Season Opener - Getting Ready for the Als

[Blitz]

Our season opener features the two teams that each finished last in their respective divisions last season. Both teams made plenty of off-season changes in order to attempt to change their fortunes for the 2018 football season.

OUR B.C. LIONS

As we prepare for our season opener against the Montreal Als, it’s a very different Leos team than the one that ended the 2017 season with a whimper, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1996. In only two short seasons, Wally’s return to the sidelines had led to mediocrity, even though the 2017 edition of the B.C. Lions had been predicted by a number of analysts to potentially become 2017 Grey champions.

It was a very disappointing season and change was necessary and forthcoming.

The first changes began where they needed to begin, at the highest levels of leadership. Rick LeLacheur became our Leos new President and we hired a new gunslinger in Ed Hervey, as GM. Torey Hunter became our new Director of Player Personnel. Wally stayed on as Head Coach (either because the team needed him or Buono needed to stay on as Head Coach for one more season to avoid going out a loser).

Changes were made to the coaching staff with Jarious Jackson being brought in as our new offensive coordinator and Jeff Reinbold as our special teams coordinator. The additions of Randy Melvin to coach the defensive line and Marcus Howell as receiver’s coach and passing game coordinator rounded out the changes to the coaching staff.

Ed Hervey immediately identified our Lions offensive and defensive lines as areas of priority for 2018, while also determining that changes to the leadership group and team culture were also necessary. Hervey met with Lions vets and convinced them to take a salary reduction in order free up SMS space to sign free agents.

Hervey traded Chris Williams for Gabriel Knapton, traded a 4th round draft choice for Davon Coleman, signed Odell Willis and Ivan MeLennan as free agents, and drafted huge Georgia State defensive tackle Julien Laurent in the 1st round and defensive tackle Rashari Henry in the 6th round. Our starting defensive line was remade, and new National defensive line depth was added.

Hervey did not bring back Kirby Fabian. He signed free agent offensive tackles Joel Figueroa and Chris Greaves, as well as released offensive tackle Jovan Olifioye. He also drafted Peter Godber and David Knevel.
At the offensive skill positions, Hervey signed free agent International receivers Ricky Collins Jr. and Kevin Elliot, along with free agent National receiver Cory Watson, and free agent tailback Brandon Rutley. He also drafted fullback David Mackie and slotback Will Watson.

At backup quarterback, Hervey said goodbye to Alex Ross while signing Cody Fajardo and Ricky Lloyd.

In the defensive secondary, with Yell, Fenner, and Purifoy signing elsewhere, Hervey signed nickel back Otha Foster, International free agent defensive backs Anthony Orange, Gary Peters, and Marcel Young, as well as free agent National defensive back Dominque Termansen. We also drafted Gusylak-Messam. Winston Rose, signed in the off-season will also dress as an extra defensive back.

Also signed for the defensive roster were free agent National linebacker Bo Lokombo, linebacker and special teams phenom Keelan Johnson, and National defensive tackles Edward Godin.

Our B.C. Lions will play their first game of the 2018 season with four new starters on offence from the 2017 edition of our Leos. Those starters are Joel Figuroa, Jovan Olifioye, Ricky Collins Jr. and Watson.
On defense we will line up eight new starters - Odell Willis, Gabriel Knapton, Davon Coleman, Dyshawn Davis, Otha Foster, Anthony Orange, Gary Peters, Marcell Young. Our only returning defensive starters from 2017 are vets Sol E and T.J. Lee, along with sophomore starters Junior Luke and Anthony Thompson.

MONTREAL ALOUETTES

The only CFL team that finished the 2017 season with a worse record than our B.C. Lions were the Montreal Alouttes and they were much worse. The 2017 Montreal Als season began as a gong show as Kavis Reed, who lost out to Jaques Chapdelaine for the Head Coaching position, was named General Manager. You couldn’t ask for a crazier scenario and the acrimony between the two ended partway through Chap’s first full season as Head Coach, when Kavis Reed fired him partway through 2017, along with popular defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe.

