Lions' Post Season and on into 2015

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South Pender
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The_Pauser wrote: Also, Charlie Taaffe is currently an OC in the NCAA, so if he would be considered a potential option I don't know why Nussmeier wouldn't. Taaffe is also the same age as Wally, so doesn't really fit with Wally's mantra of someone new and fresh.
Nussmeier is in the first year of a 3-year contract with Michigan and is making $830,000 in this first year and is guaranteed $2.57M over the three years. Hard to see him giving that up, but, hey, you never know. Maybe the lure of being a HC will get him interested--as long as he can get out of his UM contract.
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notahomer
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The_Pauser wrote:...... Taaffe is also the same age as Wally, so doesn't really fit with Wally's mantra of someone new and fresh.
I'm not so sure (Wally would know since its his brain, I'm trying to say I know about :wink: ) its AGE that matters. I think its approach. For e.g. Pete C. head coach of the Seahawks probably has that "ooomph" that Wally is talking about. Carroll is referred to in a few circles as the Youngest Second Oldest Coach in the NFL (hows that for a mouthful :wink: ). IOW, the guy acts like he's twenty five at times but the players BUY IT coming from him. Why I don't know but he connects well to his players....

So, even though I think Hufnagel is an AWESOME CFL head coach, I wonder if he has that 'thing' Wally is looking for in terms of newness, freshness and being able to connect well to todays player? I know we (many of us fans anyways) want an offensive head coach but I wonder if Barron Miles doesn't have SO MUCH of what Wally is looking for EXCEPT experience. Heard good things about him (from the same places everyone else, no inside info, too busy to get it). If he's not a head coach, at least get him on your roster of coaches.

I still think Buono deserves some credit for this. It takes courage to admit maybe there is part of this that has passed me by but I can delegate that part of things. I admire people who admit they aren't purrfect and don't have all the answers, so I'm perfectly happy knowing Buono is going to do the best job he can for everybody connected to the Lions sake......
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cromartie
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South Pender wrote:
The_Pauser wrote: Also, Charlie Taaffe is currently an OC in the NCAA, so if he would be considered a potential option I don't know why Nussmeier wouldn't. Taaffe is also the same age as Wally, so doesn't really fit with Wally's mantra of someone new and fresh.
Nussmeier is in the first year of a 3-year contract with Michigan and is making $830,000 in this first year and is guaranteed $2.57M over the three years. Hard to see him giving that up, but, hey, you never know. Maybe the lure of being a HC will get him interested--as long as he can get out of his UM contract.
There is that small matter of the next Head Coach at Michigan probably wanting to bring in his own guy. Michigan has guaranteed the contract, regardless, so he'll keep getting that money on the same payment schedule as Brady Hoke, I'd imagine, unless he gets another equivalent college gig as an offset.

But I like Nuss.
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I like Nuss too cro.

A name from the CFL for our future HC that has not been mentioned is Noel Thorpe, the Montreal Als defensive coordinator.

Thorpe has front office experience with Jim Popp, was the special teams coordinator of the Als from 2002-2007, including coaching the defensive backs there from 2003-2007. He had the best defensive record in Canada in 2012, as the defensive coordinator of the Montreal Carbins in his first season there. He was also the head coach of the gold-medal-winning Team Canada squad at the IFAF U19 World Championship in Austin, TX.

Thorpe coached the Edmonton Eskimos special teams and defensive backs from 2008-2010 and also served as the Eskimos assistant Head Coach. He's a Vancouver native, who also helped the UBC Thunderbirds win the Vanier Cup in 1997.

Trestmann hired Thorpe for his second stint in Montreal. This season Montreal gave up the least points in the CFL, while also struggling with an offence that had a lot of two and outs for a good chunk of the season.

Thorpe is worth a look, based upon the other CFL coaching prospects being thrown about.
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MexicoLionFan
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The_Pauser wrote:Potential coaches from the NCAA ranks who might be worth a look as they each have experience as a player or coach in the CFL(not even sure we could get 'em, but just brainstorming here):

Steve Sarkesian - Head Coach USC
Doug Nussmeier - OC Michigan
Kerwin Bell - Head Coach Jacksonville University

Thoughts?

They are all great ideas but money is the issue...even Coordinators in the NCAA make HUGE amounts of money...I would love to see Nussmeier here, but that just isn't going to happen, he is very well thought of down south...
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South Pender
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cromartie wrote:There is that small matter of the next Head Coach at Michigan probably wanting to bring in his own guy. Michigan has guaranteed the contract, regardless, so he'll keep getting that money on the same payment schedule as Brady Hoke, I'd imagine, unless he gets another equivalent college gig as an offset.

