Changes you'd like to see over the bye week

[Toppy Vann]

Talk about an indictment of this entire coaching staff.

LU gets the insider view from Andrew Harris! Wow.. It's a roast.

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Ullri ... story.html

I focus on the leadership roles in the coaches and the team first. x and o's come later. But as LU says it's all bad.

But LU's pre Als column here foreshadowed this loss:

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/footb ... story.html

Tedford is THE leadership issue. Wally needs to get this fixed or return to the field and get some fire in there.

[B.C.FAN]

Yes, Harris has seen it all before, and he's right. We've all seen the flaws in the offensive and defensive schemes.

Harris seemed convinced Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez heard his plea, suggesting change is coming.

“People will see after this bye week. This was a rude awakening in the sense of what we need to do,” Harris said. “It’s tough to get anywhere (when you’re a tailback) playing O-line. I would like to be in situations where I’m free-releasing. When you burn them on a slip screen, they can’t blitz. Defences are going to make plays, but if you’re running at full speed, you’ll be successful. That has to be the mindset.”

[Qman]

- Dump the TE - he can't get open, drops the ball to much and blocks poorly for a TE. Dress burnham instead
- sign a real NT disrupter (bolden, taylor, even mitchel)

[Toppy Vann]

Excellent suggestions, David and BCFAN.

Digging our way out of the rubble. It has to start somewhere. Would that the Lions' brass had your vision.

Thanks WCJ, but mine are merely personnel changes. Cosmetic. Lipstick on a pig. Problems seem to run much deeper than that. As you, BCFAN, MLF (and many others - including football guys in the local media) correctly point out, the REAL changes required are scheme (and a personnel upgrades in key areas), yet the guy at the top is resistant to change. I ask somewhat rhetorically, do the assistants report to Tedford, or is Buono driving this bus?

I am less critical than some of #84 for his ill-advised, heat-of-the-moment post-game comments. The larger issue: where was the club in all this to put out the fire? I blame Jamie Cartmell, who's supposed to be the club's Communications Director. He needed to immediately alert Tedford and Buono after this blew up on TSN1040 Thursday night. The 4 of them needed to huddle in Buono's office Friday morning (or at the very least Cartmell needed to coach Arceneaux one-on-one) for damage control. "This is what you're going to say....."

It was evident to me that when Manny went back on TSN1040 Friday afternoon that NO ONE from the Lions had spoken to him. There was no script. He was riffing.


DH

No excuses. This is on Manny the Mouth - all of it. His backing down sort of was Moj and his co host putting words in Manny's mouth. He said it, he believes it - he stinks it.

You can fault the club for not getting to the player to give him some advice but you cannot tell him what to say. He has rights under the CA too and they can't risk that being the story with a loose lipped guy like that.

It's like when the video on the Eagles REC Riley Cooper came out and he was told by the GM etc to go outside now and face the media. Cooper did that with no notes, no script, no agent, no advisors, no team mates and said from the heart that is not the son his parents raised. He was rightly apologetic. He then said he'd be facing the team that evening (?) I think it was - he then left - no entourage - nobody giving him an escape route. This was all IMMEDIATE this surfaced and blew up.

Manny had over night to get his act together and he is a disgrace to his team. I have never, ever seen anything like this from a BC Lion player in person or in private (I've known a lot of CFLers back in the day as friends and colleagues and none spoke even in private like that). There is something really wrong with this guy. Is he channeling Khalif Mitchell or something worse? Classless and only a legend in his own mind - not in the CFL.

__

It sounds from LU's column that my suspicions are right. Leadership from the HC - misplaced priorities etc.

As a management consultant and a former senior exec with a lot of acting CEO experience as well as coaching kids and men that the tone starts from the top. Something is not right here.

The pre Als LU take was something I missed.

___

How to fix something this bad and trending to the tank when it starts with Jeff Tedford and not a strong leader behind him.

