Exactly WCJ. All three make up the key components for success.Thanks for the chuckle, Blitz. One can cry. One can laugh. A bit of laughter helps ease the toothache and the overall pain.
* Xs and Os.
* Personnel.
* Execution.
It's a trinity, a troika, as are so many things. Best to give each its due.
West Coast Joe
There are a lot of aspects to the x and o's. This includes philosophy, scheme (and whether you adapt scheme to personell or just play and play into an existing scheme as we do), scouting, self-scouting, play book, game planning, and play calling.
Coaching also plays a role in the other two areas. Personell involves the coaches choice of personell, in terms of which players to have on the roster (game roster, practice roster, injury roster), which players to start, which players to rotate in. etc.
Coaching also plays an important part of 'execution' as well. Players don't develop techniques and skills on their own. They are instructed during the practice week and during games. Therefore how a team practices and what is practiced and how its practiced plays an important part of execution. Timing also plays a role in execution and that comes from coaches instruction and play design at practice.
Finally, execution also comes from areas such as poise, mental sharpness, attitude, hustle, work ethic, and team chemistry. Coaching leadership and coaching ability also plays a role in these areas too.
So, when you really look at it, coaching regarding the comprehensive and complex aspect of x and o's make up approximately 1/3 of the pie but also because coaching also has a strong impact on personnel decisions and even more powerful impact on 'execution', coaching is the predominant factor in team success.
Ottawa finished 5th in CFL scoring this season. Our Leos finished 3rd in CFL scoring. Yet we couldn't put a point on the board against Calgary's defence in the first half of the WDF. We didn't score a single point in the second half of our last regular season game against them either.Aided by Jaime Elizondo’s wonderful offensive game plan, Burris was both accurate and prudent. When he ad libbed, it was to outlet receivers who then exploited enormous problems in the Stamps’ defensive coverage. National Post
Our defense gave up 32 first half points against Calgary (25 first half points against the Bombers. Our defense finished 3rd in least points allowed. The RedBlacks finished 6th in points allowed this season.
Yet, Ottawa rolled to a 20-7 lead over the alleged juggernaut from Calgary in the Grey Cup game and we were down 32-0 in the WDF. Lack of execution doesn't explain it.
Ottawa had receivers open throughout the game. Ours were well covered. Calgary played the same defense against Ottawa in the first half of the game as they did against our Leos. We couldn't covert on second and short or second and long. Ottawa converted on second and second and long all game in the Grey Cup. Ottawa's plays and play calls were the key difference maker.Burris’ hit eight different receivers in the half, and every time it looked like Calgary might get a key stop, Burris seemed to find an open receiver. The Redblacks were 15-for-17 in second-down conversions in the opening 30 minutes, which will keep a lot of drives going.
Ottawa also came into the Grey Cup game, not only well prepared with an excellent game plan and benefited from excellent play calling but they also had 'energy'. Our Leos came out flat in the WDF, as they did against Winnipeg. Preparing a team psychologically is also an aspect of coaching.
So while I was being facetious, about 'energy drinks', 'pre-game meal', 'pre-game sex', 'growing a beard' and 'memory enhancement' workshops, there has to be a reason why Ottawa's players were able to 'execute' at such a high level against Calgary in comparison to our Leos.
Coaching is more than 'our players gotta make plays', 'gotta block harder', 'gotta hit harder', 'gotta tackle better', and 'EXECUTE'.So, our Leos lack of 'energy' as well as our 'lack of execution' and our 'inability to convert on second down was blamed by Wally on our players, the reality is that our Leos were not prepared psychologically to win nor was our game plan, game day scheme, or play calling even adequate to take on the Stamps. That comes down to coaching more than any other factor.
So Wally can blame the players for all of it and the media and some fans can drink the Kool Aid but logic says something different.
You can't win unless you have enough talent but when you have enough talent to win, quarterbacking is crucial to success and coaching is most often the predominant factor in winning and losing.