Chris Hofley/Ottawa RedBlacks
OTTAWA — He’s not Chris Williams or Ernest Jackson, but there’s no reason Kenny Shaw can’t be just as effective for the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
Shaw, 25, signed as a free agent back in February along with past Argos teammate Diontae Spencer. The two will be tasked with replacing the departed Ottawa receivers but each brings his own unique skill-set.
While Williams is known for his speed and Jackson for rarely, if ever, dropping a pass, Shaw is heralded for his route-running ability.
“Kenny is an exceptional route-runner,” said starting quarterback Trevor Harris. “There aren’t a lot of people in the league that can get true separation just in their routes and he’s able to do that. Hopefully we can find a lot of ways for him to use that.”
“He does everything pretty well,” added General Manager Marcel Desjardins. “He catches the ball well, he’s a good route-runner, he’s fast, he handles returns. Some guys that are maybe a little more slight of frame aren’t as interested in going over the middle and making those tough catches. He’s more than willing to do that.”
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Kenny Shaw looks in a pass during his breakout 2016 season with the Argos (John Sokolowski/Argonauts.ca)
The route-running, though, is Shaw’s bread and butter. In Orlando, where he grew up, he worked with the revered Tom Shaw, who’s coached 11 Super Bowl MVPs. He went up against professional cornerbacks in high school like Ike Taylor and Tony Carter.
In Toronto, meanwhile, he would get the chance to work with Scott Milanovich, whose offences are built on meticulous precision when it comes to receivers running their routes.
With the Argos, starting with a year on the practice roster, Shaw had to earn Milanovich’s trust and respect.
“I thought he hated me,” said Shaw. “My practice squad year I was like ‘oh man, any day, I’m gone’ — that’s how practice squad is, you can be gone any day. I just remember, Scott, he ain’t say anything to me in two or three weeks, but that’s the kind of guy he is. Coming into my second year he was more and more joking and everything. Now we’re close.”
Before resigning and taking a job with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, and while Shaw was still an Argo, Milanovich spoke of his high expectations for the receiver heading into his third professional season. The Argos’ head coach believed Shaw could be one of the league’s elite.
During the 2016 season, when Shaw led the Boatmen with 1,004 yards and five touchdowns on 77 catches, the receiver was often singled out during film sessions.
“I’d be in individual meetings,” recalled Shaw, “it’d be a route on the board and they’d be like ‘Kenny, that’s you’, and in the back of your head you try not to smile because so many guys are watching. And I’m a humble guy, I don’t want to be like ‘yeah, give me the routes’, but it was like, I see they’re realizing my strong point. And it’s hard to prove that sometimes.”
Kenny Shaw put on new colours and a new number for the first time back in March (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
Had Milanovich not resigned, maybe Shaw would still be an Argo. The Argos’ head coach left shortly after General Manager Jim Barker was handed his walking papers.
Both Shaw and Spencer said the uncertainty of not having a coach and GM heading into free agency played a role in their decision to sign with the REDBLACKS. So did knowing that there would be change on offence following a 5-13 season.
There were reports that Shaw and the Argos were close to a deal in the final hours of free agency but it never came to fruition.
“As a player, trying to return, I liked the guys I was with — even though the season didn’t go as planned,” said Shaw. “But not knowing if they were going to be there, I was like, I’ve got to be open and talk to my agent. He said ‘I think your best bet is to hit free agency’ and it worked out in my favour.”
Added Spencer: “[Not having a coach], it gives you that ‘what’s going on’ kind of feeling. It did play a big part and I wanted to be somewhere I was comfortable.”
Spencer and Shaw said they hadn’t spoken to each other about signing together with the REDBLACKS — it just sort of happened. Still, it was more than just happenstance.
For both receivers, they knew Ottawa was a place they’d be comfortable. There was the familiarity with Offensive Coordinator Jaime Elizondo, who coached Toronto’s receivers before going to Ottawa in 2016. They also admired the raucous Ottawa fan base any time the Argos had visited.
Then, of course, they had each caught passes from Trevor Harris when the trio played in Toronto.
“Each quarterback, I try and pride myself as they go to their QB coach and be like ‘I know Kenny’s going to be open’.”
REDBLACKS receiver Kenny Shaw
Shaw has big shoes to fill in Ottawa following the departure of Ernest Jackson and Chris Williams (Adam Gagnon/CFL.ca)
In Spencer, Harris says he’s got a receiver who can turn nothing into something big.
“When he gets in the open field, he’s a guy that he can turn the jets on and take it 60 on just a short flat route or a slide route,” said Harris.
And Shaw, well, his quarterback can take comfort in knowing at least one receiver will be open.
“Each quarterback, I try and pride myself as they go to their QB coach and be like ‘I know Kenny’s going to be open’,” said Shaw.
Replacing the East Division’s MOP and the CFL’s fastest receiver won’t be easy. But Shaw and Spencer aren’t looking at things that way. Instead, they bring something different.
“They’re great players who left but that’s the name of the business,” said Shaw. “You’ve got to be ready to step in. If anything, it was more nerve-wracking coming into the Toronto year with it being my first start and everything. And that worked out well.
“I bring a new wave to the table,” he added. “I’m a different receiver.”
