"REDBLACKS ink three more players"

If this team ends up with lousy receivers, it won't be for lack of trying.  Two more were signed today, as well as a defensive back.  See below, and if I find anything of interest on any of them I'll post it separately.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League have signed Canadian wide receivers Justin Chapdelaine and Liam Mahoney as well as import defensive back Justin Ferrell. 

Chapdelaine, a 6-foot, 189-lb native of Abbotsford, B.C.; joins the REDBLACKS after spending four seasons with the Queen’s Golden Gaels.  The former quarterback, who finished the 2012 season with 36 receptions for 521 yards and four touchdowns, is the son of former CFL head coach and offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine, currently the head coach of Simon Fraser’s football program. 

Chapdelaine earned a Vanier Cup in 2009, his first season with Queen’s. He was also named a 2012 Second Team Ontario University Athletics (OUA) All-Star. 

Mahoney, a 6-foot-1, 207-lb native of Lachine, QC; joins the REDBLACKS after spending two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Hamilton Tiger Cats.  Before being selected 41st overall in the 2011 CFL draft by the Bombers, Mahoney played quarterback in collegiate football for the Concordia Stingers. (edit from his Ti-Cats bio: During his CIS career...Mahoney caught 94 passes for 1,208 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons as a receiver after converting from quarterback). 

Ferrell, a 5-foot 9-inch, 190-lb. native of Danville, Virgina; played three seasons with the North Carolina A&T Aggies of the Mountain East Athletic Conference (MEAC).  Ferrell not only had  a stellar senior season in the Aggies secondary but also had a breakout season as a return man, adding his name to the school’s history books as one of the best athletes to play at N.C. A&T.

Here are Chapdelaine's college numbers at Queen's.

2013: 18 REC, 213 yards, 1 TD
2012: 36 REC, 521 yards, 4 TD
2011: 30 REC, 524 yards, 2 TD
2010 (QB): 140/219, 1,878 yards, 13 TD, 225 rush yards, 7 TD
2009 (QB): 16/25, 127 yards, 0 TD, 89 rush yards, 0 TD

One in, Maybe one out.

The Redblacks announced another receiver signing yesterday.

OTTAWA – Garrett Burgess has become the latest Canadian wide receiver to sign with the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League. 

Burgess (6-0, 200), a Regina native, played five seasons with the University of Saskatchewan Huskies in Canadian University Sports (CIS) football. The 23-year-old ranked seventh in the CIS with 48 catches in the 2013 season, totaling 596 yards and one touchdown.

The receiver position has gotten a lot of attention. Not counting John Delahunt and Patrick Lavoie, who are both listed as fullbacks but have played receiverin the past, the team has 13 names at either wide receiver or slotback.

That's actually slightly lower than expected.  On January 16th, the team announced the signing of Cameron Kenney, who had bounced around the NFL for a couple of years after a successful university career at Oklahoma.  But more than a month later, Kenney is nowhere to be found either the CFL.ca or the Redblacks' roster pages.  So it may be that he's already quietly been let go by the team (either voluntarily, or not so much).

It may also be a simple record-keeping error so I'll keep his name on the roster here, but I thought it might be noteworthy.

"REDBLACKS add two receivers"

OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League added a pair of receivers to the team roster today: Canadian Aaron Hargreaves and import Kierrie Johnson. 

Hargreaves (6-4, 233), a 27-year-old native of Ladner, B.C., is a five-year Canadian Football League veteran, who began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before joining Edmonton briefly (then) playing with Saskatchewan last season. 

Hargreaves, who played college football for Simon Fraser, has 56 career catches for 548 yards in the CFL. 

At Simon Fraser, Hargreaves played three seasons and was twice named a Canada West All-Star. 

 

Johnson (above, 5-10, 175), a 25-year-old from Houston, began his CFL career in 2011 with the B.C. Lions before joining Saskatchewan last year. 

He caught 34 passes for 512 yards and one touchdown in two seasons for the Lions. He also ran the ball 14 times for 76 yards in two seasons with B.C., and served as a kick returner. 

Johnson played three seasons of college football with his hometown University of Houston Cougars, accumulating 85 catches for 1,308 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Of Hargreaves' 56 career receptions, 30 came in 2011 (for 292 yards) while playing for Winnipeg, by far his most productive season.

