The 2018 Ottawa Redblacks season was the fifth season for the team in the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Redblacks improved upon their 8–9–1 record from 2017, winning their ninth game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in an October 19 game, and finished with an 11–7 record. The team clinched a playoff berth and home playoff game for the fourth season in a row following the Toronto Argonauts' week 17 loss on October 6, 2018.Updated Playoff Scenarios: Plenty on the line in Week 17 After defeating the Tiger-Cats in the East Final, the Redblacks played in their third Grey Cup championship in four years, but lost to the Calgary Stampeders in the 106th Grey Cup game. This was the fifth season with Marcel Desjardins as general manager and Rick Campbell as head coach.

Off-season

Open Tryout Sessions On February 15, 2018, the Redblacks announced they would be holding open tryouts across North America during the spring. The dates and locations are listed in the table below: LocationVenueDateIndianapolis, IndianaDecatur Central High SchoolApril 14Durham, North CarolinaNorth Carolina Central UniversityApril 15Houston, TexasHouston Baptist University - Husky StadiumMay 5Seattle, WashingtonFoster High School Football StadiumMay 6Atlanta, GeorgiaGeorgia State UniversityMay 12Las Vegas, NevadaBill "Wildcat" Morris Rebel ParkMay 13

Coaching staff On November 29, 2017 the Redblacks announced they would not bring back four of their assistant coaches (Travis Moore, Bryan Chiu, Derek Oswalt & Ike Charlton) from the previous season. On December 4, 2017 the Redblacks announced the hire of Noel Thorpe as defensive coordinator (Thorpe will double as the defensive backs coach as well). Mark Nelson, who had been the team's defensive coordinator for four seasons, will remain with the club as a linebackers coach. Thorpe had been the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach of the Montreal Alouettes for the previous five seasons. +Position20172018Head coachRick CampbellOffensive CoordinatorJaime ElizondoDefensive CoordinatorMark NelsonNoel ThorpeSpecial Teams CoordinatorBob DyceRunning BacksBeau WalkerReceiversTravis MooreWinston OctoberOffensive LineBryan ChiuJohn McDonellDefensive LineLeroy BlughLinebackersDerek OswaltMark NelsonDefensive BacksIke CharltonNoel ThorpeAssistant coachMoton HopkinsOffensive AssistantPatrick Bourgon

Free-Agency The 2018 CFL free agency period officially opened at 12:00pm EST on February 13, 2018. Key transactions are listed below:

Retained DatePlayer namePositionRef.November 30, 2017Brad SinopoliWRDecember 13, 2017Trevor HarrisQBJanuary 15, 2018William PowellRBJanuary 24, 2018Alex MateasOLFebruary 7, 2018Diontae SpencerWRNolan MacMillanOLFebruary 12, 2018Jonathan RoseDB

Additions DatePlayer namePositionPrevious TeamRef.February 13, 2018A.C. LeonardDLSaskatchewan RoughridersLoucheiz PurifoyDBBC LionsFebruary 14, 2018Rico MurrayDB/LBToronto Argonauts February 16, 2018Kyries HebertLBMontreal Alouettes

Departed DatePlayer namePositionNew TeamRef.February 13, 2018Zack EvansDLSaskatchewan RoughridersFebruary 20, 2018Taylor ReedLBToronto Argonauts

CFL draft The 2018 CFL draft took place on May 3, 2018.CFL draft date announced The Redblacks held seven selections in the eight round draft after trading their fifth-round pick to Calgary for Drew Tate and forfeiting their sixth-round pick after selecting Austin Reuland in the 2017 Supplemental Draft.Redblacks acquire Drew Tate in trade with Stamps They then acquired another fourth-round pick after trading Jake Ceresna to Edmonton for Odell Willis and then trading Willis to the BC Lions for the draft pick.Lions acquire Willis after trade from Esks to Redblacks

Round Pick Player Position School Hometown 1 4 Mark Korte OL Alberta Spruce Grove, AB 2 13 Marco Dubois WR Laval Montreal, QC 3 22 Andrew Pickett OL Guelph Kitchener, ON 4 29 Kene Onyeka DL Carleton Brampton, ON 4 30 Mickael Cote LB Concordia Beloeil, QC 7 55 Justin Howell DB Carleton Bradford, ON 8 64 Jacob Czaja OL St. Francis Xavier Sudbury, ON

Preseason

Schedule Week Date Kickoff Opponent Results TV Venue Attendance Summary Score Record A ByeB Thu, May 31 7:30 p.m. EDT vs. Montreal Alouettes W 27–7 1–0 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 20,539 RecapC Thu, Jun 7 7:30 p.m. EDT at Toronto Argonauts W 32–17 2–0 None Alumni Stadium 3,921 Recap 2018 Ottawa Redblacks Schedule

Games played with colour uniforms.

