Head Coach - Lions announce Jeff Tedford as 2015 HC

[Big Time]

If I'm Darius Durant, I'm taking out a life insurance policy. Chapball is based on staying in the pocket and timing. In other words, it has a tendency to get your QB killed. Chapball contributed to the end of Pierce, Dickenson, and likely Lulay. Those hellacious hits to both QB's and receivers wear you down by the end of the season.

Can't say I'm disappointed by this move by the Riders. This has the potential to utterly destroy their offense.

[B.C.FAN]

I was disappointed when Chapdelaine signed with SFU. His offence is wasted under American rules, which limit motion and misdirection. It's also the kind of offence the Lions had the most trouble stopping this year. His offence could be extremely dangerous in Saskatchewan.

[Rammer]

If I'm Darius Durant, I'm taking out a life insurance policy. Chapball is based on staying in the pocket and timing. In other words, it has a tendency to get your QB killed. Chapball contributed to the end of Pierce, Dickenson, and likely Lulay. Those hellacious hits to both QB's and receivers wear you down by the end of the season.

Can't say I'm disappointed by this move by the Riders. This has the potential to utterly destroy their offense.

While I agree with the JC ball being tough on a QB, remember that DD really took the first concussion that ruined his CFL playing career when he tossed and INT and then went for the tackle down the sidelines and was clipped in the back of the helmet by the knee of the defender. After that, those hits that Chap ball allowed, were the kiss of death for him and his career.

[Blitz]

I was disappointed when Chapdelaine signed with SFU. His offence is wasted under American rules, which limit motion and misdirection. It's also the kind of offence the Lions had the most trouble stopping this year. His offence could be extremely dangerous in Saskatchewan.

Agree that JaquesBall (mostly pro offence) is a very good scheme for today's CFL. ChapBall died in early 2011. We won a Grey Cup in 2011, with a very dangerous offence, had an excellent offence in 2012, and we finished the 2013 season with 3 games in which we rushed for an average of over 200 yards a game, including the Semi-Final, once Dorazio changed his run blocking scheme.

Chap really knows how to use motion, misdirection, and formation. With a different offensive line coach and a good offensive line JaquesBall could be very difficult to stop if the Riders can get some quality receivers in there. For the poster who believes Chapdelaine is still running the pocket passing spread offence, he isn't....and Chamblin, as a former DC as well as HC obviously wants him there and he knows how difficult it is to defend Chap's scheme, even with the inadequate blocking that Dorazio mostly provided.

With regard to Rammer's comment that it would be interesting to see both Chap and Benevedes back coaching with the Riders as their coordinators on offence and defense (and Benny would not be the fave without Wally ). Don't see it happening though - if Benny is hired as a DC I see it happening in Winnipeg rather than Saskatchewan...but who can predict.

And for those in Riderville who preferred LaPolice over Chap, they would take either over Cortez.

[Blitz]

The Riders want to get better, so they dump Cortez and hire Chadelaine.

There's irony there. We're considering Cortez, and Chap was seen as a bum by many after the 2013 season. But, as ironic as it is, this kind of musical chairs is not unusual at all in professional sports, where we see previously-unsuccessful HCs recycled with new teams and experience success--Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, etc., and a number of NHL coaches.

There's been some excellent discussion on this forum lately about offensive schemes, and I think Blitz has nailed the essential characteristics of the various alternatives. What I would like to see is some discussion of innovation in defensive strategy. It has seemed that the most successful defensive teams have been ones where several schemes are used in a single game--and not just adding a 6th DB. We see "wide 9" layouts where the pass rush is enhanced with a 9-tech rusher, clever LB - DL exchanges, where blitzes are faked, DT stunts, zone blitzes, different coverage shells, etc., etc., all aimed at keeping the offenses guessing (and guessing wrong) with opportunities to blow up offensive plays. Maybe this is getting at what many on this forum have hoped for in "attacking" defenses. So, I share some of MLF's concerns about whether Mark Washington can be sufficiently innovative as to come up with some creative defensive schemes. I'm not suggesting that he can't; I just don't know.