Johnson doesn't fit the same physical profile as most of the receivers that have been signed to this point, but he does seem to have some big play capability, as seen in his highlight video.

"Buck takes over as Sooners coach"

The article below is from the Ottawa Sun and a few days old, but the RedBlacks were so active in free agency that I didn't get the chance to post it.  I don't want it to be missed, so here it is.

When John Buck was offered the opportunity to be the head coach of the Ottawa Sooners, he took a bit of time to think about it. 

But after talking with friend and fellow coach, Matt Kassner, he had no further second thoughts. 

"He just said to me, 'We've got to do this,'" said the 37-year-old Buck on Wednesday. "And I said, 'Yeah, you're right.' I didn't know if I would ever get this opportunity again. You have to jump through the door while it's open. I'm very excited. I've been a minor football guy since I started coaching in 1997 (with the Bell Warriors). 

He coached the Myers Riders bantams for 10 years and also worked with the South Carleton Storm high school team. Buck was committed to coaching with the Myers Riders junior varsity team this summer. 

"I wanted to make sure that was logistically still possible," said Buck, who will have Kassner on board as his defensive co-ordinator, former CFL offensive lineman Kyle Kirkwood as his offensive co-ordinator and Marc Bourgon as his offensive line coach with the Sooners. "We're all pretty pumped about this." 

The team, which plays in the Ontario Football Conference, hopes to benefit from the age-limit increase -- where players up to the age of 24 will be eligible to play.

The Sooners website goes into Buck's career a little more specifically, stating "Buck comes to the club after leading the Myers Riders Bantam NCAFA to 5 championships in the last 10 years."  They also go into greater depth in regards to the assistants named above.

MATT KASSNER – Defensive Coordinator
Myers Riders OVFL Jr Varsity - 2012 – Present
Offensive Assistant – uOttawa Gee Gees - 2012-2013

KYLE KIRKWOOD – Offensive Coordinator
UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA - Offensive Line Coach/Run game Coordinator (2012)
MYERS RIDERS OVFL - JV Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs & Quarterbacks coach (2013)
Former Offensive Lineman with the BC Lions

MARC BOURGON – Offensive Line Coach
2003-13 NCAFA Bantam Myers Riders
2005 OVFL Senior Varsity Ottawa Myers Riders
Played for the Carleton Ravens

JONATHAN FERGUSON – Defensive Backs Coach
Myers Riders OVFL Junior Varsity - Defensive Backs Coach - 2013
Bell Warriors NCAFA - Head Coach / Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs Coach - 2008 - 2013

"Redblacks stay active in free-agent market, sign five more players"

I'm not sure I can top today's Citizen article about the five (!) RedBlacks signings, so let's let them have at it!

The Ottawa Redblacks continued to be active on the free-agent market on Thursday, signing five players: defensive lineman Brandon Lang (Troy), defensive back Bo Smith (Weber State), and wide receivers Eric Rogers (California Lutheran), DJ Woods (Cincinnati), Jason Bruce (Troy). 

The 27-year-old Lang, who is 6-4 and 257, is a two-year CFL veteran with the Edmonton Eskimos. A native of Tucker, Georgia, he had 11 tackles and three special-teams tackles last season. 

After playing at Troy, he was signed by the San Diego Chargers in 2010. 

Photography by CODIE MCLACHLAN/EDMONTON SUN QMI AGENCY

Smith, 30, spent five seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, making six interceptions and 163 tackles, and 2013 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He’s 6-0 and 185. 

Rogers, 23, set several all-time school records at California Lutheran, with 220 receptions for 3,461 yards and 41 touchdowns during his career, including 91 catches for 1,298 yards and 18 touchdowns in his senior year of 2012. 

He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in May of 2013 but was waived in August during training camp. He then joined the Portland Thunder of the Arena Football League. He’s 6-3 and 195. 

The 24-year-old Woods, 5-11 and 180, played from 2008-2011 with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, making 159 catches for 2,156 yards and 14 touchdowns.  He also served as a punt and kickoff returner.  He signed with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL in May, 2013, but was later released. 

The smallish Jason Bruce, who is only 5-9 and 159, was a high-school standout in his hometown of Natchez, Miss. 

He went on to play two seasons with for the Troy State Trojans, where he made 71 catches for 924 yards and seven touchdowns. 

