A DUCK BEGINNING AND A BIRTH: Hodges leads the Redblacks, Flanders celebrates the arrival of his daughter

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It’s great news when we learn that quarterback Duck Hodges, who started six games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2019, will have his first CFL start for the Ottawa Redblacks on Saturday at home (4 p.m.) against the Toronto Argonauts. .

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Hodges has a few hunting buddies coming into the game and you can bet he’ll hear duck calls when he enters the field, trying to lead the Redblacks to just their third win of the 2021 CFL season. Many Redblacks fans have been waiting for Duck to get his shot. It’s going to make headlines and it’s a big deal for Hodges and RNation; but things in life are also happening around the team that should not be missed in the moments, the statistics, the victories and the defeats.

The season has not gone as planned by running back Timothy Flanders; not for his team, which is 2-10, not for him, he has 64 carries for 228 yards. After being replaced as a starting running back by De’Lance Turner three weeks ago, Flanders returned to Texas to be with his girlfriend Cameron at the birth of their daughter Gianna. It was a wonderful thing that put football in perspective. Family first, right?

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Flanders returns to the Redblacks lineup as a starting running back on Saturday. He is eager to get back to playing soccer, but is still full of excitement for the arrival of his daughter, born October 22 in Austin, at nine pounds, three ounces.

“I’m happy,” Flanders said. “I was there for the birth, I had the opportunity to see everything. I wasn’t there when my son (Jaden) was born (seven years ago), he was three weeks late. “

Back in football mode, Flanders hopes to help his team stop a five-game losing streak.

“I hate losing, I was a sore loser growing up,” Flanders said. “You try to see the positive things and you keep growing. If we don’t do the offensive things we want to do, I take it personally. It has been hard for me. Set goals and see the things you want to accomplish personally and as a team. When things don’t go your way, it can be frustrating. It has been a long season. They say that winning cures everything. You have to keep going out and playing hard and fast and when you win, that takes care of a lot of things. “

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There’s the “W” word: win. The Redblacks, with a 2-10 record, have been eliminated from playoff contention. There have been too many beatings, mainly because the team’s offense has been AWOL. Linebacker Micah Awe, one of the team’s best players on the defensive side of the ball, said it’s up to players to keep their engines running during the team’s last two games.

“This is probably the best defense I’ve been in as a professional, we do a lot of things well,” Awe said. “It’s just life. Sometimes when you do good things, bad things keep happening. You have to keep it up. We are trying to improve. When that ball comes at me, I want to get a touchdown, not a 30-yard gain. That has always been my way of thinking. “

Playing with pride and not burying your head is important. If the Redblacks believe they shouldn’t be called the worst team in the CFL, it’s up to them to prove it.

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“I see from the power rankings that we are No. 9, even though there are two teams that have two wins (Edmonton is the other) and we have two wins over them,” Awe said. “That kind of thing doesn’t piss me off, but it’s like, ‘Okay, we still have something to prove.’ You want them to respect you. I’m playing and I have ‘Awe’ on the back of my shirt. I can’t control our wins and losses, necessarily, but I can control how I play. The modus operandi of being a professional athlete is that we are not paid to play, we are paid to win. I can make 50 tackles in a game, but if we lose and go 2-10, who really remembers? Just get out there, do your job. Do what you’ve been doing since you were in seventh grade. “

As for Hodges, he’s been on the biggest stage – he became a fan favorite during his time as Steeler.

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“The last time I spoke to all of you, I was telling you that it’s weird not knowing if you’re going to play,” he said Friday. “Now that I know I’m going to play, it’s very exciting. I am ready to go. I try not to hold back. I think it’s okay to be excited. It’s okay to go out and have fun and jump. “

“He’s been here a month, he’s had enough reps in practice and he has some tools that are awesome,” Redblacks coach Paul LaPolice said. “If you didn’t show things in practice that impressed us, we won’t make this decision. It’s nothing against Caleb (Evans). We want to give (Hodges) a chance to see if we can generate more offensively and put ourselves in a position to win. “

THE END AROUND: A couple of changes for the Redblacks. Mark Korte, who has spent much of the season at center, moves to left tackle. Andrew Pickett will play center. Ketel Asse is on right guard, with Tyler Catalina returning at right tackle. Former Guelph Gryphon Jaylen Guthrie is listed as a reserve offensive lineman. LaPolice said: “We felt that Korte at tackle was our best lineup at the moment. We like it in the middle, but we just don’t have tackles. The beauty of Mark is that he can play center, he can play left guard and he can play left tackle. “… Defensive lineman Praise Martin-Oguike, who has four sacks and 18 defensive tackles in seven games, is back. LaPolice said. : “Praise has a high engine, creates bags with effort. We think it can take a toll on your pocket and wreak havoc there.” … LB Don Unamba and elite returner DeVonte Dedmon are back in the lineup… Wide receiver Daniel Petermann replaces Michael Klukas as additional receiver… Among the returning Argos is wide receiver Juwan Brescacin. The Argos will be without linebacker Dexter McCoil Sr. and running back DJ Foster… Watch out for Argos catcher Kurleigh Gittens Jr .; Ottawa, is having a very good season, with 38 receptions for 475 yards.