I see a lot of defensive innovation in the CFL right now. Stubler, in Calgary, continues to use a variety of formations and schemes and disguises. He mixes things up with 3, 4, 5, and 6 man rushes and also drops8 or 9 into coverage at times. He uses a lot of different rotations. He dropped lineman into coverage in the Grey Cup game, ala Dave Ritchie, on some well disguised zone blitzes. Chris Jones uses a lot of press man coverages, mixing in zone, and he both blitzes and also drops into coverage. Jones uses combination man/zone coverages at times. Noel Thorpe is more of Matthews style of defensive coordinator, who likes to blitz a lot but he uses a very wide variety of blitzes and stunts while changing his coverages at the back end while doing so.

Here in B.C. we played a lot more vanilla, rushing four, dropping 8 into coverage, and mixing in the occasional and mostly poorly schemed blitz. I think that Buono and Benevedes had a lot to do with that, because Washington indicated, at least when he was first appointed DC, that he wanted to run a different style of defense and Washington also played here for Ritchie, when we ran a mutli-faceted, multi-formational and high turnover defense with lots of pressure strategies at times.

Can Washington do it? We don't know. We know that he can design a very good pass defense but that pass defense was mostly due to the talents of the players and dropping a lot into coverage rather than scheme. However, it also meant low pressure, not enough sacks, did not create a lot of turnovers, and struggled to shut down the run.

We also knew his defense blew up at the end, which may have involved numerous factors. Stubler, with a record setting defense in 2012, which led the CFl in 19 categories of 25 and a 2013 defense that was best against the pass and 2nd against the run, was let go, after a playoff game, in which he didn't have Eliminian was blamed for the loss by Wally. Washington's 50 points given up was much worse in this year's playoff nor did his defense in 2014 match the success of Stubler's 2012 or 2013 defenses here, but he has not had to deal with any public criticism from Wally as Stubler did.

[The_Pauser]

Tedford is our new Head Coach.

Press conference scheduled for tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport:

Ian RapoportVerified account
‏@RapSheet
There is a press conference for soon-to-be new BC Lions coach Jeff Tedford slated for tomorrow, source says. #CFL #OhCanada

[Rammer]

Tedford is our new Head Coach.

Press conference scheduled for tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport:

Ian RapoportVerified account
‏@RapSheet
There is a press conference for soon-to-be new BC Lions coach Jeff Tedford slated for tomorrow, source says. #CFL #OhCanada

That is about as good a signing as Wally could have pulled off, well done.

[sj-roc]

Tedford is our new Head Coach.

Press conference scheduled for tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport:

Ian RapoportVerified account
‏@RapSheet
There is a press conference for soon-to-be new BC Lions coach Jeff Tedford slated for tomorrow, source says. #CFL #OhCanada

Pro Football Talk is also saying it's a done deal: Tedford heads to the B.C. Lions

Posted by Mike Florio on December 18, 2014, 5:59 PM EST

Health issues kept Jeff Tedford from serving as Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator in 2014. Now released from his contract, Tedford has found a new job, north of the border.

Per a league source, Tedford has accepted an offer to become the new head coach of the B.C. Lions of the CFL.

Tedford, who was out of football in 2013 after being fired by Cal, ultimately took a leave of absence after heart problems emerged prior to the start of the regular season. He never returned, and his absence became a vastly underrated detriment for a team with a defensive-minded head coach (Lovie Smith) and a smattering of offensive position coaches without the experience needed to coordinate the offense in Tedford’s absence.

Tedford’s decision to return to coach suggests he could have returned to work for the Bucs in 2015. Which invites speculation as to whether he wanted to leave Tampa, whether Tampa wanted him to go, or a little bit of both.

[Blitz]

Tedford is our new Head Coach.

