Some excerpts from the article by Ed Willes ...
But if this game was meaningless to the standings, its deeper, more symbolic meaning was hard to miss. This offseason, Lions’ stalwarts Lulay, Andrew Harris, Manny Arceneaux and Jovan Olafioye are all scheduled to become free agents which, coupled with the Lions’ 7-11 record and all those new starters, underscores the uncertain nature of their future.
The good news, of course, is the emergence of Jonathon Jennings as the team’s starting quarterback, and if that was the only positive development from 2015, the season would still be considered a runaway success. Jennings changes so many things for this franchise. He gives them a potential star at the game’s most important position. He gives the team a fresher, more energized look. He gives it a young star to market.
Throw in a defence which introduced at least three breakout players this season in defensive tackles Mic’hael Brooks and Zach Minter and cornerback Ronnie Yell and will have Adam Bighill and Solomon Elimimian at linebacker next season, and the least you can is the Lions have some pieces in place.
In Calgary, it starts with John Hufnagel. In Hamilton, it’s Kent Austin. Chris Jones is a little different animal in Edmonton, but he has a comparable influence on the Eskimos.
Then there’s the Lions. As a first-year CFL head coach, Jeff Tedford gets something of a pass, but there were also acute growing pains, pains which Hufnagel and Austin didn’t experience.
The laundry list? Some of Tedford’s personnel decisions were curious. If Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez were on the same page, it didn’t show for stretches of the season. The Lions’ failure to close out games in the second half, ultimately, falls to the head coach.
There’s also the role of Wally Buono to consider. This has been Buono’s show since he arrived from Calgary in 2003, but this year, he had to listen to another voice. Was that an adjustment for both men? Was their partnership successful?
We repeat, the Lions were 7-11 this season.
It’s a similar story off the field. This was Dennis Skulsky’s sixth season as the team’s president, and if this market is buying what his administration is selling, you’d have a hard time proving it by the attendance figures. The team is also for sale and Skulsky is thought to be heading up one of the groups.