No one has brought Ottawa REDBLACKS fans out of their seats more consistently over the past number of years than DeVonte Dedmon.
Named the club’s All-Decade kick returner earlier this month, Dedmon has gained notoriety around the league since joining the REDBLACKS in 2019, returning three kickoffs and three punts for touchdowns. A wizard on special teams, conversations quickly arose about increased usage offensively, but it never gained traction.
Until he made the switch to running back ahead of the 2024 season, Dedmon had been listed officially as a receiver, but his most productive game on offence came when he was tapped to fill in as a tailback. He rushed for 31 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2021, and flash forward to now, that’s where the majority of his touches are coming.
“It’s different,” Dedmon said of his position change. “As a receiver, I’m just trying to do the waggle and run forward, but as a running back, I have to sit in protection and know who is coming, and from what direction. I have to lock in on a different mindset.”
Though not the biggest player on the field height-wise, Dedmon is adamantly fighting back against anyone who says he’s “small,” adding that his build has made the transition relatively smooth.
“I’m not changing anything,” Dedmon explained. “I’ve always been a bigger guy, I’m not a 160-pound guy, I’m 205, I’m solid. Nothing really changes, I just have to do what I have to do. They know I’m a team player, and I’ll do anything to help my team at all costs, whether that’s protecting, running a route, or returning kicks.”
His play style, however, has been tweaked over the weeks, as he’s gone from the twitchy guy making people miss, to being a more physical type of player, willing to run right at some of the biggest linebackers and defensive linemen in the league.
“A lot of receivers play with finesse, and I thought that was my game,” Dedmon said. “At running back, I have to be tough in there and take shots, even if sometimes I become a speed bump.”
Oddly enough, the switch to running back yielded Dedmon’s first career receiving touchdown last week in Calgary, giving the former William and Mary standout a moment he’ll never forget, even if he wasn’t willing to part with the $500 it costs to keep the football.
“The linemen picked up what they needed to, so I decided to chip and move out into space,” Dedmon said. “Soli got squeezed to the side, but got out, and I was waiting for him to throw me the ball. I knew Cam [Judge] was going to rush me hard, and he would try to beat me to the spot, so I made a move to the inside.”
“When I saw the two guys in front of me, I thought about how I was always taught to split them or pick them, and I decided to split them. I got between them and scored.”
Aside from the importance of the touchdown at that moment of the game, Dedmon’s emotions ran high, especially with Jeremiah Masoli throwing it to him.
“It was crazy,” Dedmon said. “Soli and I were both hurt last year, and we worked our tails off to get there. We always talked about plays like that, and it finally happened. It meant a lot to me, that’s my homeboy, real talk, I ride for Soli. It’s all love between us, so it was an emotional moment for me.”
It wasn’t just Dedmon feeling all gushy on the inside, though, with Head Coach Bob Dyce sharing the love for his elusive back in the moment.
“You can’t help but be happy for a guy who makes a sacrifice for the team,” Dyce said. “He has embraced it, and he’s thriving, so it was fantastic to see him have the opportunity to make a key play at a big time.”
Having made a couple of trips to the endzone in the first half of the season, Dedmon has accomplished his fair share, but he says the mission isn’t over, and there’s still plenty more he wants to achieve in what he hopes is the road to a Grey Cup.
“[We’re taking it] day by day, one week at a time, that’s all we’re doing,” Dedmon said. “It starts up top with the coaches, they’re holding us accountable for every little thing. Nothing is going to be given to us. Every week is a dog fight, and we’re prepared for it, that’s why we’re successful.”