Press conference scheduled for tomorrow, according to Ian Rapoport:

Ian RapoportVerified account
‏@RapSheet
There is a press conference for soon-to-be new BC Lions coach Jeff Tedford slated for tomorrow, source says. #CFL #OhCanada

That is about as good a signing as Wally could have pulled off, well done.

I completely agree!! It was fortunate timing...a coach with Tedford's background would normally be very unavailable. I believe that Braley had to open the cupboard or at least offer some very good contract incentives e.g. regular season record, playoff wins, etc. to make this happen. But if Tedford can turn things around in terms of wins and an exciting product it will bring fans and money and increase franchise value.

This type of signing is what we needed. Now for the next step...the assistant coaches. Looking forward to the press conference. I'll provide some detains regarding specific strategies and play book that Tedford uses in the days ahead. Its a very sophisticated offensive scheme, a volume offensive package, a quarterback centric offence (Lulay will be busy this off-season) and the comprehensiveness of the offence is similar to Trestman's offence and Chap's offence but obviously different too in terms of specifics. If the boys thought Chap's offence was complex they are going to learn he is not the only one who believes that you need a lot of plays.

We simplified things this season and defenses feasted on knowing our tendencies. It will be a different scenario next year.

Now there is a lot more hope going into next season now.

[WestCoastJoe]

Well done, Wally. A cross-continent search from Tampa Bay, to California, to B.C. brought us Jeff Tedford.

The timing was right. Normally one would expect a guy with his credentials to be pulling in a salary in 7 figures in the huge U.S. football market, but circumstances brought him our way.

This is a coup for Wally, for the Lions, for the fans and for the CFL.

It raises the hopes for our franchise. No guarantees of huge success though. But it seems Jeff Tedford is beyond what we could have hoped for, in terms of credentials and experience in a new Head Coach.

Enclosed, once again, his football journey ...

[WestCoastJoe]

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2014/12/18 ... hing-deal/

Tedford agrees to terms on Lions coaching deal

December 18, 2014. 3:30 pm • Section: The Fifth Quarter

Posted by:
Lowell Ullrich

The Lions and Jeff Tedford have hammered out details on a contract to coach the CFL team (Files)

The change in the culture and environment promised by Wally Buono will indeed start by reaching back to another corner of his past to find the next coach of the BC Lions, Jeff Tedford.

After negotiations that seemingly lasted longer than some television miniseries, it is done or will be when the deal is signed and a news conference is held in the morning. The 53-year-old coaching lifer has agreed to terms with the CFL team as the successor to Mike Benevides that represents both a change and continuation at the same time.

On one hand, the general manager of the Lions has fulfilled his self-proclaimed mandate that he needed to have experience at the lead coaching position. Tedford has coached at almost every level of the game.

At the same time, Buono has gone back to familiarity as well, tabbing a coach who got his first pro experience with the Calgary Stampeders after Tedford had kicked around the CFL for six seasons as a quarterback.

The Lions are benefitting from good timing in making the hire. Tedford was still technically employed when the Lions fired Benevides right after last season, though he was on medical leave from his first NFL gig as offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Tedford, who reportedly turned down the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears in 2004, had been recruited by Lovie Smith to be his first-year right-hand man in Tampa prior to the 2014 season, but never called a play in the regular season after he underwent a heart procedure that resulted in both sides agreeing to terminate his Bucs contract.

No doubt the heart attack connection with Buono, who had a procedure himself that had a hand in his decision to kick himself upstairs, will be played up in the years ahead. Both Buono and owner David Braley have had bypass procedures.

Tedford’s greatest success was in college ranks, turning around the football program at the University of California starting in 2002, becoming one of the highest-paid employees of that state before he was eventually fired after the 2012 season. Twice he was named Pac-10 coach of the year and won the conference title in 2006.

Buono discovered little else but roadblocks when inquiring about a few other candidates. Dave Dickenson had been promised the job as John Hufnagel’s successor in Calgary. Orlondo Steinauer, according to reports, had a no-movement clause in his contract as defensive coordinator with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

But the Lions now have an offensive-minded coach in Tedford, who has been partial to up-tempo, no-huddle schemes depending on his personnel. Though Hufnagel gets a lot of the credit, it was Tedford who helped design the six-receiver offence in Calgary that is prevalent throughout today’s game.