But I like Nuss.
That's a good point. But if Nussmeier were let go by the new coach (Harbaugh maybe?...nah, probably not) and took on the HC position here, he'd still get his $870,000 (or whatever the number is for the last two years on his contract with UM), since they would have to make up the difference, I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong), between that amount and his new HC salary. No? Still, very unlikely, I think, since the HC hiring here may well have to take place before the situation at Michigan is resolved.
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WestCoastJoe
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Blitz wrote: As GM and VP of Football Operations Wally will still have a tremdous amount of influence on who we put on the field next season and the HC will have a lot less influence on our lineup than Buono did in his dual role of GM and HC.

Mike Benevedes will become our new HC and his job will not be easy to say the least. Expectations will be high and we will be losing some key players, and Wally's shadow will still loom large.

2012 will be an interesting season to say the least!!

December 6,, 2011
Bang on, Blitz. Wally was very involved in which players take the field, by his own words. Benny had to convince Wally to go with Steward at tackle. The autonomy thing is very tricky. Wally wants to help. He had coached pretty much forever. When does help become counter-productive? How do you give up control?

Good chance autonomy might be an issue next year also, depending on which candidate becomes HC.

Wally's shadow certainly was huge.
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Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

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http://www.cfl.ca/article/season-rewind-bc-lions
Season Rewind: BC Lions

Posted: December 31, 2014 12:00 AM

CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- With the 2014 calendar year coming to a close and the focus shifting to the off-season, CFL.ca takes a league-wide look at what went down in 2014 -- one team at a time. Next up are the BC Lions.

The CFL season was one of ups and downs for many teams, but perhaps none more than the Lions. The host of the 102nd Grey Cup Championship expected to both contend and eventually play for the Grey Cup on its home turf, but the team never truly hit full stride in 2014.

At times, the Lions looked unbeatable, particularly on the defensive side of the ball where for a good part of the season they were the league’s most dominant team. Other times, though, such as during a 50-17 loss to the Montreal Alouettes in the Eastern Semi-Final, even that unit looked ordinary.

All in all, last season for the Lions leaves a fan base with many questions heading into the off-season.

The Stampeders are champions after a season full of peaks and valleys for every team in the CFL. Follow along as CFL.ca takes a look at the season that was and looks ahead to 2015 where every team hopes to stand at the top of the heap in Winnipeg. CFL.ca Season Rewind

Overview:

The Lions’ home-opening loss didn’t seem significant at the time, but in hindsight it should have been telling.

The Eskimos were a four-win team the previous year, while the Lions are historically next to impossible to beat at BC Place. But with Travis Lulay out of the lineup for virtually all of 2014 due to shoulder issues, Kevin Glenn couldn’t overcome a four-interception game in the opener and the Lions wound up falling 27-20.

That set the tone for a 2-3 start mired in inconsistency, from a 41-5 win over the Alouettes in which Emmanuel Arceneaux scored three touchdowns to a 23-6 loss to Winnipeg in which the Lions failed to find the end zone.

Three straight wins, including one over the previously-undefeated Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, brought the Lions to 5-3 and put them back in the race at two games over .500. That’s about where they lingered until two games left in the season, when they had a chance to battle for a higher playoff seed but lost 37-3 to the
Edmonton Eskimos.

The Lions closed off 2014 with a three-game losing streak, including a loss in the Eastern Semi-Final, during which they were outscored 120-36.

Injuries shook up the Lions’ season in a big way, as Andrew Harris missed half the year along with Courtney Taylor and Stefan Logan, while Lulay made only one start all season – but that wasn’t enough to save Mike Benevides’ job, as the Lions will head into 2015 looking to bounce back with a new coach and identity.

Off-season all about change for Lions

Wally Buono says that he is going into the off-season focusing on change as he announced the Kevin Glenn, Khalif Mitchell, and a host of others won't return for 2015.

The latest on BC's off-season

The Good:

For a good part of the season, the Lions’ defence was the league’s stingiest. It fell apart late in the year after allowing 120 points in three games, but for most of the season that BC defence provided nightmares for opposing offences.

Solomon Elimimian put up the best statistical season in CFL history for a linebacker, breaking the all-time single-season record with 143 defensive tackles in addition to five sacks, an interception and three fumble recoveries.

The secondary was also impressive, allowing opponents to complete only 60 per cent of their passes – good for second in the CFL – while finishing third in total passing yards behind Winnipeg and Edmonton. Led by the emerging Cord Parks and Ronnie Yell along with veterans Ryan Phillips and Dante Marsh, the Lions were one of the league’s hardest to beat in the air.

Finally, the Lions’ run game won’t get enough credit as the result of a season-ending injury to Andrew Harris. The national running back was spectacular when he played, finishing his 12-game season with 652 rushing yards and 529 receiving yards.

