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.

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.

"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.

"Cornerback Larry Parker joins the RedBlacks"

Wow it had been two whole weeks since the RedBlacks had signed a guy!  For a while there, we were getting a new signing every two days!

Apparently, Parker was among the last cuts of the Arizona Cardinals in 2012.  But prior to that?  In April of 2012, Damond Talbot wrote an article about him for SBNation which includes a brief Q&A with Parker.  Highlights below, but you can read the complete version here. 

Parker hasn’t had an easy path to make it where he is today.

Parker was born and raised in San Diego, California, and coming out of St. Augustine High School as a very athletic player who played all phases of the game. He was a wide receiver who had 45 receptions, a cornerback who had 44 tackles and 8 interceptions and led the team in Kick Return yards. You would think a player with that type of play would easily get a shot at the next level. 

Well unfortunately, Parker didn’t make it as easy as others.  Parker took a full ride scholarship to play for Sacramento State as a cornerback, but after one year there he made a transfer to a JUCO school, because Sacramento State wanted to play him at wide receiver rather than cornerback.  Parker chose to stay close to home with Grossmont Junior College and play for one year at cornerback, before getting on to San Diego State’s roster. 

Parker had 38 tackles and three interceptions with the Griffins to earn honorable mention all Southern-Conference honors, in 2008. Parker went on to San Diego State and in his first couple years, played in all 12 games, as a reserve cornerback and was able to immediately contribute.  

Standing at 5'11 and weighing in at 170 pounds, Parker has played in all but one game over his career and has been very solid in coverage. This year Parker had his best season as an Aztec, totaling 63 tackles, 7 interceptions, 9 pass deflections and beautiful 22 yard interception return against Air Force this year. 

 Photography by Earnie Grafton

I had the pleasure to talk with Larry Parker in an exclusive interview for Mocking the Draft, so let’s find out a little more about this upcoming late round steal.
... 

What was your most memorable moment in college? 

The first game of this year, I was given the starting spot for the first time. I was always in the second group, and I finally got a chance to lock it down. After I got the spot, I wasn’t going to let it go. 

... 

What was the most traumatic thing that has ever happened in your life? How did you overcome it? 

The most traumatic time had to be, when my friend, Todd Doxey an Oregon football player and high school friend drowned in a river my freshman year in 2008. He was a close friend of mine, and that was really hard to get over. All the guys in the crew stayed close and kept his name alive. 

What was your favorite NFL team growing up? 

Whatever team Deion was on, then when he retired whatever team Michael Vick was on. 

Who in the NFL would say, your game is most like and why? 

I would say Charles Woodson, because we have the same body type, and we are both quick on our feet. He has instincts like me as well. 

If you could meet one person dead or alive; who would it be and why? 

Michael Jordan, always have been a big fan of his 

If it was your last meal on earth, what would it be? 

Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo 

Have you been hearing where NFL teams have you projected in the draft? 

I have heard 5th to 7th round. 

What NFL teams talked with you this year? 

The Jaguars, Dolphins, Patriots, Broncos, Chargers and the Ravens 

When you talk with NFL teams, what do you tell them you will bring to their team? 

Versatility, I have played QB, WR, RB, as well as cornerback. I can see both sides of the field, I understand what the Quarterback is doing and can run the routes of the receiver. 

Do you have any pre game rituals? 

I wear the same socks throughout the whole season. If I wore white wrist tape I had to wear black socks, and vice versa, and listen to music. 

Do you have any hobbies? 

Being a father and playing with my son 

If you were to find a genie lamp and get three wishes, what would they be? 

First wish would be to make an NFL teams 53 man roster, Second would be to stay healthy to play a long career and be there for my son, and Lastly to make sure my son doesn’t have to go without anything. 

There's an interesting connection here already; Parker and recent Redblacks signee Eddie Elder were signed by the Arizona Cardinals on the same day in May 2012. Elder was released by them in August of that year and Parker the following month.

The daily signing! Cameron Kenney!

If nothing else, I am appreciative to the RedBlacks for making this offseason fly by so far.

OTTAWA – Cameron Kenney, a wide receiver who played collegiate football for the Oklahoma Sooners, has been signed by the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League.

The 24-year-old comes to Ottawa after spending time on NFL rosters in Denver, Seattle and San Diego, in the CFL with Edmonton and in the United Football League with Omaha.