He also threw a touchdown pass in his final season with the Trojans.

RedBlacks add Johnson and Jackson

Individual positions on the team have been addressed at various rates to this point.  The Redblacks have a high number of defensive linemen and receivers, but were much thinner at linebacker and in the defensive backfield.  They added to both of those positions today.

First, Jovon Johnson.

Johnson was named the Most Outstanding Defensive Player of the league and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2011 after recording eight interceptions, 55 tackles and two defensive touchdowns. 

In seven CFL seasons, the 5-foot-9, 189-lb. native of Erie, Pennsylvania has 372 tackles, 23 interceptions and six defensive touchdowns. He has also returned 57 kickoffs for 1,276 yards and 314 punts for 2,934 yards and three touchdowns. 

Johnson played his first season in 2007 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders before joining the Bombers to begin the 2008 season. He played college football at Iowa.

Johnson nomination as MODP was the first time the award was given to a defensive back.  He was named a league all-star after the 2009 and and 2001 season and an Eastern division all-star every year from 2009 through 2012.

As for Jackson...

Jackson, a 6-foot-2, 225-lb. native of Dunwoody, Georgia, arrives in Ottawa with five years CFL experience as a member of the Calgary Stampeders. 

The 28-year-old graduate of the Louisville Cardinals football program has been a defensive leaders with the Stamps, recording 217 tackles and seven fumble recoveries during his career, despite missing most of the 2013 campaign due to injury. 

In 2012, Jackson had an outstanding year for the Stampeders, recording 57 tackles, including a team-leading eight tackles for losses. He also had 10 tackles on special teams, three sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and three recoveries. 

... 

At Louisville, Jackson played four seasons with the Cardinals and had 138 career tackles, 10 sacks, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception.

That injury that derailed his 2013 was a broken arm so not the type of ailment you would consider to be recurring.

Incoming (and outgoing) Players on Day One of Free Agency

Looked like a pretty quiet first day of free agency for the RedBlacks but their work was done just before its official start, then in the early evening.

To begin, the very first trade in team history:

The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League have made a trade with the Calgary Stampeders, acquiring defensive lineman and Stittsville native Justin Phillips and Calgary’s third-round pick (23rd overall) in the 2014 CFL Canadian draft. 

In exchange, the Stampeders receive Ottawa’s third-round pick (19th overall) in the 2014 CFL Canadian draft and the REDBLACKS’ third-round selection in the 2015 draft. 

Phillips (6-4, 240 lbs.) has spent the past seven seasons in Calgary, where he has accumulated 78 tackles and an additional 78 special teams tackles and four sacks, including a career-high two sacks last season. 

... 

The 28-year-old Phillips attended Sacred Heart High School in Stittsville and played youth football with the Bell Warriors of the National Capital Amateur Football Association (NCAFA) and university football for the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Knights, helping his team win the 2005 Vanier Cup. 

In his third and final season at Wilfrid Laurier in 2006, Phillips was named a first-team Ontario University Athletics (OUA) all-star and a second-team Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) All-Canadian. 

Phillips, selected in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2007 CFL Canadian draft, helped the Stampeders win the 2008 Grey Cup and had a career season in 2011, recording 31 tackles and 12 tackles on special teams, to go along with a sack, one forced fumbled and a fumble recovery.

Nice.  Including the two college draft choices from the spring (Kalonji Kashama and Connor Williams), we could potentially bring in seven non-import defensive linemen to camp.  Plenty of competition and some tough choices to be made there unless someone is able to change positions.  Good problem to have.  At least I assume so, I don't recall that kind of problem with the two previous franchises in this city.

During the afternoon, our only free agent, receiver Rory Kohlert, returned to Winnipeg.  No great loss there.  He had a lot of catches, for relatively short yardage, but he was selected only because Ottawa could not find anything appealing among the players Winnipeg made available that were not pending free agents. I doubt this came as a shock to anyone in the organization.  Moving along...

Late in the day, the RedBlacks announced three more signings (photography by Dale MacMillan).

The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League signed the following non-import free agents today: linebacker Kevin Scott, slotback Matt Carter and kicker Derek Schiavone. 

Scott, a 6-foot-3, 232-lb. Ottawa native has played five seasons in the CFL, the past three with Hamilton. The 30-year-old graduate of Queen’s has 25 special teams tackles in his CFL career. 

