Redblacks coach Dyce mum on starting QB for season opener
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Ottawa Redblacks head coach Bob Dyce spoke about his team's pre-season, the season opener on Saturday against the Montreal Alouettes and more on TSN 1200 Ottawa on Monday.
Dyce, 57, is entering his first full CFL season as a head coach - he has worked the job on an interim basis twice before: for the final nine games of the 2015 season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and the final four games of the 2022 season with the Redblacks.
Despite the relative inexperience, Dyce is confident in navigating from the helm from the outset.
"I don't perceive any challenge to the things I've done in the past - I've had two opportunities to be an interim head coach," said Dyce.
"I have an outstanding group of players and coaches that I work with so I'm comfortable going into the game and looking forward to getting that first win of the season."
Ottawa is looking to bounce back after a disappointing season in 2022. They finished last in the league with a 4-14 record - including an 0-9 mark at home.
Despite this, Dyce looks at Saturday's season opener with optimism based on the work the team did in the pre-season.
"The majority of our backs had success on first down like we would like to, and defence played a physical brand of football so there's a lot of things that excite me about this team," he said.
In particular, a sequence at the end of the first half of their game against the Toronto Argonauts on Friday was an encouraging execution of a message sent throughout training camp in the pre-season.
"Situational football at the end of the half, defence went out and got a two-and-out, and the offence used their hurry-up offence and we were able to get a field goal before the half and that's something you really have to see."
"We try to build those scenarios into practices so our guys have a good idea about it," added Dyce.
The offensive line saw a major overhaul in the off-season, and Dyce is excited about the progress that unit has made thus far as well.
"Offensive line is one of the areas you'll always find the tightest group and we really see that group molding together well so super excited about that area," he said.
One question mark remains for Dyce though, and that is at the heart of the offence. When asked about whether Nick Arbuckle, who played in 12 games for Ottawa last season and threw only four touchdowns, was going to start on Saturday, Dyce refused to commit.
"We'll see what happens going forward," said Dyce.
Jeremiah Masoli started the first four games of the season for the Redblacks in 2022, but suffered a season-ending injury in a game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders due to an illegal hit by Garrett Marino. Masoli has only played in 20 of a possible 54 games since the beginning of the 2019 season due to a variety of injuries.
Regarding the quarterback spot moving forward, Dyce kept the team's plans close to the chest. "I think when I started this process I said we were going to work our plan going forward, and we're going to continue to do that," he said. "At the end of the day we know what our plan is so we'll just go forward with that."
Ottawa's offence averaged 21.1 points per game last season, the second-lowest mark in the CFL.