Elks search for their first win of the season against Redblacks
06 Jul 2025, 03:10 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images)
Since COVID-19 canceled the 2020 CFL season, the Edmonton Elks have tried multiple coaches, multiple quarterbacks and all kinds of gimmicks to consistently win games.
As an 18-53 overall record and ghastly 5-30 home record attest, none of it has worked.
Edmonton (0-3) will make another attempt at its first win of the year Sunday night when it hosts the Ottawa Redblacks.
The Elks nearly stunned Winnipeg on the road June 27 but gave up an unlikely 13-yard rushing touchdown to veteran quarterback Zach Collaros with 5:42 left that sealed a 36-23 loss.
'We've gotten better three weeks in a row but it's about winning and it's about doing the things that we need to get better to be on the other side of this result,' said first-year Edmonton coach Mark Kilam.
Wasted in the loss was a solid performance from quarterback Tre Ford, who was 18 of 29 for 252 yards and a touchdown. His 68-yard strike to Kaion Julien-Grant sparked a third quarter comeback that forged a 23-23 tie.
While the Elks are seeking their first win, Ottawa (1-3) was denied its second straight win on June 29 when Toronto came into town and took a 29-16 decision. The Redblacks also lost top receiver Bralon Addison to a shoulder injury that will keep him out of at least the next two games.
The good news for Ottawa is that starting quarterback Dru Brown (hip) appears ready to return from a three-game absence after being injured in a Week 1 loss at Saskatchewan. Brown's return comes just in time for him to have a go at the league's worst defense. Edmonton has allowed at least 31 points in every game.
'It's fantastic to see Dru out there and I thought he looked good,' Redblacks coach Bob Dyce said after practice on Wednesday.
Dustin Crum and Matt Shiltz have split the pivot duties in Brown's absence but outside of a 20-12 win at rain-soaked Calgary two weeks ago, neither has played well enough.
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
4 hours ago
- Global News
Rankin, Ford lead Elks to first win with 39-33 decision over Redblacks
The Edmonton Elks have finally found their way into the win column. Justin Rankin scored a pair of touchdowns as the Elks captured their first win of the season, coming up big to defeat the Ottawa Redblacks 39-33 on Sunday. 'It was a complete 60-minute effort,' said Elks head coach Mark Kilam. 'It was gritty. Some guys went down, we had some moving parts. Guys were throwing up at halftime. It took a lot, it took everyone in the room, and I'm proud of them.' Edmonton (1-3) snapped a three-game losing skid to start the CFL campaign. 'We had a good start, we went out and scored on our first two drives, which was really good,' said Elks quarterback Tre Ford, who passed for 212 yards and two TDs. 'We sputtered a bit in the second quarter and a little bit into the third, but we were able to put some drives together and score some more points. I think our team just came together.' Story continues below advertisement Ottawa dropped to 1-4 with its second straight loss. 'I don't think we started well,' said Ottawa coach Bob Dyce. 'We gave up explosives, both on special teams and defence, and didn't really create that many offensively. We were undisciplined at times and didn't execute the way we need to execute.' The Redblacks took nine penalties for 118 yards. 'The game is too hard to win in the first place, so we can't be moving backwards,' said Ottawa quarterback Dru Brown, who returned from injury. 'Personally, I didn't feel like I played very well early. I thought they had a good plan. They were pushing and testing our patience and there were times where I wasn't patient. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'It's a good learning experience, but a lot of things to improve on, for sure.' The Elks had a strong start to the contest, scoring on their opening drive. Ford lofted a pass to Rankin and he shrugged off a defender and scampered for a 45-yard touchdown. Edmonton added a single on the ensuing kickoff. Ottawa responded with a 42-yard field goal from Lewis Ward. Edmonton kept it coming on its second possession with another long drive, capped off when Ford pitched it to Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and he scrambled eight yards into the end zone. Story continues below advertisement The Elks got a rare punt return touchdown five minutes into the second quarter when Javon Leake broke free and went 94 yards to score despite almost letting up too soon and getting caught. It was Edmonton's first punt return TD since Aug. 28, 2015. Ottawa finally got it going late in the second with a solid drive finished off by a six-yard TD pass from Brown to Eugene Lewis. The Redblacks got a dramatic punt return touchdown of their own with less than two minutes to play in the first half as Kalil Pimpleton bobbed and weaved his way 97 yards into the end zone to cut Edmonton's lead to 22-17 at halftime. After having a fumble return TD overturned on a penalty, Ottawa got a 42-yard field goal from Ward to open the third quarter. The Elks responded with a 21-yard field goal by Vincent Blanchard. Rankin came up big again with 3:36 left in the third, finding a seam up the middle and blazing 74 yards into the end zone for the major. Ward booted a 43-yard field goal to close out the half and added another from 28 yards out four minutes into the fourth to cut Edmonton's lead to six points. Blanchard countered with a 35-yard three-pointer. Story continues below advertisement Ottawa gambled on a third and three with three minutes left in the game but was denied, leading to another 35-yard field goal from Blanchard, who added a single on the following kickoff. The Redblacks fought to the end, adding a 14-yard TD pass to Andre Miller. BROWN COMES UP SHORT Brown returned from missing the last three games with a hip injury looking to pass for more than 400 yards for his fourth consecutive game. Only Warren Moon, Kent Austin and Doug Flutie had also done it three times in a row in CFL history. Unfortunately, Brown only managed 316 yards passing on Sunday. UP NEXT Redblacks: Visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday, July 12. Elks: Host the B.C. Lions on Sunday, July 13.
