Calgary Stampeders off to a hot start host winless Ottawa Redlacks in CFL

Winnipeg Free Press

5 hours ago

CALGARY – Doing it for Reggie was a Calgary Stampeders theme head of Saturday's CFL game against the Ottawa Redblacks.
Veteran receiver Reggie Begelton, in his eighth season as a Stampeder, had surgery this week following a leg injury that will keep a key cog in Calgary's offence out of the lineup for some time.
'Big piece, can't replace him, but you know he's been here, he's been talking to us all week, watching film with us, helping us, so you know we're looking to do it for Reggie this week because we know he wants to be out there with us,' said receiver Erik Brooks, who was promoted to starter because of Begelton's absence.
Both Calgary (2-0) and Ottawa (0-2) enter Saturday's clash at McMahon Stadium with significant lineup changes.
Ottawa's quarterbacking carousel stopped on Dustin Crum after Dru Brown (hip) was injured in the season-opener against Saskatchewan and Matt Schiltz was intercepted three times by Montreal in Week 2.
Brown took a few reps in practice this week, but it was Crum doing first-team duty. The 26-year-old Crum has a 3-11 record in CFL starts.
'We know all three quarterbacks. Obviously Dru's not going to suit up,' Stampeders head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said. 'Different styles. I'm sure (they) call a different game for all three guys.
'But we're just going to play our game, we're going to see what the weather's like, how we feel the best way to stop them is.'
Continuous rain forecasted for southern Alberta could make for a soggy afternoon at McMahon. Quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. says that prospect isn't unsettling for him having played for the University of Oregon Ducks.
'The rain's not a huge deal,' Dickenson said. 'You can call your game. Maybe a little harder to catch the ball and throw the ball. We've all played in some nasty weather, especially playing and living in Canada.
'It's ball security basically. Special teams has a huge impact in a bad-weather game. Balls on the ground, the kicks that are hitting the ground and bouncing backwards. Special teams is always important, but in windy, bad-weather games, I think the importance is even more.'
Adams has yet to throw for a touchdown in two games, but he's navigated Calgary to nearly 400 yards of net offence per game and ranks second to Hamilton's Bo Levi Mitchell in passing yards (585).
'The first two games I feel like the defence has really held us in there and then we come back like later on in the game,' Adams said. 'That shows our resiliency. We would like to get going a little bit more and stay more consistent, but I just like the fight that we have and just staying together.'
Begelton, a three-time 1,000-yard receiver, was placed on the six-game injured list after he went down on the Stampeders' second play from scrimmage in last week's 29-19 over the Toronto Argonauts. He underwent surgery Thursday.
When Adams goes to the air, he's expected to lean on Canadian Jalen Philpot, who compiled a career-high 117 receiving yards against the Argos, and Dominique Rhymes, who had four receptions for 98 yards.
A wet game can turn into a running game, and Adams has a solid option in Dedrick Mills with 122 rushing yards and a league-leading four touchdowns in two games.
The Stampeders will also be minus offensive lineman Bryce Bell (shoulder), long snapper Aaron Crawford (knee) and linebacker Marquel Lee (bicep), who was scheduled for Friday surgery.
Micah Teitz has shifted to middle linebacker and Jacob Roberts into starting weak side in Lee's absence. Calgary's defence ranks third in the league in yards allowed (355.5), points allowed (22.5) and opponent rushing yards (57.0).
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According to CFL statisticians, strong-side linebacker Derrick Moncrief allowed only three of eight passes in his direction to be completed in Toronto, and those passes amounted to a total of seven yards with no first downs. New Stampeder cornerback Adrian Greene had two interceptions, including one for a touchdown against the Argos.
Ottawa is thin at weak-side linebacker with Lucas Cormier (ankle) and Davion Taylor (ankle) both out.
The Redblacks need to get their run game going as 70 yards over two games ranks last in the league. They also need to stop shooting themselves in the foot with a league-leading 231 yards in penalties.
Shiltz was 22-for-32 in passing for 205 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in last week's 39-18 loss to Montreal. Crum has scored a pair of short-yardage touchdowns this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025.