Kenney (6-1, 199 lbs.) played the 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Sooners, totaling 812 yards on 55 receptions for five touchdowns.

More specifically, he broke into the NFL as an undrafted free agent with San Diego in July 2011.  He didn't do much in the pros (at least to this point) so let's review his final days as an Oklahoma Sooner:

As a senior, Kenney had standout performances in OU’s last three games last season.

He was instrumental in OU’s 47-41 win against Oklahoma State, catching six passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Sooners, including an 86-yard touchdown during the Sooners’ 23-point fourth quarter.

Kenney’s 65 yards against Nebraska — second-most on the team — helped the Sooners rally back from a 17-0 deficit to win Oklahoma’s seventh Big 12 Championship.

His 154 yards against Connecticut, second only to Ryan Broyles, helped OU end its BCS losing streak by beating the Huskies, 48-20, in the Fiesta Bowl.

RedBlacks sign...a boatload of defenders!

The RedBlacks have taught me a bit of a lesson.

Yesterday, they signed former UOttawa Gee-Gee defensive back Delroy Clarke.  I added his name to the roster and to the transactions list but left it at that, thinking I'd try to find out more about him tomorrow (now today).

Then, they signed three more guys. So now I know: Jump on that stuff right away!

OTTAWA -- The Ottawa REDBLACKS have signed import linebackers Jasper Simmons and Brandon Denson, as well as import defensive back Reggie Jones.

Denson, a 6-foot, 240-pound 26-year-old from Willow Run, Michigan, played university football for the Michigan State Spartans, where he recorded 45 tackles in four seasons.

Denson has experience in the CFL with Hamilton and Montreal. Last season, he served most of the year on the practice roster of the Alouettes. He made his CFL debut with the Tiger-Cats in 2011.  He has also seen action in the Arena Football League with the Cleveland Gladiators.

Simmons joins the REDBLACKS after playing for the Toronto Argonauts in 2011 and 2012.  The 6-foot-1, 223-pound, 24-year-old native of Pensacola, Florida registered an interception in each season with the Argos.

Simmons played four college seasons: two at Missouri after two others at Hutchinson Community College. In 2009, he started 12 games at Missouri and made 73 tackles playing at the safety position.

Jones, a 6-foot, 200-pound 27-year-old from Bellevue, Washington, comes to Ottawa after spending parts of the past five seasons with NFL teams: New Orleans, Washington, Minnesota and Dallas.

He also played in the United Football League with the Virginia Destroyers and helped the team with the 2012 league championship.

Jones played one season of collegiate football at Portland State after switching from wide receiver at Idaho earlier in his career.

Searching for info on the guys, Denson comes up most often, but typically about his battle against diabetes. The following article appeared on thespec.com in 2011.

Brandon Denson watches as his Hamilton Ticat teammates devour a rare after-practice treat, Dairy Queen Blizzards delivered to provide some relief from the sweltering summer heat. As players slurp happily away, Denson has to do a series of complex math equations in his head before making a decision on whether to dig in.

Denson, a 24-year-old rookie linebacker, has Type 1 diabetes and requires daily doses of insulin to survive. Diagnosed as he was entering his final year of high school, Denson has to cope with the challenges of the disease — monitoring his blood sugar level, calorie intake and insulin dosage — as well as the mental and physical demands of pro football.

“I don’t let it get to me, that’s the bottom line. I can’t feel sorry for myself — I just have to move forward,” Denson says. “The main thing was I wasn’t going to let it stop me.”

Denson wears an insulin pump under his equipment to help control the flow of insulin into his body. The size of a deck of cards, it’s generally well protected but, given the nature of his work, it’s still vulnerable: He broke the $8,000 pump during training camp this spring.

“The training staff were a little frazzled about it and I had to go back to injections until we could get a new one,” he says. “But it’s still under warranty.”

Denson has adorned his pump with SpongeBob SquarePants stickers — a seemingly odd choice for a 5-foot-10, 230-pound linebacker who wears a perpetual scowl on the football field. But the stickers were a gift from a five-year-old diabetes patient who Denson met through his work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) in his home state of Michigan.

“He had SpongeBob on his pump and I thought it was cool,” Denson says. “A few weeks later, his family sent me some stickers in the mail so I thought it was only right that I put them on my pump, too.”

