"REDBLACKS unveil 2023 coaching staff"

OTTAWA - The Ottawa REDBLACKS have announced their coaching staff in preparation for the 2023 CFL season. 

Head Coach Bob Dyce will be joined by Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach Khari Jones, Defensive Coordinator Barron Miles, Receivers Coach and Pass Game Coordinator Travis Moore, Offensive Line Coach Paul Charbonneau, Running Backs Coach Nate Taylor, Special Teams Coach Cory McDiarmid, Defensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator Mike Phair, Linebackers Coach Patrick Bourgon, and Defensive Backs Coach Alex Suber. 

"I'm thrilled to announce this new group of coaches for the Ottawa REDBLACKS.  I've worked side by side with all of these individuals in the past and, not only are they great coaches, communicators and teachers, they are also men of character," said Dyce. "This is a group that is committed to working together with players both in the meeting rooms and on the field to ensure success. They have won everywhere they have been and we're fortunate to have them all in Ottawa."

Bob Dyce enters his first full year as Head Coach of the REDBLACKS after being named to the position late last season. The Winnipeg native joined Ottawa in 2016 and would help lead the club to a Grey Cup championship that year. Dyce came into the CFL in 2003 as Receivers Coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and his CFL resumé includes seven years in Winnipeg (2003-09) as the receivers coach, six years with the Roughriders (2010-15) as the passing game coordinator/receivers coach, offensive coordinator, special teams coordinator as well as a stretch in 2015 as the team’s interim head coach.

Khari Jones will kick off his first year with Ottawa in 2023 after splitting last year between Montreal and Hamilton. Jones spent three years as Head Coach of the Alouettes, which followed a three-year stint as Offensive Coordinator with the BC Lions. Jones began his CFL coaching career with with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, as Quarterbacks Coach and Offensive Coordinator from 2009-2011.

Barron Miles also enters his first year with the REDBLACKS this season. Before serving as Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach for the Bishop's Gaiters (U Sports) for the 2022 season, the Roselle, New Jersey native spent two years with the Montreal Alouettes - working alongside new REDBLACKS Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Coach Khari Jones - and was the team's defensive coordinator from 2021-2022. His CFL coaching career has also taken him to Edmonton, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan and BC. 

Travis Moore returns to Ottawa in 2023 after initially coaching the club's receivers from 2014-2017, appearing in two Grey Cups and winning one in 2016. The 10-year former CFLer has coached with the Saskatchewan Roughriders since 2018. As a player, Moore played 10 seasons for the Calgary Stampeders and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning two Grey Cup championships with the Stampeders in 1998 and 2001.

Paul Charbonneau returns for his second season coaching Ottawa's offensive line. Before coming to Ottawa, he was the Co-Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach at Roosevelt University (NAIA), after stints with Washington University in St. Louis (NCAA), and Lindenwood University-Belleville (NAIA). Charbonneau was with the Montreal Alouettes from 2016-2017, as the team’s Running Backs and Offensive Line Coach.

Nate Taylor joins the REDBLACKS for his first season as a CFL coach. The Montreal native and former defensive back for the Concordia Stingers, was most recently the Offensive Coordinator and Receivers Coach for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. Taylor joined the school as full-time Special Teams Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator in 2016. In 2019, Taylor became the team's receivers coach, while still serving as recruiting coordinator.

Cory McDiarmid is back for 2023 after joining the REDBLACKS late in the 2022 campaign as a Special Teams Assistant.  McDiarmid has coached in various capacities throughout the CFL during his career, winning Grey Cups with BC and Saskatchewan. McDiarmid most recently coached for the Panthers Wrocław in the European League of Football before making his way back to the CFL with Ottawa.

Mike Phair returns in 2023 for his second year as REDBLACKS defensive line coach, this year adding Run Game Coordinator to his title. Phair previously served on the coaching staff of five different NFL teams since 2009, most recently as defensive line coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2020. Before that, Phair spent 2018-2019 with the Indianapolis Colts, also as d-line coach. He has also coached with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, and Seattle Seahawks, as well as the University of Illinois, Tiffin University, and Arizona State.

Patrick Bourgon is returning as REDBLACKS Linebackers Coach after coaching the defensive backs last season. He joined the team for their inaugural season in 2014, as a Football Operations Intern, before becoming a Football Operations Assistant in 2015, and briefly leaving the team to take on the Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach roles for the Diables Rouges de Villepinte in France. Bourgon rejoined the REDBLACKS as an Offensive Assistant for their Grey Cup-winning season in 2016, and transitioned to Defensive Assistant in 2018, and Assistant Defensive Backs/Special Teams Coach in 2018, before earning his current role in 2020.

Alex Suber enters his third season with the REDBLACKS but first as Defensive Backs Coach after previously coaching the club's receivers. Before joining the REDBLACKS, Suber coached receivers at Murray State University. Prior to that, he served as Lyon College’s defensive coordinator. Suber wrapped-up his CFL playing career with 65 games played and 254 defensive tackles.

That's a lot of retention for a team that has performed so poorly in recent years, though with some shifting of responsibility thrown in as well. I admit to some trepidation on that retention basis (players included) but I suspect that we can expect to be quite active in free agency again in 2023. I certainly hope so.