Hufnagel 8 - Buono 0 in head to head games - Lowell Ullrich

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Looki ... story.html

Some excerpts from the article by Lowell Ullrich ...

The problem is that Hufnagel, once Buono's protege as offensive co-ordinator in Calgary, has made adjustments to the organization he modelled after the one the current Lions coach/GM had built, and is crushing his former boss with it at every turn.

Buono has never beaten Hufnagel in eight tries, counting a 2009 preseason game, and the irony of the Calgary achievement is that the Stamps have taken the Lions with basically the same offensive structure that has become so problematic. The student is whipping the teacher with his own playbook.

Hufnagel designed the offence for Buono back in the 1990s. For Hufnagel it has evolved, especially in terms of how you use it. For Buono, one has to wonder if he is still running version 1.0 while Hufnagel is on version 3.0 or higher.

Still, Buono said Thursday he'll always remain friends with Hufnagel because the connection they made when the pair hooked up in Calgary in 1990 was instant. The offence Hufnagel and receivers coach Jeff Tedford designed for the Stamps, which placed less emphasis on the running attack, changed the game for a decade, and was brought about for reasons that may still apply.

"We had no offensive linemen," Buono recalled. "We had Danny Barrett as quarterback and we designed an offence where he had to deal with only one [defender]. It evolved."

Buono admits he is not an X and O's guy. He sets the overall philosophy, but relies on his assistants to draw up the O and D playbooks.

Whether the Lions offence has developed to the same extent as their opponents' will be on display Saturday, as will the one coach some suggest may be capable of making it better.

Buono could have had Dave Dickenson running the Lions offence this year, but offered him only Steff Kruck's job as quarterbacks coach last December. Dickenson will call plays Saturday for Hufnagel, whose team has lost nothing since another Buono protege, offensive co-ordinator George Cortez, left for the NFL's Buffalo Bills this spring.

Dave Dickenson will be a Head Coach in the CFL before long, IMO. And I expect he will be a very good one. I would have been supportive if he had been offered the OC job in the off season.

Dickenson calls the plays for Calgary. Close to OC duties if you ask me.

A repeat on Saturday of almost any of the Lions' offensive showings this year will not only provide further contrast between the teams, but could start to have serious long-term effects on the franchise.

B.C. is 4-8 at home since the start of last season. A sellout is not expected again Saturday, reinforcing the notion that nostalgia can be trumped by success.

"contrast between the teams" Oh yeah. One demonstrates creative use of the Hufnagel offensive scheme. One demonstrates a more predictable use of it.

Players know what is coming, and realize it is not the coaching staff that will face the consequences of repeated setbacks.

"If we don't get this right they're going to throw a grenade in [the locker-room] and the guys making the most money are going first," said one veteran.

"I wish I could say more. Let's just say our offence is stale and we need another set of eyes," another said at the start of the week.

"I wish I could say more. Let's just say our offence is stale and we need another set of eyes" ... Wishes he could say more ... not good for job security to criticize the coaches. Which is a good reason for fans and the media to be able to do it.

"offence is stale" ... Yes. I'd say it is. And predictable. Constipated. Handcuffed.

"need another set of eyes" ... Wally and Jacques. Those are the ones you have.

But the Stamps are a welcome sight. Not only could playing the Stamps be second nature for a defence that basically practises against Calgary every week, the Stamps might provide the Lions offensive examples when they have the ball.

However, in the absence of outward verbal motivation by Buono -- which might be the one trait that separates him from Hufnagel -- it would help if some of the younger players on the Lions start buying what their coach is selling.

"provide the Lions offensive examples when they have the ball" ... Hmmm Wouldn't that be nice?

Dante Marsh:

"Wally's old school. Some of the bleep he says, sometimes it's hidden; very Zen-like.

"He's selling a belief in yourself." It is a belief that would be a lot stronger if Hufnagel had accepted Buono's offer to join the Lions three years ago instead of waiting on the top job in Calgary to open up so he could beat his boss at every turn.

Wally should have offered Hufnagel the HC job at that time.

Instead it's the Lions who are looking in the mirror. And the reflection looks much better on the other side of the field.

Ouch. And I would have to agree.

[Rammer]

An enlightening article by Lowell, and very well put forth. The context of it though has been pushed around here for the past two seasons at least. You have to feel for the Lions/Wally, he is going to watch his offense run efficiently and with the development that Lion fans would love to have.

Members here wanted to see Hufnagel join the Lions after his TC debut, wanted to see DD also, lucky Calgary in the end.

