Leos/Riders Keys to the Game

[Blitz]

The 0-2 Saskatchewan Riders will play our 0-1 B.C. Lions on Friday night at B.C. Place - our first home game of the season.

Both teams made significant coaching changes in the off-season. The Riders dismantled their coaching staff under Chamblin, releasing George Cortez and bringing in Jaques Chapdelaine as OC and Dan Dorazio as offensive line coach. The Riders also didn't bring Ritchie Hall back and instead hired Greg Quick out of Montreal and a bevy of new defensive assistants.

Here in B.C. we hired a new HC in Jeff Tedford, a new offensive coordinator in Cortez, and a new offensive line coach in Malone, who had coached the offensive line in Saskatchewan.

How has it looked early this season?? JaquesBall is off to a very early impressive start. Even with the loss of starter Darian Durrant in the Riders first game of the season the Riders offensive has been deadly, averaging over 500 yards a game in regulation. However, the Riders defense has been a different story so far in Riderville, with Quick's defense experiencing early stuggles.

In B.C. Travis Lulay started the season at quarterback but our Leos offensive struggles during pre-season continued in Ottawa, as our offence only scored one touchdown. We were able to move the football well offensively in the first half against the Redblacks but petered out in the fourth quarter.

I believe Kevin Glenn is more suited for a JaquesBall passing offence than Durrant because Chap's passing game is quick read, quick release, possession style type of passing attack. Glenn's stats reflect that, at least so far. Glenn, coming in for the injured Durrant has completed 79.3% of his passes for 587 yards and a 108.2 quarterback efficiency average.

Travis Lulay, in his first game showed that he could make all the different types of throws and lead the offence but struggled at times with accuracy and reading his receivers. Rust was expected and Lulay's 56.3% pass completed rate and his 79.4 quarterback efficiency average reflected that.

Here are my KEYS TO THE GAME. I look forward to reading yours.

OFFENCE

1. OPEN HOLES FOR THE RUNNING ATTACK

Travis Lulay's best strength comes off misdirection play action but in order to do that our offence needs to run the football successfully on first down. Last week we did one of our bes jobs of protecting our quarterback over the past two seasons but we struggled to create holes for Harris.

Using a change of pace tailback such as speedster Murray-Lawrence in an occasional rotation would give Harris a breather and also provide a different look at times.

USE THE H BACK

This is a new offence featuring an H Back (tight end) who can block and catch. Problem so far is that we really haven't integrated this new weapon effectively into our offence. This hybrid player is supposed to be more than a blocker. He can line up as a tight end, split end, slotback, go in motion, and especially be a big target that can brush block and go over the middle or use his size to shield off a defender and create individual mismatches. Nada so far and its time for this to start happening.

LULAY NEEDS TO BE BETTER

Travis Lulay has fought his way back through a long dedicated rehab to be back as our starter again. While we expect him to be rusty he needs to take a step up from his last game. If he is fading by the fourth quarter perhaps we need to rest him for a series or two to start the fourth quarter or perhaps we need to give him a break in the second or third quarter and bring him back for the fourth fresher.

Lulay looked to Arsenault and Colle in his first game. The Riders have looked at his tendencies. Lulay will need to get his other recievers involved early to negate the extra attention Arsenault and Collie should receive in the first quarter.

DEFENSE

GET INSIDE PENETRATION

Kevin Glenn is a much better quarterback than he was given credit for here on Lionbackers last season. Give him time and he is an accurate thrower who can dissect a defense, especially if his running game is also working well. He is a pocket style quarterback who, due to his accurate arm, will try to stick the football into tight windows. The key is inside pressure to take away passing lanes, compress the pocket, and force Glenn to throw more quickly than he wants to. He will take chances and pressure is the best way to cause Glenn to throw interceptions.