Denson is heavily involved with the JDRF, visiting with kids during his senior year in high school and during his four years at Michigan State.

“It’s not just about playing football. I tell kids, if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, don’t let the disease stop you,” Denson says. “It’s a lot of negatives about having diabetes, but there’s a lot of positive that can come from it, too, especially by talking to kids.”

The biggest challenge is the toll it takes on his body. The physical demands of playing combined with the exhaustive meeting schedule, not to mention the amount of calories he has to eat to refuel, are just some of the issues he faces on a daily basis.

“Given the type of work we do, it’s going to affect you,” Denson says. “Everybody loses energy, but I lose it twice as fast because the disease works a little bit harder on my body.”

...

And, just like most challenges associated with his fight against diabetes, Denson had a strategy to win the battle against the Blizzard, too. An admitted sweet tooth, Denson figured out what the ice cream’s impact on his blood sugar would be and made the necessary adjustments to his medication.

“That ice cream looks pretty good,” he said, smiling. “You better believe I’m gonna have me some.”

And then, there's Delroy:

OTTAWA – Delroy Clarke, a non-import defensive back who played collegiate football with the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, is the latest player to sign with the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League.

The 6-foot, 190-pound, 31-year-old native of Kingston, Jamaica was a fourth-round selection (29th overall) by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2008 Canadian College draft. Clarke spent three seasons with the Argos before joining the Eskimos in a March 2011 trade that sent a fourth-round pick in the 2012 Canadian College draft to Toronto.

Clarke, who did not play in 2013, has recorded 45 tackles on special teams during five CFL seasons.

He spent three years with the Gee-Gees, with 34 defensive tackles and two interceptions in 16 games.

The REDBLACKS have signed two players who attended the University of Ottawa: Clarke and wide receiver Simon Le Marquand of Gatineau.

That actually covers it pretty well!  Anything else I come across about these guys, or any RedBlack singing, for that matter, I'll post here as well.

"REDBLACKS sign Canadian lineman Brendan Dunn"

The RedBlacks continue to add big bodies to the offensive line.

OTTAWA – The Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League have signed Canadian offensive lineman Brendan Dunn.

The 6-foot-7, 300-pound, 25-year-old native of Burlington spent the 2013 season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders after breaking into the CFL in 2012 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

He was drafted by the Blue Bombers in the 2011 CFL Draft, taken as the first pick of the third round (17th overall).

Dunn was a standout with the University of Western Ontario Mustangs, switching to offensive line after playing on the defensive line during his freshman and junior Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) seasons.

He was named to the CIS All-Canadian First Team at offensive tackle for the 2011 season.

Standard operating procedure then: Let's go to this Inside Halton article (from May 2011) for a little background.

Two years ago, Western Mustangs coach Greg Marshall came to Brendan Dunn with a proposal. Entering the most important years of his football career, Marshall wanted to switch the former Burlington Stampeder from defensive line to offensive line.

Marshall made a compelling case as to how Dunn would help the team more by switching to the other side of the line. Marshall also said that if Dunn wanted to pursue a professional career, his chances would be better guarding quarterbacks instead of chasing them down.

“My coaches never led me astray,” the 22 year old said. “I trusted their judgment.”

Dunn would spend the following season as a backup as he learned his new position. This season he stepped into a starting role, helping the Western Mustangs go 7-1 and lead the league in scoring, averaging 39.6 points per game. Dunn made enough of an impression that he was invited to the CFL evaluation camp in March, but being selected in the draft was by no means a guarantee.

Dunn decided to increase his odds with a heavy workout schedule in preparation for the camp.

“That was my one shot to show everyone what I can do,” Dunn said, “my chance to show those scouts that I was good enough to play in the CFL.”

The 6-foot-7, 280-pound Dunn scored the highest vertical leap (33 inches) and the best 40-yard dash time (5.14 seconds) among offensive lineman at the camp and turned in the second best bench press (24 reps of 225 pounds).

Sunday, he waited nervously to see if all his hard work had paid off. The television coverage of the draft was just winding down when his phone rang. It was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who told him they were about to make him the first pick of the third round (17th overall).

“It’s probably one of the most exciting moments of my life,” he said.

The Blue Bombers were pretty excited as well.

Assistant general manager and director of football operations Ross Hodgkinson said the team was “able to select and get our wish list” — a list that included Dunn.

...

