READY TO ROLL

Last year at this time, the Ottawa REDBLACKS were filled with optimism due to a major influx of free agent signings. While they were fairly busy again in free agency a few months ago, much of their 2023 enthusiasm stems from a completely overhauled coaching staff.

The man running the show this year – probably arriving for work on his 2019 Harley Davidson CVO Street Glide –is 57 year old Bob Dyce. Dyce signed a three year deal with Ottawa back in December, replacing Paul LaPolice who was fired as head coach last year with four games left in the season. Dyce has guided the ship ever since, but now the interim label is gone.

With 30 years in coaching, including 20 in the CFL and seven of those in Ottawa, Dyce brings a wealth of football experience to the position.

But as a full-time head coach, he’s actually a rookie. Dyce caught the head coaching bug in 2015, temporarily taking over the Saskatchewan Roughriders for the second half of that season.

“Growing up, I had always envisioned myself on the offensive side of the football,” Dyce said. “So probably my main goal was to be an offensive coordinator. And then in Saskatchewan, when I had the opportunity to start engaging and meeting with the whole team and managing situational things in the game and substitutions. That’s really when I thought head coaching is something I’d definitely like to have in my future.”

A year later, Dyce found himself in Ottawa, where he immediately won the 2016 Grey Cup as special teams coach, helping Ottawa end a 40 year drought. He spent the next six years in that role.

“Since I came to Ottawa, I was blessed to work with Rick Campbell,” Dyce said. “He was a great coach to work for. So I was locked in and focused on putting the best special teams out there we possibly could. When Rick left, the (head coaching role) became an opportunity that I thought I would like to seize, but it didn’t work out. And then when the job opened up this year, it obviously became a real target for me.”

By Steve Warne Photography by Sean Sisk