Tommy Condell

Offensive Coordinator

Condell enters his second season as the REDBLACKS’ offensive play-caller, after helping them to finish second in passing yards (5,455) in 2024. He served as Offensive Coordinator of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from 2019 to 2023, while also taking on the role of Quarterbacks Coach from 2020 on. The Utica, New York product helped the Ti-Cats reach the Grey Cup in 2019, and 2021, and won a championship with the Toronto Argonauts as their Quarterbacks Coach in 2017, earning the Offensive Coordinator job the following year. Prior to an earlier stint with Hamilton from 2013 to 2015, Condell also spent time with the Roughriders as their Offensive Coordinator in 2006, and as Quarterbacks/Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator of the Ottawa Renegades from 2004 until 2005. He broke into the league as Special Teams Coordinator of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 1997.

William Fields

Defensive Coordinator

Will Fields was named the REDBLACKS’ Defensive Coordinator on January 6, 2025. The 46-year-old arrives in the nation’s capital after three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts, where he was promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator ahead of the 2024 season, while holding on to the Secondary Coach post that he was hired for in 2022. In his first season with the increased role, the McKeesport, Pennsylvania native helped lead the Double Blue to their second championship in three seasons, forcing five turnovers against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to secure the 111th Grey Cup. It was the second Grey Cup as a coach for Fields, who helped the team win the 109th edition of the championship game in his first season of 2022.

Rick Campbell

Special Teams Coordinator

Campbell spent the last four years serving as Head Coach and Co-General Manager of the BC Lions, leading the team to a pair of West Division Final appearances in three seasons. A native of Spokane, Washington, the REDBLACKS made Campbell their first Head Coach in franchise history in 2014. He led them to their first Grey Cup in 2016, and would see the team to another appearance in 2018. Campbell first worked as a graduate assistant at Oregon, before joining the Edmonton organization as Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach in 1999, helping them win the Grey Cup in 2003. He was promoted to Defensive Coordinator in 2005, winning another Grey Cup that season, before making stops with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and Calgary Stampeders. Campbell returned to Edmonton as Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator in 2011, before rejoining the Stampeders as their Defensive Coordinator the following season.

Nate Taylor

Receivers Coach

Taylor enters his third season with the REDBLACKS, all of which had been spent as Running Backs Coach. The Montreal native and former defensive back for the Concordia Stingers was previously the Offensive Coordinator and Receivers Coach for the University of Ottawa, joining the school as full-time Special Teams Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator in 2016. In 2019, he worked as the team’s Receivers Coach, while still serving as Recruiting Coordinator.

Josh Sacobie

Running Backs Coach

Sacobie enters the pro football ranks after having been with the Carleton Ravens since 2012 until January of this year, where he was named Offensive Coordinator ahead of the 2022 season. The Fredericton, New Brunswick native also previously coached at the University of Ottawa, St. Patrick’s High School, and CEGEP de L’Outaouais. Sacobie spent five seasons at quarterback for the Gee-Gees from 2004 to 2008, earning three OUA All-Star honours and two All-Canadian nods.

Mike Gibson

Offensive Line Coach

Gibson is no stranger to the nation’s capital, and to the CFL at large. The Reston, Virginia product is back in Ottawa after serving as their Offensive Coordinator in 2014, before becoming Head Coach of the Regina Rams in 2015. He’d go on to spend four seasons with Edmonton as Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator, before adding Assistant Head Coach to his title in 2019, and being hired by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as Offensive Line Coach in 2020. Prior to his time in Ottawa, Gibson was Offensive Line Coach and Running Backs Coach in Calgary, Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach in Hamilton, along with Offensive Line Coach stops in Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg. At the college level, he has coached at Cornell, Boston, Temple, Colgate, Rutgers, and Louisiana.

Deion Melvin

Linebackers Coach/Assistant Head Coach

Melvin is back for a second season with the REDBLACKS, and first with the added title of Assistant Head Coach. He spent the previous four years as Linebackers Coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, before arriving in the nation’s capital. Prior to coming north of the border, Melvin’s coaching career began at East Aurora H.S. where he worked as a graduate assistant in the early 1990’s. He would go on to coach at Western Illinois, Missouri State, Georgia Southern, Bowling Green, Ball State, and Lindenwood University. In a coaching career that spans over 30 years, Melvin has gained experience working with players in all three aspects of the game; from offence, to defence, to special teams. As a player, he was an All-American and all-league honoree with the College of Dupage.

Kai Ellis

Defensive Line Coach

Ellis makes his way to the CFL coaching ranks after spending more than a decade coaching college football south of the border. A product of Kent, Washington, he served as Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Adams State from 2022 to 2023, after being hired as Defensive Line Coach in 2018, and also working with linebackers. Ellis was Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Briar Cliff in 2017, after spending two years as Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at West Hills Coaliga. His first job as a coach came as an Assistant Defensive Line Coach at Washington in 2013, before earning a Defensive Line Coach job at Culver-Stockton the following year. As a player, Ellis enjoyed an eleven-year pro career; spent with the San Francisco 49ers, Calgary Stampeders, Ottawa Renegades, Montreal Alouettes, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and the San Jose Sabercats.