The positive news for our defense is that the Riders best receiver Ryan Smith, who had an eight catch
174-yard breakout game against Toronto will not be dressed. Smit had a 50-yard grab and a 28-yard touchdown to accompany a 41-yard leaping reception in his last game. Smith had 11 catches for 251 yards, an average of 22.8 yards per reception and with two touchdown catches, he is tied with Ernest Jackson of the Ottawa Redblacks and Tori Curley of Argonauts for the league lead. The Riders are without a major offensive weapon.

Still the Riders passing attack has been multi-dimensional so far and pressure is the key to our Leos not following the lead of the Riders opposition over their first two games and giving up over 500 yards. If our defense does that we will lose.

Brooks, Roh, and Menard will need to get better penetration this game.

TACKLE, TACKLE, TACKLE

Quite frankly our Leos tackling sucked against Ottawa and there was no excuse except a lack of tackling fundamentals by our defense. We have some outstanding hitters on our defense but the key is not to give up yak yards and have receivers and running backs break tackles due to poor form and bad angles. Its a matter of self-discipline.

PENALTIES, PENALTIES, PENALTIES

This key to the game resides under defense but penalites were a problem both offensively and defensively against Ottawa and many were the bad type of penalty such as offside and retaliation. Once again its a matter of focus and self-discipline. Stupid penalties kill drives on offence and enable an opposition offence to sustain drives that could have been stopped on defense. They often take away potential points, cause opposition points to be scored and they can be morale killers when a great play is nullified.

WRAP

Both teams have a lot to play for. Our Leos need to win to gain confidence and create some fan enthusiasm again. The Riders need to win to get their season untracked, dispite some impressive offensive outings. Both sides have offensive coordinators and offensive line coaches with something to prove. Tedford is looking for his first win as a CFL Head Coach, after a lot of early excitement about his hiring.

Both teams should be highly motivated. This will be a game that should really be worth watching!! Go Leos!

[WestCoastJoe]

Good, detailed summary, Blitz.

Pressure the QB. Agree that Kevin Glenn is a much better QB than given credit. We gave him very little help last year. In the pocket he can be deadly. We even saw that when he was with Calgary.

Stop the run. Messam is going to be running hard.

Protect the QB. Pretty good last game, for a thoroughly revamped O Line.

Running game. Play calls. Blocking. I tend to not blame Andrew Harris for the walls he has run into in the last couple of years. No runner that I know of can make yards on his own, running where there are no holes, with guys ready and waiting.

STs? Expectations are not too high, although Mini Shaq looks good.

[BC 1988]

This game, (and the rematch next week) is so important to set the tone for both teams' seasons. There are so many elements in play, from the swapping of OFF coaching staff to McCallum really wanting to prove the Lions wrong. If he gets the opportunities, he will be clutch on any FG's and converts he's called upon to do. Not having to do punting will help him do that.

Travis needs to show he can play effectively for 60 minutes. We saw him play 30 at UBC, and 45 at OTT. If he can't, they better make a game plan that uses Jennings strengths to spell him.

Jacques Chapdelaine and Dorazio really didn't miss a beat in having to retool for a no-Durant season (A lot better than what Glenn received from them last season. But I think they have better supporting cast in SSK to make that happen now). Messam looked unstoppable, but I think our D is better than WPG and TOR.

The Riders D has been serviceable, but not rock solid. BC better be able to get their ground game on track (or the H-Back we've heard so much about), the chance is there.

[Toppy Vann]

Great comments on this and the other thread on this game (not sure why they aren't combined).


QB & BC Offence

I think Lulay has been given a bit of a brad wrap for the 4th Q and how he has to be better. I don't think he could have been better as he hasn't had the players open other QBs have had. Quite frankly this group of REC as a group don't look as impressive as several others teams have like the ALS, OTT, RIDERS - granted Ryan Smith is done this week so it will change.

I don't see the committed play makers that both OTT and the ALS are showing in their offences so far.

Play calling wasn't exactly brilliant last week.

