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I want to see Bo Levi successful in the CFL but I found it surprising that Hamilton bet big time signing him when Calgary who will no doubt hire him to coach someday make the decision that Bo was too risky and possibly wanted that higher money for others. Bo is a slam dunk to coach with the Stamps in future and he, Dickenson and Hufnagel are tight professionally and personally but that didn't stop them moving on.
Surprise has turned to shock that GM and HC doubled down on the Ticat bet letting Matthew Shiltz get away and it's Taylor Powell next in line (who they just extended this past few days or so).
I'd have thought that Milanovich knows full well that you can't win or keep your job if you don't have a QB and he'd have forced the Ticats to have at least 3 who could be starters.
Taylor Powell might be okay but after last year I'd have wanted to see Shiltz stick around.
Bo got hurt in a work out in the training room it seems.
I am on board as a Bo Levi fan and love the desire he has shown to continue playing. Playing now on a contract that tops out around $350,000 if all goes well leaves lots of money to fill out the roster.
Like the Lions it appears the Ti-Cats will have a new receiver or two so we'll have to see how that goes. I have no doubt about the arm. I did expect Derel Walker to be back which appears to not be happening and thought it might be a fit for Lucky but no go there either. Bo needs a new Eric Rogers. Apparently they have a lot of tall receivers in camp.
Also agree that Bo is a lock to go back to Calgary. Really never should have left but...
Sorry Don, but I have to disagree. Bo has hung on too long for love of game. Arm strength isn't there, no mobility, accuracy meh...he's a shadow of his former self (leadership is still there though but that can't win you a lot of football games on its own). I can see the same thing happening with Bighill, who is often now in the chase position. Time to retire.
Sorry Don, but I have to disagree. Bo has hung on too long for love of game. Arm strength isn't there, no mobility, accuracy meh...he's a shadow of his former self (leadership is still there though but that can't win you a lot of football games on its own). I can see the same thing happening with Bighill, who is often now in the chase position. Time to retire.
DH
Others share your opinion. 2024 will be an interesting year in Hamilton.
Going back to last season on the 3rd down play that they needed to stay in the playoff game with Montreal Bo drilled the ball off Omar Bayless's chest. The week before he hit Kiondre Smith in the helmet with another good pass that went incomplete. If anything, a lack of mobility has been an issue although theoretically the Cats should have a good O line.
As they say, sometimes the QB gets too much credit and other times too much blame. Bo needs guys to catch the ball imo. Remains to be seen if they have the personnel.
Sorry Don, but I have to disagree. Bo has hung on too long for love of game. Arm strength isn't there, no mobility, accuracy meh...he's a shadow of his former self (leadership is still there though but that can't win you a lot of football games on its own). I can see the same thing happening with Bighill, who is often now in the chase position. Time to retire.
DH
I think it was 2 years ago in Calgary. First preseason game. Campbell sent 3rd stringers to Calgary, line up was just awful. First 3 Calgary drives with calgarys 1st stringers, 3 straight interceptions. That when I knew Bo was done.
I think Winnipeg is going to 6 game list bighill all season, so his contract doesn’t count against cap.
Sorry Don, but I have to disagree. Bo has hung on too long for love of game. Arm strength isn't there, no mobility, accuracy meh...he's a shadow of his former self (leadership is still there though but that can't win you a lot of football games on its own). I can see the same thing happening with Bighill, who is often now in the chase position. Time to retire.
DH
I think it was 2 years ago in Calgary. First preseason game. Campbell sent 3rd stringers to Calgary, line up was just awful. First 3 Calgary drives with calgarys 1st stringers, 3 straight interceptions. That when I knew Bo was done.
I think Winnipeg is going to 6 game list bighill all season, so his contract doesn’t count against cap.
I think Winnipeg is going to 6 game list bighill all season, so his contract doesn’t count against cap.
Winnipeg is a confident bunch but even the die hards must be getting concerned. Training camp reports from Winnipeg mentioned Bighill looking heavier than before and now with the six game it appears there may be more to it. Of course Mike O'Shea will say these guys don't need to practice. A big loss imo is Patrick Neufeld if he is retiring. He was a big part of the inside ground game helping both center and tackle and will be hard to replace.
