The Ottawa Reblacks opened their season with a 19-17 loss to the defending Grey Cup Champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers, in which Marc Liegghio’s field goal with six seconds remaining was the difference.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Redblacks head coach Paul LaPolice was encouraged by his team’s overall performance and found plenty to build on moving into the team’s rematch against the Bombers on Friday.

“We’ve got about 10 bullet points that we thought were key issues for us, reasons we lost the game,” LaPolice told TSN Radio on Monday. “I’m going to start with those but I’m going to finish with how many great things were done.

“On the road against a good football team that led the league in offence last year, I thought our defence hit them all night. We had 441 yards of offence. That’s a lot to build on. It’s a difficult loss but we’ll get better as we learn how to be a winner.”

The Redblacks' defence held the Blue Bombers to just 289 yards of total offence, including limiting reigning Most Outstanding Player Zach Collaros to 188 yards and running back Brady Oliveira to 1.7 yards per carry.

The offence jumped out to a quick start under newly-signed quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, gaining 441 total yards, while the former Hamilton Tiger-Cats QB threw for 380 yards. LaPolice said that he eased Masoli into a new system but worked with the veteran to refine the Redblacks’ offensive scheme.

“I’m trying to do some of the things Jeremiah did in Hamilton but also keeping the core things that players here are familiar with,” said LaPolice. “He gave me advice on one concept this week and we changed how we were going to do that. It’s great having his vision.

“He’s got great tools. Highly competitive but also loves the game. He has an energy that our players respond to.”

While the offence was able to march up and down the field, poor clock management at the end of the first half may have cost the team points, a situation LaPolice says has nothing to do with the shortened preseason or the new personnel.

“It’s a communication thing. We fully understood what we wanted to do but if you don’t get 12 guys on the same page, it’s tough to do,” said LaPolice. “I think the goal is to educate everybody. When we lose a game it’s all our faults. Everybody has to say ‘what can I do better?’ and then build from there.”

LaPolice provided an injury update on defensive back Abdul Kanneh, saying the team will make a decision on his status following Monday’s practice