The decision did not go down well with most Montreal fans, who believed it should have been Reed who was fired instead. Reed, when announcing the firing of Chap and Thorpe said, ““If it’s just OK, we’re not going to be able to have the kind of team we want. Just OK is not enough. We felt our defense was good but never one you would call elite.”

Reed’s words would haunt him. He couldn’t find the key to the practice field for his first practice and fans in Montreal chanted “Its not Ok” as Reed lost all his remaining games as Interim Head Coach.

As one die hard Montreal fan wrote at the time: “I really don't get this. Kavis Reed showed hmself to be a bad STC, then proceeded to be a bad DC, then somehow got a HC position and was bad at that, he then by some miracle got himself a GM position and so far can only be thought of as bad at that and now he is going to be a HC/GM? How does this guy not only continued to be employed in this league after repeatedly being bad at his job but keep getting promotions and more responsibility?”

Reed, as GM in 2017, traded Montreal’s first round draft choice to our B.C. Lions for the rights to Vernon Adams and traded S.J. Green to Toronto for a 6th round draft choice. He also traded Foucault to B.C. for Jovan Olifioye, who refused to take a demanded pay cut from Buono, after the Lions signed free agents Chris Williams and Reed also traded his 2018 fourth round draft pick and a conditional 2019 second round draft pick for quarterback Darius Durant.

Reed took over as Interim Head Coach and Montreal lost the remainder of their games under Reed. In the off-season, with Reed, somehow, still retaining his job as GM, hired former NFL Head Coach Richard Sherman as the new HC. Reed also hired Khari Jones to coach the offence while ‘advisor’ Rich Stubler suddenly became the Als defensive coordinator close to training camp.

In the 2018 off-season Reed demanded that Darius Durant restructure his contract, as he was about to receiver a $150,000 signing bonus – a lot of money for a quarterback who had thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in 2017. Durant was released by Kavis Reed when he refused to do so. Reed signed a number of free agents in the off-season and attempted to pull off the same scenario as Buono did last season – he demanded that Olifioye take a pay cut, close to training camp. Olifioye refused and was released.

Kavis Reed was up against the SMS, as he attempted to sign free agents or make trades this off-season, in attempting to fix the disaster of 2017, that was mostly of his own making. Reed avoided a potential disaster by trading his first-round draft choice to Hamilton and picked up guard Ryan Bomben while doing so, while also still being able to draft second.

The Als, despite their offensive woes for 2017, have mostly retooled their defense. On offence, the Als major roster changes are adding receiver Chris Williams, guard Ryan Bomben, and fullback Patrick Lavoie. They released vet Nik Lewis in the off-season and lost Jovan Olifioye and Darian Durrant because they would not restructure their contracts, The Als have proven receivers in B.J. Cunningham and Ernest Jacksonalong with hard running tailback Terrel Sutton.

The Als main changes were on defense and Reed has spent big to pick up some very good talent. in former Calgary Stampeders Tommie Campbell and Joe Burnett as well as Mitchell White. Linebackers Henoc Muamba and Dominique Ellis and linemen Alan-Michael Cash and Jamaal Westerman also were added. Kylie Hebert was released but aging vets John Bowman and Chip Cox were retained. Rich Stubler has some very good defensive talent to work with in 2018.

The biggest question for the Als for 2018 is whether recycled Drew Willy, with unsuccessful stints in Winnipeg and Toronto can lead the Als offence. Back up quarterback Matt Shiltz is pressing him for the starters position.

Our Leos enjoyed a successful exhibition season, with our defense creating a lot of turnovers while our offence showed both promise and hiccups while learning Jarious Jackson’s new offensive system. The biggest problem for our Leos during exhibition play was penalties and that will need to get fixed for this season opener.

