REPORT CARD: FAILURE MEANS CHANGE IS COMING
About 11 1/2 months ago, the Ottawa Redblacks were spraying champagne in a BMO Field locker-room that smelled of cigars and beer. They were Grey Cup champions, ending 40 years of football frustration for an Ottawa fan base that had seen first the Rough Riders and then Renegades disappear.
Now, there are four teams remaining in the chase for the 105th version of the Grey Cup, and the list doesn’t include the Redblacks. Following their 31-20 loss at home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Sunday’s East semifinal, the task at hand for the Redblacks is cleaning out their lockers on Tuesday. Some of those packing their suitcases and heading home won’t be back.
Failure tends to prompt change. That should make for a busy off-season for GM Marcel Desjardins and his football operations people.
The 2017 season had its ups and downs. The roller-coaster ride began with a 1-6-1 start to the regular season and included injuries to quarterback Trevor Harris, defensive back/linebacker Jerrell Gavins, receiver Brad Sinopoli, offensive linemen Nolan MacMillan, Jon Gott and SirVincent Rogers, defensive lineman Connor Williams and running back William Powell.
The Redblacks finished the season 8-10-1, good enough for second in the East standings. There were plenty of what ifs, games that should have been won and players who didn’t perform at a level expected of them.
Here’s how we grade the 2017 Ottawa Redblacks:
OFFENCE: B
QB Trevor Harris was very good, but not great. Maybe it was the system, maybe it was the offensive line, maybe he didn’t get rid of the ball quickly enough at times, or maybe he just didn’t have the weapons that Henry Burris did. Remember Ernest Jackson and Chris Williams?
Harris threw for 4,679 yards, fourth best in the CFL. He tossed 30 touchdown passes.
So why is he a lightning rod for criticism? The offence would be well served if Harris, a potential free agent, returns. We got to see Drew Tate and Ryan Lindley, but we’re still waiting to see what rookie QB Danny Collins, who has a big arm, can do.
After he finally got healthy, RB William Powell was dynamic, rambling for 1,026 yards on 173 carries in just 12 games. That was the Powell the Redblacks thought they had before he was injured and missed the 2016 season.
It was another great season for receivers Greg Ellingson and Brad Sinopoli, while Diontae Spencer emerged as a go-to guy. Jake Harty took a step forward.
The play of the offensive line was puzzling during the first half of the season. They allowed too many sacks.
With injuries to veteran allstars Jon Gott, Nolan MacMillan and SirVincent Rogers, the young Redblacks linemen took it up a notch and that continued.
DEFENCE: C+
A lot of faith was put in a young secondary that sprang leaks at times during the season. There were certainly too many big plays made against guys who were still feeling their way around the wider and longer field, where all of that waggle and motion takes some getting used to.
Rookie Sherrod Baltimore emerged as a solid option. Safety Antoine Pruneau had his best season with the Redblacks, settling in nicely to his role. DB/ LB Jerrell Gavins was missed in Sunday’s loss. He’s become a steadying force for the youngsters. LB Tank Reed was as steady as they come.
The defensive line pressured opposing passers, but still hasn’t found a guy who can terrorize quarterbacks with the threat of being sacked.
DE Jonathan Newsome, brought in early in the season, didn’t seem to have the same jump in his step down the stretch. An elite pass rusher is needed.
The team missed DL Connor Williams, who missed nearly the whole season with a concussion.
The Redblacks defence was still among the league’s best in points allowed.
There’s an awful lot of the team’s salary cap space sunk into offensive players. It makes you wonder if some cash will be spent on upgrading the defence.
SPECIAL TEAMS: B+
Much of the recognition for strong special teams play will go to Spencer, who averaged 13.3 yards per punt return with a touchdown, 24.3 yards on kickoff returns and had a 113-yard touchdown return on a missed field goal to go along with 922 yards in catches on offence.
Keelan Johnson led the CFL in special teams tackles with 29 while kicker Brett Maher was good on 41 of 50 field goal attempts and averaged 46.7 yards on his punts.
These guys were well coached by Bob Dyce and the unit was among the CFL’s best this season.
The Redblacks need to bring potential free agent Spencer back, though he may have other opportunities.
COACHES: B
First, it’s hard to imagine a better group of guys among any coaching staff. They’re good people. But when the results aren’t there, it’s the guys who are doing the teaching — the guys who are plotting out the X’s and the O’s and scheming up a game plan — who have to take their share of the blame.
It’s tough to imagine the Redblacks could find better position coaches.
There have been whispers of disenchantment with offensive co-ordinator Jaime Elizondo, whose play-calling sometimes wasn’t aggressive enough, and maybe too predictable for the liking of others.
Head coach Rick Campbell is on solid ground. He’s not going anywhere.
MANAGEMENT: B
This is a group that’s made so many brilliant decisions over the four years of the team’s existence, but there were a couple of big free-agent whiffs during the 2017 off-season.
Big signings DB AJ Jefferson and LB Khalil Bass were both released. WR Kenny Shaw never really got a chance to show what he could do. Spencer was brilliant.
The team let Abdul Kanneh go to free agency and he ended up in Hamilton.
Maybe most frustrating was the non-signing of former Redblacks DBs Mitchell White and Forrest Hightower, who returned to the CFL with other teams.
The Redblacks secondary desperately could have used that experience.