Running Game:

It seems BC is doomed in this department. Another coaching staff who doesn't see the need to run and vary the themes when you do. I like the idea of Bitz to use the other speedy guy at times too.

H-Back:

It sounded good but I suspect they're not using it as they can't let Lulay get hit and protecting him is more important than bringing this position into the attack.

Tackling & Penalties:

Both can be better and easy to fix as these are both based on commitment and discipline. Not sure why Tedford's culture tolerated this even in pre-season - other than for new rules.

Why are their free riders on the D? That is the question.

[Sir Purrcival]

We can forget the blitzing LB stuff to try and get pressure. Glenn is a 3 step QB and is usually quick to get rid of the ball.

The front 4 is going to have to get better pressure and do a better job of clogging up the running lanes. If they don't, blitzing the LB's will only open up space for their receivers.
They should also put their arms up if they can't get to him. His passing trajectory is fairly shallow and because he is short it is quite possible to get lots of knockdowns on him. As for the rest, well, I think it has all ready been covered (courtesy of Blitz). The Riders took Toronto to the very limit last weekend and I think they got a bit unlucky for all that. I don't think we are even close to Toronto's level right now so I am not especially hopeful about tomorrow night but stranger things have happened.

[David]

This game concerns me. Trevor Harris threw darts all over the field last week and it still took double overtime for the Double Blue to come out on top. Ottawa (albeit on short rest) was completely manhandled by the Esks tonight. Burris felt a lot more pressure and couldn't get untracked. The Redblacks were sliced and diced by the run and the pass - something we were just not able to do last week.

Saskatchewan thinks they're a better team than 0-2 - and they probably are - and will be out to prove it. Their defense is under scrutiny due to the number of yards + points they've given up, so expect a hungry, fired-up group to put a lot of pressure on, and have blitz packages for Travis.

If we don't get pressure on Kevin Glenn (they have a big, talented O-line), and can't wrap up Jerome Messam, the second hardest back in the league to tackle, this one could be over early. To me, the outcome of this game largely rests on the shoulders of our D-line. Expect Glenn to test Clarke, big time. I also don't like the fact that two veterans in Phillips and Courtney Taylor are out for this game with Iannuzzi nursing a sore hamstring.


DH

[Toppy Vann]

There is the very real chance that the Lions are just not a very good football team any longer.

BUT with a new HC, PATIENCE is essential. Especially one whose days in the CFL were a long time ago. Trestman took time to adjust too. He'd take time to adjust too if he came back to a new team.

If the Lions and the Riders aren't fired up to get a W, we shall be in a tough start to the year.

I couldn't see the game as I was busy but OTT from the lowlights looked like they expected just to turn up and get to 3 and 0 without the effort.

The media spin will be all season the lower bowl issue.

[Blitz]

Play calling wasn't exactly brilliant last week.Toppy Vann

Right now it seems like our offence is structured to protect Lulay. But unfortunately that is also restrictive. Lulay is at his best when he is mobile, throwing off the sprint out or misdirection play action and finding his open receiver that way or dumping to Harris or taking off downfield. Against Ottawa we had him in the pocket while using an extra blocker in pass protection.

In terms of our run game we didn't open a lot of holes for Harris but Harris himself said he missed hitting a couple of open holes that could have gone for big gainers and that his rust had shown.

As I look at our receiving crew for this season I believe we are better, in terms of Arsenault being back at short side wide receiver (he is not a slot style receiver) and Collie, at wideside slot is much better than Gore at that position. Collie is an excellent route runner who brings an import set of receiving skills while being a National reciever. Gore is an upgrade at wide side outside receiver over Iannuzzi.

The question marks are Burnham at the ranger slot position (Taylor is injured) and Morrah at tight end. At the ranger slot position, following Simon's departure, we had Nick Moore play the position and lose him to free agency and then we moved Arsenault there for most of last season and then finally inserted the misused and underutilized Ernest Jackson there towards the end of last season, where his size, hands, and toughness over the middle were displayed before we lost him to free agency.

