CKNW - Chapdelaine gone!

[Tighthead]

David - JC was much improved last year, no doubt. The play to Smart was a sweet one, and overall the first half was strong. I just felt that in the second half, they were playing not to lose, as opposed to going for the jugular. Granted, this has also been a failing of Wally's in big games, many would argue.

Montreal's D was great in the second half, but in my opinion, when the stakes were highest, JC didn't thrive.

I think he did do a good job of being less predictable over the course of the season though.

I would have liked to have him stay, but I am ambivalent on the departure.

[Lion Guy]

I have noproblem seeing Chaps go. His offence is too predicatable.

I look forward to a new OC with some creativity and a sense of flair.

[ExesnOhs]

This is only the beginning of changes.
This thing will snowball, especially if an OC is brought in from elsewhere.
He would undoubtedly want some of 'his guys'

[squishy35]

This is only the beginning of changes.
This thing will snowball, especially if an OC is brought in from elsewhere.
He would undoubtedly want some of 'his guys'

Not with Wally at the Helm. The new OC will either have a good past working relationship with Wally; or, be willing to develop one, on Wally's terms.

[SammyGreene]

This is only the beginning of changes.
This thing will snowball, especially if an OC is brought in from elsewhere.
He would undoubtedly want some of 'his guys'

Ullrich reported Cortez had contacted Dorazio about bringing him back to Calgary and he declined saying he has the best o-line job in the country.

I agree with Blitz's thoughts on Wally passing the torch over to Kruck and Dorazio in some kind of shared role. I also like the idea of DD having even more say in the offensive scheme with Chaps' departure.

DD made it clear at the Grey Cup celebration that it was the offence's turn to lead the team to a repeat win in ?07. I think he was frusterated at how conservative the game plan was at times and he wanted to go downfield more.

The name escapes me, but a former Ti-cat assistant was volunteering as the team's running back coach down the stretch this season. Wally may just hire him as an assistant.

[David]

I think you're right SammyGreene. It could be some kind of coaching by committee among Kruk, Dorazio, and Jamie Barresi (the former Ti-Cats offensive co-ordinator you just mentioned).

I just don't want to lose Dorazio to offensive co-ordinator necessitating a new coach for the O-line. This could negatively factor in Rob Murphy's decision to come back.

Damn you Chapdelaine.
:lol:

DH 8)

[Robbie]

An article in the Vancouver Sun on how dynasties are difficult to build in the CFL nowadays, and the departure of Jacques Chapdelaine.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news ... ab30b9f915

[Lionut]

As a coach myself, I'll step in here and defend Chapdelaine somewhat. I don't know him personally, but I know plenty of guys who do, and they have immense respect for him as a student of the game, and especially for his intricate knowledge of the pro passing game. He is also a very hard working coach, and extremely intelligent, something we should all value in a coach. (Quick, who are you betting on in a game of Scrabble -- Chapdelaine or Matt Dunigan?)

Being an offensive coordinator has to be the toughest job in pro football. Everyone's a critic, and everyone has a better play in mind than the one you just called. (The armchair fan forgets, of course, that the play you just called is part of a package, and is setting up something else down the line.) Coaching and scheming on defense, on the other hand, just isn't nearly as much fun for the casual fan, so no one second guesses the defensive coordinator, instead blaming his players.

Just look at the NFL, where no fewer than four offensive coordinators were fired or demoted within the first few weeks of the season. Guess how many defensive coordinators met the same fate during that time frame? Zero. Offensive coordinators make for convenient scapegoats for fan frustration, but often that anger is misplaced.

We just lost one of the better young coaches in the League, a guy who will be coaching successfully in the CFL for a very long time to come. No one is irreplacable, of course, but losing a key asset like that to a Divisional rival is hardly a cause for celebration, in my view.

[SammyGreene]

Jamie Barresi (the former Ti-Cats offensive co-ordinator you just mentioned).DH 8)

Yes.. thanks for that the David.

Didn't realize he was Hamilton's OC prior to this season. He was one of the fall guys for McManus' poor season but didn't look as bad once Paopao took over. :lol:
Barresi is more than qualified to step into an assistant role.

