REDBLACKS kickoff 2017 with Grey Cup Rematch Against Stamps

The long, winding journey towards the 105th Grey Cup in Ottawa begins in earnest for the hometown REDBLACKS on Friday night, when head coach Rick Campbell’s team will host the Calgary Stampeders in a Week 1 rematch of the 104th Grey Cup.

Though some of the key players of last year’s season finale — ex-Ottawa WR Ernest Jackson, ex-Calgary OL Derek Dennis — moved on during winter free agency, both teams enter the 2017 season with high hopes of returning to the big dance this coming November in Ottawa.

“We’re going to have to be on top of our game,” said Campbell, who along with GM Marcel Desjardins was extended through the 2020 season on Wednesday. “They’re really well-coached and have a lot of veteran players — you’ve got to throw some wrinkles into the game plan to keep Calgary off balance.”

Storylines 

1. Grey Cup Rematch — The Stampeders may have won the regular-season series between the two clubs last year, but Ottawa prevailed in a memorable 39-33 victory at the 104th Grey Cup. There’s bad blood between the two in a way that only an overtime, championship-deciding game in November can create.
2. New-look Receiving Corps — The REDBLACKS have returned two of their four 1,000-yard receivers from 2016 in Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli, while adding a third 1,000-yard man in Kenny Shaw via free agency. Factor in additional free-agent signing Diontae Spencer — Toronto’s second-best receiver behind Shaw last season — and the returning Juron Criner, and Ottawa once again has one of the deepest receiver groups in the league.
3. Tackle Machines — Between returning linebacker Taylor Reed and free-agent acquisition Khalil Bass, the REDBLACKS have two of the CFL’s top-10 tacklers from last season patrolling the second tier of the defence.

Ottawa’s depth at receiver has been one of the talking points around the CFL through the pre-season; with the team’s trio of 1,000-yard receivers, plus Diontae Spencer, Juron Criner and others battling for snaps, Rick Campbell and his staff are not lacking options.

“That’s good news, and kind of been our calling card around here the last couple years,” said Campbell of his team’s depth. “We’re not just forcing the ball to one guy — we run our offence, our QB distributes the ball as needed, and we have enough guys to catch them. It’s been a real luxury for us.”

Friday will be REDBLACKS running back William Powell’s first competitive game since November 2015; the Kansas State product missed the entirety of 2016 with an achilles injury sustained during the pre-season.

“The mindset is to come out, play hard and make big plays,” said Powell, who averaged nearly six yards-per-carry in 2015. “Give a spark to my teammates, get everybody up and the fans going.”

Scouting the Opposition

Calgary had a historically-strong regular season in 2016, posting a 15-2-1 mark and leading the league in most offensive and defensive categories.

The Stampeder offence is anchored by all-star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who led the CFL in pass touchdowns (32) last season, and running back Jerome Messam. Mitchell’s top receiving options include the dynamic Davaris Daniels, who hauled in 11 touchdowns in 13 contests last season, veteran slot back Marquay McDaniel and national wideout Anthony Parker.

On the defensive side of the ball, Calgary’s league-best pass rush (52 sacks in 2016) has been boosted by the free-agent signing of former Argo and Ticat Bryan Hall, who recorded 33 tackles and four sacks for the double-blue last season. The Stamps also return veteran Charleston Hughes and his league-leading 16 sacks last season.

Rick Campbell, Head Coach: “Mitchell’s a pain in the butt to deal with, to be honest, because he’s such a good football player. We’ll try to give him some different looks and maybe create some doubt in his mind. You want to keep him in the pocket — he doesn’t get enough credit for how well he moves around — and get pressure on him so he’s not too comfortable.”

Khalil Bass, Linebacker: “We have to stay disciplined and within our system, and not think too much about ourselves. If Messam gets rolling, it’s difficult to do certain things on defence, so we have to shut him down early and go from there.”

GAME INFO
HOME OPENER | Ottawa REDBLACKS vs. Calgary Stampeders
Week 1 | June 23, 2017
Kickoff |  7:30 p.m. ET
TD Place

BROADCAST INFO
TV (EN): TSN | TSN GO | TSN.ca/LIVE
TV (FR): RDS
TV (USA): ESPN NEWS
TV (INT’L): BT (UK and Ireland)

Radio (EN): TSN 1200 | TSN1200.ca
Radio (FR): FM 104,7 Outaouais | FM1047.ca