GM's ROLE:

In business the CEO or GM in this case would have 1 on 1s with a lot of folks including team leaders and espec. Lulay and top defenders to find out first hand what's going on. It can be done with the statement - no one is losing their job. It is not done in football but business it works or they bring in a consultant or two. They are not going to fire Tedford although based on what's happening he deserves it more than did Tom Higgins.

The doomsday is fire and Wally take over. It won't happen in Braley's team and that doesn't help you long term as the Als are going to prove. They got the rabbit once in Trestman and it is not easy to do it again.

TONE and PERFORMANCE ORIENTATION

Number 1 priority.

The 'we're all together' isn't working. Either fire the HC or take WB take it over if JT is not fit to lead and maybe there is a carry over from the medical situation but this needs fixing.

PLAYER LEADERSHIP

The lack of a strong core of players with character is tougher to fix as they gutted the character with Logan and Brown on offense/STs and Marsh was long ago a pariah for reasons that maybe Manny A spoke of on twitter. I do not know.

Can they bring some in.... I doubt the NFL will do it for them.

DEF SCHEMES AND PERSONNEL PRIORITY

Wally should be calling in Dave Ritchie to take over the DEF OR at least Ritchie to consult ASAP. Ritchie is short term but who else is out there?

> Ritchie could settle it all down if given the authority to make MW accountable and change things up. Model the way forward and rub out the egos with these sideline strutters that BC seems to attract like MB, MW.
This won't happen but it'd be a way to save MW's job but teams don't believe in salvation. They fire the HC.

OFFENSE

It's got to be re-tooled. Lulay needs to have some input.

George either runs an offense to this guy's skill set or fire this guy .. but again who is out there now?

STs

That is personnel and coaching but finding some kick returner might be easier.

[InUrFace]

David, thanks for starting a thread such as this. These are all good suggestions that might "tinker" with the symptoms of the Lion's problems, but they do NOT address the CORE ISSUES that are quickly killing this franchise. Unless RADICAL systemic changes occur, along with player reassignments and new additions tinkering won't change a thing, IMO.

I have the solution to everyones problem. Fire Wally. Bring in a GM who cares about the team and the players. We need new blood there and far most. Then Jeff will be free of the muppet strings that Wally has been having on coaches since he stepped down as one. Cortez would start running a offense the way it should be and Washington would be fired either by the new GM or Jeff. Mcmann same thing. Without Wally stepping down or being fired this franchise is doomed and football maybe gone from this city. If Wally continues doing what he has been and what he hasnt then there will be no change. period.

[WestCoastJoe]

Reading LU's article, as posted above ...

Wally had no answers: "I wish I knew." He did give the coaches a project. Self scout.

Harris had some ideas.

The fans have some ideas.
................

Defence has been discussed in great detail in the other thread. MLF noted that our defence is set up to prevent the embarrassment of long plays. Ironic. It allows them in abundance. Everyone back. Farther. Farther. Maybe we can stop them now. Chris R is so far back he is almost never in a play. I recall last year J.R. LaRose about 30 yards deep, no one near him, having to contend with the goal post. LOL The system is a shambles. It reminds me of someone with a paranoia of something, but their actions invite the result they abhor. Afraid of big plays? Getting back deeper and deeper is not the answer. Look at Hamilton. They attack the LOS. They create turnovers. They look like the Chicago Bears under DC Buddy Ryan.

STs? Chuckie. He was ready to retire. Young ST coaches practically grow on trees. In a heartless business he was kept on, no doubt benefiting from the presence of Wally.

Offence. The big surprise. As noted in detail by Blitz, we are running a conservative package, which does not capitalize on the strengths of Lulay. We do not take advantage of teams stacking the box. They shut down the run with the extra men, and they generate pressure on the QB. At this time, it looks like George Cortez is far from a creative offensive thinker. Nor do we see any of that from Tedford.

...............

Personnel.

We rely on Andrew Harris for 55% or more of our offence. What if he gets nicked again? If we had better National depth we could back up Harris with Internationals. They are abundant and skilled.

