By Joel Gasson

Roughriders announce 2014 coaching staff

Feb 20, 2014 | 3:33 PM

The Saskatchewan Roughriders 2014 coaching staff is a lot like their 2013 coaching staff.

The Riders roster may have taken a big hit with some 12 players leaving for other teams both north and south of the border, but only a few coaches are out the door.

Of course, Khari Jones is now the Offensive Coordinator with the B.C. Lions, defensive backs coach Richard Kent and special teams assistant Corey McDermott are also both gone. Other than that everyone else is back in their same spot. With the players lost, that could be the most important move this off season by the Green and White.

“We've had players in and out of the systems that we have, and they've had success,” said head coach Corey Chamblin. “The biggest thing is we have success schemes, and that's the biggest thing we have the coaches to go for.”

In terms of changes that actually have happened; Brad Miller was named linebackers coach today. Miller was the defensive backs coach last year in Edmonton, Miller also previously worked for Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Birmingham and the Green Bay Packers. Miller and Chamblin worked together in Hamilton.

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The other change sees Offensive Coordinator George Cortez add quarterbacks coach to his title with the departure of Jones to B.C.

“I very much enjoy it, and I think you have a little more impact on what's going on when you're directly with the quarterback all the time,” said Cortez.

According to Cortez, adding the title to his list of duties won't add any extra work. He's already done some work with Darian Durant ahead of next season and he's in the middle of putting together some film for Durant to watch going forward.

This time last year Bob Dyce didn't even know he was going to be the team's special teams coordinator. Earlier last off season Chamblin announced that Dyce would remain offensive coordinator, but then Cortez became available and he so he was hired. Dyce then took the move to special teams in stride.

Now, he's just looking to build off what was a very successful year for the special teams units last year.

“Right now what you want to do make sure that you come out and play at that same level or better in 2014,” said Dyce.

The offensive coaching staff isn't quite rounded out just yet as the team does plan on hiring a running backs coach.

Riders lose another

Despite being saying other wise on Monday it appears the Riders were very much expecting to lose punter Ricky Schmitt when they made the deal with Hamilton that included Josh Bartel.

The Riders also seem to be thinking about the ratio when it came to making the switch too.

“Even before we made the trade, I wasn't sure if we were going to go that route (using an import punter),” said Chamblin who admitted it was rare for a team to use an import at just one kicking position. “Once we were able to make the trade and get a non-import in that position it helps us out ratio wise.”

There could be a different look on the punts next season as Dyce feels Bartel is very strong at directional kicking. Schmitt was more about booming kicks with a lot of hang time.