Dunn first started thinking about a professional career after making a provincial team while in Grade 11 at Notre Dame. The following year, 2007, he made the Canadian squad for the NFL Global Junior Championship where he helped Canada defeat the U.S. (coincidentally, switching to offensive line for the first time for the tournament).

“It was ‘Woah’, I made a national team,’” he said. “It dawned on me that I could play professionally. It gave me something to aspire to. That became my goal, and my dad told me to shoot for the stars.”

...

Though he was a tackle in university, Dunn was listed as a guard for the Blue Bombers.

"RedBlacks sign kicker Nick Setta"

Nick Setta?  Dude...Where ya been?  Setta hasn't kicked professionally since 2009.

Let's find out more about him from the article below, originally from The South Town Star and published in February 2012.

He kicked a 59-yard field goal as a high school sophomore at Lockport, the longest in IHSA history.

He hit the crossbar from 72 yards in a playoff game as a junior. Then-Porters special-teams coach Jim Hall swears he nailed an 80-plus-yarder in practice.

He averaged 47.8 yards per punt as a senior.

He was 46-of-66 on field-goal attempts during his Notre Dame career, the second-most field goals in Irish history behind John Carney’s 51.

He is in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ record book for his 97-yard punt — a feat he accomplished twice. He averaged a Canadian Football League-record 64.7 yards per punt in a game.

...

“I’ve never been in this good of shape physically and mentally,” he said during the recent Wish Upon A Star Benefit Softball Game in the Snow, where he was among the guest celebrities.

His readiness is a byproduct of his business, Setta Performance, which he operates from his former high school. He trains local athletes, and he gets right in there with them.

“The Lockport football, baseball, softball, wrestling and swimming and diving teams hired me to work with them, and some others in the area have, too,” Setta said. “They have invested a lot of time in me, and I love doing it. So it’s got to be a good opportunity for me, too, to take another shot at playing.”

At various times, Setta was in NFL camps with the Saints, Buccaneers, Bears, Browns and Bills and he played in NFL Europe before joining Hamilton, where he kicked from 2007 through ’09. He was a two-time CFL All-Star and made 111-of-139 field-goal attempts during that span besides averaging 44.7 yards for 365 punts.

“Three years in the CFL taught me a lot,” Setta said. “For example, they do more directional punting there than they do here because the field is wider. I still have the big leg. I can kick field goals beyond 60 yards, maybe 64-65 on a calm day, and with a little wind, bump it up a bit. I kicked one 74-75 yards in practice at Notre Dame, off the ground.”

The Tiger-Cats released him in January 2010, but he is not convinced that was the end. Not that a comeback will be easy to accomplish.

...

Setta was an All-America high school kicker/punter but is an athlete first and foremost. He belongs in the team picture of the best all-around athletes the Joliet area has produced.

When Setta was in high school, he was one of the top distance runners in the state. He finished as high as fifth individually in the state cross country meet and helped Lockport win two state titles.

As you know, cross country and football seasons coincide. Think about that.

You say kickers have played two sports simultaneously, such as soccer and football? True, but Setta, whose No. 1 sport growing up was soccer, was much more than a kicker/punter.

He used his speed and grit to make tackles after kickoffs. He threw two touchdown passes on fake field-goal attempts at Lockport (at Notre Dame, he threw for a touchdown and ran for another on fake kicks).

Lockport used him at times at wide receiver. Then-coach Bret Kooi said he could have been an all-state receiver if that were his position.

Then there was track and field in the spring, the third sport where he earned four letters. A two-year member of the track team at Notre Dame, Setta won a state championship in the 800 and qualified for state in the 800, high jump (he set the school record at 6 feet, 10 inches) and intermediate hurdles the same year. There’s a trifecta you don’t see every day.

When he says he never has been in better shape physically and mentally than he is now, you have to believe there is an NFL team out there that may get interested. If not, what about the CFL?

“I’d possibly consider the CFL again because a chance to play is a chance to play,” Setta said. “John Carney is in his 40s and kicking.

“If sometime later some team asks if I’m still kicking the ball, I’ll still be kicking and my body will be in shape. I’ll be ready. I like being in the game.”

Somewhat prophetic...

Now I believe that current Redblacks general manager Marcel Desjardins brought Setta to the Ti-Cats late in 2006 in the first place, so there's familiarity there.  Seems like a nice pick up.