The Steve Warne Project - Ottawa Sports Talk

1008: Interview With Ottawa REDBLACKS QB Dru Brown

·28 min·2 clips

Dru Brown's dad signed him up for football without telling his mom, who then saw him crushing kids at practice.

Steve Warne hosts this episode of The Steve Warne Project, noting his co-host Jimmy is absent. He replays an interview with Ottawa REDBLACKS quarterback Dru Brown, recorded last year. Brown introduces himself as from the Bay Area, with two older sisters and a tight-knit family. He met his wife in middle school, but they didn't date until 2020, marrying in 2023. Brown's father played college football at Washington State and secretly signed him up for tackle football at age nine, despite his mother's initial concerns. His father passed away in 2023, and Brown reflects on his pride. Brown explains he took football seriously by eighth grade, focusing on preparation. He lacked high school film due to only starting as a senior, leading to limited college interest. He attended junior college, then Hawaii, and transferred to Oklahoma State for higher competition. After college, he trained for a pro day and received a call from Danny McManus of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, joining their negotiations list. Brown discusses his trade to Ottawa, noting the team's belief in his abilities and leadership. He shares that his wife enjoys Ottawa, while he spends most time at the facility. Brown outlines his weekly routine: post-game recovery, off-day tape study, and extensive game-planning with offensive coordinator Tommy Condell. In lighter segments, Brown reveals he's a beer guy favoring Coors Banquet, lists favorite movies including The Lion King and Shawshank Redemption, and enjoys country music like Luke Combs. His first car was a 1998 Jaguar XJR that overheated quickly, and he still owns a Mustang. Warne concludes by hoping the REDBLACKS improve their 1-5 start and promotes Patreon support.

As heard by us

Drew Brown looks back on the choices and encouragement that kept his football career moving toward the CFL.

Drew Brown's path from Hawaii to Oklahoma State gives this Ottawa REDBLACKS interview a clean throughline. He comes across as someone measuring each step carefully, from wanting to test himself against stronger competition to facing the uncertainty that followed his Oklahoma…

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Why you'd press play

You get Drew Brown weighing Hawaii, Oklahoma State, and the Winnipeg call that arrived while he was training for pro day.

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