How much has play-calling played a part in the Ottawa Redblacks' offensive struggles?

Calgary Herald

10-07-2025

Article content
'It's hard to say that we don't know what we're doing in those situations because we won like seven games last year in those situations,' he added. 'So it's not like we just up and forgot, right? But, yeah, it's definitely something we talk about and we emphasize, situational awareness and stuff.'
Article content
Asked about his thought process on the series of plays in question at Commonwealth Stadium, Condell explained that he was trying to get the Redblacks into field-goal range with a catch-and-go-down 'surrender play.'
Article content
Would he call the running play again if he had a chance for a redo?
Article content
'We needed to get the first down, and we did,' he said after stating that he was 'confident in all calls, so I was good (with that one).'
Article content
'Hindsight is 20-20 for all of us,' Condell added, 'but to me we have to be able to get down and get a chance to do it. We didn't get far enough, we didn't kick it, so we had to go on.'
Article content
Article content
Condell took over as Redblacks offensive co-ordinator last season and guided the team to the second-most passing yards (5,445) in the nine-team league. Along with helping the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to the Grey Cup games in 2019 and 2021, he was quarterbacks coach of the Toronto Argos when they won the Grey Cup in 2017.
Article content
Condell has been questioned for his selection of plays in the past, but what OC hasn't?
Article content
Either way, he understands it comes with the territory.
Article content
'I have to be able to always put these guys in the best position possible, and it's always evaluated from game in and game out,' Condell said. 'I've got to be able to do that for them, so I think that's the most important thing.'
Article content
Why has the Redblacks' offence struggled to make 'explosive' plays so far?
Article content
The easy answer is that they've been without Brown for three of five games. But the Redblacks have had their top gun for a couple of starts, and they've generated a league-low three 30-plus-yard passing plays. Hamilton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg have had the next fewest with seven each, while Toronto, with backup quarterback Nick Arbuckle behind centre, leads the CFL with 11.
Article content
Article content
Brown, who has accounted for two of the 30-yarders, says the hip injury that sidelined him for a couple of games is not preventing him from airing the ball out.
Article content
What is?
Article content
'It's a better question for the defensive co-ordinators around the league than me,' Brown said. 'Because it seems like at times we get different coverages than some folks. I would do it, too. I would make us take 12 plays, string success together, and either get a stop on second-and-long or get an interception or a (Redblacks) penalty and the drive stalls. I can get down with that motive, that strategy. I think it's smart. But that's kind of where we're at.'
Article content
Article content
'I think if we have better first-down efficiency, it might organically happen,' Brown added. 'But I think we've been in a lot of second-and-longs … You're not dictating, you're kind of out of the mode of where you get to dictate, whereas you get to second and four (and) someone has to play man coverage. Man coverage with a waggle is tough. But they want to get more guys in the box to stop the run because there's a chance that you'll run. You're not running on second and 12.'
Article content
Ottawa also has the highest two-and-out percentage (42) in the CFL, which, of course, is not a good thing.
Article content
'I think we're in way too many second-and-long situations, which make us a little more one-dimensional, completely one-dimensional,' Brown said. 'You don't get a ton of opportunities to dictate to the defence, being in second-and-long. I think everyone in the stadium or watching knows what is going to happen.
Article content
'So why did that happen? Negative plays on first down, whether it's an incomplete pass, a poorly executed play or a penalty. We've got to get rid of those and stay on schedule, and we should be cooking.'
Article content
Said Condell: 'I think the biggest thing that we have to be able to establish is to have some rhythm in the whole game. What does that mean? Be able to get the play call in, out, make sure everyone gets it, and we don't have those penalties, anything of that nature. To be able to establish that, you get more opportunities. The explosive plays will come when those things happen. When you're not establishing that rhythm, it makes it a lot harder.'
Article content
Brown blamed himself for the missteps in Edmonton, which included a time-count violation and an illegal forward pass, as well as an offside call on wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton, a procedure call on guard Drew Desjarlais and a holding penalty on receiver Eugene Lewis.
Article content
The communication issues might be explained by the fact that Brown missed a month had he not practised all week leading up to the game and run Condell's offence for more than a season.
Article content
'There are times when maybe you can do a little bit less,' Brown said. 'So we can have less responsibility and less thinking and just go. We don't want to necessarily put that ceiling on anyone because guys continue to improve and get better, and we feel like with our offence, we have a lot of guys that are not just good players, but good thinkers, and we want to take advantage of that. So you've got to balance that.'
Article content
Article content
At the same time, Brown offered a little perspective when he conceded that offside and illegal-procedure penalties were 'a lack of discipline and a lack of focus.'
Article content
'In that moment, it's hard, especially if you have other things going on,' he said, using the centre position as an example. 'Like if you're in charge of protection. He has 100 calls a week that he has to be prepared for, and he is, and then in the moment something happens and then he's communicating, and I'm talking. That's how those things happen. So those things we communicate in corrections, and we'll get fixed.'
Article content
Even the Argos, who have played one less game than the Redblacks, Tiger-Cats and Alouettes, have put 128 points on the board. Did we mention they've had to use their backup QB to date?