Tedford will have the ability to reshape the Lions offensive thinking as well, meaning it will only be a matter of time before others who have worked with and under him in the past, most notably former Cal offensive coordinator George Cortez, are listed as possible replacements for Khari Jones. That remains speculative for now. B.C. has recharted with a new man at the top.

[WestCoastJoe]

Tedford, who reportedly turned down the head coaching job with the Chicago Bears in 2004, had been recruited by Lovie Smith to be his first-year right-hand man in Tampa prior to the 2014 season, but never called a play in the regular season after he underwent a heart procedure that resulted in both sides agreeing to terminate his Bucs contract.

No doubt the heart attack connection with Buono, who had a procedure himself that had a hand in his decision to kick himself upstairs, will be played up in the years ahead. Both Buono and owner David Braley have had bypass procedures.

I had not heard that Braley also had heart surgery.

Buono discovered little else but roadblocks when inquiring about a few other candidates. Dave Dickenson had been promised the job as John Hufnagel’s successor in Calgary. Orlondo Steinauer, according to reports, had a no-movement clause in his contract as defensive coordinator with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

But the Lions now have an offensive-minded coach in Tedford, who has been partial to up-tempo, no-huddle schemes depending on his personnel. Though Hufnagel gets a lot of the credit, it was Tedford who helped design the six-receiver offence in Calgary that is prevalent throughout today’s game.

Tedford will have the ability to reshape the Lions offensive thinking as well, meaning it will only be a matter of time before others who have worked with and under him in the past, most notably former Cal offensive coordinator George Cortez, are listed as possible replacements for Khari Jones. That remains speculative for now. B.C. has recharted with a new man at the top.

Tedford with Cortez? No problem for me. That is a pretty good offensive brain trust.

IMO ...

[WestCoastJoe]

News 1130 Sports ...

[David]

Great news. Will give this club some much needed credibility. Interested to see who his assistants will be. I hope he brings back Washington, Holland, Hairston, and Bates. The others? Let's just say I'd prefer to see some fresh blood and new ideas there....

The Positives
* An offensive minded head coach. This market needs excitement on that side of the ball.
* Very well respected on both sides of the 49th. High level college coach with a proven record for winning.
* He has familiarity with this league, although he is many years removed from it. But by hiring him, we've also avoided the CFL "recycle-o-tron" that plagues many teams.
* Likely well connected down south and can develop quarterbacks, which is vital in this market.
* His experience/stature is such that he can likely stifle or deflect any possible meddling by Wally, but still lean on his years of experience for guidance.

The Negatives
* Health concerns. I'm not convinced the CFL is any less stressful or the hours less intense for a HC.
* Flight risk. How committed will he be to this team/province? Will a big contract offer from down south make him a "one and done" HC for the Lions?
* Again, while I have every confidence he can quickly adapt to the CFL, he is still several decades removed from the league. He can expect big changes.

Season ticket holders were given until 12/16 to renew for next year at this year's prices. It would be a wonderful PR move once this is formally announced, to give fans (the fence-sitters) another 24 hours to sign on.


DH

[Hambone]

Have the ticker issues really been overblown? So much has been made of this re: Tedford yet we find all kinds of instances of others continuing coaching despite having heart and/or other issues. I'm not going to dismiss Tedford's condition (apparently needed stents) as trivial but he isn't the first man in the high stress world of head coaching a football team to endure serious health issues.
Buono had heart issues.
Cal Murphy had 2 heart attacks and a heart transplant.
Current Denver Bronco HC John Fox had an aeortic valve replacement 2 years ago. He's 59 now.
At age 49 Mike Ditka suffered a heart attack in the 1988 season. He'd coach Da Bears for 4 more years and later on coach the Saints for 3 years.

These are just 4 names that immediately spring to mind.