LaPolice finding positives among Redblacks' winless start

Despite a disappointing 0-3 start, Paul LaPolice is confident in the future of the season for the Ottawa Redblacks. 

Making his weekly appearance on TSN Radio 1200 Ottawa, LaPolice reflected on the close loss to the BC Lions on Thursday, specifically what he did and did not like about his team's performance.

"I thought we stopped the run very well ... in the second half I thought our defence started taking the ball away, created short fields and we were able to capitalize with touchdowns and a couple of two-point conversions." said LaPolice.

 "we just didn't do a good job executing and protecting the perimeter," he added. "We [allowed] a 70-yard pass play on a miscommunication in a blitz situation, we just can't give... we [gave up] two explosive plays, a 50-yarder and a 71-yarder for a touchdown and those are sometimes the difference."

Even though the Redblacks sit at 0-3 and second-from-last in the East , their -12 point differential is second-best in the conference. 

"We've showed signs, and the only teams we've played so far are undefeated, they've beaten everyone they've played and I thought we played well against them but we need to find a way to finish to win these games," said LaPolice.

The second-year head coach wants to make sure his players keep the right mindset with the rocky start to the season.

"I think I'm teaching the players more of a 'listen, in the Canadian Football League, everyone is going to have three losses by the end of the year.' We have to learn from what we can do to win the football games," LaPolice said.

"I'm not a patient guy, I'm working through the process with them - we were plus three in turnover margin, normally you win a football game when you're plus-three.

"But when you have a bunch of penalties and you give up a couple explosive plays and you struggle for a quarter offensively or a quarter and a half that could put you in a position to lose that game," he added.

With three close losses to start the year, LaPolice knows that perfecting the little things will push the team over the edge quickly. 

"We try to educate our players: you have to locate throws, you have to make the right read, you have to make your blocks, you have to make sure you get the yardage for the run," LaPolice continued.

"We've played some really good defences and we gotta make sure that when we get out opportunities to stay on the field, we stay on the field," he said.

LaPolice is happy with new Redblacks quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to this point, stating Monday "he does a lot of great things, he's somebody that's going to be able to lead us to wins."

Masoli played eight seasons in Hamilton with the Tiger-Cats, and is averaging 291 yards per game passing so far this year, with one touchdown and one interception. 

 "I know there was talk about the interceptions before but he's done a really nice job protecting the football. Our players love him and believe in him and we just gotta give him more opportunities to play with our players," said LaPolice. 

The results have not been there yet for Ottawa, but LaPolice is confident in the team moving forward. 

"I think we need a little bit more from the head coach, from everybody," he said. "When we're trying to win a game it ain't just on the quarterback.

"It's on everybody, it's on me all the way down to the last guy on the roster so that's how I look at it. We have a very good morale, we have a good group of guys here... Right now there's other teams around the league that have very similar records if not the same records so we just have to worry about doing it on a week to week basis."