Dru Brown, une force stabilisatrice dans l’équipe réduite de ROUGE et NOIR

The Ottawa REDBLACKS are keen to downplay the impact of injuries at this point of the season – everyone is missing someone important by now, after all – but it doesn’t change the fact that the waters are a little choppy ahead of their clash with the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday afternoon.

On offence, there’s a new running back with Khalan Laborn, and Eli Stove and Andre Miller will make their second-consecutive stars at receiver, while Jovan Santos-Knox remains out. Without some big-time play-makers, the REDBLACKS – under the leadership of first-year starter, Dru Brown – kickoff the final stretch of the season, where they will meet six East Division teams in their final seven games – starting with a battle with the Argos that could go a long way to deciding playoff seeding in a few week’s time.

No matter how many bodies they’ll be down, however, the standard is the standard, so we’ve heard so many times before. But that’s cliché, and means nothing without action, and guidance from the leadership group.

From the top down, the tone has been set, and there is no room for the expectations to drop, regardless of who is healthy, who isn’t, the weather, or any other factor.

“It’s preparing [the right way] all week, and then you compete to win, and do whatever it takes,” Brown said, defining the standard bluntly. “We have a lot of guys in that room that believe in that. It’s that simple.”

In 2024, fans in Ottawa have been introduced to Brown, and quickly come to realize that he’s a straight shooter. Numerous times in interviews, he has been indelicate with his answers, criticizing himself and the rest of the offence, even after big wins.

Wins in the first handful of months are important, of course, but the CFL demands constant progression. Currently sitting in second in the league with a 7-3-1 record, the REDBLACKS have proven to be a top competitor – so far. That’s the key, it can all vanish as quickly as it happened, but Brown is determined to ensure that progression continues, and his team has a chance to win a Grey Cup in late November.

“We’ve done some things well, but we’re still not where we want to be,” Brown said. “There are games where we show flashes, but we’re yet to play that game where we’re truly firing fully, and I’m excited to do that, and I know we can do that. There’s no complacency in what we’re doing, and we’ll communicate and push one another as such until that happens.”

The 27-year-old is still only on his first tour as a starting quarterback in the CFL. Sitting as a backup in Winnipeg behind Zach Collaros taught him plenty, but there are some things you can only ever know by doing.

Brown doesn’t often yell at anyone, but when he does, it’s usually at himself. He’s a lead-by-example type, but make no bones about it, the Palo Alto, California native is stern, and expects the very best.

“He’s a leader of communication,” said veteran receiver Dominique Rhymes. “He’ll tell us exactly how he wants something done, and we have to run those routes to his liking. He’s vocal about what he wants, and that’s helpful for us. It has led to success, especially when you see so many different receivers having big games.”

Rhymes says that it has taken time for his starting pivot to get to where he is, but between now and the start of the season, Brown has grown in leaps and bounds.

“He’s evolved tremendously,” Rhymes said. “He’s done a great job of leading us to where we are so far. As the season goes on, you can sense that this is becoming more of his team every week. His command of the huddle and that confidence have grown each game, and you love to see that. I love that he’s embracing that captain role, because he’s a great leader.”

Following a big loss to the BC Lions last week, the REDBLACKS have a phenomenal opportunity to push their lead for second place in the East up to five points.

“We’re excited,” Brown said. “We got a good week of preparation in, and we flushed [last week] a while ago. We’re ready to roll.”