Carter, a 6-foot-2, 199-lb. native of Kelowna, B.C., spent the past two seasons in Edmonton after playing three years in Hamilton. The 27-year-old has 52 career catches in the CFL for 738 yards and four touchdowns. 

Schiavone, a Western graduate from Fort Erie, last appeared in the CFL in 2011 with Edmonton. He went 39-for-45 on field goals in four seasons with the Eskimos.

Nowhere near the flash of other signings on the day, but some solid stuff there. Including Phillips, RedBlacks special teams got a lot of love today.  Phillips has 18 special teams tackles for Calgary.  Scott was the long-snapper for the Ti-Cats.  Schiavone also punted for the Eskimos in 2010, recording a 40.3 average.

There will definitely be more news tomorrow as the schedule is expected to be released.  Looking forward to sitting back and giving that a longer look.

Redblacks sign Sweed and Adu.

The team also announced that they are playing a "home" exhibition game in Regina on June 14th.  I can't even wrap my head around this idea at the moment so I'll stick to the player signings for now. 

DB Steven Adu first.  He was listed as being 5'9", 190 on Bishop's' 2013 roster. He was credited with 44 tackles and 14 assists for the Gaiters last season as a fifth year player.

Limas Sweed is yet another big receiver to join this team; said to be 6'4", 220.  He was a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008.  And, to be blunt and honest, did very poorly for them.  After a couple of very unproductive years, he injured his Achilles tendon early in 2010 and missed that season, then released towards the end of camp in 2011.  He was signed by Saskatchewan briefly but walked out on them without known explanation.

So dude sounds pretty high maintenance.  But who knows?  Perhaps being away from the game a bit made him miss it and he'll appear in camp motivated.  At this point in the game, he seems pretty low risk, high reward.

Ottawa Jr Riders (1997-2013)

I am quite surprised to be writing this post.  Amateur teams come and go (actually, in Ottawa, pro teams have come and gone as well) but I never expected the Ottawa Jr Riders to fold, as I was told on Twitter about a week ago.

The Jr. Riders have been as successful an on-field team as any other in this city.  Aside from a brief, difficult period in the Ontario Football Conference, they owned the Quebec Junior Football League for a number of years.

They were originally born as the Gloucester Redskins in 1995 but changed their name following the acquisition of some of the Rough Riders equipment when that team folded.  They took no time getting acclimated to the QJFL, participating in that league's championship game every year from 1997 to 2010 (broken up by the previously-mentioned stint in the OFC).  Their games against in-town rival Ottawa Sooners were typically close, hard-fought affairs with significant implications.  They also had an exciting rivalry with the Chateauguay Raiders.

So we'll record their accomplishments here with fingers firmly crossed that the the Jr. Riders are not dead, merely temporarily dormant.

Coaching History
Max Palladino (2010-2013)
Luigi Costanzo (2004-2009)
Andy McEvoy (2003)
Dan Murphy (1999-2002)
Dean Dorsey (1997-1998)

Results
2013:  6-2
2012:  6-2, Lost Joe Pistilli Cup to the North Shore Sabercats 34-52
2011:  7-1
2010: 10-0, Won Joe Pistilli Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 10-00
2009:  7-1, Lost Manson Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 19-20 
2008:  7-1, Won Manson Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 63-16
2007:  7-1, Won Manson Cup against the Ottawa Sooners 29-27 
2006:  7-1, Won Manson Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 19-02  
2005:  2-6, 
2004:  2-6, 
2003:  0-8, 
2002:  1-7, 
2001: 6-1-1, Lost Manson Cup to the Ottawa Sooners 17-18
2000:  6-2, Won Manson Cup against the North Shore Broncos 28-22
1999:  8-0, Won Manson Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 33-09
1998:  6-2, Won Manson Cup against the Chateauguay Raiders 24-09
1997:  6-4, Lost Manson Cup to the Ottawa Sooners 07-13

Meet the RedBlacks!

Have you heard?  Henry Burris is a RedBlack!

I was curious as to whether he would appear at the Meet The RedBlacks event last night.  Obviously he had been in town for the announcement of his signing, but for all anyone knew he might have another commitment to honour.  But he was there and emerged from backstage to a standing ovation from the season ticket holders in attendance.

