Riders’ 2015 SeasonWill Soon Be Over

Which raises the question, if we are going with a younger version of Cortez; why not stick with the original? There are those who say Rider Head Coach Corey Chamblin should have the autonomy to name his own staff, but in this case he seems to be listening to no one’s input but his own. If this pans out, the magnitude of this hiring will be immense. It will be like bringing Greg Marshall back, but this time on offense.

This has the look of an immense backroom struggle at Taylor Field, especially with the Riders looking to name a new CEO, all because there is a power vacuum and perhaps a sober second set of eyes that can go down to the offices and say hey, are we really sure about this?

Are all the stories out of BC true about Chapdelaine? What does DD have to say about either of these two and his preferences?

Chamblin may be remembering how BC gave the Riders a run in the 2013 Western Final, but a run is not exactly what we are looking for. After BC had a great first half, the Rider defense turned the screws on the BC offense, and then in the fourth quarter, Darian Durant used his legs to move the Riders into the next dimension. Chapdelaine did not beat us.

It will be interesting to see how Chamblin decides to spin this. Of course he has the right to pick who he wants for his staff, but Rider Nation wants the best staff possible, not the most servile. If Chamblin goes this route, then expect him to name himself defensive coordinator, and the Riders can write off the 2015 season with two more seasons owing on Chamblin’s contract because you cannot have a jewel of a stadium opening in 2017 with a team being run by someone who puts his own ego in front of the team.

This is Corey Chamblin’s big gamble and it would be nice it if it works big time. But many Rider fans are stocking up on the Jack Daniel’s expecting this season will be painful. It would have been preferable if the Riders had brought in Pete Constanza, the wide receiver coach of the Calgary Stampeders, because the one liner there would have been priceless. If Chamblin was serious about bringing in new blood, shaking things up, then bring in someone with an offensive scheme that works, or young blood with a new way of looking at the game and willing to change things up. Chapdelaine defies those criteria with a vengeance.

Now none of this is written in stone. The rumor about Chapdelaine came from Jim Mullin who is a respecter reporter of west coast football, which includes Simon Frasier University where Chapdelaine is currently head coach. There are a couple of factors to consider here.

Chapdelaine has apparently one or two years remaining on his contract which will have to be bought out to make this a go. SFU may not make that easy considering Blake Nill, former University of Calgary Dinos coach has gone to UBC for the head job (We got Jerry Friesen, former U of A and UBC Head Man interviewing for the Rams) and to compete for players in the player rich BC environment stability is required. Also, just confirmed that Chapdelaine has served one year of a three year contract which makes buying out two years and paying him enough to make it worthwhile may make some people nervous.

For example, the Riders are naming their new CEO today to replace Jim Hopson. The early contender was Roger Brandvold, former president of the club, but apparently that is out. The hope is the Riders bring in someone like Hopson, who has a background with the club that understands how important to the province and who can settle these type of arguments about whom the offensive coordinator should be.

My choice would have been Greg Fieger, for whom I blocked in high school football, or perhaps Marshall Hamilton, who threw a few passes to receivers in my area (I was a running back/linebacker back in the day). If you have watched In the Huddle with Rod Pederson on your local community channel, both Fieger and Hamilton have done well in the business field and they know their football. However Fieger was the head of the search committee, so you can rule him out, and I’m not sure if Hamilton put his name forward since his business has him all over western Canada and the United States.

But a strong CEO will help not turn this organization into a variation of the 1980s gong show. And if you can accept Chamblin will take over the defense himself – and the one year he had control of an entire defense in Hamilton, he was not exceptional by any stretch of the imagination, then the argument should be made the Riders should not shoot themselves in the other foot by blowing the offensive coordinator and opening this organization up to a debate over the lack of a rational plan for getting back and winning the Grey Cup.

I am beginning to wonder if Chamblin is maybe best as a defensive coordinator. It is a different kettle of fish being a coordinator as opposed to head man who is supposed to set the tone for the entire locker room, not just half. But that is a topic for another day.

The Riders re-signed Terrius George at defensive tackle, who said the community made it easy to come back. Expect them to announce Ricky Foley has re-signed shortly and he has tweeted he was pleased to see the Rider young Canadians back in the Rider gym lifting weights three days after the Rider season ended. That kind of leadership is invaluable as someone needs to crack the whip on the young Canadians to do more than just collect a paycheque but to step up in either back-up or starting roles.

Ben Heenan is expected to try the NFL for free agent offers and he might get them. Brent Jones, the former University of Regina offensive lineman turned Calgary Stampeder is expected to also try free agency, but he is apparently working out with the New England Patriots. Jones is that good and perhaps Heenan too, but if the NFL looks at his tapes, they may find Heenan is better at certain positions than others. If the Riders miss out of both, then the drafted Canadians playing back-up better step up, or else the Riders may be looking for offensive linemen in the draft.

The Riders next major push will be for Weston Dressler who is understandably watching to see how this offensive coordinator job search plays out. If La Police signs, then I expect Dressler to sign rapidly without trying the NFL again or maybe seeing if Ottawa will throw $250 K his way. Once the offensive coordinator is settled, then the Riders can move on to who they want to retain in free agency or who to make a push for.

But in the meantime, the unfolding drama at Riderville is a nice contrast to the peace on earth being preached elsewhere. But this is Saskatchewan where football is a 12 month topic of conversation and news of a younger George Cortez type taking over at offensive coordinator has sent Jack Daniels sales skyrocketing as fan

by Riderville

Riders’ 2015 SeasonWill Soon Be Over

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