacks, Arbuckle who started 7 of 18 games this past season will be a free agent and if Dinwiddie comes to Ottawa for either the head coaching or offensive job Arbuckle would be a great fit at the quarterback position.
Redblacks to the NFL?
Arbuckle may be a good fit for the next season, but how about the group we had last year? Many of the guys who took place on last years roster look to follow in Diontae Spencer’s footsteps into the NFL.
Sounds like there's plenty of #NFL interest in #Redblacks K Lewis Ward, who does not currently have a #CFL contract for next season. He could get multiple NFL workouts.
In the two tweets above, Tim Baines announced that both Redblacks kickers, Richie Leone and Lewis Ward will have a NFL workout with the Cininati Bengals and Kevin Brown announces that he will have a tryout with the NFL’s Chicago Bears this coming Monday.
As a result to the 2019 CFL season, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers beat out the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32-10 in the 107th Grey Cup played in Calgary. Even-though the Redblacks were not in the game, Redblacks fans were clueing in on what we can see if future games here in Ottawa.
Coaching in the Grey Cup was Paul LaPolice, the offensive co-ordinator of the Winnipeg Blue-Bombers, and the coach who used 3 quarterbacks in the 2019 season to get to the Grey Cup. After winning the big game, the Redblacks and Blue Bombers came in touch about interviewing LaPolice. A interview may come up in the coming days. As a Redblacks fan, you may ask why we’d want him to take Campbell’s spot as the HC here in Ottawa, well he’s experienced as a HC and he can bring championship level talent with him to Ottawa.
Going into free agency, LaPolice’s own quarterback Chris Streveler looks to be on the market along with his veteran backup, Matt Nichols. The two came up behind Callaros on the depth chart to finish the season, and they will look for a starting job else where for the 2020 season. With the struggles of both Davis and Jennings here in Ottawa this past season, it is sure that we need more talent at the quarterback position and these duos can look great here in Ottawa.
To pair with the two candidates from Calgary, former Redblacks OC is now on the market after being fired from his HC job in Edmonton. Don’t be surprised if he comes back to Ottawa.
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.
JZ MEDIA 