[Lion Guy]

Westcoastjoe....before I say this let me clarify; I love reading your posts and look forward to your insights on a multitude of subjects regarding the Lions.

Its just that recently the constant jabs and pokes at Wally and Chap, from everyone not just you, are getting a bit much. I get what you are tring to say, but I don't need to read about it every post. And to those that want to say that I don't have to read posts if I don't want to, please read the opening line.

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.theprovince.com/sports/Dusti ... story.html

Some excerpts from the article by Ed Willes ...

Before the start of the B.C. Lions' regular season, Wally Buono was asked about his future as the team's head coach.

This was his answer:

"If I believe I'm ineffective, then I'll have to step aside. I'd be a hypocrite and I'd be dishonest if I didn't.

"Believe me, you know. You're not reaching the coaches. You're not reaching the players. You're not reaching anyone. At that point, you have to step aside."

Now, at the time, it was more a theoretical question because no one envisioned the Lions getting off to a 1-4 start for the second year in a row. But here we are, just five games in, and, for the first time in his eight years with the Leos, hard questions are being asked about Buono's performance.

What is the bottom line, to use business parlance? I would have to say it is wins and losses. 8 and 10 last year. Blown out in the last playoff game. 1 and 4 this year.

So, Wally, are you still reaching this team?

"I have no reservations about that," Buono said in a private moment Thursday as the Lions prepared for Saturday's crucial meeting with the Stampeders at Empire Field. "If we were concerned about effort, if we were concerned about intensity, if we were concerned about physicality, then it would be a problem.

"We're concerned about execution. Why the execution isn't better at critical times, that's still something we're working on."

Effort, intensity, physicality ... all good. I agree. Breakdowns at key times. Not so good. Schemes, especially on offence. Not so good.

"What do you want to see out of this team?" he said.

"More discipline and better execution. That's all we want to see. The guys play hard. I'm saying they have to play with a greater level of discipline and execution."

IMO it is very difficult to execute your plays when the defence knows what is coming. Look at our short yardage "package." QB dive. Facing 9 or 10 in the box. But we still run it. Look at our one running play up the middle. No deception. Look at how defences sit on our receiver routes. No deception. IMO Wally emphasizes execution to the virtual exclusion of deception.

"It's not the quarterback," said Buono. "He's a guy. He's not the only guy. If the offence is executed at a high enough level, we're not dependent on the quarterback."

I agree it is not the QB. Our QBs have to run for their lives to make a play work. Our anti-blitz "package" is non-existent.

If Buono steps down, his presumed heir is defensive coordinator Mike Benevides, who's been raised in the Buono system for a decade. Maybe they can replace offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine, but a new OC isn't going to install a new offence midway through the season.

Mike Benevides has not proven himself as a DC let alone as a Head Coach. IMO ...

"If we go 1 and 5, do we cancel the season?" said Buono. "If we go 2 and 4, do you celebrate? You don't do either. You've got to keep a level head, and you have to have confidence in the things you're doing and the players you have. If you don't, you won't get anything solved."

Wally does stay the course. He does not panic. Sad to say, though, is that coaches like Hufnagel and Trestman and Miller have passed him by in terms of schemes. They keep the opponent off-balance. They work very hard to make their schemes unpredictable. They don't just rely on execution.

Can the Lions win with the present system? I would say yes, but I don't think they can be at the top level, and are unlikely to challenge for the Cup.

Change horses in mid-stream? Nah. Change coaches? Too late. Change schemes? Not likely. Change players? Oh yes. Not that it will help any, but that is the last recourse of losing teams.

IMO ...

[Rammer]

Westcoastjoe....before I say this let me clarify; I love reading your posts and look forward to your insights on a multitude of subjects regarding the Lions.

Its just that recently the constant jabs and pokes at Wally and Chap, from everyone not just you, are getting a bit much. I get what you are tring to say, but I don't need to read about it every post. And to those that want to say that I don't have to read posts if I don't want to, please read the opening line.

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

I agree about the constant jabs on JC/Wally, being one of those that do so, being a frustrated fan about the Lions current offensive inability. However, if you expect the fans to be quiet about it, I also worry that will turn into apathy towards the team itself. As long as fans are willing to invest their time about the team here in any form, I think that it is better than the alternative.

[WestCoastJoe]

Westcoastjoe....before I say this let me clarify; I love reading your posts and look forward to your insights on a multitude of subjects regarding the Lions.