Regular season

Standings

Schedule Week Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results TV Venue Attendance Summary Score Record 1 Bye 21 Thu, June 21 7:30 p.m. EDT Saskatchewan Roughriders W 40–17 1–0 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 24,224 Recap 32 Thu, June 28 9:00 p.m. EDT @ Calgary Stampeders L 14–24 1–1 TSN/RDS2 McMahon Stadium 23,454 Recap 43 Fri, July 6 7:30 p.m. EDT @ Montreal Alouettes W 28–18 2–1 TSN/RDS Molson Stadium 16,718 Recap 54 Thu, July 12 7:30 p.m. EDT Calgary Stampeders L 3–27 2–2 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 22,103 Recap 65 Fri, July 20 7:30 p.m. EDT BC Lions W 29–25 3–2 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 21,319 Recap 76 Sat, July 28 4:00 p.m. EDT @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 21–15 4–2 TSN/ESPN2/RDS2 Tim Hortons Field 23,381 Recap 87 Thu, Aug 2 7:00 p.m. EDT @ Toronto Argonauts L 41–42 4–3 TSN/ESPN2/RDS BMO Field 11,857 Recap 98 Sat, Aug 11 8:00 p.m. EDT Montreal Alouettes W 24–17 5–3 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 25,161 Recap 109 Fri, Aug 17 8:30 p.m. EDT @ Winnipeg Blue Bombers W 44–21 6–3 TSN/RDS Investors Group Field 27,602 Recap 11 Bye 1210 Fri, Aug 31 7:30 p.m. EDT Montreal Alouettes L 11–21 6–4 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 25,132 Recap 1311 Fri, Sept 7 10:00 p.m. EDT @ BC Lions L 14–26 6–5 TSN BC Place 17,529 Recap 1412 Sat, Sept 15 9:30 p.m. EDT @ Saskatchewan Roughriders W 30–25 7–5 TSN/RDS Mosaic Stadium 33,350 Recap 1513 Sat, Sept 22 4:00 p.m. EDT Edmonton Eskimos W 28–15 8–5 TSN/RDS2 TD Place Stadium 24,800 Recap 16 Bye 1714 Fri, Oct 5 7:30 p.m. EDT Winnipeg Blue Bombers L 32–40 (OT) 8–6 TSN TD Place Stadium 21,027 Recap 1815 Sat, Oct 13 5:00 p.m. EDT @ Edmonton Eskimos L 16–34 8–7 TSN/RDS2 Commonwealth Stadium 27,163 Recap 1916 Fri, Oct 19 7:00 p.m. EDT Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 35–31 9–7 TSN/RDS2 TD Place Stadium 23,534 Recap 2017 Sat, Oct 27 4:00 p.m. EDT @ Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 30–13 10–7 TSN/RDS Tim Hortons Field 23,329 Recap 2118 Fri, Nov 2 7:30 p.m. EDT Toronto Argonauts W 24–9 11–7 TSN/RDS TD Place Stadium 22,185 Recap

Games played with colour uniforms. Games played with white uniforms.

Post-season

Schedule With their victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Ottawa Redblacks clinched their third Grey Cup birth in four years having won the 2016 Championship Game in Toronto. Trevor Harris threw a playoff record six touchdown passes in the game, surpassing a record Anthony Calvillo set in the 2009 East Final against the BC Lions. With the victory, the Redblacks qualified to play the Calgary Stampeders in the 106th Grey Cup, a re-match of the game from two years prior. The Redblacks lost 27-16 in a game that they never had the lead against the heavily favoured Stampeders.

Game Date Kickoff Opponent Results TV Venue Attendance Summary Score RecordEast Semi-FinalByeEast Final Sun, Nov 18 1:00 p.m. EST Hamilton Tiger-Cats W 46–27 1–0 TSN/RDS/ESPNews TD Place Stadium 24,108 Recap106th Grey Cup Sun, Nov 27 6:00 p.m. EST vs. Calgary Stampeders L 16–27 1–1 TSN/RDS/ESPN2 Commonwealth Stadium 55,819 Recap

Games played with colour uniforms. Games played with white uniforms.

Roster 2018 Ottawa Redblacks final roster Quarterbacks

Running backs

Receivers

Offensive linemen G/T G T G C T T

Defensive linemen DE DT DT DE DE DE DE DT Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams LS P/K K

Practice roster FB DB DB SB DB RB WR DB Injured list QB LB FB OL DE LB DE DT C/G SB DT DT

Italics indicate International player

Coaching staff Ottawa Redblacks staff Front office Owner – Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG) President – Jeff Hunt Chief executive officer – Bernie Ashe General manager – Marcel Desjardins Assistant general manager – Jeremy Snyder Director of player personnel – Jean-Marc Edmé Coordinator of football operations – Joey Swarbrick Video coordinator – Colin Farquharson

Head coaches Head coach – Rick Campbell

Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator – Jaime Elizondo Offensive line – John McDonell Receivers – Winston October Running backs – Beau Walker Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Noel Thorpe Defensive line – Leroy Blugh Linebackers – Mark Nelson Defensive assistant – Patrick Bourgon

Special teams coaches Special teams coordinator – Bob Dyce

Strength and conditioning Strength and conditioning coordinator – Nick Mercuri

→ Coaching staff

References