Ottawa Sun: Analysing The Ottawa Redblacks Picks

Had some computer issues during and just following the draft (nice timing) which prevented from gathering information about the guys that were picked. I did track the results on the "Draft results" page (appropriately enough), tricky as that was with three trades within the first four picks.

Copied below are, courtesy of Tim Baines and the Ottawa Sun, comments from head coach Rick Campbell and/or general manager Marcel Desjardins about each player.

Antoine Pruneau, DB, Montreal 

Desjardins: "He'll be able to compete at multiple positions for us on defence. He's very athletic, but the main thing we draft any player for is to contribute on special teams. We have no doubt he'll be able to do that." 

Campbell: "He's a competitor. He'll be a guy athletically that can come in and compete right away. He strikes me as a kid that whatever you're telling him to do, he's going to be thrilled to do it. He has one of those infectious attitudes where he's thrilled to be on the football field and wants to compete." 

 

Scott MacDonell, WR, Queen's 

Desjardins: "He's a big, fast receiver who catches the ball well. He's physical, can block well and will be able to do things on special teams for us. He's a guy we had rated quite high. When we made the trade to go from 10 to 13 in the second round, we were a little leery that he may not be there, but it worked out." 

Campbell: "He's a guy with upside. He's got a lot of room to grow. The thing that's real interesting about him is his size -- you can use him for multiple things, he's kind of a hybrid guy, a guy with versatility." 

Nigel Romick. DL, St. Mary's 

Campbell: "He's a freaky kind of athletic guy. He's 6-foot-5, runs 4.6something. He runs real well for a big man. They moved him around in college because he was one of their better players. We hope to use him more as a defensive end. But definitely with his body size and the way he runs, he can come in and compete on special teams right away." 

Aaron Wheaton, OL, U of T 

Desjardins: "He's a big man who's athletic, but he needs time to develop and get better."
Campbell: "You need offensive line depth. As we build this football team, we need offensive linemen to come in here and compete. There's no reason he can't come in and compete right away and see where his growth goes." 

Hugo Desmarais, OL, Laval 

Desjardins: "He's a player who last played on Laval in 2011. He went to spring camp in 2012 and hasn't played since because of supposed concussion issues. Based on our information and what he's telling us, it's not really concussion related. A 6-foot-6, 300-lb. offensive lineman who played a bit at Laval, we just felt we had to take a chance on that guy. We talked to him beforehand. He's excited. He wants to play. He hasn't played in a bit, but you can't have enough of those guys. We're happy we got him, but we'll see how it goes." 

Campbell: "He's a project with upside, a kid who was recruited to NCAA schools so obviously he has the physical skillset to do it. Whether that happens, as you get into the later rounds. it's worth taking a chance on guys who have that much upside." 

Stephon Miller, DL, Windsor 

Desjardins: "He's a good athlete, good size, 250 lbs., he moves around pretty good. These types of guys are players who can contribute initially on special teams. Our defensive line coach Leroy Blugh will work with this guy and get him to be a better player." 

Campbell: "The thing I liked about him is he's a hard worker. You can watch him on film and tell that he likes playing football. He strikes me as a kid that will come in here and won't be phased by the competition. He's just going to throw it in there and do what he does. A lot of times kids with that trait can come in and contribute on special teams because they just play fast and don't think twice about it." 

Vincent Desloges, DL, Laval 

Desjardins: "He's a very good football player, probably not as athletic maybe as other players in the draft. He's advanced from a technical standpoint, he does a lot of things well. He was a difference maker for them as a defensive end. He's a guy who really hustles all over the field and who's going to come in and maybe play for us on special teams right from the beginning." 

Alexandre Bernard, LB, McGill 

Desjardins: "He's a player who didn't think he would be doing anything in the pros. We were aware of this, so this is a bit of a chance selection. We thought he was a very good football player who made a lot of plays. He may or may not be at training camp, but we'll see how that plays out. He hasn't been doing anything since the end of last football season because he wasn't anticipating this. He may be a guy we have to wait on, maybe it's during the season on the practice roster, maybe it's next year for training camp." 

