Ritchie Hall Released

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TheLionKing
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First it was George Cortez and now it's Ritchie Hall. Changes in Riderville

http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/107625/autostart/true
TheLionKing
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http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Roughr ... story.html

Will Chapdelaine leave SFU to become OC again if offered ?
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TheLionKing wrote:http://www.leaderpost.com/sports/Roughr ... story.html

Will Chapdelaine leave SFU to become OC again if offered ?
Chamblin might coordinate the Riders defense next season, if he can't find the right candidate and Hall could stay on in some role.

I'm surprised that Chamblin has had a discussion with Chap about the offensive coordinator role in Riderland. Chamblin wants an experienced offensive coordinator and Chap fits that bill. However, Chap in some ways would be crazy to go back to being an offensive coordinator. The HC job at Simon Fraser offeres more job security. But its also a tough conference to coach in and Chap probably still has CFL Head Coaching aspirations.

It will be interesting, as LaPolice is also in the discussion in Riderville as OC. LaPolice would also be wiser to stay with TSN, a much easier gig with good pay, than becoming an OC again.
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TheLionKing wrote:First it was George Cortez and now it's Ritchie Hall. Changes in Riderville

http://cfl.ca/video/index/id/107625/autostart/true
Interesting happenings in Riderville. Would Ritchie Hall be an upgrade over Mark Washington for the Lions? Would he be interested?
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Ritchie Hall would be a massive upgrade over Washington, and I like RH a lot, but he's still not the teacher that I really want here...Ritchie likes to spend his time prepping for game days, which is VERY IMPORTANT, very few OCs EVER outsmarted RH on an important game day...just look at SSKs record in big games...but we need a TEACHER who can take all of the great talent at LB and DB and turn these guys into All Stars...again, I would be very, very happy for RH, but perhaps as part of someone like Tedford that sees teaching as the most element to the game!

Blitz, JC will have to take a hard look at the SSK offer because that OLine has been consistently good for a long time...It would afford him the opportunity to implement an offence that few would be able to match intellectually. It would also allow him to show Wally his abilities...but you are absolutely right, SSK is a tough place to coach as they demand results with little patience...letting go of both Cortez and Hall isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it took a huge pair of cajones to execute in one offseason...we did something similar last year to disastrous results...
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I don't agree that HC at SFU has more job security. It just takes the folks above you to point to the W's and then find things that aren't going well to justify firing you.

It's easy to do. Players failing. Players not graduating. A rookie night. They can look at all this stuff and build a case and out he goes.

I think Chamblin house cleaning is interesting as he is now next. Once the coordinators go the next have to win now baby or it's you. I think he's now in real dangerous territory.
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Ritchie isn't good enough for the Riders, he isn't good enough to consider for the Lions.
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Rammer wrote:Ritchie isn't good enough for the Riders, he isn't good enough to consider for the Lions.

Hall has experience and has been a winner as a defensive coordinator but not my preferred choice. If I could have choosen anyone to coach our defense, if age or time was not an issue it would be the following in this order: Don Matthews, Dave Ritchie, Rich Stubler, Chris Jones.

Of the present crop of CFL coaches it would be Barrin MIles, Noel Thorpe, and Orlando S. in that order. Miles has never been a defensive coordinator but he is highly respected, has a high football IQ, and is an excellent communicator. He will be a defensive coordinator one day and a very good one. I much prefer the style of defense that Thorpe coaches over Orlando's style of defense and Hamiltion was terrible in pass defense this season.

We've had a lot of discussions about our future HC. offensive coordination, and even defensive coordination for next season but other than a few posts favoring Kelly Bates as our future offensive line coach, no other names have been mentioned.

In looking back over the past decade and more, our offensive line coaching, more than any other issue, has been our nemisis. Looking back we've had some outstanding defenses, we've had some very good seasons offensively, we've had some outstanding quarterback play under Buttatto and Chapdelaine, but lack of throwing time in the pocket, quarterback hits, sacks, and injuries, and long periods of time in which game after game our tailbacks have run into a brick wall in terms of our running attack, have been our nemisis.

Going back to 2005, Dickenson was buried in the WDF, Dickenson had to run skillfully in the 4th quarter of the 2006 Grey Cup game as our defense was the story of the game and our offence struggled as our offensive line struggled against Montreal's 6th ranked defense, Jarious and Dickenson were buried again in the 2007 WDF. Our offensive line woes got worse after 2007 and by 2010, both Printers and Lulay, two very mobile quarterbacks were sacked the most in the CFL that season.

