Football Operations: GM Ed Hervey, HC Wally Buono and the Coaching Staff

[CardiacKid]

Ed Hervey has hired Torey Hunter as Director of Player Personnel and Development.

Neil McEvoy, Geroy Simon, and Ryan Rigmaiden also retain their current positions. Geroy now also adds CFL Draft Coordinator to his portfolio.

This is a huge move. We've taken a guy who has all of those great contacts away from a division rival. Plus we've kept McAvoy, Simon, and Rigmaiden - so no disruption. I am assuming Hunter was responsible for finding at least some (most?) of the Eskimos huge talent pool.

You know, we can criticize Braley for being cheap and all and not hiring a President, BUT clearly here he has added to the front office head count to make the club stronger. Credit where it's due.


DH

Forgive my poor memory but who had that role previously?

[CONNECTICUT YANKEE]

Quick thoughts

1. Torey Hunter - probably named as director of US scouting(currently with the Eskimos-hired by Harvey)
This would be an astute move for the Lions, hurts the Eskimos, well connected in western US college
circles(FBS,FCS,D2,D3) and would help shake things on the personnel side.
2.Rick Mueller - probably named director of player personnel
was a scout for the Lions this past season, brother of Ex-Seahawks GM Randy Mueller, experienced.
3.Simon stays as Canadian scout, Rigmaiden, McEvoy - out
4. Jon Jennings leaves for NFL - young(25) , can spend a year doing the mini-camp, training-camp, and practice roster shuffle.
5. James Franklin will try his luck in the NFL - see # 4.
6. Travis Lulay will retire - takes a broadcasting gig w/Sportsnet.
7. Do the Lions invest in more scouts? they have no dedicated Midwest/New England scouting staff.
this will tell you if Mr.Braley will skimp on budgeting for 2018.

Ok, I was a little off on this one but still it does make life difficult for the Eskimo's.
I still stand by #4 thru 7.I believe the Lions will make a move for the Argo's Dakota Prukop or
try to sign Cody Fajardo as a free agent in Feb.

[TheLionKing]

So Blake Nill lures Ti-Cats offensive coordinator and former McMaster head coach Stefan Ptaszek to the west coast to become UBC's new OC. I wonder if the Lions can do better?

http://3downnation.com/2017/12/09/west- ... ob-at-ubc/

As suggested by others, unless the Lions are looking for temporary hires — such as a Doug Berry type — to match Wally's departure then Hervey has to be involved in the hiring process and looking beyond 2018.
If Washington is headed to Montreal either new OC or DC could be hired to also succeed Wally in 2019. It's the best carrot the Lions can dangle.
All we have to do is go back to the end of 2015 season and Wally announcing he was returning as head coach yet his 2 first choices to be his OC — LaPolice and Jarious — said no thanks so he promoted Jones instead. Can't see anything improving 2 years later.

Good hire for UBC

[Belize City Lion]

Keeping Wally and gassing assistant coaches is going to make it tough to find replacements. Would you take an assistant coaching job knowing your boss is retiring next year and his replacement (unless it is you) may want to hire his own staff? Hervey could make assurances that he will hire or fire assistants, but then that is going to make recruiting the next HC much harder. All this says to me that there is already a succession plan in place, likely Mark Washington.

I would love to see Travis step into the OC position (and I have no doubt he could do it despite no prior official coaching experience) but we need him on the roster for at least one more year. This is the first time in a long time that there has been no other QB on the Lions depth chart that we were anxious to see what he could do if given a chance.

[JohnnyMusso]

I do not think Mark W will be the Lions next coach. Hervey will hire his own guy. I agree this will make it tough hiring new coaches unless someone is out of work and needs a job or only willing to work here for one year.

Which could mean Doug Berry may be the new OC, if Wally's Top 3 choices say no or Marcel B is promoted.

[Sir Purrcival]

Agree JohnnyM. The unusual situation here is going to make it difficult to hire for some positions. The most likely candidates willing to take on this kind of gig are going to be:

New Guys, first timers in the pro coaching ranks.

Old Guys, ala Wally Buono. Not wanting to do the job for 3 or 4 years but might just be willing to step up for a one season gig either as a favour to Wally or maybe just to put a little touch on an otherwise long career.

Guys who have had a teacup of pro service here and there. Maybe it didn't work out for some reason and after that no one wanted to take the chance on them. Someone who is looking to redeem himself in the eyes of his peers, possibly revive a career.