Burnham had a very good camp but he hasn't played enough to know if he can be the answer. Taylor has shown that he can play slot and has been moved to the ranger spot for this season but we haven't seen him play there yet.

For me, the key to our new offence is Morrah. If his role becomes mostly one of being a blocking tight end, we will have restricted our passing game even more. I was excited about the potential of our new offence this season. The spread formation is past its best before date and has been for a long time now. But using a tight end system (as Chap used about 50% of the time from 2011 on, either using Lumbala or an extra offensive lineman) without the tight end being an integral part of the passing attack is not the answer either.

This season, Tedford went out and recruited new big, natural tight ends who can block, run effective patterns, go deep as well as short, and catch the football. Morrah won the competition. But for our offence to be effective, the tight end has to be a weapon in the offence.

I also believe Lulay is a quarterback who is more designed for an offence using a tight end or H Back system. An NFL analogy would be Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson. Payton Manning was designed for the spead offene. He is a quick read, quick release pocket quarterback. Russell Wilson is not. He was designed for Seattle's tight end and multi-formational system.

Kevin Glenn, while being restricted size wise and mobility wise, brings a skill set that favors a quick progression read possession offence that Chap likes to use in his passing game. Lulay's skill set favors the read option, misdirection play action semi-boots, quick sprint out pass plays, and getting outside the box using 'chip' blocking, so he can have a split field while having options for layered routes, including throwing to Harris underneath, or taking off upfield. Those concepts were what made Lulay so effective and dangourous when he won the MOP award in 2011.

Right now, those are things we don't have. What we don't know at this point is whether that is 1) to protect Lulay or 2)whether that is the style of offence Tedford and Cortez want to run this season or 3) whether we haven't opened up the offence yet. As we play more games, as we become more comfortable with Lulay's shoulder, and as Lulay becomes more comfortable starting again, we're going to find out.

Yet, I'm less worried about our offence than our defense, even though our offence has not looked effective so far in pre-season and against Ottawa. We have a lot of talent at linebacker and defensive back. The problematic safety position for too many seasons now looks to be solved. Our defensive line is a question mark. But to me, the most worrying aspect of our defense is Mark Washington.

When we jettisoned Stubler and Chap I was very worried about who we replaced them with - Khari Jones and Mark Washington. Khari turned out to be a disaster and Washington's defense fell apart at the end of last year but he was retained in his DC position.

Washingon's body of work this season and whether he grows or not, is a real key as to our future success or lack thereof, while our new offence hopefully gets up to speed.

[David]

Lulay's skill set favors the read option, misdirection play action semi-boots, quick sprint out pass plays, and getting outside the box using 'chip' blocking, so he can have a split field while having options for layered routes, including throwing to Harris underneath, or taking off upfield. Those concepts were what made Lulay so effective and dangourous when he won the MOP award in 2011.

This is what has me concerned, Blitz. Lulay's game is definitely more Wilson than Manning, but every time he steps out of the pocket, we're holding our collective breath. Yet that's where he's most effective!

Do we know whether Lulay's shoulder is susceptible to throwing on the run (i.e. from a rollout) vs planting his feet (i.e. the 3 step drop)? Specifically, I am thinking about the mechanics and the torque involved in his shoulder.


DH

[Blitz]

Lulay's skill set favors the read option, misdirection play action semi-boots, quick sprint out pass plays, and getting outside the box using 'chip' blocking, so he can have a split field while having options for layered routes, including throwing to Harris underneath, or taking off upfield. Those concepts were what made Lulay so effective and dangourous when he won the MOP award in 2011.

This is what has me concerned, Blitz. Lulay's game is definitely more Wilson than Manning, but every time he steps out of the pocket, we're holding our collective breath. Yet that's where he's most effective!

