Ottawa Redblacks Thread

**OV Argo** · 05-18-2018, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by Flutie

They could start TWO Canadian receivers. Ottawa now has the two top Canadian receivers in the league. Sinopoli had over 90 catches in 15 games and no other Canadian receiver game close last season, Folio-Guidino who is now a Redblack, was the second leading Canadian receiver in the CFL with 45 catches.

WOW ! - a whole TWO Canadian starting receivers? - that would be just mind-boggling.

Austen Hartley (2 nice grabs in the East Semi last season) might beat out Feoli-Gudino for that wide-side WR spot in Ottawa.

The Argos could easily start THREE Canadian receivers - between Coombs, Noel, Ralph, Williams, Brian Jones (plus Cibasu if he showed-up) - easily enough talent to do it - but they won't - they do need replacements for the likes of Posey & Fuller who are no longer there, but it will be imports who get the jobs.

**Flutie** · 05-18-2018, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by OV Argo

WOW ! - a whole TWO Canadian starting receivers? - that would be just mind-boggling.

Austen Hartley (2 nice grabs in the East Semi last season) might beat out Feoli-Gudino for that wide-side WR spot in Ottawa.

The Argos could easily start THREE Canadian receivers - between Coombs, Noel, Ralph, Williams, Brian Jones (plus Cibasu if he showed-up) - easily enough talent to do it - but they won't - they do need replacements for the likes of Posey & Fuller who are no longer there, but it will be imports who get the jobs.

I doubt that Hartley will beat out Feoli-Gudino. Gudino is a 6'2" 220 lb hard to bring down receiver with 45 catches last year. Hartley had zero catches in the regular season but was put in there when Sinopoli was injured, Hartley is a small guy at 5'10" 186lbs.
Yes TWO Canadian starters, the only team that will do it.

A big signing this week in Ottawa which went under the radar - Cliff Mathews who was a DL starter for 4 seasons in Atlanta, the guy is 6'4" and 275 lbs.
The D-line was one of the weak areas last season with Ottawa having the fewest sacks and penetration.

**OV Argo** · 05-18-2018, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by Flutie

I doubt that Hartley will beat out Feoli-Gudino. Gudino is a 6'2" 220 lb hard to bring down receiver with 45 catches last year. Hartley had zero catches in the regular season but was put in there when Sinopoli was injured, Hartley is a small guy at 5'10" 186lbs.
Yes TWO Canadian starters, the only team that will do it.

BC started 2 Canadian receivers (Iannuzzi & Shaq Johnson) pretty well all of last season. The Stamps often play 2 and could start 3 (out of Parker, Lamar Durant & Brescacin).

How many goals did Go-vinco get for the Montreal Machine last season ?

**Flutie** · 05-18-2018, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by OV Argo

BC started 2 Canadian receivers (Iannuzzi & Shaq Johnson) pretty well all of last season. The Stamps often play 2 and could start 3 (out of Parker, Lamar Durant & Brescacin).

How many goals did Go-vinco get for the Montreal Machine last season ?

Ianuzzi isn't listed on the BC Lions roster this year.
I doubt the Stamps will start 3 Canadians - Parker did have 33 receptions, Brescacin had 19 receptions and Durant missed 7 games with an injury.

**OV Argo** · 05-18-2018, 05:50 PM

Originally Posted by Flutie

Ianuzzi isn't listed on the BC Lions roster this year.
I doubt the Stamps will start 3 Canadians - Parker did have 33 receptions, Brescacin had 19 receptions and Durant missed 7 games with an injury.

FYI - BC added vet receiver Cory Watson to go with young speedster WR Shaq Johnson (good season last year) and last year's 1st rounder Vandervoort; and they also drafted local product Will Watson who was a productive receiver at UBC = they have some good Canadian receiver talent - and CFL playing time for Canadian receivers is mostly about pencilled-in thinking - Wally will likely have 2 National receivers starting again; not sure another CFL team will do that - maybe Ottawa, the Bombers, the Stamps or the Argos - but I wouldn't count on that from any of them.

**jerrym** · 05-19-2018, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by Flutie

Ianuzzi isn't listed on the BC Lions roster this year.

Marco Ianuzzi retired during the offseason. Johnson was second average gain per reception for receivers with 8 or more receptions and has the potential to turn into a very good deep threat. As OV noted the Lions also have Watson and are planning to give Vandevoort the opportunity to make a play for being a starter in TC.

**jerrym** · 05-20-2018, 08:00 PM

Ottawa has signed safety/ST Dan West, who has played for the RedBlacks in 2016 and 2017, after spending one year with the Riders and three with the Bombers.