So 3 new guys on the O line, 2 new corners, and a MLB coming up. I'm surprised by their lack of recruiting.
Bombers lost starting OT Hardrick to the Riders; starting DE Jeffcoat to retirement;; starters like Bighill (better moved to W-OLB IMO) and Neufeld are getting long in the tooth;; also lost starting receiver Bailey and Canadian depth receiver Oleary-Orange. And DB Houston is gone.
A lot challenges there, but I still expect them to be a solid team; not a shoe-in for first place though; Collaros goes down and have to rely on Strevler to the rescue ?
Bombers lost starting OT Hardrick to the Riders; starting DE Jeffcoat to retirement;; starters like Bighill (better moved to W-OLB IMO) and Neufeld are getting long in the tooth;; also lost starting receiver Bailey and Canadian depth receiver Oleary-Orange. And DB Houston is gone.
A lot challenges there, but I still expect them to be a solid team; not a shoe-in for first place though; Collaros goes down and have to rely on Strevler to the rescue ?
I'd not underestimate the Bombers scouts etc finding QB keepers.
Streveler is likely to be as he says more mature in football and really wants to be there. The latter is crucial.
"Also, in five years I've matured a lot, learned to have in-depth football conversations with people, be an active contributor to a quarterback room. Not that I didn't before, but in over five years of playing the game you develop and you learn."
He's thankful for his NFL memories.
"The plane we had in Arizona was unbelievable," Streveler said. "It was a double-decker. The coaches would sit upstairs. We had a full menu of food, the chairs would recline all the way and the first class was like everyone had their own little compartment.
Good story on him here including the private plane with the coaches up top:
He's a local hero there it seems but maybe they've been meeting in the local barber shop planning a coup as he was 2 and 8 last year.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” Hall said. “I’ve been here at Scott High since I was born. My dad coached here, my sister was principal here. I ran around here as a kid in the summers. I am engrained in Scott High, and I will give Scott High everything I possibly have.”
Hall pursued a career in the NFL and the Canadian Football League after college, and signed briefly with the CFL’s Winnipeg franchise last year. Ultimately, it didn’t work out, and he said that was a humbling experience.
“I knew God had a plan,” he said. “Thankfully I was asked to come and work here as an assistant. I realized maybe that’s what God wants me to do in this world, is coach football here at Scott High.”
Good signing by the Argos adding Nick Arbuckle imo.
Smart, experienced guy who knows how to progress through his reads plus the good relationship with Dinwiddie will help. Criticized for his arm in the past.
He's on his way to a career in coaching imo so probably a good back up to Dukes as he transitions. Win / Win
I don't know if adding Arbuckle is a good or bad move by Toronto but it was a necessary move that shouldn't hurt. With next to no CFL experience in the QB room until/if Kelly returns adding a veteran presence into the mix was essential. Unfortunately those options were pretty much restricted to Arbuckle. Cornelius and maybe Dom Davis. As the old saying goes those who can't, teach. After so much promise with Calgary back in 2019 he's basically bombed out failing to seize the opportunities handed to him to be the starter in Ottawa (1 year stop on paper), Toronto, Edmonton, then Ottawa again.
In 2019 in Calgary, filling in for injured BLM, he completed 73.1% of his passes with 11 TDs and 5 picks. Calgary went 4-3 in his 7 starts. In 4* stops since then he completed 66.4% of his passes with 11 TDs and 24 interceptions.
