Two former Carleton Ravens football stars were impactful members of the Ottawa Redblacks squad on September 7th despite ultimately losing to the Toronto Argonauts 46-17.
The Redblacks began ablaze, intercepting the ball on the third snap of the game and scoring a touchdown only 65 seconds later, but the early lead disappeared as the Argonauts restored an even score within the quarter.
Much of the team’s struggles were a result of blown opportunities and failed responses, said former Carleton football player Nate Behar.
“[We were] shooting ourselves in the foot, you know,” said Behar, a Ravens alumnus and two-time First-Canadian All-Star as a student. “You move the ball halfway decent at times and then you shoot yourself in the foot and it’s second and long.”
Individually, Behar had an admirable performance despite being on the struggling side of the contest, catching all targets sent his way including an impressive 33-yard advance. Weaving through defenders with the ball in hand requires agility and confidence, and the latter trait Behar accredits to his development at Carleton.
“I had some of the best coaches in the country, they helped me a lot,” Behar said, who maintains regular contact with his mentors and devotes considerable time to actively visiting campus and engaging with the current roster.
“I’ll be at every home game, I know that. I’ll drop by practice this week for sure before the Western game, that’s a big one. In the offseason, I also worked out with the team a couple times a week.”
Another former Raven playing on the Redblacks, safety Justin Howell, finds ways to balance his professional obligations while returning to his university roots as well. In the spotlight during Saturday’s game he notched five defensive tackles including a sack.
“We need to dig deep, look inside ourselves. We need to respond. If their defence makes plays, we need to make plays.”
Away from the pressures of TD Place, Howell prides himself on visiting the Carleton squad in an educational role.
“I’m always over there at the campus helping out the guys, trying to coach them,” Howell said. “I love being around the game and giving back. Down the road I might even want to get into coaching so it’s nice to share the knowledge I have and try to give them any boost I can.”
“They’re going to be great,” Behar said. “They need to clean up some penalty stuff, but they’re talented as all heck. I’m not too worried about those guys…they have a lot of talent [and] once you get into playoffs, anything can happen.”
When asked about specific standouts on the Ravens roster that can feasibly make the jump to professional football in the future, Howell immediately lauded fourth-year linebacker Jack Cassar.
“[I’ve] seen all the growth and improvement in that guy after coming in so young,” he said. “With the maturity and what he’s done to get where he is right now, you know he’s going to play at the next level. He’s an absolute pro and already has that mindset.”
The collective strength of Carleton’s defensive backs and experienced core could thrive on the CFL stage, Behar added.
Alongside Behar and Howell, other Carleton alumni bolstering the Redblacks organization are defensive lineman Kene Onyeka, currently sidelined on the injured reserve, and offensive lineman Daniel Omara who is listed on the team’s practice squad.
As the varsity team approaches a crucial game against Western University, the Ravens should be confident confronting the Mustangs according to their successful alumni who never really left the nest.
Feature Image by Tim Austen.
