Latest news with #OttawaRedblacks'
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Why Redblacks' career sacks leader Lorenzo Mauldin IV is not looking like his old self
Like his team as a whole, Lorenzo Mauldin's numbers are way down. Through one-third of the 2025 CFL season, the Ottawa Redblacks' career sacks leader has yet to put a quarterback on the ground. Along with having a zero in the sacks column, Mauldin has just eight tackles in six games. It's an uncharacteristic stat line for the 32-year-old defensive end, who is one of the team's top-paid and generally most productive players. Mired in a three-game losing slump that has dragged them to the basement of the CFL standings, the Redblacks believe they are much better than the 1-5 record indicates. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Mauldin believes a turnaround is imminent. 'We're out there putting in our work, and of course it's not showing, but it's semi-early,' the former New York Jet and Hamilton Tiger-Cat said Thursday after the team's practice at TD Place. 'We're definitely going to find our way, and we're going to go on a tear.' After recording 30 sacks over the last three seasons — including a CFL-leading 17 in 2022 and a league co-leading eight last year — Mauldin is also confident he'll find his way to the quarterback again. 'The numbers will be there,' he said. 'I have to go out there and continue to do what I'm doing. I'm getting there, it's just that the ball is either out (of the QB's hand) or on the way. It's going to happen. It's just a matter of when.' Age is not one of them. In fact, Mauldin is in tip-top shape since shaving almost 20 pounds from his 6-foot-4 frame in the off-season. 'I feel like I haven't lost a step,' said Mauldin, who dropped from 285 pounds to 266. 'I've lost weight. That's the only thing lost. In the off-season I made sure I was not losing muscle but focusing on the fat. I came out here a lot faster, and definitely feel like I'm able to keep my strength and everything. At the end of the day, I'm just out there working within this game and making sure that I do my job so that the defence can prosper.' The defence did throw a speed bump in front of the fast-moving Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Saturday. After scoring 86 points in their previous two games, the Tiger-Cats managed just 23 against Ottawa. But getting to the quarterback remains a problem for the Redblacks, who, under new defensive coordinator Will Fields, have just seven sacks in six games. After setting the high bar with eight each in 2024, Mauldin and Michael Wakefield have combined for just one. 'I'm not tooting my horn or anything, but with me being the type of caliber player I am and with Bryce (Carter) on the other end, (opponents) have to double team and triple team us, and bring in receivers to take us off the edge,' said Mauldin. 'There's no excuse for why I don't have a sack or anything yet. I'm doing what I can, when I can, and whatever I have to do to help the defence.' Asked about the challenges of having a new DC, he added: 'With any team, with any defence, with any offence, you get a new coordinator and you're definitely doing some different things that you were doing in the last scheme. But it's for the better. You're definitely learning new things. I'm learning new things at the position that I'm playing, and again, we're going to go on a tear here soon. We just have to have everybody get comfortable.' It's too early, or as Mauldin calls it, 'semi-early', to say that. They have the same number of wins as the Argos, who hold a game in hand. But remember, three teams from each division don't necessarily qualify for post-season play. The fourth-place team in the West will cross over if it has a better record than the third-place team on this side, and right now that's the 3-3 B.C. Lions. However, the slope the Redbacks are currently sliding down will get slipperier if they lose again to the Tiger-Cats — who have won three straight and now sit first in the East — when the teams meet again Sunday at TD Place. 'Every game is a must-win, obviously, but at the same time, every game you (lose) takes down your opportunities as you move forward,' said head coach Bob Dyce. 