"Who will succeed Buono in B.C.?" -- DeVone Claybrooks is the man.

[QB Club 63]

What's Dan Hawkins doing these days?

Oh wait, Kavis Reed probably has him penciled in for a return to the Alouettes. I could picture Reed pulling a Roger Neilson thing and have Hawkins wear a bag over his head on the sidelines.

[Toppy Vann]

If we're trying to get in the head of Ed Hervey the suggestion of looking at his choices of Chris Jones and Jason Maas in Edmonton is an interesting way to assess how he thinks and what he might be looking for as HC:

• Maas and Jones have these similar characteristics:
  
  • Clear, consistent philosophy about how the game is played and won and what makes a good CFL player/winner
    
    Congruent thinking on what makes a winning team and a good HC etc.
    
    Ready for leadership and a fresh approach vs recycled vet HC
    
    Able to assemble a good staff
    
    Understand the role of HC as diff't than OC/DC roles -even if calls plays
    
    Proven winners in X's and O's - understand the CFL
    
    Committed and able to instill a performance-oriented environment- understands what kind of culture is needed and how to build it to attain a core group of leaders committed fully and who will ensure others are coming along.
    
    Understand how to relate to players, yet make tough, timely decisions

Things that happened after Hervey Jones and Maas weren't his HCs that should be ignored - as they weren't evident as such under Hervey:

• Take out that Jason Maas has shown his frustrations by trashing the head set and tossing the Gatorade or whatever as that would not be a good thing had it been evident.
  
  Ignore some of the crazy things Chris Jones has done in Riderville to get his teams off to poor starts yet finish hot the past two seasons

[Hambone]

I don't have any numbers at my finger tips but didn't Lancaster, after his rough start to a HC career in Regina, eventually end up as a very successful HC in Hamilton?

I agree that Dunigan should not be considered as a HC candidate any more than say Jim Barker.

Lancaster had early success in Hamilton but by far his most success came in Edmonton. He spent 7 years (91-97) there before taking his act, along with Danny McManus and Darren Flutie, over to Hamilton. In those 7 years in Edmonton the Esks finished 1st twice and 2nd 5 times and went 1-1 in 2 GC appearances.

His initial 6 year term in Hamilton started out with a bang with back-to-back GC appearances vs Calgary getting a win in the second one. After that initial success though things started trending down hill. They went 9-9 in year 3, rebounded to 11-7 in year 4 then nose-dived to 7-11 and 1-17 in the final 2 years (2002-03) missing the playoffs both times. Hamilton brought him back as Interim HC after firing Greg Marshall early in the 2006 season. The Ticats went 4-10 in what was "The Little General's" final stint as a CFL HC.

[B.C.FAN]

It looks like Jason Maas is staying in Edmonton.

[WestCoastJoe]

It looks like Jason Maas is staying in Edmonton.

IMO the Eskimos made the right decision. I think Maas can coach. If he was less effective with his anger in check, he has to sort that out. But I gather the players liked playing for him regardless.

Promote to OC internally? He has very experienced Mike Gibson as run game coordinator.

[JohnnyMusso]

I am happy Maas is not coming to BC; not a fan of his. Looks like there will only be a coaching vacancy in BC and Toronto, so Lions likely to get one of the top candidates out there.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Here's a handy list of potential candidates (not Lion-specific) via J. Hodge at 3DownN -- most names have already been put forward here on Lionbackers, but the last couple on the list may not have yet been mentioned (Carson Walch and Ryan Dinwiddie).
http://3downnation.com/2018/11/08/top-1 ... andidates/

[JohnnyMusso]

Sherman and Reed back in Montreal according to Dave Naylor, so just 2 jobs available, and BC looks way more attractive than Toronto.

[WestCoastJoe]

At one time I thought this next one was a very special, talented coach. He might still be, but he has had some issues.

I can hear the screaming now. No. No. Ha ha

If Hervey likes him, if the coach is interested, if the coach thinks he can adapt, et cetera.

Kent Austin.

Short shelf life. Perfectionist.

Yup.

But if Hervey did the due diligence, and chose him, I could live with it. He has serious credentials, along with the flaws.

Let the wailing begin. Ha ha

[DanoT]

At one time I thought this next one was a very special, talented coach. He might still be, but he has had some issues.

I can hear the screaming now. No. No. Ha ha

If Hervey likes him, if the coach is interested, if the coach thinks he can adapt, et cetera.

Kent Austin.

Short shelf life. Perfectionist.

Yup.

But if Hervey did the due diligence, and chose him, I could live with it. He has serious credentials, along with the flaws.