[cromartie]

Didn't realize he was Hamilton's OC prior to this season.

Makes you wonder how he would do with receivers that can actually catch.

[Blitz]

Being an offensive coordinator has to be the toughest job in pro football. Everyone's a critic, and everyone has a better play in mind than the one you just called

Very true Lionut...there is a tendancy to focus on the offensive side of the football and especially at the quarterback and offensive coordinator positions.

I also think you're comments are perceptive regarding Chapdelaine this season. He earned respect by changing his coaching style as well as adapting the offence. I didn't feel that way last season as he stubbornly stuck to a strategy that good CFL defenses were able to counter! Perhaps that was his inexperience (last season was only his second full year as an offensive coordinator) but this season he demonstrated that he could adapt a system to the strengths of his players rather than just trying to slot them into his offensive 'system'! He tried to protect Dickenson more by almost always having Joe Smith in there, prepared to block against the blitz, if it came. He also did a great job of moving Geroy around to get him certain matchups and hardly used him at all to block this season. He began to fully appreciate the importance of the running game. He made sure that Dickenson had some quick passing options. He did a great job of game planning for Buck Pierce.

In these days of dominant CFL defences, reduced scoring against zone blitzes and complex defensive packages, it's challenging to be an offensive coordinator. I wanted Chapdelaine to return because I believed this season he had made that jump to being one of the better offensive coordinators in the league...and I would rank him in the top three going into next season along with Burratto and Cortez.

However, I also beleive that we will be fine. Wally has had a number of offensive coordinators in the past including Hufnagel, Telford, Cortez, Burrattto, and Chapdelaine. Perhaps Dorazio, Kruck, with Dickensons imput, along with someone like Baresi will take the good stuff we used last season and continue to make adaptions to take the next step! What we'll miss most is Chapdelaine's work with the receivers. Dorazio was responsible for the offensive line and the running game. Kruck did a lot of spottingand sending information down to Chapdelaine, along with working with all three quarterbacks. I'm not overly concerned but Chap takes a wealth of knowledge with him to Edmonton that will advantage the Evil Empire!!

The way I have to look at it now...is I'm even more excited about playing the Evil Empire next year....because without Huey there next year I was worried that I wouldn't have that old fire inside of me to want to see our Leos demolish those free spending, not let anyone practice on their playing field, ugly guys in green and gold but I'm pumped already. I'm still counting on Ritchie to give the younger Chapdelaine a lesson in coaching when we play them in 2007!

[TheLionKing]

He earned respect by changing his coaching style as well as adapting the offence. I didn't feel that way last season as he stubbornly stuck to a strategy that good CFL defenses were able to counter! Perhaps that was his inexperience (last season was only his second full year as an offensive coordinator) but this season he demonstrated that he could adapt a system to the strengths of his players rather than just trying to slot them into his offensive 'system'!

I can't help but wonder how much is it is due to Buono telling him to fix the problem with the offence. Would he have changed his style if Wally did not intervene ? Guess we'll never know.

[Blitz]

can't help but wonder how much is it is due to Buono telling him to fix the problem with the offence. Would he have changed his style if Wally did not intervene ? Guess we'll never know.

No...we won't TheLionKing... but there is no question that Wally made the strong statement to Chapdelaine and publically after the 2005 season!

[PigSkin_53]

I don't mind that he's finally gone, that much I am relieved of, but the late hour at which he decides to go I take exception with.

This is typical in everything Chapdelaine did from Lion receiver to OC. Everything has always been about Jacques Chapdelaine and never about what's best for the team.

Like Blitz I now have even more motivation to pound the Eskimos big time, every time we meet them and embarrass their offence, and that turncoat who I never want to see on the Lions sidelines ever again! :x :x :x

[Sir Purrcival]

How about Danny McManus?

He is pretty much at the end of his playing days. Maybe the idea of promoting from within for the OC position and bring him in as a replacement for one of the smaller positions. Might this be a good opportunity to bring a good personality who has a good offensive mind onboard?