Do we know whether Lulay's shoulder is susceptible to throwing on the run (i.e. from a rollout) vs planting his feet (i.e. the 3 step drop)? Specifically, I am thinking about the mechanics and the torque involved in his shoulder. DH

I certainly don't David but the mechanics and torque should actually be easier for Lulay throwing on the run.... unless he was throwing against his body or against the grain of the play. I have always believed that Lulay's success in throwing on the run was in part, due to his natural ability to do so... plus the fact that he throws off his front foot on the run. There are times when he is in the pocket and doesn't have a good lane in front of him, he sometimes doesn't step up enough into his throws and throws slightly off his back foot, which can impact his accuracy.

When Lulay throws on the run, he also tends to hold the football higher before he throws and therefore has a shorter windup and more accuracy.

Tedford has said that Lulay can make all the throws now and I assume that to be true.

Its a tough question David in terms of whether our coaches let Lulay step out of the pocket (and we all hold our collective breaths as you noted) or keep him in the pocket as the best way to protect him.

Quarterbacks get hurt in the pocket too, most often from blindside hits or a hit to the knee or being pulled down from behind. The pocket isn't always the safest place either. At least on the outside or on the run you can see the defensive player coming up and make an adjustment that you can't always make in the pocket, with defensive bodies coming from a variety of angles.

Obviously there is no easy answer.

Lulay can throw successfully from the pocket just like Kevin Glenn can throw the sprint out pass. But that's not Glenn's greatest strength. Glenn's strength is the quick release from the pocket, if he has a lane to throw and Lulay's strength is his dual ability outside the pocket.

I realize its a different scenario due to Lulay's shoulder injury but it used to drive me crazy in the old days of ChapBall when Chap tried to force Printers to be a pocket passing spread offence quarterback. That style of offence was great for Dickenson but not for Printers.

I believe you have to tailor an offence for your personell and especially your style of quarterback. The spread was an offensive style that was tailor made for a Dickenson, a Cavillo, or a Danny McMannus style of quarterback. A pro offensive style is much more suitable for a Joe Kapp, a Henry Burris (at least in his prime) and a Travis Lulay.

I just hope that we will be able to see more of that old swash buckling Travis again (while sliding down quickly to avoid taking a hit) at some point.

[B.C.FAN]

I was encouraged by Lulay's game against Ottawa and in the preseason against Edmonton. He not only showed that he can make all the throws but he did not hesitate in running when necessary. Against Ottawa he ran twice for 11 yards and went down with a hook slide both times before being hit. If he can keep doing that while improving his timing at game speed with his new receivers, he could have a longer and more successful season than many people were expecting.

I'm still concerned about Harris's indecisiveness and lack of burst in the running game but he has acknowledged the issue and admitted that he is not yet 100%. He looked much better as a receiver than as a runner last week because he was able to accelerate in space and take on tacklers. He needs to do more of that the backfield as a runner.

[Qman]

I was encouraged by Lulay's game against Ottawa and in the preseason against Edmonton. He not only showed that he can make all the throws but he did not hesitate in running when necessary. Against Ottawa he ran twice for 11 yards and went down with a hook slide both times before being hit. If he can keep doing that while improving his timing at game speed with his new receivers, he could have a longer and more successful season than many people were expecting.

I'm still concerned about Harris's indecisiveness and lack of burst in the running game but he has acknowledged the issue and admitted that he is not yet 100%. He looked much better as a receiver than as a runner last week because he was able to accelerate in space and take on tacklers. He needs to do more of that the backfield as a runner.

don't think you will see that burst from Harris until mid season. its a full 12 month rehab for that injury, even though you can play after 6-8mos.

More concerned with the line play. We can't keep getting dominated there or will be 0-5 in no time.

[Sir Purrcival]

Well, I think that the Lions will need to be inept for almost the entire game on Offense, then score a whole whack of points to force overtime.
The D will need to play their usual soft game while allowing the Riders to make some head scratching calls and finally the officiating will need to help.

Now if I had only said that before the game