That adds up to 1,181 yards from scrimmage over 12 games at a clip of 98.41 yards per game, which over a full 18-game season would project to be roughly 1,172 yards.

The Bad:

One thing Mike Benevides and the Lions always prided themselves on was being dominant at home, but in 2014 that got away from them. The Lions finished with a 4-5 record at BC Place, worse than their 5-4 record on the road.

It’s puzzling considering the team was 16-2 at home over Benevides’ first two seasons as Lions head coach from 2012 to 2013 (8-1 at home each season), and an indication that it was time for a change in Vancouver.

Outside of that, a late-season defensive collapse and a myriad of injuries sidelined the team’s hopes of winning another Grey Cup on home turf, as many key stars missed time due to injury while the team overall surrendered 120 points over the last three games.

The biggest headline of 2014 may be the team’s overall offensive struggles, however. It may have had more to do with injuries, but it leaves questions heading into next season. Kevin Glenn was second in the league in passing yards, but his 17 interceptions were the most of any quarterback.

A middle of the pack team offensively (fifth in total offence), only two teams scored fewer points than the Lions, none of which played in the West. It could be chalked up to injuries, but the inability to replace the production of the injured Lulay is something that will have to be addressed moving forward.

Highlight of the season:

After a listless 23-6 home loss to the Bombers in which they failed to find the end zone, the Lions bounced back with a much-needed dominant performance in a road win over the then-undefeated Calgary Stampeders, 25-24.

Andrew Harris had 143 combined yards, while Kevin Glenn threw touchdown passes to Harris and Ernest Jackson in one of the Lions’ better offensive performances of the season. The Lions’ defence, meanwhile, scored a defence touchdown and recovered a late-game fumble, securing a character road win in the most difficult place to win football games.

That win provided a potential season spark for the Lions, starting a three game winning streak and a run of five wins in six games.

Potential departures:

The Lions are poised to enter free agency with the fewest pending free agents of any CFL team, while they also released some additional veteran players ahead of the Feb. 10 free agent deadline.

GM Wally Buono has already announced that Kevin Glenn, Khalif Mitchell, Jamall Johnson, Ricky Schmitt and Donte Marsh won’t return, making it clear that the Lions are planning some re-shaping on both sides of the ball this off-season.

Ernest Jackson will likely take top priority out of the team’s pending free agents, as he emerged with a career season in 2014 when given the opportunity.

Here's the list of Lions due to hit free agency on Feb. 10, 2015:

Jason Arakgi, LB, National
Kevin Glenn, QB, International
Ernest Jackson, WR, International
J.R. LaRose, DB, National
Jordan Matechuk, LS/LB, National

Why they’ll win the Grey Cup in 2015:

The Lions are loaded with star power on both sides of the ball, and while the team looks to take a different approach in 2015 when it comes to personnel, the core appears to be in place – only a slight re-tooling is truly necessary.

Travis Lulay is a former Most Outstanding Player who needs to get on the field next year and prove he can stay healthy, and while the Lions need to find an insurance policy and start developing their future at the position, there’s no reason he can’t enjoy a bounce back year.

Emmanuel Arceneaux led the CFL in receiving touchdowns in 2014 despite missing time with injuries, while Ernest Jackson (if he re-signs) and Courtney Taylor form a formidable trio of big-play weapons.

Add in the Lions’ run game, still one of the CFL’s most dominant last year despite injuries at the position, and you have an offence capable of controlling a game. Andrew Harris and Stefan Logan make the best one-two punch around, while Keola Antolin also proved capable in case of injury.

While the offence is banking on good health from players that have recently had a hard time staying on the field, the defence is more equipped. Solomon Elimimian enjoyed an historical season for the Lions, and he’s complemented in the linebacker corps by another top player in Adam Bighill.

The secondary was among the league’s best and will be built around youngsters Cord Parks and Ronnie Yell for years to come. The defensive line may have underachieved in 2014, but is also capable of big things moving into 2015 after a recent injection of youth with the emergence of Alex Bazzie.