Canada Standard
4 hours ago
- Canada Standard
Mexico edges U.S. to win Gold Cup title
(Photo credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images) Edson Alvarez scored the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute as Mexico overcame an early deficit to defeat the U.S. Men's National Team 2-1 in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Houston on Sunday night. Mexico won its second straight Gold Cup and 10th overall. The U.S. are second with seven titles while Canada won it in 2000. Chris Richards gave the U.S. the lead in the fourth minute but Raul Jimenez tied it in the 27th. Alvarez scored Mexico's tournament-high fifth set piece goal. The first four were off corner kicks. The winner was a free kick that Johan Vasquez flicked to Alvarez for a diving header that was first ruled offside but the decision was overturned after video review. Goalkeeper Angel Malagon preserved the lead in the second minute of stoppage time with a close-range stop of Patrick Agyemang. Mexico is 6-2 in Gold Cup finals vs. the U.S. Richards stunned the Mexicans with an athletic header, ending their streak of not allowing a goal at 387 minutes. It was the earliest goal in Gold Cup final history. Sebastian Berhalter, whose father, Gregg, was coaching the USMNT in Copa America at this time in 2024 but was fired soon after the tournament, sent a free kick to the middle of the box where Richards had to step back to gain control of the ball before directing it to the underside of the bar where it fell across the line. Jimenez roofed a through ball corner by Marcel Ruiz to make it 1-1. Afterward, Jimenez held up a Diogo Jota jersey to honor his former Wolverhampton, who along with his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident on Thursday. Mexico led in attempts (16-6), shots on goal (8-3) and corner kicks (12-0). The U.S. fielded essentially a B team for the Gold Cup so it was no surprise they were a decided underdog against a veteran Mexican side. Playing in Houston didn't help. No national team in the world has less of a home-field advantage than when the Americans 'host' the Mexicans and the crowd of 71,000 was at least 75 percent pro-Mexico. -- Field Level Media
Calgary Herald
5 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Calgary Surge fall to Stingers, dropping 2025 CEBL Battle of Alberta series
The always entertaining Battle of Alberta has come to an end for the time being. Article content With a 113-90 victory over the Calgary Surge on Sunday, the Edmonton Stingers not only took the inter-province season series 2-1, but they also extended their league-best win streak to five consecutive games. Article content Article content The host Stingers improved to 9-6 with the win, now just a half-game back of the Calgary crew, which fell to 9-5 and into second place in the West. Article content Article content Leading that charge for the Stingers, as they hit a new season-high in scoring and the largest Target Score mark of any team this season, was Scottie Lindsey with 29 points on 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Behind him was Sean East II, who chipped in 22 points, six rebounds and 10 assists, and Nick Hornsby, who added 18 points, nine rebounds and seven assists as part of five different Edmonton players to reach double figures in scoring. Article content Article content 'We're in a groove,' Lindsey said after Edmonton extended its win streak. 'We took a tough loss to Montreal, and even since then, we've been locked in, in a different way.' Article content Meanwhile, Calgary native Olumide Adelodun led the way for the Surge as he finished with 25 points on 6-of-10 shooting from distance off the bench. Greg Brown III and Jamarko Pickett each scored 16 and 12 points respectively. Article content 'We allowed their runs to affect us,' Adelodun said post-game. 'We let play after play roll over, and we didn't fight back after that … just too much for us to come back.' Article content The lopsided outcome was a surprise considering both of the previous two Battle of Alberta matchups this season had been decided by a combined five points — the first half of Sunday's contest proving similar. Neither team went ahead by more than 10 points through the first 20 minutes as Calgary led 43-40 at halftime. Article content But then the third quarter happened. Article content Edmonton opened the second half on a 17-0 run en route to a league-record 42 points in the third quarter, one shy of the most points scored in any frame all-time. Calgary's first basket of the second half didn't come until he 6:08 mark of the third, a Sean Miller-Moore triple, to which Edmonton immediately replied with an 11-0 run as it carved out an 82-64 lead ahead of the fourth. Article content 'We had two close games with (Calgary) already this season, so we knew them well,' Lindsey explained. 'We just wanted to come out and protect home court, and we did that in the second half.'