There will be some familiar faces on the Als sideline at B.C. Place as Khari Jones and Rich Stubler coordinate their offensive and defensive units for Montreal while Lion fans will welcome the return of Jovan Olifioye, who we missed greatly on our offensive line last season. Jeff Reinbold began his CFL pro football coaching career here in B.C. in 1991, while working for Bob O’Billovich. Its good to see him back with our Leos.

There is hope in Leo Land for 2018. The personnel changes we have seen this off-season, from free agent signings to trades are not the types of changes we have seen in the past under Buono as GM. How these changes will work out is yet to be determined.

A new era is beginning in B.C. One can feel the transition. Most predict our Leos to finish either last or fourth in the West. But this 2018 Leos team could surprise.

Go Leos!

[B.C.FAN]

One Alouette who could hold a key to the team's success is Chris Williams. He says he is recovered from the ACL injury that kept him out of the lineup for the start of the season last year in B.C., and has had a full offseason to train. He never did fit into the Lions' offence.

Two fellow ex-Lions join Williams in the Montreal receiving corps, Ernest Jackson and Stephen Adekolu. Ageless ex-Lion Stefan Logan shows no signs of slowing down as a return specialist. Kirby Fabien, Jabar Westerman and Seydou Junior Haidara are other ex-Lions on the Als' roster. Montreal has talent at skill positions on offence and defence. Quarterbacking and coaching are the big question marks.

One of my biggest takeaways from training camp in Kamloops was that Chris Rainey will be the player to watch on the B.C. offence this year. He has great hands and speed. Expect him to get lots of touches. If they can get him the ball in space, he can break down defences. J.J. Adams picked up on that topic this week in The Province:

Lions leaning on explosive Rainey to light fuse for revamped offence

[Blitz]

Its so good to read that Jarious Jackson realizes the advantages of getting Chris Rainey the football in space and also attempting to get him into one on one situations with a linebacker in the open field.

I wrote about this ad nauseum last year. Khari Jones just didn't seem to 'get it', using Rainey for inside zone reads exclusively in the running attack, hitting him on quick predictable swing passes (the defense was ready and waiting) or lining him up in the slot and using him on comeback patterns (huh?)

Chris Rainey's 2017 season mirrored Jonathan Jennings 2017 season. Both did not meet expectations of themselves or fans. Guess they both just didn't 'execute' in 2017, or guess they just didn't make quick enough or the right decisions or teams knew their 'tendencies. I'm obviously being feciscious.

The reality is when we didn't block for either of them, we gave them predictable plays to execute, and we didn't take advantage of their talents.

Rainey had an 8.6 run average in 2016. That dropped to 4.4 yards per carry in 2017. Rainey had the best punt return average in the CFL in 2016. He was named to the West and CFL All-Star teams. In 2017, Rainey had the worst punt return average in the CFL - so much for Wally deciding he wanted to get more involved with our return teams.

Hopefully this season Rainey will be allowed to attack the edge as well as the inside in th run game and will not just be used for quick swing passes or comeback patterns. Rainey is a weapon that should be used on screen passes, wheel routes against linebackers, quick crossing patterns, and also being allowed to find the open hole after a fake run. He could also be sent in motion and used for quick screens in space. Lots of different ways for Jarious to utilize Rainey's talents.

I sure hope we can better utilize the arm of Jonathan Jennings and the legs of Chris Rainey this season. Both need to reestablish the confidence they had in 2016, when they played so well and gave us so much excitement.

[dodger]

Took in practice today and was happy to see much more movement and misdirection from the offense.

Noticed a more aggressive attitude on special teams too.

Shaq Johnson did not participate in practice, looked like Vandervoort was taking his place.

Rutley also riding the bike.

Looking forward to Saturday.

[B.C.FAN]

The Lions have released their depth chart, roster and injured list for the opener. The starting lineup is exactly as it has been since the start of training camp, save for the mid-camp acquisition of Davon Coleman.

As expected, Travis Lulay, Brandon Rutley, Kevin Elliott, David Mackie, Maxx Ford and David Knevel have been moved to the one-game injured list to bring the roster down to the required 46 players. Antonio Johnson is on the roster as a backup tackle but will likely be scratched if Jovan Olafioye's back doesn't act up.