Kevin Malcolm, LS, McMaster 

Desjardins: "He hurt his knee last year, so he's not coming to camp. We know that. He's a very good long-snapper, he does want to pursue the CFL. He's a guy who a year from now he's fully rehabbed and ready to go. We'll obviously keep tabs on him next year when he's playing and we may have a future long-snapper for the RedBlacks." 

Campbell: "He's a CFL-capable long-snapper when you watch him on film which is a big thing. There aren't a lot of guys out there. The thing about long-snapping if nobody talks about it, that means you're good at it. All of a sudden, when it's not good is when you have all the conversation. So definitely, he's a guy worth taking."

The one I'm most curious about is Desmarais, naturally, since his story is a little unusual.  The name was only vaguely familiar when he was announced as the team's choice in that round, which is explained by the fact that he hasn't played in two years.  But he was getting a fair amount of hype at the time, so this is another low risk, potential high reward choice in what was largely considered to be a weak draft.

The team took a little bit of heat for trading away the first pick overall to Calgary for offensive lineman Jon Gott, a move I have no problem with.  For all that Pierre Lavertu was said to be pro-ready, that remains to actually be seen, whereas we know that Gott was a regular contributor on the Stampeders line for the past couple of years.  It seems that Gott's girlfriend lives in Ottawa so at 28 years of age, the possibility of keeping him around for the remainder of his career seems strong.

This is not a typical expansion team building for three or four years down the road.  The expansion draft was designed to give Ottawa a chance to be competitive right away, and this transaction is a step towards that.  Agree with it or don't, but there's undeniably some logic behind it.

RedBlacks sign DE Marlon Smith

The article below is from 2011 but it recaps recent Redblacks signee Marlon Smith's background and playing style quite nicely, so I wanted to save it.  Click on the Kens5 link below to read the full version.  In case the link goes dead soon, the picture is credited to Jeff Huehn.

by David Flores / Kens5.com  

Posted on September 17, 2011 at 9:54 AM 

 

Before starting in UTSA’s 31-3 rout of Northeastern State in its historic first game Sept. 3, Roadrunners defensive end Marlon Smith hadn't played in a football game since his senior season at Wagner High School in 2007. 

Considering how Smith has played in UTSA’s first two games, maybe football is a lot like riding a bike. Once you learn the game, you never forget how to play it.

A 2008 Wagner graduate, Smith played basketball at St. Mary’s for one season before transferring to UTSA in 2009 and joining the school’s fledgling program as a walk-on.

Two years and many grueling workouts later, Smith is well on his way to becoming the Roadrunners’ first outstanding defensive lineman. He earned a scholarship after UTSA’s fall camp last year and has developed into one of the team’s leaders. 

...

Smith played in 28 games during his one basketball season at St. Mary’s, averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds as a power forward. He also blocked 38 shots, the fourth most in Rattlers’ history.

But as well as Smith played, he felt unfulfilled as an athlete. He had his heart set on playing football at TCU coming out of high school, but the Horned Frogs never came across with a scholarship offer after recruiting him.

“I pretty much had put all my eggs in one basket with TCU,” Smith said. “It was pretty disappointing when they told me they didn't have a scholarship for me at the end. They were going to place me at a junior college, but that’s when I decided to go play basketball at St. Mary’s.”

While Smith started a new chapter in his life with the Rattlers, football was never far from his thoughts.

“I missed football a lot,” he said. “We had one of those big-screen TVs in our locker room at St. Mary’s. A lot of times we had games on Saturdays, so I’d sit there and watch college football. I’d watch and see someone miss a tackle and think, ‘Man, you should have hit that guy really hard,’ or something like that.”

... 

(UTSA coach Larry) Coker said Smith’s skills as a basketball player have helped him on the football field.

“He’s rangy,” Coker said. “He has good skills and works hard. He’s relentless as a pursuer. He’s not a big, physical guy, obviously. He’s pretty lean, but he gives great effort.”

Smith didn't know what to expect when he started working out with the Roadrunners.

“When I came here, I thought they were going to play me at wide receiver,” said Smith, who played safety at Wagner. “I had never played D-end before, but the coaches saw something in me that I didn't see in myself.

