Randle focusing on staying focused against former football family

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This article was published 04/07/2019 (2256 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

He was the undisputed leader of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers secondary before his price tag became too much to bear. It wasn’t long after that Chris Randle signed with the Ottawa Redblacks, joining his third team in seven years after beginning his CFL career with the Calgary Stampeders in 2012.

“Honestly, I was surprised,” Randle said Thursday of being cut. “(Bombers head coach Mike) O’Shea called me and I thought it was a normal off-season call. But he spoke to me and he told me directly what it was and I took it for what he told me. It was a business decision.”

Randle said O’Shea called him again weeks later to offer his congratulations when he inked with Ottawa. It was gestures like that one, and the memories he made in Winnipeg, that left the 31-year-old without any hard feelings towards his former club.

He’s doing his best to ignore history heading into Friday’s game.

“I’m trying to get my mind ready just for what I have to do in the game. The hardest part is not making an emotional attachment to this game, not making it any bigger than what it is,” he said.

“As a pro, you have to go out there and take care of your responsibilities…. My emphasis is more ‘focus on me.’ I have to focus on me to handle my responsibility for the betterment of the team.”

Adjusting his focus has been made easier by some unfortunate circumstances. Randle has struggled through his first two games, and had a particularly tough outing in a 44-41 win over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Week 2.

He was beat on several plays, was on the receiving end of penalty flags that extended drives and came up short on a few tackles. It was the kind of performance that had him wondering whether he might still be around at this point.

“It’s just the name of the game… understand what’s happening to you and what you can do to dictate and change what’s happening,” he said.

“I’m probably my harshest critic but we’ve got a great coaching staff that has been helping me get acclimated to how the system works. It’s a process and I want to get it on point sooner rather than later.”

Redblacks head coach Rick Campbell scoffed at the idea of Randle fearing the end might be near.

“I think he needs to chill out a little bit, if he’s thinking that way. He doesn’t need to prove anything to us or to anyone else,” Campbell said. “He’s been a good football player for a long time and I hope he’s not being too hard on himself.”

Campbell first got to know Randle when the two were in Calgary together. Campbell was the Stampeders’ defensive co-ordinator for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, so he got to work closely with Randle. He knew he was getting a talented player, but he was also aware of the example he could be for younger players.

“So, I had a pretty good idea what he was like, personality-wise and what type of guy he is. He’s fit in really well; he’s a good football player but Chris is also a really solid person and it’s good for our younger guys to hang around a guy like Chris,” Campbell said.

Moved to the field-side corner, Randle is expecting to get a healthy dose of Darvin Adams. The two grew a strong bond over the four years they played together in blue and gold, battling it out daily at practice, making for what should be a competitive matchup Friday.

“Oh man, I ain’t got nothing to say to him. He’ll say enough to try to get in my head,” Randle said.

“The respect I have for him is to the utmost and I know what he’s capable of doing. He’s been a big-play receiver in this league for years, a perennial all-star. Matching what he’s bringing, if not exceeding this, is what my goal is. Not making it an individual game, but I know what time it is when I’m lining up against him.”

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton