Dustin Crum gives his reasons for wanting to leave Ottawa.

Dustin Crum explains his motivations for choosing to play for the Oakland A’s over the Ottawa Redblacks.

For Dustin Crum, being “The Man” is a novel experience. He has no idea what it’s like to be the quarterback who everyone else believes can sway the game.

Considering his background, Crum may have felt more at ease when he joined the Ottawa Redblacks in the midst of the previous season. It wasn’t a well-known signing.

It’s exciting to watch him seize the opportunity. “I’m not surprised with how he’s playing—that’s who he is,” said Scott Crum, the father of arguably the most fascinating player in the CFL, over the phone this week while on vacation in North Carolina.

“I’m happy he has the chance, and the team seems to be helping him as needed, so he can carry out his duties.”

DDUstin Crum, 24, started the season ranked third on the camp depth chart and was predicted to fall to fourth once Jeremiah Masoli recovered. But despite losing two quarterbacks to injuries that ended their seasons, the team has won back-to-back exciting overtime games.

Crum’s climb surprised many, yet he has no trouble overcoming significant challenges. “If you talk to him, he’s experienced these issues before,” said Scott Crum.

The only university to give the sharp-witted Crum a scholarship offer in 2017 was Kent State—never confuse that with Michigan or Alabama. Paul Haynes, Crum’s first coach, was let go during his rookie year.

Sean Lewis, a 31-year-old former co-offensive coordinator at Syracuse, became the youngest head coach at the highest level of the NCAA when he took over at the Ohio college. He took over a team that had finished 9–30 in the preceding five years. Crum attends Midview High in Grafton, which is about a forty-minute drive from Cleveland. He is an in-state player. When Lewis was the co-offensive coordinator for another Ohio program at Bowling Green, he declined to recruit Crum.

According to Dustin’s high school offensive coordinator, Scott Crum, coach Lewis “had no intention of actually giving him a try” unless Dustin persisted.

After sitting out the majority of Lewis’ rookie season in 2018, Crum’s chance to play came the following year. All he managed to do was lead what was formerly considered to be one of the weakest programs in the country—Kent State—to its first-ever bowl victory at the Frisco Bowl.

According to Scott Crum, one of the coaches contacted me following their first-ever Bowl victory and remarked, “Any other student in America would have transferred in the situation your kid was in.” “We talked about the transfer, and I said it was up to you. “Go for it if you believe you have a good chance of getting the job and would be given a fair chance,” was my advice, and that’s what he did.

Zayin West, a defensive end from Kent State, was one of the few 2017 prospects to persevere through the entire academic year under the new coaching staff. He and Crum became very close.

“I just think he’s a quiet leader,” said West. He became less of a talker as the years went by at Kent. His actions show his consistent commitment to the team, and as you get to know him, he will also become more open.

In 2021, Crum guided the Golden Flashes to another bowl appearance at the prestigious Idaho Potato Bowl and later won the Mid-American Conference’s best player award (the same conference that turned out former great quarterback Nathan Rourke of the B.C. Lions in Ohio).

“Give Crum ball time on the clock; he’s going to get it done,” said West. “He’s going to do something to not lose this match.”