“I’m not going to lie. That first semester here was real tough because I didn't know whether I was cut out to be a defensive end. There were other people who came here and had played defensive end their whole lives. I didn't know if I was prepared.”

Guided by defensive line coach Eric Roark, Smith persevered through the tough times and learned his new position through hard knocks and dedication.

...

A heady player, Smith has impressed UTSA coaches with his attitude and work ethic. Combine that with his raw athletic skills and you have player with a tremendous upside.

“First of all, he can cover a lot of ground,” defensive coordinator Neal Neathery said. “And he’s long and he runs hard. The other part that makes him good is that he’s real pensive. He’s always thinking. He takes what he’s doing very seriously. He’s very serious about his business. He goes to work when he comes out here.

“It’s taken him until late August to be a good player. He wasn't a good football player last spring. He was still too slow with everything. Now he’s playing fast and it’s coming to him real well.”

The following August, Smith left the UTSA program following a "violation of team rules".  I say "left" because it sounds, from the few articles I've been able to locate about the incident, as though it was his choice and not an expulsion.

"A tough journey for Texans' Menkin might hit paydirt"

I'm sure that when Kevin Robbins wrote this article about new RedBlacks offensive lineman Nate Menkin back in August of 2012, he didn't envision that the big man would "hit paydirt" for Ottawa of the CFL.

Highlights of the article are copied below, in case the link goes dead.

He was a fine player at Lago Vista High School. He was tall, tireless in the weight room and always ran the hill alongside Sisemore Field long after his teammates had gone home after practice. He played offense and defense for head coach Alan Haire. He helped his team post the best finish in school history and a thrilling first trip to the playoffs. 

But no college coaches seemed to notice him. Only one, in fact, saw enough potential in the 6-foot-5-inch tight end to invite Menkin to campus. 

... 

Menkin's mother had died of breast cancer when he was 16. Marleen Menkin endured the disease for many years, trying different treatments, refusing to accept its harsh inevitabilities.
Her oldest son learned a lot from watching his mother when she was sick. She never surrendered, Menkin said. So neither did he. 

... 

Menkin went to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a Division III program in Belton with a strong tradition in football. He told his father, Darryl, that he would become an All-American. He told Haire, his high school coach, that no matter what happened, he never would give up. 

... 

Menkin became that All-American at offensive tackle. He was a four-year letterman for the Cru. And after his senior year, he snatched a piece of magic. 

His coach at Mary Hardin-Baylor, Pete Fredenburg, took Menkin to the NFL pro day at Baylor. A lot of scouts were there to see Robert Griffin III. 

They also saw Menkin, who bench-pressed 225 pounds 39 times. They saw him run the 40-yard dash in 5 seconds — a running back in a lineman's frame. 

A scout for the Carolina Panthers drove to Belton that afternoon. He met with Fredenburg, who told him no one on his team committed more to the game than Menkin. 

When he signed with the Texans, Menkin became just the second player from Mary Hardin-Baylor to make it to the NFL. 

... 

It's the pledge he made to himself and the people who believed in him. 

People like his mother. People like his coaches. People like his father, who needed his oldest son to help raise his two younger brothers after their mother died. 

... 

Maybe this improbable football story ends and something new begins. Menkin then might have to remind himself of the address he gave last spring to the kids at Lago Vista Middle School, where he talked about dedication. 

"I just spoke to them about sticking to what you do," Menkin said. 

"It all comes from my mom," he said. "It starts there." 

What you hear there isn't the voice of someone who waited for a path to come to him. 

It's the voice of a man who went out and found one.

A Closer Look at Marwan Hage's Retirement

A few days ago, I wrote a post about a few players that were said to have been signed by the RedBlacks.

Since then one veteran player retired and up to seven more were released (depending on whose report you read).

Most of those transactions have yet to be made official (as I write this, all the released players are still on the official roster).  I was going to wait until they were announced to comment but the league doesn't seem to be in any hurry.  The last posted transaction is from April 9th. Could be a while, so here's a modified Citizen article about the cuts to get the ball rolling:

(Receiver Limas) Sweed, a member of Texas’ 2005 NCAA championship team who also earned a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers, was among six players released by Ottawa on Wednesday. 

