Isaiah Johns '20 Joins Ottawa Redblacks as Coaching Assistant

Congratulations to Isaiah Johns ’20, who has been named as a coaching assistant for the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Ottawa Redblacks.

“Honestly, it feels like a dream come true!” says Johns. “This has felt surreal to this point and now the real work starts.”

Johns will be primarily assisting the team’s offensive staff and the special teams coordinator with their day-to-day operations. In addition, he will work closely with Bob Dyce, the team’s head coach, helping prepare the coaching staff for practices and refining the team's strategy.

In 2024, Johns worked with the Redblacks as a coaching intern during their training camp, where he focused on the team’s defensive backs. This role further solidified his passion for coaching and his drive to help athletes reach their full potential.

Johns chose King’s for its proximity to home, but also for its small class sizes, which enabled him to develop meaningful relationships with professors and peers. John was able to make a comfortable transition from high school to university without feeling like a number

“With so many of my friends going through the same life experiences at the same time, it allowed me to continue to build strong connections,” says Johns.

His time at King’s taught Johns a lot about himself, both as an athlete and as a person. He took the discipline he learned throughout his undergraduate in Management and Organizational Studies and incorporated it during his playing with the London Beefeaters and the Western Mustangs.

As part of the 2017 Vanier Cup-winning Western Mustangs team, Johns played under the guidance of Coaches Jean-Paul Circelli and Joe Circelli, where he learned the power of networking and relationship-building. In 2022, his connection to Joe Circelli helped start Johns’ coaching career with an invite to the University of Windsor Lancers’ spring camp.

Johns worked at the University of Windsor as a defensive secondary assistant and recruiting coordinator. He has also served as linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator for Team Ontario’s U16 program. In November 2023, he was recognized by Ontario University Athletics as the conference’s second-ever recipient of the Champion of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion award.

“I want to continue to grow as a coach. Seeing how quickly things move in the world of sports, I want to continue to reach new heights, learn as much as possible, and enjoy this journey,” says Johns.

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