Can the 'Crum-back Kid' lead winless Ottawa Redblacks to victory over undefeated Stamps?
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For those with short memories, quarterback Dustin Crum became the “Crum-back Kid” as a rookie with the Ottawa Redblacks in 2023.
Making his debut as a starter on June 30 in Winnipeg, he ran nine times for 103 yards and two touchdowns, leading the rally from a 25-9, fourth-quarter deficit to a 31-28 overtime victory he capped with a 29-yard dash to the endzone.
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The next week in Calgary, Crum completed 23-of-29 passes for 257 yards and two scores and carried the ball nine more times for 63 yards as Ottawa climbed out of a 17-6 first-quarter hole to win 43-41, again in OT.
This week, Crum returns to McMahon Stadium for the first time since that victory and his first start of the 2025 season, with the Redblacks needing a Crum-back from an 0-2 crawl out of the gate.
And in going back to face the undefeated Stamps in their own backyard, he will arrive with a quiet “been there, done that” confidence — not just because of the success he has had against this opponent and at that venue, but also because it will be the 15th start of his CFL career.
“I guess it quells the nerves a little bit, having some starts under your belt and getting to play and be out there already some,” said Crum, who gets the ball because QB1 Dru Brown is not ready to return from a hip injury and backup Matt Shiltz stumbled in last week’s loss to Montreal.
“But I’m just excited for the opportunity, first time starting with this, this year, this team, this offence.”
The knock on Crum in the past has been that he’s too quick to run when he doesn’t see his first passing option open, but head coach Bob Dyce maintains that the 6-foot, 210-pound 26-year-old out of Kent State has made progress in that regard.
“Dusty has really grown in his processing of the offence,” said Dyce. “I think he’s much more patient in how he sees things. It’s easy if you watch his eyes when he drops back now. Normally, after his first read, he was inclined to just take off with the ball because he’s had great success.
“Teams started playing him that way and it caused a little bit of a challenge. But he’s grown so much in that regard. Whether it’s a drop-back or RPO (run-pass option), his eyes are always downfield now. He’s figured out the coverage and he’s moving forward. He’s done an outstanding job in that area.”
There’s no questioning Crum’s toughness, which he attributes to growing up with a dad and a brother who played defence and would get physical with him in their backyard games.
At the same time, he understands there’s much more to the CFL game.
“I definitely want to prove myself as a passer,” he said. “I think a lot of people see me right now as a guy that, from what I’ve done, can run the ball and hurt you with my legs. But to be able to take a team down the field with your arm is an important aspect of playing quarterback in this league.”
Learning how to be patient in the pocket is easier said than done.
“On most of those pass plays, where it’s two-and-a-half or three seconds with the processing that happens in that short amount of time, most people don’t realize how fast it is and everything that goes into it,” said Crum. “But just being able to see what the defence is doing, knowing where your guys are going to be, and just being able to have the wide lens, then narrowing it down, to see what you need to see so you can process, that’s an important part of it.”
The weather forecast for Calgary on Saturday has called for winds from 40-60 km/h, up to 80 mm of rain and a high of 7C, but Dyce said that didn’t influence his decision to start Crum over Shiltz or Tyrie Adams, both of whom also can run.
“It doesn’t look like conditions are going to be ideal for throwing for 400 or 500 yards,” Crum said with a laugh. “But we’re definitely just going to try to do the best we can, to execute, taking a play at a time. Both teams have to play in it, so it’s a level playing field.”
Asked if he’ll replace Crum with Adams should the offence struggle, Dyce said:
“I’m anticipating that Dustin is going to do an outstanding job,” he said.
Will this be William Stanback’s breakout game with the Redblacks?
If the forecast holds, the veteran power back could be a determining factor.
“It’s fun,” the 6-foot, 239-pounder said of playing in sloppy conditions. “Those types of games remind you of your childhood, like in high school and everything like that. It’s just the mentality you have to have. We’re prepared for it.
“You just have to play a little bit differently. You can’t open up your stride; you have to have shorter, choppy steps, especially when making cuts. But for the most part, I feel like I can flourish in that type of weather.”
Stanback, who needs 52 rushing yards to reach the 5,000 mark for his career, has only had 16 carries for 55 yards in his first two games with the Redblacks.
In last week’s loss to Montreal, he was in a prime position to score his second touchdown of the season, but after his four-yard gain in a first-and-goal situation from the five, the team elected to go with consecutive quarterback keeps that failed to crack into the endzone.
Naturally, Stanback would have liked to get the ball and put up some points against his former team.
“Anybody would want their number called in that situation, especially being the type of running backs that some of us are in this league,” he said. “It hurt at the moment because we ended up losing the game, but at the end of the day I’m going to always trust the process and the play that’s call, and I’m with whatever we need to do to get over this hump.”
Speaking of players facing their old teams, three Stampeders in particular should be anxious to show the Redblacks they made a mistake by not bringing them back to Ottawa in the offseason.
Veteran receiver Dominique Rhymes, who had four catches for 98 yards in last week’s win over the Toronto Argos, Damon Webb, who has moved from defensive halfback to safety and has seven tackles and a couple of pass knockdowns in the first two weeks, and defensive backs coach Barron Miles, who Ottawa’s defensive coordinator in 2023 and 2024 and is now the Stamps defensive backs coach.
But the reality is, the Redblacks should be more desperate for a win on Saturday than Calgary.
“There’s no ifs, ands, or buts about it,” said Stanback. “We have to make sure we get the job done.”
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