Lionbackers.com

Depth chart

No shockers.

Purifoy, rookie at Nickel.

Stewart at CB.

Edem at Safety.

Vaillancourt RG, Johnson RT.

Game Notes

http://d3ham790trbkqy.cloudfront.net/wp ... -at-BC.pdf

Game preview ...

http://www.bclions.com/2016/06/24/lions ... 16-opener/

Excerpt.

The race to the 104th Grey Cup officially begins Saturday at BC Place when the BC Lions welcome in the Calgary Stampeders for the first of three regular season meetings. It also marks a rematch of last week’s exhibition tilt where Calgary prevailed 31-21. Now the clubs are playing for keeps and it’s a chance for Wally Buono and company to set the tone early in what should be tight battle from top to bottom in the West Division. The CFL’s all-time winningest sideline boss is back for his first meaningful game action since prevailing over Winnipeg in the 2011 Grey Cup. Although it may seem like a big deal, the Lions boss insists it’s business as usual. “The first two games ( pre-season) were meaningful too,” Buono insists. “I enjoyed the experience. It’s been a month now that we’ve been working at this and obviously this is an important game. It’s important to win a game against a very football team and it’s important to win at home.” Redemption is no doubt on their minds after the Lions dropped all four meetings to Calgary in 2015, including the Western Semi-Final in November. Jonathon Jennings gets the first opening week start of his young pro career and if one thing is apparent, the 23-year old is taking nothing for granted after earning top spot on the depth chart.

I'm encouraged that Zach Minter is on the 46-man roster and not the one-game injured list, but either he or Darius Allen will be scratched. I hope Minter plays. The Lions need his big body to shut down Jerome Messam and the Calgary running game. There is no one else in the D-line rotation who can play in the middle. Westerman starts at DT but can play inside or outside. Roh, Bazzie, Menard and Allen are all defensive ends, despite the coaching staff's attempts to convert Roh to DT last year.

I'm also encouraged that Solomon Elimimian is listed at starting LB. This will be his first live action since he ruptured his Archilles last August. That injury often has a 12- to 18-month recovery period. Elimimian has worked hard to get back into the lineup but it will be interesting to see if he can regain the CFL MOP form he showed in 2014.

B.C.FAN wrote:I'm encouraged that Zach Minter is on the 46-man roster and not the one-game injured list, but either he or Darius Allen will be scratched. I hope Minter plays. The Lions need his big body to shut down Jerome Messam and the Calgary running game. There is no one else in the D-line rotation who can play in the middle. Westerman starts at DT but can play inside or outside. Roh, Bazzie, Menard and Allen are all defensive ends, despite the coaching staff's attempts to convert Roh to DT last year.

Agree re Minter and stopping Messam.

1 Can we shut down Messam running the ball? Unlikely.

2 Can we slow him down? Possibly.

3 Can they run over us? Let us hope not. Go get 'em, Solly. But we need the D Line to make tackles. If Solly is making most of them, that might not be a good sign.

A few things jump out at me, looking at the depth chart.

The first is that we are going to use Arsenault, Burnham, and Moore in the three slot positions. Gore lines up as the short side wide out and Iannuzzi plays the fifth receiver, lined up on the outside of the wide side in the five pack receiver set. I anticipated that we would move Moore to the short side outside receiver spot, where he has played in the past. Arsenault has also played the short side wideout position most of his career with our Leos but was moved inside last year and was more effective there.

So Gore has been moved from the outside slot on the wide side of the field to a new position. Khari Jones, as our offensive coordinator in 2014, was very slot back oriented in the passing attack and this lineup looks like that emphasis will continue, recognizing that the recievers can be moved around.

Adcock is injured. I sure hope that the decision to move Olifoye to the left tackle spot and go with Adcock at right tackle, when he is back healthy is a good one. Personally I was happy with Draheim at left tackle last season and Olofoye at his familiar all star right tackle spot and have really wondered about this move.

On defence, there are no suprises. Edem starts at safety, we knew that Stewart was signed as a starting corner, and either Lokombo or Purifoy will play the third linebacker/nickel back spot, depending on down and distance.

The biggest question mark for me is at defensive end where Roh and Bazzie are the starting defensive ends on the depth chart. My hope is that Darius Allen, who made such an impact as a hybrid linebacker/rush end in Division 11 in college and won the Cliff Harris Award can develop into an impact defensive end. Craig Roh was one of the most recruited players in the U.S coming out of high school and started 12 games for Michigan as a rookie. Roh was initially miscast last season as a defensive tackle and hopefully, playing a more natural defensive end position from training camp this year will translate into dividends for our Leos. to I also believe that Menard will have a very good season as he continues to improve.

Blitz wrote:Adcock is injured. I sure hope that the decision to move Olifoye to the left tackle spot and go with Adcock at right tackle, when he is back healthy is a good one. Personally I was happy with Draheim at left tackle last season and Olofoye at his familiar all star right tackle spot and have really wondered about this move.

I'm with you on this one, Blitz. I am fine with almost all of the roster decisions thus far, but not sure why the rush to get rid of Draheim (other than maybe he was one of Tedford's boys?). To my way of thinking he might have been our best O-linemen last year. He didn't stay unemployed long either.

I mean, I know Buono wants to be big, mean, and physical (Draheim had the wingspan for tackle, but wasn't the prototype behemoth on the line) but you also want someone who's really skilled at the same time. I haven't seen enough of Adcock (whom Dorazio lobbied Mgt to sign) to judge, but he has knee issues and now is on the 6-gamer due to a lung infection. WTF?? Both could have been brought to camp and the better player stays (much like they've done at running back).

I'm really nervous about Antonio Johnson starting. I know he has NFL experience, but Calgary is not the team you want to be breaking in new tackles against.


DH

David wrote:

Blitz wrote:Adcock is injured. I sure hope that the decision to move Olifoye to the left tackle spot and go with Adcock at right tackle, when he is back healthy is a good one. Personally I was happy with Draheim at left tackle last season and Olofoye at his familiar all star right tackle spot and have really wondered about this move.

I'm with you on this one, Blitz. I am fine with almost all of the roster decisions thus far, but not sure why the rush to get rid of Draheim (other than maybe he was one of Tedford's boys?). To my way of thinking he might have been our best O-linemen last year. He didn't stay unemployed long either.

I mean, I know Buono wants to be big, mean, and physical (Draheim had the wingspan for tackle, but wasn't the prototype behemoth on the line) but you also want someone who's really skilled at the same time. I haven't seen enough of Adcock (whom Dorazio lobbied Mgt to sign) to judge, but he has knee issues and now is on the 6-gamer due to a lung infection. WTF?? Both could have been brought to camp and the better player stays (much like they've done at running back).

I'm really nervous about Antonio Johnson starting. I know he has NFL experience, but Calgary is not the team you want to be breaking in new tackles against.


DH

Good thing Hunter Steward took some reps at RT this week as he could be a in game answer or 6game answer if Johnson doesn't make it.