Lowell Ullrich, in today's Province, wrote:
"The attrition rate for players dropping out of training camp before the Lions even get underway is almost keeping up with their roster signings. It marks the second time this off-season the Lions have lost both a starter and his backup, following the departures of defensive ends Chris Wilson and Nautyn McKay-Loescher.Despite his attempt to paint a sanguine picture of the Lions in a nationwide state-of-the-franchise conference call Friday, Buono has some holes to fill when veterans hold their first workout June 4. Buono lost two other rookie imports last week even before the first workout, including one who was tabbed to replace Wilson, so at least some of the club's training camp signings Friday amounted to damage control." (end of quote)
There is no question the Leos have had some disappointments going into our 2007 training camp. Hameister-Rees would liklely have been able to step ahead of Valli and Plante if he had attended training camp but wants his NFL shot with the Cardinals. He will still likely end up here but will be behind. Tre Smith needed to stay another year in college in order not to lose his scholarship but he wasn't likely to make the roster. The big disappointment was not getting Sasha Lancaster here, because he was the guy likely to be the player the Leos used in the 3-4 to spell off Hunt and Johnson or play a blended defensive end/linebacker position.
Colon's injury is also not great news but the Leos already knew that Colon had a hip problem weeks ago. The loss of Wilson and McKay-Lauscher (who I desperately wanted them to sign) propelled the Leos going to a 3-4 Defence this season but Ritchie had wanted to go that way last year.
However, Ullrich's article doesn't mention the positives! The Leos have a great staff when it comes to discovering talent and signing them. Last season 11 new players were signed that made an impact on our Leos team, including rookie of the year Aaron Hunt.
Bob O'Billovich brings huge experience in his role as Director of Player personell. Wally is a shrewd judge of talent. Neil McAvoy and Jeff Smith work their rear ends off and know where to look. Richard Wade is a tremendous asset to our Leos with his knowledge and contacts. In fact, in Richard Wade, we have a U.S. scout who was good enough to have been named the Director of Player Personell and assistant coach for the Ottawa Roughriders just before the team folded.
Wade, comes from a football lineage. His father, Dewey Wade, coached at the University of Maryland and Kansas State University , and scouted for the Baltimore Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys. Dewey Wade coached under Ray Jauck in the CFL with the Edmonton Eskimos. Richard Wade has coached a lot himself. When you look at O'Billovich, Buono, McAvoy, Smith, and Wade, you have one heck of a staff, in terms of bringing in talent. They don't get much press for it but they deserve recognition.
Our Leos have made a lot of good signings this off-season and I thought they got the best steals of the CFL draft this year as well. At receiver the Leos have Vann, Mock, Holiday, Johnson, Holiday, Flanigan, Andersonm, Nicholson and Boden, along with incumbents Kendrick Jones and Simmons competing for two receiver spots. At running back we have Smith, Smart, Witherspoon, Green, Bwenge, Ciezski, and Sadeghian effectively competing for one running back spot.
At linebacker, for two spots, effectively, we have Jamal Johnson, Foley, Pottinger, Hannah, Brown, Ranggold, Craigs, and Sanchez scrapping it out. At defensive back, the Leos, have, all with their five starters from last season in Miles, Banks, Marsh, Washington, and Glover we also have Phillips, Clovis, Dennis, Payne, Green, Wasiela, Crawford, and Knowlten scrapping it out. A lot of talent there! Heck, we even have two kickers in McCallum and Pikula who can both play, the best quarterback trifactor in Dickenson, Pierce, and Jackson and the only determination will be whether Dozier has enough of the right stuff to stick around as our fourth qb. Thinks sure could be a heck of a lot worse!!
The only places that are a concern are the offensive line, where Valli and Plante will need to be ready this season, if necessary, after losing Singh although I'm also confident that Hameister-Rees will be coming later. Kirkwood will be trying to knock one of them off. The Leos, at this point, have imports Kyle Roth, Jason Russell, and Amara Farrow, who played well last season, with his opportunity, looking to make the practice roster, in backing up our twin offensive tackles.
The second area is finding defensive lineman to be able to go into the rotation to spell off Hunt, Johnson, and Williams. Right now we have Kirk from last year and Jason Ward from this year's draft and we can move Foley up. However, after losing Lancaster, we only have import Kwarteng right now as a backup imports and that's the area we'll need to address!
Still, this is the most talented Leos team going into a training camp that I can remember!
Leos Off-Season Recruiting!
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"When I went to Catholic high school in Philadelphia, we just had one coach for football and basketball. He took all of us who turned out and had us run through a forest. The ones who ran into the trees were on the football team". (George Raveling)