Also let go were receivers Paul De Pass and Eric Rogers, defensive backs Justin Ferrell and Bo Smith and kicker Derek Schiavone. 

Smith is a veteran CFL player, having previously been with Hamilton (2008-12) and Winnipeg (2013). Smith also spent time with the NFL’s New York Jets’ in 2010. 

Schiavone, 28 of Fort Erie, Ont., signed with Ottawa after playing previously with Edmonton (2008-12) and Montreal (2012-13).

Martin Comtois for Le Droit reported that QB Matt Faulkner was also released.

Comtois, by the way, is "the man".  If I could follow one guy's coverage, it would be that dude's. You'll frequently get details from him that other teams have missed.  Best of the bunch.

Now earlier in the week, expansion draft selection Marwan Hage retired.  It had been hoped that he would provide veteran leadership and experience on the offensive line but he wanted to spend more time with family.

So be it. Can't fault a guy for that.  It was always a possibility anyway.  But what really caught my attention were comments from fans to the effect that Hage's selection was a "wasted pick".

That comment irritates the hell out of me.  Hey, every sports fan enjoys being the passenger-seat GM, but there's a perspective to that point of view that is clearly lacking.

Hage was picked in the second round of the non-import draft.  Before each round, teams were able to protect six non-import players.  That means that by the time Ottawa got to choose in that round, 12 players were already made unavailable by each team.

The Redblacks had already chosen FB John Delahunt from Hamilton.  If we say that they should avoid Hage because of the possibility that he wouldn't report, we're up to 14 Canadian players removed from Hamilton's list.

Of course, the RedBlacks did not want to select upcoming free agents that they might lose to another team two months later anyway.  So that removes another few guys, including linebacker/long-snapper Kevin Scott, who ended up signing with Ottawa anyway.

So ultimately, during the later hours of the expansion draft, the Redblacks had a choice to make; take a chance on Hage or select Hamilton's (approximately) 17th best Canadian.  Since teams have seven starting Canadians, technically the RedBlacks were choosing between rolling the dice on a quality veteran continuing to play and a "3rd-string Canadian".

So it didn't work out.  Sure, it sucks.  But there was logic behind it.  It was a low risk (based on what Ottawa might possibly have acquired) but high reward (a talented, high-character veteran) move.  In all likelihood, Ottawa would have selected Kevin Scott anyway, and they have Scott now.  So you could make a case that they lost nothing at all.

Hey, it would be great for Hage to have played a year or two.  I'm certainly not denying that.  But taking a chance that he would not retire did not cost the RedBlacks anywhere near as much as some people are assuming it did.

Four Quiet Acquisitions

The Redblacks had their first full day of mini-camp today in Virginia today.  The Ottawa Sun's Tim Baines was on the scene running a live blog.  The following was among his updates.

RedBlacks will announce they have signed R Tim Maypray, DB Chika Madu, LB Will Heyward and QB Corey Leonard.

As I write this, the signing have yet to be announced, but assuming that Mr Baines is correct, let's have a look at what we're getting:

Maypray: Played quarterback for the Virginia Military Institute, then as a receiver with the Alouettes primary as a return man. According to Wikipedia:

Maypray made his professional debut with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) during the 2010 season. During his first game, Maypray returned a missed field goal by Luca Congi of the Saskatchewan Roughriders 125 yards for a touchdown, setting a team record.  During the Alouettes next meeting against the Roughriders, Maypray returned another missed field goal 118 yards for a touchdown. After his second missed field goal return for a touchdown, Maypray was named the CFL's Special Teams Player of the Week.

He's listed as being 5'8" and 170 pounds.

Madu: Was a first-team all-conference selection, and a record-setting kick return man, as a senior in 2011 for Nicholls State.

Heyward: Played his university ball at Texas State between 2001 and 2004. He has prior pro experience in AFL2 then with Hamilton in 2010 as a defensive back.  Hamilton listed him as being 5'9", 190 so I suspect he actually is a DB as opposed to LB.

Leonard: Was a 4-year starter at Arkansas State, throwing for over 7300 yards.  Spent the 2011 season with the BC Lions.  Is listed as being 6'01", 207.