**jerrym** · 05-21-2018, 09:42 PM

National DB Antoine Pruneau discusses the first day of RedBlack TC and the new look defence below.

"Good mix of experience and enthusiasm."

Antoine Pruneau talks the new faces around him on defence.#RNation #CFLTC pic.twitter.com/gmpn4r2lwA
— Ottawa REDBLACKS (@REDBLACKS) May 21, 2018

**jerrym** · 05-24-2018, 12:57 AM

DL Harold Brantley has made a remarkable recovery from a car accident that almost killed him and left him in a wheelchair to fighting for a job in the RedBlacks TC.

A horrible car accident left him with a series of injuries so bad that his mother Shantih was told her son’s life was in danger and she had better get to the hospital as soon as possible. ...

His injuries included broken left leg, torn ligaments in left knee, broken ribs, both lungs punctured, fractured vertebrae in spine, cracked clavicle and concussion. ...

Before the accident, he was highly thought of in National Football League circles, a potential high draft pick. He was 295 pounds, with 13% body fat. Three weeks after the accident, he had shrunk to 224 pounds. ...

He persevered, he pushed himself to not only recover his health, but to play football again.
I don’t think I really ever had a choice, I’m far too competitive,” said Brantley. “If I wasn’t going to be pushing myself to get back to football, I was going to push myself to walk again or get back in the weight room. I did not like being that skinny and being in bed all day. ...

The story doesn’t end there. Because of academic issues, he was released by the Tigers. He wound up at a Division II school, Northwest Missouri State — where he had 22 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks. It made him stronger, more appreciative of what he had and of those around him. ...

He worked as a meat cutter at Sam’s Club and at UPS shipping boxes. But football was still in the back of his mind. The Redblacks found him at a tryout in Atlanta less than two weeks ago. He got a call from them last week.
“I’m just happy to be out here,” said Brantley, who’s listed as weighing 280 pounds. “This is definitely where I want to be. I’m a football player. I don’t think I went through all that to hang up the cleats.”

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...tawa-redblacks

**jerrym** · 05-25-2018, 01:56 AM

Former Argo QB Trevor Harris talks about Johnny Manziel and his own health:

Asked for his thoughts on the arrival of Manziel, the much-hyped 25-year-old who played two seasons with the National Football League’s Cleveland Browns before being released in March of 2016, Harris said: “Good luck to him. He seems like a good kid, it seems like he’s got his stuff together.”

Harris said no player coming north of the border should take for granted the challenges the CFL brings: “I’ve yet to see somebody come up here and say, “Oh man, I really overestimated the talent.’ Everybody comes up and says, ‘Wow, this is good football. We have some dudes out here who can really play.’ Their mindset goes from ‘I’m going to be the best player in the league’ to ‘I’m just going to try and make the team.’

“I have a ton of respect for this league, I love this league. It’s high, high quality of football. I’m sure Johnny will agree with that. He’s a great football player, he won the Heisman Trophy, he was a first-round draft pick — it’s good to see he’s playing football again.”
Asked about his own health, whether he’s free of any injury issues, Harris said: “It’s probably the first time I can look my mom in the eye and tell her I feel 100% healthy since 2016 when I hurt my knee.”

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...ood-the-cfl-is

**jerrym** · 05-26-2018, 03:23 PM

The RedBlacks have signed International DL Bruce Gaston Jr. from Purdue. He played nine NFL games for the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers with 12 tackles and one sack. Ottawa also cut Internationals: DL Shalom Ogbonda from Florida Atlantic and OL John Reddington from Maine.

**jerrym** · 05-30-2018, 12:36 AM

Ottawa's defence outshone the offence in their intra-squad game, but the offence expects to get up to speed as they prepare for meeting the Als on Thursday.

“Defences are typically ahead of offences at this point,” said Harris. “Offences start to heat up toward the end of camp. Hopefully we can get the ball rolling and start steamrolling.”
Speaking about what his team was able to do offensively Sunday — an effort that included big plays from receivers Noel Thomas Jr., Linell Bonner III and running back Cedrick O’Neal — Redblacks offensive co-ordinator Jaime Elizondo said: “The big thing that jumps out were the turnovers. Two of those were poor decisions. The third one was the receiver fell down. I thought all the quarterbacks handled it well. We threw some deep balls that were effective. We stayed aggressive which has been the goal the entire camp. After the first turnover, we came back and threw whatever it was — a 75- or 80-yard touchdown.