2011 started off the same. When Chap began running his motion/misdirection offence in 2011, using Harris a lot out of the backfield in the passing game, and using a lot of misdirection play action, we went on to win the Grey Cup and our offence also led the CFL in 2012. But defenses were catching on by 2013 and Chap's offensive scheme could not hide our offensive line coaching deficiencies. A new run blocking scheme, combined with new formations and new motion at the end of 2013 enabled us to peel off three 200 yard plus rushing games in a row, including rushing for over 200 yards in the Semi-Final against Saskatchewan.

But in 2014, we were back in the spread formation under Jones. That offensive scheme could not hide our major problem - our offensive line's inability to pick up stunts and blitzes or have a run blocking scheme that can get it done. Glenn was buried play after play as defensive players came free time after time, often on inside stunts.

Any ideas for offensive line coach for 2015 ????
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TheLionKing
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You mentioned a very good candidate in your post Blitz: Steve Burratto. He was an offensive line coach and an offensive coordinator with the Lions. Whether he's interested in leaving the University of Calgary to return is open to debate.
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The_Pauser
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Rammer wrote:Ritchie isn't good enough for the Riders, he isn't good enough to consider for the Lions.
By that standard why did Calgary hire Stubler? He wasn't good enough for us...
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The_Pauser wrote:
Rammer wrote:Ritchie isn't good enough for the Riders, he isn't good enough to consider for the Lions.
By that standard why did Calgary hire Stubler? He wasn't good enough for us...
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leo4life
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Mike Gibson is now available for Offensive Line coach.Or is Wally trying to keep Dorazio on for 2015? Wouldnt surprise anyone on this forum
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WestCoastJoe
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leo4life wrote:Mike Gibson is now available for Offensive Line coach.Or is Wally trying to keep Dorazio on for 2015? Wouldnt surprise anyone on this forum
Blitz wrote:
Any ideas for offensive line coach for 2015 ????
Kelly Bates for sure, Blitz. Mike Gibson has had success as an OL coach. Dunno about his stint as Ottawa OC ... Many good OL coaches out there.
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Solar Max
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I can say with impunity that R Nation members would be thrilled if the Lions hired Mike Gibson in any capacity.

It would be Ottawa guaranteed win night in their eyes.
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I agree with all who posted that Mike Gibson would be a great choice for our offensive line coach going forward.

Since this thread is about coaching coordination on the defensive side of the football, a thought I wanted to share is that these days it seems the word that is used often is that we want a defensive coach who is AGGRESIVE, as if that is mostly what one needs from a defensive coach to be successful.

I prefer the word dynamic.

For example, when Creehan was hired as Hamilton's defensive coordinator in 2012, he was hailed as an "aggressive" defensive coordinator. He also had the worst CFL defence in 2012.

Stubler, hiredn B.C. in 2012, was not hailed as aggressive but viewed more of a bend but don't break defensive coordinator. Stubler's defense led the CFL in 19 of 25 defensive categories in 2012. That's not a whole lot of bending.

A smart defensive coordinator just doesn't bring the blitz every down. Sometimes I wonder if that is what is wanted from some fans just as some fans want the quarterback to throw a bomb on every down.

A smart defensive coordinator has an arsenal of weapons including bringing the blitz hard or dropping a lot into coverage. The defense is designed to play any style of offence and to adjust within a game. You play a Ricky Ray differently than a Willy. Blitzing inexperienced quarterbacks on almost every play is something you can get away with but bltizing Ricky Ray every down can get you burned.

To me, aggressive is playing smart but confident, hard edged football, no matter whether you are bringing a lot of players on a blitz or dropping a lot into coverage. I much prefer dynamic defense than just sending six or seven defenders on a blitz on almost every down.

Now Chamblin has demoted Richie Hall because he wants a more 'aggressive' defensive coordinator. The same thing was said at the end of last season about Stubler. I hope Chamblin understands what he wants when he says more 'aggressive'. That hopefully does not mean blitzing on every down against every team.

Experienced, successful defensive coordinators know better. Even the Don didn't always bring the blitz. He brought it often but he also knew when to fake it and drop off.
"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)
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