"REDBLACKS add trio of import linebackers to roster"

Even though they still had a bit of room on the roster, it appeared as though the RedBlacks were done signing players for a while. Their near-daily signings had come to an end weeks as the team instead made the news with mascot namings and fancy food selections at the stadium.

But they were back to their earlier ways today, signing three linebackers.  The release is below.

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League added trio linebackers to the team roster today: Anton McKenzie, Travis Brown and Jeremiah Green. 

McKenzie, a 33-year-old native of Medford, N.Y., is an eight-year CFL veteran who played three seasons to begin his career in Saskatchewan before joining the B.C. Lions in 2009. 

McKenzie (5-10, 235) has 398 career regular-season tackles, 13 sacks, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. 

In 2009 and his first season with the Lions, McKenzie had a career-high 85 tackles, 14 tackles on special teams and six sacks. 

Brown, a native of Fresno, Calif., played collegiate football at Fresno State where he had 38 consecutive starts at linebacker for the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-1, 236-lb. Brown had 67 tackles during his senior year at Fresno State in 2012. 

Green, a 23-year-old native of Tulare, Calif., joins the REDBLACKS after a standout collegiate career with the University of Nevada Wolf Pack. 

Green (6-2, 235) joined the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL and attended training camp before joining the San Jose SabreCats of the Arena Football League last October.

Obviously McKenzie is the best known of the bunch, and the release shares a fair amount of information about him.  But in trying to find out more about him, I came across this pretty complimentary comment from his now-former head coach in a newspaper article from last July.

"He plays the game from a cerebral point of view," Benevides said. "He's always where he needs to be. When we picked him up in free agency...the analysis we had on him at the time was that he was a very smart football player, and a leader. He was telling everyone else what to do. And he still does. That says something, given the multiplicity of the defences we run. At the same time, he makes plays. I've always respected him because he's never gotten enough credit. And I respect him because he knows that."

McKenzie had 30 tackles for the Lions last year, plus another five on special teams.

As for the others, being young and relatively inexperienced, there is less material about them to choose from, however I did find the following about Brown in a 2011 defensive preview of Fresno State's season...

Junior Travis Brown started every game last year on the strongside finishing second on the team with 79 tackles with two sacks, nine tackles for loss, and a pick. The 6-2, 235-pounder suffered a hip injury this spring, but he’s expected to come back and be fine. With good size and nice pass rushing skills, he’s a good do-it-all veteran on the outside and is a tone-setting big hitter.

...And Jeremiah Green ranked 5th in examiner.com's list of the top 10 linebackers in the Mountain West Conference in 2012:

Green was thrown into the starting lineup last summer after an injury to DeAndre Boughton and the junior took full advantage of the opportunity. The 6-2, 230-pounder from Tulare (Calif.) Union High, had 49 tackles last year playing next to veteran linebackers James-Michael Johnson and Brandon Marshall. Two of Green’s tackles were for a loss. Used extensively in pass coverage, Green intercepted three passes and knocked down 10. He was named to the Butkus Award watch list this week. The award is given to the top linebacker in the nation.

Looks like the competition at the position just got a fair bit more fierce.  Look forward to hearing how next week's mini-camp in Virginia shakes down.

Update on Tyler Digby

As the Redblacks prepare for the 2014 draft, let's hear from one of last year's selections.

As a reminder, Tyler Digby was a fourth-round selection in 2013, the last made by the RedBlacks that day. He was later chosen by the Vancouver Stealth of the National Lacrosse League in the third round of that league's draft. This Calgary Sun article touches on the possibility that Digby might become a two-sport athlete.

“I haven’t really made a total decision yet,” Digby said of continuing his football career, as the Stealth prepared to face the Calgary Roughnecks on Friday at the Langley Events Centre. “I’m kind of just finishing out lacrosse here and get that on track and then make a decision. 

“There’s a lot of things. Position-wise a little bit and I’m already fully committed to the Stealth and I’m not sure if I can commit to another professional team.” 

... 

Listed at 6-foot-3 and 230 lb. by the Stealth, Digby bulked up to 255 lb. for his senior season at Robert Morris with the Colonials’ football team last fall, catching 17 passes for 178 yards and four touchdowns. 

