Yes, I expected more.
I thought hiring Jeff Tedford based on where he had come from was a very astute move by Wally Buono especially after his Mike B hire. Good all around choice and you need a strong leader at the top to turn it around. I knew he didn't have the instant CFL smarts of a Kent Austin who had just flunked out as an Argo OC only to be hired astutely by Eric Tillman who knows too what it takes to win and got a guy who could lead both coaches and players.
1. Did I expect him to magically turn it around brilliantly and run the board?
No, as even Trestman took time to adjust and he's been gone a long, long time from the CFL and the coaching standards in the CFL today have never been higher in Austin, Milanovich, etc.
2. Did I expect him to focus better on team philosophy, direction to coaching staff and coaching them up and quickly instill a performance oriented culture with both individual and team collective accountability?
Yes as that is the role of HC and on this he is getting failing grades from me.
There is a lack of character and team leadership in the core of this team and he seems to be unaware. He should have been finding out from Paul Mc Kevin Glenn even before he signed - what went on in BC. He's got leaders like Harris who was one of the visible quitters last game sitting on the bench thinking who knows what. REC as a group. I'd trade the lot of them for any group in the CFL now as they have no fight, no desire, no character.
I'd have then not gutted the room of the Tim Browns unless he couldn't play which we know he can as there is something lacking in this team and it keeps showing up. It's about them as individuals. Travis too surely sees it and knows it.
No team game can be won (soccer or football) without a strong core group of top performers who are extensions of the coaching staff when it comes to accountability and the best HC's know that they too are accountable to the team for bad decisions and these top coaches 'fess up if they make a bad call and it not defensible and they commit to listen if it is a bad call rather than blindly execute a 3 and 4.
3. Was I surprised by anything based on what I knew of his background listening to him interview or his prior roles at university?
Yes. I didn't hear a clear, coherent philosophy of what he was going to establish in his team and it's not getting clearer as they muddle along.
The H back and up tempo was - well okay sounds interesting - but is this based on what his new OC was suggesting or was this something that he just thinks might be a good idea? I didn't feel then - nor do I see it yet - a clear difference in thinking from what Cortez has been known for.
I sort of thought it sounded like Tedford was suggesting he'd call the plays (which said to me this guy is nuts as he's not been in the CFL for years and how does he think he knows better than guys who know the opposing coaches, their tendencies and their players? I know that didn't happen but it was naive and a bad sign he doesn't grasp his role.
4. Was this a bad thing? Retaining his DC and ST coaches and K. Jones?
No as I felt there is a budget and it might be a problem but even if there is no budget some continuity is good and he's an experienced HC who can instil in the staff preseason exactly what he stands for, what he wants and how it wants things done.
But I am disappointed that he has not seemed to set the philosophy, tone and accountability culture and then let the coaches come to him with their schemes and thoughts. If he has it's been ignored and that's his job to get fixed immediately. His job is to ensure that the schemes etc that the coaches want to employ meet the right tests. He has failed a bit here although we're not 0 and 7. He is the coach of the coaches as a key role as HC. He then lets them coach but has overall direction and philosophy and monitoring. Austin/Milanovich style.
What Tedford should have done in keeping former coaches is hold accountability off season sessions where both O and D coaches must review the season's schemes and pick them apart. Might not be pleasant but force all to be honest as he was really new to the CFL. If the schemes are then accepted with no issues, then there'd be consequences for those not telling it like it is.
5. Was I surprised by his personnel decisions?
Yes.
Cutting guys like Logan and Brown without seeing them in action is surprising. Not sure why Marsh is such a pariah but I'd have been inclined to ask for him to come to TC (unless there is some HGH issue as some Lion on Twitter alleged IIRC. I trust I recall that right as I don't want to falsely accuse anyone of anything. )
Letting Bighill fall back into coverage? That's a bad high school coaching decision to try and get too much out of your best players. I'm shocked he lets that happen,
6. Were there any signs off season that this might not be a successful HC quickly?
Yes, when I was reading that the HC was personally teaching Travis Lulay how to fall etc I was horrified. You might direct your offensive staff to do that a certain way especially Khari Jones who has played QB in the league more recently than he has but if this is how you spend HC valuable time that's an Oh Oh for me.
7. What needs to happen?
First off Jeff Tedford needs to get back to his job - set the tone, accountability, etc.
He might first get a compilation of the TSN shot of his bench during the debacle so they can see in the mirror what it looks like to fans who pay to watch them play.
You won't create a motivating culture by focusing on the negatives but show that bit of video high-lites like holding the mirror up in front of each of their faces.
This looks to everyone fellows like you've quit. Quit on yourself, quit on your team mates, quit on this organization, its coaches and its fans. We get it - you're down. We've all been there but leadership is when there is adversity and it is unacceptable to the HCand this organization and our GM that players quit in a game.
Travis was hooked but he stood there and helped Beck out - if others too did - point them out. A HC expects no less than that in every game, on every down even if you're not in the play.
He then has to say, that he never wants to address the team like that and he won't as this is not going to happen as long as he is HC.
Then - and now comes the hard part - he has to tell them the things that will be focused on in this short week to be ready for the Als. Here he has to take some accountability as does the staff.