Its just that recently the constant jabs and pokes at Wally and Chap, from everyone not just you, are getting a bit much. I get what you are tring to say, but I don't need to read about it every post. And to those that want to say that I don't have to read posts if I don't want to, please read the opening line.

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

Lion Guy, I take no offence at what you say.

However I do have to say what I think.

No one was happier when Wally Buono was hired by Bobby Ackles. No one followed the Fateri-Feterik fiasco in Calgary closer than I did, hoping against hope that Ackles would be able to pry Buono loose from that situation.

Wally has given the Lions the greatest stability they have ever had. However, in an 8 team league, it is not anything to write home about when you win one Grey Cup in 7 years (now in his 8th year).

What worked for Wally for all those years is dated now.

Can he turn this season around? I think so. Can we rise to the elite level in the league? I don't think so. Are the Lions a fun team to watch? I don't think so. Do we play exciting football? I don't think so.

Should I just speak of positives? What would be the point of that?

When a team is losing we all suffer. The players suffer. The fans suffer. No one suffers more than the coaches. No wonder they say they do not listen to the media.

As Rammer says, the alternative is apathy. Not a choice I wish to make. We have had many years of apathy in the past. The wilderness years. It is too easy to slip back into that.

[Lion Guy]

Fair comments by both Rammer and WCJ and I appreciate your positions and desire to get this thing righted.

It starts Saturday night.

[notahomer]

In Wiles article he feels the defence is 'adequate'. I'm enjoying watching this defence. I don't feel an offence is going to run on 2 and over 12yards and convert on this BC defence. I also feel a more successful offence helps make a defences job easier (resting, limiting opponents downs etc...). I wonder if Wiles opinion of our 'adequate' defence will improve with an improved offence?

[TheLionKing]

Interesting that players are beginning to say in public that the offence is stale.

[Lionheart]

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

Lion guy, it is this comment here that worries me the most:

"Players know what is coming, and realize it is not the coaching staff that will face the consequences of repeated setbacks. "

There may be a bit of a turnaround, but until that mindset changes, I've come to expect nothing from this team at the end of the year.

The only glimmer of hope is Casey majic, his athletisism to escape the crap that is dealt up by jack chaps.

[Lion Guy]

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

Lion guy, it is this comment here that worries me the most:

"Players know what is coming, and realize it is not the coaching staff that will face the consequences of repeated setbacks. "

There may be a bit of a turnaround, but until that mindset changes, I've come to expect nothing from this team at the end of the year.

The only glimmer of hope is Casey majic, his athletisism to escape the crap that is dealt up by jack chaps.

Yes I know...but from my view the players have made the critical mistakes at critical times or we are 4-1. That isn't coaching. Would it be better if we shoot lights out like the Als did against the Riders in game 1 but still lose? In my book a loss is a loss and a win is a win regardless of how it gets accomplished. There are no style points given. But again that's just me and everybody is entitled to their opinion and what they prefer.

[Tighthead]

I'm getting close to apathy. I'm still following quite closely, but I just feel that the team is stuck in a death spiral of shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. I think the team needs philosophical/systemic changes (which don't necessarily mean firing coaches) that can't be remedied by tweaking personnel.

[The_Pauser]

Wally will either turn this around or he will make changes. I am hoping on the first.

Sorry, I had to look at the date of your post because I wasn't sure if it was made in 2009 or in 2010.

The Lions DIDN'T turn things around last year and in the offseason only SOME changes were made. Our defense, though still a work in progress, is leaps and bounds better than the crap we saw last year. What was the major change there? We brought in Rich Stubler.

Our offense is absolutely lousy. Why weren't there any real changes from last season? Chap ball just doesn't work! It hasn't worked for almost 4 years now. It didn't work in Edmonton and they were smart enough to can him after one season.

[The_Pauser]

When the Lions call, "Blue 40", everyone in the league knows a run up the middle is coming...so why not try a long bomb instead...even Javy might be caught off-guard. And when they all shout, "Jumbo", "Jumbo", everyone knows its a QB keeper...so why not try a swing pass or toss to Lee or Messam around the edge?

I like your ideas, but it wouldn't necessarily work exactly as you mention. If the other teams think we're running, they're going to rush more men to the line. If we're throwing a bomb, our QB needs time to allow the receivers to get downfield, and in that time our O-line will be overwhelmed and we'll be sacked for a loss.

A screen pass would be nice. But that would be too confusing for our team, right Jacques?