Lionbackers.com

One of the greats

https://www.tsn.ca/former-stamps-qb-kee ... 8-1.973920

He was slender and IIRC sort of like Jackie Parker's build.

Good player and not very old to pass on like this.

Those were the days of DBs and QBs playing both sides of the ball.

Game is different now. It seems more these days who start football later don't come with both sides of the ball skills.

Will forever be remembered for the 1971 Grey Cup at Empire Stadium, delivering the Stamps their first Grey Cup in 23 years. Two very slim quarterbacks in that game. Keeling , who could escape from a jail cell sideways, against Argos rookie, "Skinny Joe" Theismann. I always thought Keeling and Ti-Cat DB Garney Henley looked more like chartered accountants than pro athletes. Great football players though!




DH

Jerry Keeling and Wayne Harris. Great players. They were both quiet types. Shy, almost, in interviews. But the fires burned inside.

God bless.

Toppy Vann wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:04 pm

He was slender and IIRC sort of like Jackie Parker's build.

Good player and not very old to pass on like this.

Those were the days of DBs and QBs playing both sides of the ball.

Game is different now. It seems more these days who start football later don't come with both sides of the ball skills.

Keeling didn't even become the Calgary starter until 1969, his 9th season with the Stamps. That was when Peter Liske bolted the Stamps to play for the Denver Broncos. By the time he inherited the starting QB job Keeling already had 5 CFL West All-Star awards and 3 CFL All-Star awards as a DB. I don't know if his play as backup QB to "Eagle" Day and later Liske played a small role in voting but nonetheless it was remarkable to go from all-star DB to starting QB. He might not have earned any all-star nominations at QB but from my recollection he was pretty good at it. I would have gladly taken him to replace Paul Brothers.

Passing games certainly were different then. Today's QBs are much more proficient at protecting the ball. The "Little General" Ron Lancaster tossed more picks (396) than TDs (333) in his 19 year career. He never threw fewer than 20 interceptions in the final decade of his career and those were 16 game seasons. It was the same for Keeking with 117 TD passes and 157 INTs. In Keeling's first 3 seasons as Stampeder starter he threw for 46 TDs but added 66 passes picked off and came out of it with a ring. Regardless he was the undisputed #1 in Cowtown. In today's game that usually earns you a seat on the bench or the bus out of town.

Just remember, this was back in the day when the running game was more important. It was a vital part of the offence, not a tactic that was used every now and then to set up the pass. I always recall an old coach's comment (not sure who this is attributed to) "When you throw the ball down the field, there are three things can happen, and two of those are bad."

QB Club 63 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:26 pm

I always recall an old coach's comment (not sure who this is attributed to) "When you throw the ball down the field, there are three things can happen, and two of those are bad."

Vic Rapp

QB Club 63 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:26 pm

Just remember, this was back in the day when the running game was more important. It was a vital part of the offence, not a tactic that was used every now and then to set up the pass. I always recall an old coach's comment (not sure who this is attributed to) "When you throw the ball down the field, there are three things can happen, and two of those are bad."

actually, there are 4 things and only 2 are bad. Don't forget about flags.

TheLionKing wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 25, 2018 3:12 pm

QB Club 63 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 25, 2018 1:26 pm

I always recall an old coach's comment (not sure who this is attributed to) "When you throw the ball down the field, there are three things can happen, and two of those are bad."

Vic Rapp

Yes, that was Vic Rapp's mantra to his QB when it came to tossing the long ball.

It wasn't that he was against the bomb (although his real speciality was the run game) it was he just didn't want to turn the ball over.

I used to use that line for years coaching senior mens' soccer as I had strict rules for the long pass other than for the GK who had the long punt as his primary read. If it was 1 on 1 or 2 on 2 upfront, it was to immediately be put into the space. Second read was the wide players on the back line or a wide open mid fielder. Only then was a 50/50 kind of ball to get sent up the park.

https://www.si.com/vault/issue/44317/31/1

"Three things can happen when you pass, and two of 'em are bad." -- Darrell Royal

I first read the quote in Sports Illustrated way back in the day. Thanks to their archive it is still available. December 14, 1970. It was a mantra for Darrell Royal with the Texas Longhorns. It has also been attributed to Woody Hayes.

Darrell Royal, Head Coach of the Eskmos in 1953.

I hadn't read this article about the two legendary coaches and lifelong friends, Darrell Royal and Frank Broyles. Great stuff.

https://www.si.com/vault/1995/08/05/211 ... ilized-war