Since CFL teams rarely employ tight ends anymore, Digby has been asked to play a fullback/H-back-type role, something the 23-year-old from New Westminster, B.C., isn’t quite sure about. 

“When we talked, that’s what we talked about — fullback, H-back, and tight end in a few sets,” Digby said, noting he was in contact with the RedBlacks earlier this month. “If I decide to play, I’ll do whatever.” 

From a RedBlacks point of view, Digby’s obvious athleticism is intriguing, and all it would take is a little bit of creative game-planning to get him involved in the offence.

I'd be surprised if Digby ever showed up to play in Ottawa, but it would be a pleasant surprise (and it's good to see he hasn't ruled it out entirely).  The NLL schedule does make it possible, though you wonder about the possibility of a guy burning out.  Still, it would make for a pretty interesting position battle with John Delahunt and Patrick Lavoie.

The Ottawa-Richmond Connection Revived.

Yesterday, the Ottawa RedBlacks announced that they will be holding the team's first mini-camp in Richmond, Virginia next month. 

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League will be holding the franchise's inaugural pre-season mini-camp in Richmond, Virginia from April 8 to 10. 

Many of the players on the team's roster will assemble at the Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center to participate in drills and work out under the supervision of head coach Rick Campbell and the REDBLACKS football operations staff.

... 

"Our spring mini-camp is a huge step in our process of becoming a football team. It will be a special event for all involved to see our team hit the field for the first time.  We truly appreciate the excitement shown for the REDBLACKS by the fans in the Ottawa-Gatineau area.  The players and coaches can't wait to take the field," said head coach Rick Campbell. 

The Bon Secours Washington Redskins Training Center, which opened in 2013, serves as a full-service health and rehabilitation centre.  In addition, community and other sporting events are hosted year round. 

"Richmond is thrilled to welcome the Canadian Football League to Virginia," said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. "The training facility we've established is state-of-the- art and we expect to continue to generate great interest in our facility and usage for many years to come. The Ottawa team could not have made a better choice for their pre-season mini-camp." 

The REDBLACKS will practice from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 9 and Thursday, April 10 at the facility, located at 2401 W. Leigh Street in Richmond.

It can only be coincidental, but there's something of a historical connection between Ottawa football and the town of Richmond.  A number of Rough Riders in the 1970's attended the university there.  The article below is scanned from the September 1978 Ottawa Rough Riders News magazine and explains the ties between the two.  You may need to right click and open it in a new tab in order to be able to read it.

A couple of years ago, I joked with a friend that in terms of football, this town was going back to the 70's.  Pro football is back, Carleton restored its program, the Sooners returned to the OFC and are now the only junior program in town.

I hope that trend holds true.  The Sooners won the national championship in 1974 as did the University of Ottawa in 1975.  The Rough Riders sandwiched those accomplishments with Grey Cups in 1973 and 1976.  I'd say we're about due for a run like that again out here, eh?

Getting to know: Paul de Pass

The following article is from The Varsity, The University of Toronto's newspaper.  It was first published in January of last year, so well before de Pass' final CIS season. View the original version here.

Paul de Pass isn’t letting the negativity of another losing season with the Varsity Blues affect him. 

The fourth–year history and geography major at UTSC is staying positive, and continues to thrive as a Blues football player. 

Despite his high level of play, de Pass only began playing football in the eleventh grade at Notre Dame C.S.S. in his hometown of Ajax. The Blues’ receiver was predominantly a hockey and baseball player, and during his high school days, he played on the defensive side of the ball as a safety. It was only when de Pass arrived at U of T that he moved to the offense and his current position as a receiver. 

De Pass had only two years of football behind him at the end of high school, but he knew he was ready to play at the university level. After debating the merits of U of T and the University of Windsor, de Pass eventually chose Toronto because of its academic reputation and because the football program offered opportunities that Windsor could not. 

“With regards to football, not only did it give me an opportunity to come in and have a chance to play right away, but I also wanted to help erase the losing stigma that had been attached to the football program and help bring the program back to the upper echelon of the CIS where it belongs,” said de Pass. 

