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The accolades keep coming for the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Rick Campbell, coach of the Ottawa REDBLACKS, has been named the East nominee for the AGF CFL Coach of the Year Award.
The AGF CFL Coach of the Year Award will be presented on Thursday, November 26 at the Shaw CFL Awards during Grey Cup week in Winnipeg. The West Division nominee is Chris Jones of the Edmonton Eskimos.
Campbell, a Washington state native, led the REDBLACKS, a second-year franchise in the CFL, to a 12-6 record and first place in the East Division, erasing memories of a 2-16 campaign from 2014 inaugural season of the franchise and, in the process, writing a quintessential worst-to-first sports story.
“It’s an honour to be nominated for this award,” said Campbell. “But this is truly a team award as everyone involved with the REDBLACKS organization and OSEG deserves recognition for contributions to the success we’ve had so far this season.”
The 12 wins set an all-time standard for victories in a regular season by any Ottawa CFL team. A 44-28 victory on November 7 at TD Place clinched first place and provided the REDBLACKS with a bye into the Eastern Final, which will be played at TD Place in front of #RNation faithful on Sunday, November 22.
A win in the East Final, the first CFL playoff game in over 30 years, would give Ottawa its first berth in the Grey Cup since 1981 and provide the REDBLACKS a chance to deliver the first CFL title to a collection of delirious Ottawa football fans since 1976.