Myron Lewis

Defensive Backs Coach

Lewis joined the CFL coaching ranks in 2024, working alongside Fields and winning a Grey Cup as a Defensive Backs Coach with the Toronto Argonauts. Prior to his time with the Double Blue, the Orlando, Florida native worked as a Coach at the B.E.S.T. (Best, Engineering, Science, and Technology) Academy in Atlanta from 2018 to 2023; working his way up from Assistant Wide Receivers Coach, to Defensive Backs Coach, to Defensive Coordinator, to Associate Head Coach and Director of Operations. During his playing career, Lewis was a third-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Vanderbilt in 2010. He’d spend three seasons with the Bucs before a stint with the Detroit Lions, and then found his way to pro leagues such as the Fall Experimental Football League, the Arena Football League, the Indoor Football League, and the CFL, where he spent time with BC and Edmonton.

Isaiah Johns

Coaching Assistant

Johns has worked with defensive backs at the University of Windsor, also earning the title of Recruiting Coordinator. The former University of Toronto defensive back has also served as Linebackers Coach and Co-Special Teams Coordinator for Team Ontario’s U16 program. In November 2023, he was recognized by Ontario University Athletics as the conference’s second-ever recipient of the Champion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion award.

Jeremy Snyder

Assistant GM

Jeremy Snyder joined the REDBLACKS in March 2013 as Director, Football Administration and Pro/College Scout. After four years in that role, Snyder was promoted to Assistant General Manager on May 11, 2017. Snyder began his pro football career as a video intern with the Chicago Bears in 2003 before landing an expanded role as a football operations assistant. He would move to the Philadelphia Eagles in June of 2008 as a Pro Scout and spent two more seasons in the NFL before moving north of the border.

Brendan Taman

Director of Pro Personnel

Brendan Taman joined the Ottawa REDBLACKS ahead of the 2022 season. In addition to holding senior football operations roles with Montreal, Ottawa and BC, Taman also previously served as GM of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders. He won a Grey Cup with the Riders in 2013.

Chad Hudson

Director of Canadian Scouting and Football Analytics

Chad Hudson enters his fourth season with the REDBLACKS, after a decade spent with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. First joining Saskatchewan as a quality control coach in 2012, he would then serve as Manager of Football Research and Development, followed by four years as Manager of Football Analytics and Scouting.

Philippe Moreau

Assistant Director of US Scouting and Football Operations

Philippe Moreau has been with the REDBLACKS since 2018, and enters his third season as Assistant Director of US Scouting and Football Operations. Moreau first joined the club as a Football Operations Assistant before being promoted to Pro and College Scout in 2021.

Drew Allemang

Senior Personnel Executive

Drew Allemang has worked in the CFL in various capacities since 2008, all with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Beginning as an Assistant Equipment Manager, he worked his way up to Assistant General Manager, and eventually Senior Director of Player Personnel and Co-Manager of Football Operations, alongside Burke. From 2022 until 2024, he served as Assistant General Manager and Director of Canadian Scouting.

Joe Panessidi

Director of Football Operations

Joe Panessidi enters his fourth season with the REDBLACKS boasting his new title of Director of Football Operations. He joined the team ahead of the 2022 campaign as a Football Operations Coordinator, before being promoted to Manager of Football Operations ahead of the 2023 season. A graduate of The University of Ottawa law school, Panessidi broke into football operations as an intern with the Montreal Alouettes in 2021.

Drew McCormick

Head Equipment Manager

Drew McCormick returns to the REDBLACKS as Equipment Manager in 2025 after first joining the club in 2015. He started with the organization as a sales intern and transitioned successfully to football operations. McCormick joined the department first as an Equipment Assistant in 2016 before being promoted to Assistant Equipment Manager in 2018. He was tapped for the Head Equipment Manager job in 2020.

Noah Schlingmeier

Assistant Equipment Manager

Austin Randall

Lead Assistant Athletic Therapist

Laura Ingriselli

Assistant Athletic Therapist

Melody Geissberger

Assistant Athletic Therapist

Erin Craig

Strength and Conditioning Coach

Erin Craig joins the REDBLACKS after two years spent as Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Edmonton Elks. Prior to her time in Edmonton, Craig served as the Strength Coach at St. Mary’s University, overseeing strength and conditioning for the football, soccer, and basketball programs. spending time as a Defensive Quality Control Coach for the football team.

Braun Gheller

Video Coordinator

Braun Gheller joined the REDBLACKS in April 2014, after spending two seasons with the Tiger-Cats as a video assistant, including a trip to Regina for the 101st Grey Cup. The Hamilton native also worked with Sportsnet for four years and is an alumnus of Loyalist College.

Matthew Babion

Assistant Video Coordinator