The Ottawa Sun covered the event (step it up, Citizen!) but I want to add to that for those who couldn't attend.  Scroll on down past the picture below, lifted from the team's Instagram account.

For starters, much like at the naming event, Mike Sutherland does a great job with these things.  He's clearly comfortable with a microphone and seems to make the person being interviewed comfortable as well.

League Commissioner Mark Cohon took the stage first to discuss the state of the league and its vision for the future.  That done, players were brought up individually and chatted for a few minutes.  Delroy Clarke was first, followed by Eric Fraser, Simon Le Marquand and Keith Shologan.  Shologan and Sutherland had a particularly entertaining back-and-forth.  The defensive tackle became a fan favourite immediately.

Thomas DeMarco followed, then Burris and Head Coach Rick Campbell. Cohon was brought back for the Q&A segment.  General Manager Marcel Desjardins was in attendance, though not on stage, but he still offered some information from time to time from his seat in the front row.  Team President Jeff Hunt eventually joined the group on stage when questions were ultimately being directed to him in the audience anyway.

A few details were revealed that I'm surprised The Sun didn't bother to report.  To whit:

• Carleton was confirmed as the location for training camp.  Hardly a shock in light of the ownership group's connection to the university.  There'll be a rookie camp at the end of May and "full" camp will begin June 1st.  One day will be spent on the Gatineau side.
• The schedule is ready and will be revealed early next week, in all likelihood. 
• The uniform will be revealed in April.  Mark Cohon seemed particularly impressed by them. 

Following the Q&A, the various team members took to tables in the back of the room to sign autographs, chat with fans, etc.  There were plenty of snacks and drinks available, a small merchandise table was set up and the Grey Cup was brought in for photo opportunities.

Another fine event hosted by the RedBlacks who continue to display the commitment and class that past owners have failed to demonstrate.  Already looking forward to the next one.

"RedBlacks Add Blugh"

At the time that the coaching staff was named, I noticed that there was no defensive line coach specified.  I assumed that one of the other assistants or coordinators would take care of the position (such as defensive coordinator Mark Nelson).

The RedBlacks pulled a surprising move today is announcing the hiring of Leroy Blugh to handle that position on the staff.  Man knows a thing or two about the position.  Read on.

OTTAWA - Leroy Blugh, a standout Canadian defensive lineman for 15 Canadian Football League seasons, has joined the Ottawa REDBLACKS as the team's defensive line coach. 

The 47-year-old Blugh, who grew up in Napanee, played with the Edmonton Eskimos (1989-2000) and the Toronto Argonauts (2001-2003) before becoming a coach. 

He was head coach at Bishop's from 2005-2010 and served as an assistant for two seasons with the Queen's Golden Gaels before joining the Eskimos for the 2013 season as Edmonton's tutor of the defensive line.   

"We're excited to welcome Leroy to our REDBLACKS family," said head coach Rick Campbell. "Leroy knows what it takes to play defensive line at a high level in the CFL. His extensive playing and coaching experience will be invaluable to our football team."   

Blugh hoisted the Grey Cup with the Eskimos in 1993, was a CFL West Division all-star in 1996 and 1998, and was named the league's outstanding Canadian in 1996.

How did he do as a coach?  Here's a portion of an article (found on cfl.ca) in regards to Blugh stepping down from that post.

Blugh, arguably the greatest Gaiter of all-time, was the Gaiters' head coach from 2005-10, and compiled a 19-30 regular-season record (19-33 overall). He presided over the resurgence of the Bishop's University football program and its return to national prominence. 

In 2007, Blugh was named QUFL Coach of the Year, as he led the Gaiters to a 5-3 record, their first winning record since 1995, and a tie for second place in the league.

That record is not great, granted, but requires a little scrutiny.  Check out his year-by-year results.

2005: 1-7
2006: 1-7
2007: 5-3, (0-1 in playoffs) QUFL Coach of the Year
2008: 3-5
2009: 5-3, (0-1 in playoffs)
2010: 5-4, (0-1 in playoffs)

Bishop's was 1-7 in 2004 prior to his arrival then after he left, they dropped to 3-6.

Coaching a CIS program and being a pro position coach are very different beasts, no doubt, but based on his record, it would appear that Blugh has something to offer.