2014 didn’t go how the Lions had hoped, but this is a team as talented as any and should be set for a bounce back 2015.
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

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With the exception of Jackson, I won't lose too much sleep if the Lions free agents decided to head for greener pasture.
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MexicoLionFan
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Thanks for that Joe...the Lions obviously need a QB, its the #1 priority in a passing league, but the Lions have real problems at the Line of Scrimmage (LOS) and if we don't get back to controlling the LOS we won't be winning anymore championships! On the OLine the talent is there, however the coaching is not...if the Lions don't get rid of Dorazio, I won't be back because that's just ignorance in the face of reality! On the DLine, we have problems...our best DL is Khreem Smith who is 33...Eric Taylor should be released...Mitchell is gone...and Bazzie got his stats from playing against solo blocking all season long...we need a MASSIVE overhaul on the DLIne...we have to get BIGGER, QUICKER and STRONGER in a hurry...Wally has allowed our wealth of talent on the DLine to expire without any adequate replacements over the past three years...only Kelly Bates drafting Westerman and Menard have made much needed improvements!
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David
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Looks like Travis will not be participating in the 3 day Spring throwing camp with the other QBs. Not sure what to read into this. No sense rushing him I suppose; there's still the main camp in Kamloops to concern ourselves with. But would it hurt if he participated in some light throws for timing purposes and for optics alone? Not sure this 'soft announcement' instills too much confidence in the faithful and has the fence sitters running out to purchase season tickets and Flex Packs given that Travis will have had nearly 8 months to recover from the last injury (dislocation) in Ottawa.

STORY HERE.


DH :cool:
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WestCoastJoe
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David wrote:Looks like Travis will not be participating in the 3 day Spring throwing camp with the other QBs. Not sure what to read into this. No sense rushing him I suppose; there's still the main camp in Kamloops to concern ourselves with. But would it hurt if he participated in some light throws for timing purposes and for optics alone? Not sure this 'soft announcement' instills too much confidence in the faithful and has the fence sitters running out to purchase season tickets and Flex Packs given that Travis will have had nearly 8 months to recover from the last injury (dislocation) in Ottawa.

STORY HERE.


DH :cool:
Not exactly a rallying cry, for sure, David. But the team, and many fans, still hang their hopes on Travis. Grey Cup winner. MOP. Great in the community. We will see. For myself, I would certainly give Travis every chance to reclaim his position.

Tedford kind of fell from the sky into our grasp. He could be top notch. But no guarantees on that either.

Good to hear Wally talking about possibly bringing in a couple more QBs. Can't stand still.

Season coming up fast. :thup:
John Madden's Team Policies: Be on time. Pay attention. Play like hell on game day.

Jimmy Johnson's Game Keys: Protect the ball. Make plays.

Walter Payton's Advice to Kids: Play hard. Play fair. Have fun.
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B.C.FAN
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David wrote:Looks like Travis will not be participating in the 3 day Spring throwing camp with the other QBs. Not sure what to read into this. No sense rushing him I suppose; there's still the main camp in Kamloops to concern ourselves with. But would it hurt if he participated in some light throws for timing purposes and for optics alone? Not sure this 'soft announcement' instills too much confidence in the faithful and has the fence sitters running out to purchase season tickets and Flex Packs given that Travis will have had nearly 8 months to recover from the last injury (dislocation) in Ottawa.

STORY HERE.

DH :cool:
That's no surprise. I'll be extremely happy if he's able to fully participate in training camp, unlike last year when he did nothing but throw soft lobs or short crossers in passing drills. I was actually somewhat encouraged by a line in LU's version of the story:
At a media briefing Tuesday, Buono wouldn’t guarantee Lulay will even be ready to participate in the club’s offensive mini-camp April 27-29, though the quarterback has been throwing regularly and is expected for training camp May 31 in Kamloops.
Let the other QBs take the reps in the spring throwing camp and establish some sort of pecking order heading into main camp. If Lulay isn't ready to fully participate then, go with the next man up, whoever that is.

Province article with Buono video
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SammyGreene
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David wrote:Looks like Travis will not be participating in the 3 day Spring throwing camp with the other QBs. Not sure what to read into this. No sense rushing him I suppose; there's still the main camp in Kamloops to concern ourselves with. But would it hurt if he participated in some light throws for timing purposes and for optics alone? Not sure this 'soft announcement' instills too much confidence in the faithful and has the fence sitters running out to purchase season tickets and Flex Packs given that Travis will have had nearly 8 months to recover from the last injury (dislocation) in Ottawa.

STORY HERE.


DH :cool:
I thought by forgoing surgery it would have considerably sped up the rehab process to the point where he would be at or near 100 percent over 7 months later. My concern wasn't how good he looked throwing the ball but rather how prone was it to being re-injured as we witnessed last season.

Just more evidence it's time to move on. The 2015 season is on the horizon and an injury that first occurred midway through the 2013 season is still front and centre.
The Lions may very well have their best coach in franchise history to work and develop young quarterbacks. And with Tedford's resumé there is no guarantee he is here long term either. They really need to take advantage of his expertise. His mandate needs to be identify the best 2 QBs to work with and develop them. Montreal showed last year what can be done with Crompton if you have the right candidate.
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the-real-hugo
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Sorry if it's been mentioned somewhere already, but are the Lions any closer to confirming where their "home" preseason game is going to be played?
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