Let the wailing begin. Ha ha

Austin has ability and intensity and anger management issues....but if Ed wants him and can keep Austin from blowing a gasket, then

[DanoT]

At one time I thought this next one was a very special, talented coach. He might still be, but he has had some issues.

I can hear the screaming now. No. No. Ha ha

If Hervey likes him, if the coach is interested, if the coach thinks he can adapt, et cetera.

Kent Austin.

Short shelf life. Perfectionist.

Yup.

But if Hervey did the due diligence, and chose him, I could live with it. He has serious credentials, along with the flaws.

Let the wailing begin. Ha ha

Austin has ability and intensity and anger management issues....but if Ed wants him and can keep Austin from blowing a gasket, then

[JohnnyMusso]

Who said Austin may come here? I personally don't see it. I think Ed goes after one of the Top 3 candidates with Claybrooks topping the list.

[Toppy Vann]

Kent Austin

He might want more control than just HC and like Trestman who I also liked as a HC, their last assignment in their last year were both eyebrow raisers.

Austin might just be a short term guy but he like Trestman this year when things were failing just freaking refused to make ANY changes.

That concerns me as you hire a Head Coach as the guy who take himself above the fray while the battle's raging on and THINK CLEARLY when it's clear that MORE OF THE SAME WON'T GET US A BETTER RESULT. That's when the best coaches do their thing in a tweak or two that the team has prepared for.

Wally is not a HC who does well when the demeanour of his players pre game look not good. I've seen two away games (WPG) and (CAL) with Wally coaching BC and you could see his team wasn't ready and both times they got their asses handed to them. Wally is good at making you fear for your job but not in game when he's there on the sideline - no headset and looking like he's looking for a role. The game is so complex unlike soccer where a Manager/HC can see it all, that HC needs information from those upstairs.

Jason Maas

Jason Maas stays but not his own OC. Farhan L does say it is a higher up decision to force him to hire an OC. Two coaches fired are coaching cap they are saying now. Remember the nut job GM in WPG tried to get LaPo his HC to drop OC but he got fired instead.

Travis Lulay

TSN has a nice long interview with Travis Lulay. This guy is both a fine player and someone who understands what it takes to win. Lulay is also
a guy with a future as he is a broad guage thinker and understands what is needed in a team culture to build a winner.

In fact, Wally was talking Dickenson recently and I think he said he would have liked him to coach in BC. But I recall sometime later he said, he didn't know if Dave D was interested in coaching as he might not want to put in the hours the assistants have to put in. Shows what he knew.

Lulay could be a future HC - and while I like the model that developed Dave Dickenson to be - first - Hufnagel's OC, then HC - that model only works if you have the right leadership above you.

But if were picking a HC with no experience, Lulay has the right thinking in my view.

But I hope that whoever is HC next year, hires him as QB coach and puts him on a development path. He may want to play though.

[JohnnyMusso]

On the post game show, they speculated Hervey may already have in mind who he wants. They speculated Orlando S. may be a strong candidate for he has an impressive resume. They also mentioned Claybrookes and both Washington and Jackson. But they also said have the later 2 done enough to save their jobs.

They need a fresh fresh from another organization. Both Jackson and Washington need to go.

[WestCoastJoe]

I do hope it is a guy with an OC background. With also an ex-QB background, even better. DC background? As with Chris Jones, great defence, but no offence.

Too bad Travis has not been an OC for about 3 years. Is it possible that Ed could go right to Travis? If Ed went that way, out of the box thinking, and out of the box Head Coach, I would be OK with it, as shocking as that might be to some. Going by the book, 2 years as QB coach, 3 years as OC, et cetera, is not always necessary. It is not as if Travis has been asleep on the job. Exposure to different OCs, different Head Coaches. He has behaved, worked and studied like a coach.

Lulay could be a future HC - and while I like the model that developed Dave Dickenson to be - first - Hufnagel's OC, then HC - that model only works if you have the right leadership above you.

But if were picking a HC with no experience, Lulay has the right thinking in my view.

I agree with Toppy above.

If Ed has his guy in mind, good.

I hope he does not make us wait weeks to know. We have suffered a long time. Ha ha

All I want for Christmas is a Head Coach who can give us hope. Hope for good schemes, good game plans on both O and D.

If it is Steinauer or Claybrooks, I will be a bit disappointed, as they come from DC backgrounds. Steinauer might be the right guy, but he will certainly need a very good OC.

Tommy Condell has very significant experience and credentials, especially on the offensive side of football.

Jaime Elizondo ia developing high level credentials.

OK, I have presented some conventional picks earlier, and some considerations that do or might get strong reaction against from some fans (Dunigan, Austin, Chapdelaine, Lulay). I am done with this Head Coach stuff for today. Tomorrow is another day. LOL

We will see where Ed goes with his pick.