Brown growing into starting role with Redblacks
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Twelve hours after leading the Ottawa Redblacks to a thrilling, come-from-behind 24-22 win on Sunday over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, quarterback Dru Brown was back in the film room studying and trying to get better.
In the CFL, teams normally get the day after games off. But Brown was right back to work, looking at tape with offensive coordinator Tommy Condell.
“He was in there for eight hours on an off-day, where I’m chilling with my kid and my girlfriend and he’s in there just working,” said receiver Jaelon Acklin, who had seven catches for 90 yards in the win. “He’s just a grinder. Everyone respects him not for what he says, but by his actions.”
Brown said that wins are hard, and teams need to savour them but then get back to work. He celebrated with teammates the night before that session with Condell.
“I don’t ever want to be part of [a team] where we win and it’s like, ‘We won but we sucked,’” he said. “I am big on celebrating wins…we will go, enjoy ourselves, hang out, continue get to know each other and appreciate what we just accomplished, and then, as soon as the sun rises the next day, then we move on.”
Head coach Bob Dyce said that the Redblacks were drawn by Brown’s work ethic and demeanour this winter when they were looking to sign their next quarterback.
“He’s a very analytical young man,” said Dyce. “He has a great understanding of what it takes to succeed in critical moments.”
Brown spent the previous three seasons as Zach Collaros’ backup in Winnipeg, earning rave reviews for his preparation from teammates and head coach Mike O’Shea. Last season, he went 2-0 as a starter when Collaros was hurt. He threw for nine touchdowns, no interceptions and nearly 1,000 yards.
Dyce said he has been particularly impressed with Brown’s high standard for himself this season.
“We felt that he had all the makings to be a very good starter in this league,” Dyce said. “He demands a lot of himself – not just in football but in everything that he does…he’s got a unique sense of humour and is very personable…he’s a very authentic young man.”
Acklin loves his quarterback’s demeanour.
“He’s just a chill, Midwest guy,” Acklin said of Brown, who was raised in California and played NCAA football at Oklahoma State and Hawaii. “That’s what I love about him…there’s nobody quite like him that I’ve ever met.”
Brown, 27, is learning how to be a leader on a CFL team. Sometimes that involves tough conversations with teammates, but he picks his spots.
“I’d never go up to someone and tell them to catch the ball,” he said. “I know that they want to catch the ball. But if someone ran the wrong route, that triggers me…if we maybe don’t know the cadence, those are things we are fully in control of…all focus is mental effort.”
Known to be quiet and reserved, Brown is getting more comfortable with all the job demands, even if it doesn’t come as naturally to him as finding Acklin down the field on a hitch route.
Brown said that talking to reporters on a daily basis has been the biggest adjustment, but he’s getting used to that. Brown even allowed that he wasn’t “super miserable” during this 15-minute phone interview.
“It’s really just the media stuff I’m not super good at,” he said with a laugh. “I just told myself I’m gonna be genuine and be me…I continue to try and just be myself, because that’s what people want…depending on who [the media] is, it’s fun to do. Like, I’m enjoying our conversation, you know? It’s not super miserable, you know what I mean? Tell your bosses this was fun.”
Brown said he watched how Collaros managed the off-field demands of being a CFL starting quarterback. He may not face his mentor on Friday as the Redblacks (2-1) face the struggling Bombers (0-4), with Collaros dealing with an injury.
“Being able to watch him and his process and how he prepares and carries himself and his leadership style,” Brown said of what he learned from Collaros’ mentorship. “…I don’t think I’d be nearly as ready [now] if I didn’t have that opportunity to learn from him and ask him questions. He was an open book.”
Friday’s tilt in Winnipeg for Brown is significant for another reason beyond returning to the stadium where his CFL career began. It’s the same week as the one-year anniversary of his father’s death. It’s a loss Brown admitted he’s still coming to terms with.
“You always envision your dad being around and seeing what you’re trying to do,” he said. “He always spoke life into me and belief into me even when maybe I didn’t believe in myself. He continued to encourage me to go chase it. Or, if I played poorly, he would say to learn from it and move on. It’s hard because I wish that I could talk with him…about plays with him when things are going good, and ask him questions when I’m struggling.
“Those are things I continue to struggle with, but I have such an amazing family and an amazing wife and such a supportive work environment. I’m extremely grateful for the people I do have. I think about my dad every day. I don’t know if that will ever change, but it’s definitely a process trying to get through it.”