'So yeah, you have to have a sense of urgency. (Hamilton) is an Eastern team, team that's ahead of us in the standings, and so we have to tighten up. We know where we want to get to. It's an important game. You can't say it's a must game, a playoff game is a must-win game, but you can be of the mindset that we have to be at our best this week to do everything that we can that will result in a victory.' The concerning news is that cornerback Adrian Frye (shoulder) is likely going back on the shelf two games after he missed one with a knee injury. His spot in the secondary could be filled by fellow American Deandre Lamont, who has practiced in full this week after being out with a hamstring issue. Better news, as far as the ratio goes, is that former Carleton Raven Justin Howell looks like he'll play his first game of the season after being out with a foot injury. It also looks like former Mount Allison Mounties linebacker Lucas Cormier will make his first start at the WILL position, giving the Redblacks more ratio flexibility. Cormier had three defensive tackles and a tackle for a loss while seeing spot duty last week. 'Lucas is a fantastic player,' said Dyce. 'How we looked at practice is likely how we'll go.' Former St. Mary's Huskies defensive lineman Aidan John (knee) was also practicing in full and could return, while Global player Tyron Vrede suffered an ankle injury in Hamilton that has prevented him from practising so far this week. Dyce prefers to look ahead rather than in the past, especially at a game that was played so recently, but did take a glance over his shoulder with references on this occasion. 'We're focused on making sure we have our best performance this week, and attack this week, and play great football in critical situations,' he said. 'One of the things we talk about is maximizing opportunities, whether that's a drive starting at the 30-yard line or 40-yard line, we've got to score touchdowns. Conversely, like the defence did last week. They're in tough field position. They've got to go out there, and they've got to deny touchdowns. We have to be focused and more consistent throughout the whole game.' Mauldin admitted the loss in Hamilton was extremely frustrating. 'We have to realize as a team that we need to finish,' he said. 'We've had plenty of close games in the past, and that was definitely one of those times where we didn't finish and we had to capitalize on it.' Sunday will mark the 100th career game for both starting middle linebacker Jovan Santos-Knox and fullback/special teamer Anthony Gosselin, who played his college ball with the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. While Santos-Knox is well known for his leadership and defensive impact (he's second on the team in tackles), Gosselin's contributions are understated. 'It's a big game for both of them … it says a lot about individuals to get to that mark,' said Dyce, a former special-teams coach who was asked specifically about Gosselin. 'We talk about who he is as a person and why he's been able to last this long. It's funny, when he came in early in his career, he was a guy who was on the roster and off. He was always on special teams and he'd always be in my office, persistent, saying, 'This is what I could do, this is what I want to do, what do I need to do better?' And he has continued in that vein throughout his whole career. He is one of the rare guys that you will see who, in his 30s, continues to get better. He is the ultimate in what you would want in a team player. He was willing to do anything possible for the team. It's not about him, it's about how he can help the team. The effort and work he puts in, in the off-season …. He's a phenomenal family man, and he's a great team man. You could talk to anyone on this team, and I don't think you would find anyone who would say anything bad about Anthony. He is not a vocal leader, but he leads by example, and sometimes those are the best leaders you can possibly have, because anything that you ask him to do, he's going to do it 100 percent. And like I said, he's not doing it for himself, he's doing it for the team.'