The well established, highly sought after coach isn't going to be all that attracted to a position that might only last 1 season; on a team that just had a disaster of a season. Another repeat followed by a change in regime might taint that coaches reputation and make future employment much more difficult. Wouldn't be a smart career move for someone moving up the coaching ranks and who stands a lot to lose.

[Belize City Lion]

How about Brent Johnson for DL coach? He was an integral part of the most dominant D line the Lions have had since the early 80s. When the Lions were putting up 12-13-14 win seasons year after year in the middle of the last decade, defence was a big reason for success.

[DanoT]

How about Brent Johnson for DL coach? He was an integral part of the most dominant D line the Lions have had since the early 80s. When the Lions were putting up 12-13-14 win seasons year after year in the middle of the last decade, defence was a big reason for success.

Has Brent Johnson got into coaching since he retired or has he expressed an interest in coaching? Or is this some sort of wishful thinking because he was a great player?

[David]

I really don't think Brent is interested in coaching. Not exactly certain what he's doing now, but he was working in finance in some capacity - probably making good coin. He did move to Calgary for a spell, but is back here in Vancouver as far as I know. Highly doubt he'd be interested in giving up his gig for coaching.


DH

[WestCoastJoe]

I really don't think Brent is interested in coaching. Not exactly certain what he's doing now, but he was working in finance in some capacity - probably making good coin. He did move to Calgary for a spell, but is back here in Vancouver as far as I know. Highly doubt he'd be interested in giving up his gig for coaching.


DH

I saw him a couple of years back at practice. He had really slimmed down. He was chatting with the fans. Doing some networking no doubt in his capacity as a financial advisor. Looked at home in a businessman's suit. At the time ..

Great guy. One of the All Time Leos.

Re DL coach ... Long hours, low pay, no security.

[David]

Nice interview with Ed this morning on Sportsnet 650 HERE.. Here are the highlights:

* Upgrading O and D lines off-season priority. Build team from inside out with cap considerations.

* Doesn’t believe in making promises (to coordinators). Come in do job you’re hired to do and let evaluation take its course. No coach in waiting.

* O-coordinator must relate to QBs.

* NO interest in Johnny Manziel. Doesn’t want a guy to sell tickets. Must fit in culture (family, team, and togetherness).

* Sees upside in JJ but won’t make declare him starter. Needs to see some consistency.

* In Edmonton, “a particular writer or two” are used to feeling entitled to everything and pushing Football Ops around. Said he wasn't going to be pushed around (reason for the image of being prickly with media). Wants the club to make announcements, not media.

* Stressed he’s an introvert. Doesn’t want to be the guy talking all the time wants to focus on work – says in NFL few GMs talk to media (he's right).



DH

[Dusty]

Apparently Ryan Ringmaiden has resigned his US scouting position. Fallout from the Torey Hunter appointment one presumes.....

[WestCoastJoe]

Stuff is happening. And some stuff stays the same. LOL

My hunch ... The Three Survivors are back in business here in 2018. Wally, of course. And his two compadres, Mark Washington and Dan Dorazio.

Responsibility for the failures of the defence goes largely to Mark, IMO. Including the choice of personnel for the D Line.

The O Line? All on Dan. Many threads on this site have discussed his work over the years. The O Line is an absolutely huge part of the passing game. Our pass blocking has been a shambles. Run blocking has been pretty good.

Responsibility for the overall team leadership in 2017, or the failures therein, goes largely to Wally IMO. It has to come back to the Head Coach. Coordinators, assistants, players --> not as much IMO. Our team fell apart this year. We finished 7 and 11, rated 8th of the 9 teams. That is failure.

And we just might see the Three Survivors all back to work here next year.

There has been some good news lately, but if our defence is still a sieve, and our pass blocking is a sieve, one should go easy on getting the hopes up too high. Can one expect better results from our defence with the same leadership? It has been an issue for years under Mark W. Can one expect the O Line to become a solid rock wall next year under Dan's coaching? Why would it change after all these years?

Wally is back as we know. Mark W? Dan D? I would say the odds are that they are back here also in 2018.

Just IMO ...

[maxlion]

No word yet on Washington and Dorazio's future in the organization. If it was a slam dunk as some believe, I think it would have been announced. No reason not to. It seems the Lions are at least exploring other options.

[JohnnyMusso]

I think both are back. Wally spoke highly of Mark recently saying he would make a good HC. They have not announced it, for they are probably going to announce all their coaches at the same time. If both were to be fired they would have been with the other 3 who got axed. No doubt in my mind they are both back.

The only one who could be gone is Marcel B if he gets the Als gig which looks more and more likely now.