Just over a week removed from their first win of the season, the Ottawa REDBLACKS return to TD Place for a Sunday nighter, facing the Toronto Argonauts in a Canada Day celebration. It’s a 7:00pm kickoff, with JUNO award-winning artist JJ Wilde rocking the stadium pre-game and at half-time.
As Dru Brown works his way back from a hip injury suffered in Week 1, Dustin Crum led the REDBLACKS into Calgary in Week 3, securing a 20-12 win with an efficient performance. The third-year pivot threw for 111 yards and a touchdown, running for 64 more, as part of a 234-yard day for Tommy Condell’s offensive unit. Daniel Adeboboye hauled in the winning major to cap off a 96-yard rushing performance, while William Stanback broke the 5,000 career-yard mark.
The REDBLACKS defence forced five turnovers in the effort, highlighted by Adrian Frye’s league-leading third forced fumble, and the first career interception for Charlie Ringland.
A young season marred by injury woes continues for Ottawa, with Crum again under centre, and Frye now down for this game as well, alongside Bennett Williams. Alijah McGhee makes his first start of the season, at field corner.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
The defending Grey Cup champions are no strangers to injuries in their own right. Sitting at 0-3, the Argos are down quarterback Chad Kelly until at least Week 7, and star linebacker Wynton McManis is also sidelined for tonight’s contest. Former REDBLACK, and last year’s Grey Cup MVP Nick Arbuckle is Toronto’s quarterback once again.
Arbuckle and Co. came agonizingly close to their first win of the year a week ago but a last-second kick return touchdown by Mario Alford delivered a 39-22 victory for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Toronto’s pivot racked up 259 yards and two touchdowns through the air, along with an interception. Though the running game struggled to gain momentum, Kevin Mital picked up 98 receiving yards.
Filling in for McManis, Isaac Darkangelo led the Double Blue with six tackles, and former REDBLACKS practice squad member Andrew Chatfield picked up a sack.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
BOB DYCE, HEAD COACH, ON THE TEAM’S APPROACH TO TORONTO:
“We don’t talk about them being 0-3, we talk about them being the defending Grey Cup champs. The guy starting a quarterback won the Grey Cup for them. [Head Coach Ryan Dinwiddie] is a great coach. So we don’t worry about the record. We’re more focused on us and what we have to do, not our opponent’s record. We’re at a point where we know we’re playing an Eastern opponent, and we have an opportunity to keep a team behind us down and allow ourselves to move up and keep pace with Montreal.”
DUSTIN CRUM, QUARTERBACK, ON HIS EFFORT AGAINST THE STAMPEDERS: “You hear a lot of guys talk about quarterbacks just having a grasp of everything going on. It felt good to be out there with the guys and get to do that and feel the game speed. Slowing things down and being able to see each thing for what it is, knowing where people are and when they’re going to be there, that’s what helps. Sometimes you can’t see when a quarterback gets a little frantic, or when the pace of the plays gets them a little bit. So to be able to almost orchestrate or know what’s going on to a degree, I would say I felt probably the best I’ve felt up here in the league so far.
DANIEL ADEBOBOYE, RUNNING BACK, ON FACING HIS FORMER TEAM: “It’s business. I got drafted by the Argos, and it was a great opportunity to go back home after a couple of years away at school. When I heard that I got traded to Ottawa, I had reassurance that I was going to a good organization. Playing against them for the last couple of years,I saw the kind of team that they were building. If I got traded to a team that wasn’t so good, then I’d be a little shaky. But I knew that I was being put in good hands, and it was great that I also got to stay in Ontario, not too far from home, where my parents (Marian and Tai) and family can still come in and see me play. And Ottawa is a great city. I love Ottawa. It’s nice, it’s quiet, it’s chill, it’s relaxing. And the fans give such great energy.”
BROADCAST INFORMATION
WATCH: TSN 1/4 | RDS Info | CBSSN
STREAM: CFL+
LISTEN: TSN 1200, 104,7 FM Outaouais (FR), SiriusXM (ch.167)
