Elks’ Jarious Jackson to make CFL head-coaching debut versus Redblacks

It’s surely been a hectic week for Jarious Jackson.

Jackson was named Edmonton’s interim caput coach Monday aft caput coach and wide head Chris Jones was fired. The move followed nan Elks’ 37-34 location nonaccomplishment to nan Ottawa Redblacks connected Sunday night.

At slightest Jackson, who is besides Edmonton’s violative co-ordinator and backmost coach, will make his CFL head-coaching debut against a acquainted opponent. The Elks sojourn Ottawa connected Friday night.

The 2 teams appeared headed to overtime Sunday aft Edmonton made it 34-34 connected Dakota Prukop’s one-yard touchdown tally pinch 8 seconds remaining. But seasoned kicker Boris Bede, who missed a 31-yard section extremity earlier successful nan 4th quarter, put nan kickoff retired of bounds to springiness Ottawa possession astatine its 50-yard line.

Dru Brown’s 29-yard completion to Kalil Pimpleton group up Lewis Ward’s 38-yard section extremity connected nan game’s last play. It was Edmonton’s 4th consecutive nonaccomplishment by 3 points and 3rd consecutive via a walk-off section goal.

Edmonton’s 5 defeats person been by a mixed 20 points. It opened nan play pinch a 29-21 nonaccomplishment to nan Saskatchewan Roughriders aft being outscored 21-3 successful nan fourth.

Edmonton’s defence will person to beryllium overmuch tighter successful nan rematch pinch Ottawa. Brown was 26-of-38 passing for 480 yards pinch 2 TDs and an interception Sunday night.

And while Pimpleton led nan measurement pinch 4 catches for 154 yards and a TD, Dominique Rhymes (seven receptions, 131 yards) and Justin Hardy (five catches, 110 yards, TD) besides figured prominently successful Ottawa’s aerial attack.

Trending Now

McLeod Bethel-Thompson remains Edmonton’s starting backmost though Jackson said he will effort to get Canadian Tre Ford into games. Bethel-Thompson completed 26-of-35 passes for 272 yards and 2 TDs versus Ottawa and this play sports a coagulated 71.7 per completion percent pinch 1,497 yards, 9 TDs and 5 interceptions.

Edmonton’s defence, though, is classed eighth successful some violative points allowed (30.4 per game) and violative yards (402.2) and past successful violative TDs surrendered (17). The Elks are tied for 5th successful sacks (nine) but person committed a league-high 19 protect penalties.

Earlier this week, nan Elks hired Almondo Sewell arsenic their protect statement coach. The 37-year-old was a protect lineman pinch Edmonton (2011-2019) and helped nan nine triumph a Grey Cup successful 2015 nether Jones.

Sewell spent his last 3 CFL seasons arsenic a subordinate pinch nan Montreal Alouettes (2021-23), earning a 2nd Grey Cup ringing past year.

When teams make a coaching change, it’s not different for players to respond positively nan very adjacent game. Also moving successful Edmonton’s favour is often it’s difficult to expanse a home-and-home series.

Then again, Ottawa is 2-0 astatine TD Place this season.