De Pass has only seen moderate team success while playing for the Varsity Blues in his four years here, with the team going a combined 9–23 in his time on the team. But de Pass himself has had tremendous individual success right from the start of his university playing career. 

In his first year at U of T, de Pass won the Football Rookie of the Year after running for 314 yards and averaging 52.3 yards a game. De Pass was also elected to play in the East-West Bowl in 2012, a game which showcases athletes who display outstanding play. De Pass and the East condemned the West to a third straight defeat, triumphing 24–16 at Western’s TD Waterhouse Stadium.

As a team, however, the Varsity Blues have not been nearly as successful. 

The Blues have not made the playoffs since de Pass arrived at U of T, and fell to a 2–6 record this past season. But de Pass has not let the losing affect him, and chooses to see positives in the connections that he has made through the football program. “The number of quality people I have met through the football program has been astounding, and I couldn’t be happier,” said de Pass. 

...

Although 2013 is his final year of eligibility, de Pass does not see his football career ending there. He hopes there is an opportunity for him to play at the next level — the CFL — and if not in Canada, then to play for an European team. Even after his playing days are over, he still plans on being involved with football. “I’m sure once I finish playing I’ll continue to coach at one level or another. And of course continue to re-live the glory days in men’s leagues,” predicted de Pass. 

With these goals in mind, De Pass is focused on next season and is determined to do everything possible to help the Varsity Blues do big things during his final season of play. “With one more year left of eligibility I’m going to do everything I can to help propel our team to a place we haven’t been in a long time — the playoffs.”

de Pass would go on to haul in 53 receptions, 970 yards and six scores. The yardage total is a school record.

RedBlacks sign WR Paris Jackson

Tall, experienced Canadian receiver.  What's not to like?

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League have added versatile veteran Canadian wide receiver Paris Jackson to the team roster. 

The 33-year-old native of Vancouver played 11 seasons in the CFL with his hometown B.C. Lions. Jackson (6-3, 215) has 420 career regular-season receptions for 5,757 yards and 31 touchdowns. 

He has also been successful in the playoffs, with 47 catches in 15 playoff games. The Lions won Grey Cups in 2006 and 2009 with Jackson on the roster. In 2006, Jackson had two touchdown catches in the West Final and five receptions for 65 yards in the Grey Cup win over Montreal. 

In 2008, Jackson had surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the first time in his career (1,180 on 76 catches), scored eight touchdowns, and was named to the CFL West Division All-Star squad, along with the distinction of being the Lions' nominee for the league's Most Outstanding Canadian award. 

Jackson followed with another 1,000-yard receiving season in 2009, catching 76 passes for 1,042 and eight majors. 

In college, Jackson attended Butte College in California before transferring to the University of Utah. 

He was selected sixth overall in the 2003 CFL Canadian Draft by the Lions.

Apparently, the B.C. Lions found something to dislike.  The barely used him over the past couple of years, as the statistical drop demonstrates.

Name     Years       No. Yards     TD
JACKSON, P  2003  6    85 0
JACKSON, P  2004 10   138 0
JACKSON, P  2005 48   617 4
JACKSON, P  2006 51   634 4
JACKSON, P  2007 65   962 5
JACKSON, P  2008 76 1,180 8
JACKSON, P  2009 76 1,042 8
JACKSON, P  2010 61   758 1
JACKSON, P  2011  7   117 1
JACKSON, P  2012 10   127 0
JACKSON, P  2013 10    97 0

What happened there is a bit of a mystery. Interestingly, Jackson either re-signed or extended his deal a couple of times during those last few years so clearly he still wanted to be a part of the club.  A blog entry in The Province (written by Lowell Ullrich) from last month, shortly after Jackson was released by the Lions, touches on it somewhat.

The 33-year-old was granted his release by the Lions, marking an end of sorts and the start of another. Jackson was the first player drafted by Wally Buono when the new regime arrived in 2003, and for the first two-thirds of his tenure had the kind of career any Canadian kid could be proud of when it ultimately comes to a close. 