Ottawa Citizen
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
How an off night for QB Dru Brown played into the Ottawa Redblacks' fifth loss of CFL season
Article content The normally consistent Dru Brown picked a bad time to have his worst half of football as the Ottawa Redblacks' starting quarterback Saturday night in Hamilton. Article content It was more than just the two interceptions he underthrew into the hands of Tiger-Cats defensive back Jamal Peters in quarters three and four — the second of which was particularly untimely as it came at the Ottawa 43 and on the first play after a Kalil Pimpleton 105-yard punt return for a touchdown was wiped out by an illegal block penalty when Ottawa was in front 20-13 with a little more than 13 minutes left in the game. Article content Article content Article content While the Redblacks held the Tiger-Cats to a field goal off that turnover, they did relinquish the lead they had held since scoring on their opening drive when a roughing the passer penalty moved the ball from the Redblacks' 30 to their 15, setting the stage for a Kenny Lawler TD catch just three snaps later. Article content The puzzling decision to put William Stanback in place for his first kick return since 2018 backfired when the big running back failed to make a clean catch of Marc Liegghio's offering. Stanback had to retreat to pick up the loose ball, then could only advance it 12 yards to the Ottawa 19. Article content That's when Brown's play became uncharacteristic beyond his first two interceptions of the season. Article content Article content Entering the game with a CFL-best 77.4 completion percentage, he connected on just one of five passes, and even that one would have landed on the ground had Justin Hardy not made a great grab. Article content Article content Of the four misfires, the first was intended for rookie Keelan White and the other three were headed towards Eugene Lewis, who wound up with seven catches for 128 yards but should have had better numbers considering he was targeted 14 times. Article content Article content Brown wound up completing 24 of 38 passes (63.2 per cent) for 283 yards, but was only 11-of-19 (57.8 per cent) for 146 yards in the second half. Article content 'It's tough to lead most of (the game) and then not be able to execute at the end,' he told TSN1200's A.J. Jakubec, before addressing the interceptions. 'If stuff like that happens in the second quarter, it kind of blows over. But there's certain times where you've got to be really focused on what your job is. I think even before the last one, we had an opportunity to get the ball out on the perimeter, and I could have thrown a more catchable (pass) so (the receiver) could get north versus someone outside being involved. So I've look at all those things.'
Vancouver Sun
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. That was up slightly from 2023 but was still the second lowest in the CFL, ahead of only the 15,127 that turned out for Toronto Argos home games. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While season-ticket numbers are generally not reported throughout the league, Sciarra said the Redblacks' base is 'on the way back, but still has a ways to go.' 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' There's also a $100,000 'guaranteed jackpot' for Friday's 50-50 draw. But, of course, nothing brings people back to the stadium like winning football. 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.'
Ottawa Citizen
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Ottawa Citizen
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Article content Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. Article content 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Article content Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. Article content Article content That was up slightly from 2023 but was still the second lowest in the CFL, ahead of only the 15,127 that turned out for Toronto Argos home games. Article content While season-ticket numbers are generally not reported throughout the league, Sciarra said the Redblacks' base is 'on the way back, but still has a ways to go.' Article content 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' Article content Article content The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. Article content In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. Article content Article content From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Article content Article content Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' Article content There's also a $100,000 'guaranteed jackpot' for Friday's 50-50 draw. Article content 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.' Article content Article content
Calgary Herald
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
What kind of fan turnout is expected for Ottawa Redblacks' home opener?
Article content Anticipation is growing for the Ottawa Redblacks' home opener against the Montreal Alouettes on Friday. Article content 'It's going to be a good crowd,' team president Adrian Sciarra said Wednesday. 'We're crossing 20,000 (in ticket sales) today, with two days still to go.' Article content Last season, with three of their nine home games hit hard by rain, the Redblacks reported an average attendance of 18,925 at TD Place, which lists a capacity of 24,000. Article content 'Our renewals from season-seat members last year were just under 90 per cent, which is excellent,' he said. 'And obviously we've sold new season seats as well, so that base is growing again. Our group sales business, our casual sales, are both really strong and have a good start to the year.' Article content Article content The Redblacks are doing what they can to make fans forget about the lean years from 2019-2023, when the team had a 14-54 overall record, both on and off the field. Article content In 2024, the team adopted a 'Bullies on Bank Street' mentality and backed it up with the CFL's best home record at 7-1-1. Article content Article content From a promotional standpoint, the Redblacks are also continually raising their game. Article content Article content Along with a a pre-game party featuring a live band and $6 beers for the hour-and-a-half from the time the doors open to kickoff, there's a $5 'fan-friendly menu' that launches this season, and what Sciarra called 'some new things as part of our in-game experience fans will see when they get here.' Article content 'We're super excited for the home kickoff to the season, and getting the team back on the field, and our fans back at TD Place for the start of the regular season,' said Sciarra. 'Our expectations are high. We've got what we believe to be a really strong team, and we're just excited to get out there and get these games going.' Article content Article content