“One of those interceptions we were breaking it off at 10 yards, instead of taking it the full 12. All those little details that go into executing an offence are a challenge. I thought execution wise, it was good, but it wasn’t great. I’m looking for us to continue trending upwards and to stay aggressive.” ...

Protecting the quarterback plays into this as well.
“We have to do a better job of continuing to protect the edges,” said Elizondo. “We have some great defensive linemen this year who are going to really make us better.” ...

“We need consistency, attention to details and aggressiveness,” said Elizondo. “We have to get back to up-speed, high-tempo, fast football which has been good for us. We huddled more last year than I would have liked. When we get into the flow of a game and we’re dictating the tempo, that’s when we’re pretty good.” ...

“He’s (Harris) changed a lot of things in his drop,” said Elizondo. “He’s way more comfortable in the pocket. He worked on some things with his base that have made a big difference. He’s throwing the ball with more velocity. He’s put in a helluva off-season. But he needs consistency.”

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...regular-season

**jerrym** · 05-31-2018, 12:50 AM

Former Argo Daryl Waud is healthy and hopes this will enable him to start for the RedBlacks.

Everything they do here is top-notch, I couldn’t be happier,” said Waud, who signed with the Redblacks as a free agent after three seasons (and a Grey Cup) with the Toronto Argos (who made him a second-round draft pick in 2015). “I’m excited to start another chapter in my career.”
After a rookie season that included three sacks, Waud was bitten by the injury bug in both 2016 and 2017. A concussion toward the end of 2016 derailed that season; last year it was a nagging foot injury that didn’t heal properly.
“It’s been a struggle with injuries the past season and a half,” he said. “It’s part of the game, guys go through this. I’m looking to have a bounce-back year and take care of my body as much as I can. It’s part of the grind. I’m just going to keep getting back up and going to work.

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...tawa-redblacks

**jerrym** · 05-31-2018, 01:31 AM

Ottawa has released three of its WRs from last year due to a combination of health and salary cap issues: former Argo Kenny Shaw, who caught only six passes for 66 yards in 2017 due to injuries; Joshua Standby, who caught 41 passes for 478 yards along with 236 yards in returns; and Quncy McDuffie, who led the league in kickoff return yardage with a 27.7 average in 2016 for 1,165 yards, but missed half the season with a foot injury last year.

**Flutie** · 05-31-2018, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by jerrym

Ottawa has released three of its WRs from last year due to a combination of health and salary cap issues: former Argo Kenny Shaw, who caught only six passes for 66 yards in 2017 due to injuries; Joshua Standby, who caught 41 passes for 478 yards along with 236 yards in returns; and Quncy McDuffie, who led the league in kickoff return yardage with a 27.7 average in 2016 for 1,165 yards, but missed half the season with a foot injury last year.

They won't miss any of them. McDuffie was a big bust, he was a shadow of his 2016 season, Dionte Spencer was a much better kick/punt returner. Shaw was injured most of the season and they didn't want to risk bringing him back.
Stangby caught 42 passes for 478 yards but now they have a Canadian receiver Folio-Guidino who had 45 catches and 450 yards.
Their receiving corps will be the number one in the east again.

**Flutie** · 06-01-2018, 06:46 AM

Despite Harris going down early in the game, they looked pretty good. I thought Danny Collins looked pretty sharp and had a quick release and a good scrambler, Domique Davis didn't look too bad. Receiving corps strong again.
The Als showed nothing at all, zero positives and they started Willy and Schiltz who both looked terrible.

**jerrym** · 06-01-2018, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by Flutie

They won't miss any of them. McDuffie was a big bust, he was a shadow of his 2016 season, Dionte Spencer was a much better kick/punt returner. Shaw was injured most of the season and they didn't want to risk bringing him back.
Stangby caught 42 passes for 478 yards but now they have a Canadian receiver Folio-Guidino who had 45 catches and 450 yards.
Their receiving corps will be the number one in the east again.

While I was not particularly impressed by Stangby, Shaw has gained 1,000+ yards receiving with the Argos and McDuffie's 2016 season speaks for itself. While it may be that one or both have lost something due to injury, Shaw is only 26 and McDuffie is 27, much younger than the 32 year old SJ Green was last year when he had an outstanding season after a season ending injury the previous year and being cut by his team.

**jerrym** · 06-03-2018, 01:24 AM

Good news for the RedBlacks: Trevor Harris's leg injury in Thursday's game does not appear as serious as appeared. Although he is likely going to miss Ottawa's last pre-season game, he is expected back for the first regular season game.