Our drafting has become very problematic. Our National depth is seemingly light years behind the league leaders. Dorazio is gone, but he has left a disaster area in the O Line. Needing to start 3 Ints in the O Line in this league is a head shaker. Safety? Cauchy Muamba is starting for another team. He has physical talent. We could not coach him up to speed?
.............

The hidden item ...

Old boys network. Old boys thinking. We saw it with the promotion of Mike Benevides. We see it with the rise of Mark Washington. Good bye Rich Stubler. And we have seen the worst defence in the league under Mark W. Chuck McM is an old boy in Wally's world. And now, most surprisingly, Jeff Tedford is seeming like one of Wally's old boys. Conservative as can be. Not creative. Stuck without answers. The old stuff ain't working, and we have nowhere to look beyond old stuff.

As noted many times, the competition is tough out there. Hufnagel, Austin, Milanovich. Jones. These are masterful coaches. Jones is showing signs of vulnerability, but his defence is going to take them as far as they can go.

Hopes for a turnaround? A little bit. Not enough to get excited. Wins and losses are the ultimate arbiter.

[Dusty]

I think the time to change players is mid-season..... the time to change coaches is after the season.

First, in the bye week, we need to have another look at a speedy WR, and have him work with John Beck during the bye week (because Beck is the only QB who can get a long pass off more than once a game.) Opposing safety's do not even worry about covering our WR (Gore) because they know the ball ain't going there. Having a WR AND QB that can go long will open up the middle and with Gore moved from WR into Manny's position, he can easily replace Arceneaux who should be used only if an injury crops up.

Second, we need to have plays where the receivers run to the line and not stop and look around at Tedford Jr. for the plays. We stopped that ridiculous scheme in the Montreal game but replaced it with the no-motion "stand at the line and run with the snap of the ball". We need motion towards the line of scrimmage and also crossing the field. Having a WR that has speed and a 6 yard head of steam AND a QB that can throw deep will clear out the DB's and open the field for running, for screens, for dump passes and for crossing routes....C'mon, guys, its the CFL!!! Get some MOTION going.

Third, we need to practice a screen pass..... and practice and practice it until people know how to execute it. Last game, that play was embarrassing.

On Defense...... sorry, but I'm too tired to even get started on that one.....

[dat]

I'd Like to see the Lions trade Arcenaux for a defensive lineman, maybe someone like Toronto`s Canadian DL Daryl Waud. Not only does BC need an upgrade in talent but they need to get some character players and leaders. Guys that we used to have like Brent Johnson and Dante Marsh. I was glad when Printers got released after his on field tantrum throwing his helmet and yelling at a team mate. Manny seems more interested in The Manny Show than trying to win.

dat

[TheLionKing]

Somewhat encouraged that Andrew Harris took it upon himself to have a candid chat with Tedford. Hope something positive comes from this meeting but I highly doubt it.

Wally's statement that "I wish I knew" what's wrong with the Lions is startling. How can you right the ship if you don't know what's wrong ?

[David]

STs? Chuckie. He was ready to retire. Young ST coaches practically grow on trees. In a heartless business he was kept on, no doubt benefiting from the presence of Wally.

While not a long term solution, we could do worse than bringing Tom Higgins in to coach up the Special Teams, provide more leadership, and be an extra set of eyes, then have Chuck McMann just in charge of running backs. Our Special Teams, while never a strong suit this year (apart from Leone's phenomenal punting) has been badly exposed lately. We're only getting 8.9 yards per punt return, while giving up 10.8 yards. And only 19.9 yards on kick-offs, while opponents get an average of 22.6 yards per kick-off. Granted, this is not a massive chasm, but we're definitely trending in the WRONG direction these past few games.

Typically, opponents kick to about our 10 yard line. We take it up to the 25 or 30 yard line, then a hold takes it back to the shadows of our goalposts. Then Lulay will try to nickel and dime us down the field because we can't get chunk yards, usually a hand-off to Harris on first down for 3 yards, then we're faced with 2nd and long. And we all know pressure is coming....