The Carson Graham grad had two, 1,000-yard seasons, in 2008-09, but all through his stay grew with the Lions physically and mentally. For outsiders, it was refreshing to see a boy grow into a man. A hothead at some points, a leader at others, Jackson did as he was asked, blossoming as a physically gifted receiver at his peak. 

The last three seasons was nothing short of an embarrassment, as the Lions both marginalized his role in the offence and cut his salary. But for the most part, Jackson stayed silent, understanding from watching others over the years how to make a contribution on the field when called upon and act in the locker room.

Well, if nothing else he can teach Kevin Glenn how to act professionally then.

Getting to know: Linebacker T.J. Hill

The RedBlacks have signed a number of players over the past couple of days, most notably (in terms of experience if nothing else), linebacker T.J. Hill.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League added three import players to the pre-season roster today: defensive lineman Monte Lewis, defensive back Seth Williams and seven-year CFL veteran linebacker T.J. Hill. 

Hill, a 33-year-old native of Paterson, New Jersey, comes to Ottawa with 542 in his CFL career, which began in 2007 with the Montreal Alouettes before joining the Edmonton Eskimos in 2009. 

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Hill also has 12 career sacks and 13 interceptions, including four for touchdowns. 

Hill, who played college football at Northeastern, had a career-high 94 tackles last season with the Eskimos.

And speaking of Northeastern, northjersey.com ran a "where are they now?" article about T.J. last year as he was preparing for training camp with the Eskimos.

T.J. Hill watches NFL games sometimes and can’t help but think defensive backs in the world’s premier professional football league have it easy.  

In the CFL, Hill has to cover receivers who are allowed running starts to the line of scrimmage on a longer, wider field.
 

"It takes a lot to play defensive back in that league," Hill said. "It’s a lot of ground to cover, but it’s a lot of fun." 

... 

The former Eastside standout is one of the Eskimos’ top defensive players. Technically he’s a linebacker, but his hybrid position in the pass-driven CFL amounts to the 5-foot-9, 195-pound Hill playing safety and covering receivers in the slot more often than not. 

The Northeastern University graduate hopes to make a run this season at playing in his first Grey Cup — the CFL’s Super Bowl — since 2008, when he was the Montreal Alouettes’ leading tackler. 

"I feel like I’m around a good core of guys, a good coach [Kavis Reed] and a good general manager [Ed Hervey]," said Hill, who finished ninth in the CFL with 80 tackles last season and returned an interception for a touchdown for the Eskimos (7-11). "They have a lot of faith in me. Not only do they believe in me as a leader on the field, they believe in me being a leader off the field as well. 

"I just take that and I run with it. I know I have to lead by example. By them having that faith in me, it makes me work that much harder." 

During his off-seasons, Hill has made a similar impact around his hometown. The former Arena Football League player often speaks at schools in Paterson and makes time to mentor young athletes and non-athletes. 

Hill will be recognized for his community work Wednesday night as part of the Paterson Great Falls Rotary Club’s fourth annual "Athletes Making a Difference" dinner at The Brownstone.
State Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, D-Paterson, who’ll serve as emcee of the event, was Hill’s varsity baseball coach for four seasons at Eastside. Hill remains one of Wimberly’s go-to athletes for speaking engagements. 

"After 20-something years of coaching," Wimberly said, "he’s one of the five top guys I look to. … He gets it as far as community, he gets it when it comes to being a role model, he gets it when it comes to being a mentor. I’m beyond proud of him." 

Hill considers his community work as reciprocation for his formative years, when his parents, his older brother, Wimberly and others helped guide him toward adulthood. 

"If I didn’t have the right support system to push me right, instead of going left, there’s no telling where I would be," Hill, 32, said. "A lot of kids don’t have that brother or father figure in their lives. They need that. So any type of knowledge or motivation I can give them, whether it’s athletically or academically, I try to do that as much as I can, whether it’s in Paterson or Edmonton or somewhere else."

Sounds like a quality person as well as a quality player, which of course causes one to question why the Eskimos released him last month. Age may have been a factor, but according to the Edmonton Sun, the emergence of Eric Samuels at the strong side linebacker position facilitated the decision.

If Hervey wants to cut a player who achieved career highs, fine by me.  Welcome to Ottawa, Mr Hill!

"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.

"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.

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.