Battle to replace RB Williams in focus as Redblacks camp begins

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Six months after dealing with the immediate heartbreak of a 4-14 record in his first full season as head coach of the Ottawa Redblacks, Bob Dyce had a “very happy feeling” as he looked out at the TD Place turf and surrounding area on Thursday, Day 1 of the team’s two-day rookie camp in 2024.

“When you look at the guys that our personnel department has brought in, you can see that this group is a little different than what we’ve seen here as of late,” Dyce said. “Good size, good athletic ability… Having the opportunity to talk to these guys in meetings and all that, it’s a very attentive group.

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“It’s been a fantastic start.”

In addition to what he witnessed from the approximately 75 players going through drills, Dyce appreciated having veterans like quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and wide receiver Keaton Bruggeling watching from the sidelines.

“You see some of the veteran guys who didn’t have to be here eager to get back on the field,” he said. “It feels like we haven’t been here in a while and we really have some unfinished business to take care of, so we’re excited to get to work toward our goal.”

Dyce had told the rookies to consider Thursday and Friday a “fantastic opportunity” to get a good feel for what the Canadian Football League was like so that when the veterans prepared for the main camp that begins Sunday , “they are competing at the same level.”

He also reminded them that they earned the opportunity to be here.

“I told them, ‘Have confidence in yourself, have strong faith, we wouldn’t have brought you here for no reason… You’re a great player and let that shine,’” Dyce said. “We all do our best when we are confident and prepared. And that’s what professional football is about. “That’s what they have to work on.”

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When asked how many players from the rookie camp would move on to the main camp, Dyce was noncommittal.

“They’re really going to dictate that,” he said. “At the end of the day, we have to make sure we are better than we were. And then they will have the opportunity to come in and compete. I don’t want to limit them by saying a number. They have to come here and then compete… maybe a lot more than we anticipated. From what I’ve seen, it’s an extremely competitive group.”

“We hope they surprise us,” he added. “The better they are and the more they push or surpass our veterans, the better team we will be.”

An obvious opening is found in the starting runner position.

The owner of the position last season was Devonte Williams, who was fifth in the league in rushing with 1,002 yards despite playing in just 15 games.

While training for a new performance, Williams suffered an Achilles tendon injury that required surgery and will likely keep him out of the season.

The two leading candidates to replace him appear to be Ryquell Armstead, a fifth-round pick of the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 who was with the Redblacks for about a month last season but was never activated, and Kylin Hill, a Green Bay Packers seventh-round pick in 2021.

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“We probably have a little better insight into who Ryquell is, having seen them last year,” Dyce said. “He has arrived here in fantastic shape. Even last year, when he was a little heavier, he showed off fantastic feet for a man his size and ran with power.

“Really what they have to do is come in and embrace the offense, get a great understanding of it, which under (new offensive coordinator) Tommy (Condell) is slightly different than what we’ve done here before. His protection skills are going to be really important, as is the fact that they understand that we want really big, strong downhill runners with these guys. We know our offensive line will pressure and lean on people, but these guys have to be able to move the pile themselves. They have exceptional feet and both exhibit great quickness, so I’m looking forward to seeing them advance as camp progresses.”

Armstead, who is 5-11 and 220 pounds, played in 18 games with the Jaguars. Google his name and you’ll immediately notice a video of him “hauling” an Indianapolis Colts defender in 2022.

“First of all, I want to pray for Devonte,” Armstead said when asked about the job he is applying for. “I came here last year for about a month and I was able to get under him and play with him. This whole offseason I’ve been working hard, training, getting ready to go in and compete with Devonte. That’s sad for us, but it’s an opportunity. I’ve been working, I’m ready, I feel great.

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“All in all, the new OC is amazing. I love the system, the schemes. I feel freer. Lots and lots of space, the opportunity, and I’m just taking advantage of it.”

Armstead said he had “a lot of confidence” in himself and his abilities.

“Like I said, a long time ago, a lot of people gave up and I’ve been building myself up from the ground up,” he said. “I’m here and ready to push.

“I’m real. I’m myself at all times,” he said when asked about his greatest attribute. “On the field I’m elusive. I can do it all. I can catch, I can run and I can hit the home run. I can do it all.”

Hill was a star at Mississippi State from 2017-2020 and was lined up to be Green Bay’s return specialist when he tore his ACL as a rookie in the NFL.

He credits Packers veterans Aaron Rodgers and David Bakhtiari for getting him back into the game.

“Rehab was tough, but they told me to attack and stay focused,” Hill said. “You’re on the sidelines, watching the guys, so the hardest thing is to concentrate.”

Hill credited Rodgers, the quarterback, with helping him become a better running back.

“He taught me how to run routes, he taught me where I should be, where he wants me to be on certain plays,” Hill said. “He welcomed Me with open arms.”

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Like Armstead, Hill is confident he can help the Redblacks.

“I feel like with my skills I can provide energy for big plays,” he said. “I can catch the ball… Whenever they need a play, I feel like I can make it. Or when we need energy, when the offense is down, I can do it.”

HASHBRANDS: The rookie camp concludes with the field session on Friday from 1 to 3 pm, while the main camp begins with the players taking the field on Sunday from 8:30 am to 11 am. That’s also the usual schedule for the entire next week. The camp is open to the public.

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