Also, any clue as why the only guy on the team who's shown that he's capable of breaking a long one on kick returns - is seldom put back there?


DH

[MexicoLionFan]

“It’s like Groundhog Day actually,” Harris said. “We need to dictate. Our game plan is set up to protect the quarterback, and that’s important. But we have to change if we want to turn this thing around. I can’t stand to see (us) waiting to see what they do. That’s not how you play offence.”

Isn't this what I and many others here have been saying for YEARS in BC? What gives when you can bring in 3 regimes and NOTHING CHANGES? There has only been one constant, Wally and his Coaching friends. The remarks I made after the game are almost identical to what Andrew Harris had the courage to say publicly. You play football by ATTACKING, that's what football is...you play on your toes and not your heals. This Lion's team is so far back on their heals that the players are looking up at the dome! How is it that us fans and Andrew Harris have to be the ones coming up with sound ideas to attack opponents? There is a MAJOR problem with the Lions.

BCFAN suggested earlier that only tweaks were needed to be done with the Lions and referenced the 2011 team...there is LITTLE TO NO comparison between the two Lion teams. Fans on this site were ripping Wally in 2011 after that poor start because we knew we possessed a championship calibre defence and lots of talent on offence with a very good/mobile QB and a dynamic runner in Harris. MAJOR systemic changes were made BCFAN to that team in game 8. Stubler began to run the Defence instead of MB and Chapdelaine overhauled the Offensive mindset...he suddenly began to design plays that played to the strengths of his players...surprise, surprise the Lions began to control the LOS and TOP!

[MexicoLionFan]

Somewhat encouraged that Andrew Harris took it upon himself to have a candid chat with Tedford. Hope something positive comes from this meeting but I highly doubt it.

Wally's statement that "I wish I knew" what's wrong with the Lions is startling. How can you right the ship if you don't know what's wrong ?

Wally did a similar thing in 2011 with the coaches and it was widely speculated by LU that it was a last step before Assistants started to lose their jobs...hopefully the same is true here. The Lions aren't going anywhere, even with new players, until the mindset of the this football team dramatically changes!

[B.C.FAN]

If you strip away the varying degrees of venom directed at Wally and certain members of the coaching staff, I think most of us are on the same page, and have been saying some of the same things that Wally said to the coaching staff about self-scouting and that Andrew Harris said to the coaching staff about playing an attacking style of football. I'm hopeful that we'll see some changes after the bye week.

MLF raised an interesting point about the 2011 team. It possessed an experienced, championship-level defence and a highly mobile quarterback with an emerging running back in Harris and two top-notch receivers in Geroy Simon and in-season acquisition Arland Bruce. This team has nowhere near the talent and experience of the 2011 team. The secondary is young and unproven, the defensive line, apart from Khreem Smith, is young and unproven (to put it charitably) and the linebacking corps has a big hole where MOP Solomon Elimimian used to play. Even with midseason changes in scheme and personnel, a reasonable goal for the 2015 team is just to make the playoffs.

[pennw]

I think it would not hurt to bring in Tom Higgins now that he's been let go in Montreal and have him on as a consultant . Seeing as his Team just did a dismantling of BC , a first for the ALS in 15 years at BC , it would be interesting to have our Coaching staff hear him on his view of BC as an opponent . To analyze their weaknesses for them from the perspective of an opposing head coach who just prepped a Team against them and beat them badly .

[FEAR_THE_ROAR]

if you think there actually is going to be changes you're crazy lol. Back in our grey cup year we didn't fire any coaches, trade any of our big name players away or really cut anyone, and thats when we didn't win a game, so what makes you think well do something now? The biggest thing we did was bring in Arland and there is no one who we can bring in this year.

They are in love with Antolin (don't know why)
Wont trade Manny
won't fire DC
won't replace gore

This is why we're in a hole