Arbuckle's CFL career path has taken one of the most twisted, bizarre routes in league history. He was first dealt from Calgary to Ottawa prior to the soon-to-be-cancelled 2020 Covid season. He signed a 2 year deal there. On January 31 2021, before he as much as practiced with Ottawa, the Argos released Matt Nichols. A few hours later Ottawa signed Nichols and immediately dropped Arbuckle. The next day Toronto signed Arbuckle to be the starter backed up by MBT. He lasted 4 games before being being benched in favour of MBT. Late in the 2021 season Toronto dealt Arbuckle to Edmonton. He wouldn't play for the Elks in 2021 but signed a new deal to be the starter in 2022. After going 0-3 as starter for Edmonton he was benched in favour of rookie Tre Ford who in turn went down in his second start. Instead of going back to Arbuckle the Elks gave the ball to 3rd stringer Taylor Cornelius and dealt Arbuckle to Ottawa who were in need of a starting QB after Masoli was Marino'd for the season. Caleb Evans would be Ottawa's starter for the first few games before Lapo named Arbuckle starter for the remainder of the season. With Masoli still recovering for injury Arbuckle opened the season as REDBLACKS starter. Late in the 2nd quarter of their second game he was benched in favour of Tyrie Adams. Similar to what happened in Edmonton when 2 games later Masoli returned only to promptly be lost again to an achilles tear and Adams was lost to a torn ACL instead of giving the ball back to Arbuckle HC Bob Dyce turned to rookie Dustin Crum who started the final 14 games.
What's equally fun to look at re: Arbuckle is the trail of trades. There's some significant picks and names in the mix.
He was dealt as a pending FA from Calgary to Ottawa for a 3rd rounder and conditional pick. When Ottawa signed him the conditions were met and they swapped 1st round picks. Calgary received 1st overall with Ottawa getting the 6th overall spot. Calgary would in turn flip 1st overall and 15th to BC for 3rd overall and 12th. BC would use 1st and 15th to take Jordan Williams and Nathan Rourke while Calgary took Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund and UBC's Trivel Pinto who would later be charged with sexual assault, along with 2 other T-Birds. Charges would later be stayed. Calgary would use the 3rd acquired from Ottawa to take SFU's Rysen John. Ironically of all those names only Adeyemi-Berglund (signed with Montreal in free agency this year) and John remain in the CFL.
In the trade from Toronto to Edmonton the Argos acquired EE's 2022 3rd rd pick and the neg rights to Chad Kelly. The 3rd was upgraded to a 2nd (10th overall) when Arbuckle signed a new deal for 2022. Toronto took DL Deionte Knight with that pick. Knight has developed into a regular rotational DL with the Argos.
Finally Edmonton acquired a 4th (28th overall) in the 2023 draft from Ottawa in exchange for Arbuckle. EE took DL Noah Curtis. who played 18 games starting 6 for the Elks in 2023.
The pinch-hit starting job in Toronto is Dukes' to lose. While Arbuckle has struggled between the lines since 2019 his 5 years of experience should help fill a big need in the QB room. The Argos aren't adding Arbuckle to compete with Dukes as much as to help Dukes in his role as starter. Who knows, if something happens that they have to play him maybe he can rediscover that 2019 promise that has eluded him in the seasons since. As DC indicated there is an established relationship between Dinwiddie and Arbuckle from their Calgary days. Dinwiddie will know as much as anybody what Arbuckle can bring to the room.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
If nothing else, Nick Arbuckle can be another voice of experience for Cameron Dukes if Dukes is showing the promise he showed last year.
Also, given how his career has gone in the CFL he won't be a disturbance or problem if he's not starting.
Dukes may have just looked good due to how well the Argos were rolling along but his play impressed me so this combo at QB might work okay.
The CFL careers of Nick Arbuckle and Dane Evans mystify many as to their potential.
The Georgia State product (Arbuckle) began his CFL Career in Calgary in 2018, eventually getting seven starts in 2019 where he threw for over 2,000 yards and 11 touchdowns with a completion percentage north of 73%. For his career, Arbuckle has amassed 7,158 passing yards and 23 touchdowns
Evans played in 79 games through his career, making 769 of 1,122 passes for 9,636 yards with 49 touchdowns to 40 interceptions. Backing up Vernon Adams Jr. last year in BC, Evans made 71 of 103 passes for 829 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
I could see Nick Arbuckle as one who would be a good trail blazer for the Guardian Caps and don't see how they would hamper QB play the way they might a receiver although reality is probably almost zero performance consequence for all. At first glance for me they made the players look shorter.
Possibly a last minute marketing ploy to attract fans with the lead story on 3DN this morning. Argos have a strong O line that would help and Kadeem Carey. B.C. is their first test.