Depth chart and roster vs. Montreal

Buy a program or print out the roster if you haven't been following the team closely through camp. There are 20 new players on the 46-man roster, and several incumbents have changed their numbers. A few have even changed their numbers since preseason.

[David]

Kind of surprised that Dakota Brush is playing ahead of David Mackie backing up Rolly (but for all intents and purposes playing on Special Teams). Didn't see much of Brush in preseason other than a dropped screen pass but Mackie was very noticeable.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

Kind of surprised that Dakota Brush is playing ahead of David Mackie backing up Rolly (but for all intents and purposes playing on Special Teams). Didn't see much of Brush in preseason other than a dropped screen pass but Mackie was very noticeable.


DH

Brush has been prominent on special teams through camp and preseason. He surprised me by rising to the challenge. Mackie will get his chance. He excels a blocker. It’s not often I hear the pads pop in practice. Whenever I did, it was either Mackie or Rolly Lumbala.

[Blitz]

Dakota Brush was a 6th round draft choice of our Leos in 2017. Brush, at 6'3", 241 pounds has the size to play fullback and he was a good receiver in college. He spent most of last season on the practice roster but did suit up for 8 games, playing on our special teams.

Mackie is 6'2" and weighs 251 pounds. He was our second round draft choice this year. He is also a good receiver although he earned his high draft status due to his excellent blocking. Mackie was also considered an elite long snapper in college. He was the top rated running back in this year's 2018 CFL draft.

I think its a mistake to have Mackie on the practice roster. Its a cost saving move that could result in him being picked up by another team. I would have preferred our Leos to pay him by contract rather than practice roster pay and have him on the injuried list instead, until we are ready to put him on the active roster.

The same scenario should go for David Kneval was ranked as a first round draft choice, 5th overall in this year's CFL draft. Kneval was at the top of the CFL draft rankings in the first two published rankings. We got him in the 3rd round because some thought he would get an NFL shot.

I would not have a projected first round offensive lineman on the practice roster. Once again, I would have him contracted, rather than receiving practice roster pay and then put him on the injury reserve list.

[Blitz]

Opps, I just read the Lions depth chart and they do have Mackie and Knevel on the injury list. A relief to see.

[DanoT]

On the game day roster that I just printed out, Mackie and Knevel are both on the one game IR as Blitz had hoped for.

If Shaq Johnson can't play, that does allow Vandervoort to start but does leave the Lions thin at NAT receiver although if need be I guess Lumbala can be out there as a tight end or FB, or maybe it is an oppourtunity to active Mackie in place of Shaq on the roster.

[Blitz]

I believe the Lions would activate Will Watson if Shaq can't go, with Vandervoot starting in Shaq's spot.

The Montreal Gazette's just published an article, in anticipation of the game on Saturday night, focusing on the theme that this is Buono's last season.

Of course, the concept is that Buono was going to retire last season and only remained and coached another season because he felt loyal to David Braley and also because Hervey asked him to.

No notion at all that Buono returned for one more season because he didn't want his last season (2017) to be his final one, as our Leos didn't make the playoffs for the first time since 1996. I really believe that was Buono's primary motivation for coaching this season - to go out a winner or at least not leave the game as a Head Coach with a wimper, which would have been the scenario had Buono retired at the end of 2017.

In the end, it really doesn't matter. Buono is Head Coach for this season and Hervey is the GM and Hervey will be here in 2019, so the players know they will need to be accoutable. In fact, I believe that is one of the reasons why Buono wanted Hervey to be the GM for 2018. Buono knew he would be a lame duck if he was in both roles this season.

It would be big if our Leos could come out on Saturday night and play an exciting brand of football while securing a win in their season opener at home. It would be the start we need to get fans very postive about this team again.

Montreal CFL legend Wally Buono prepares for final chapter with Lions
After saying the 2017 season would be his last, the winningest coach in CFL history felt compelled to return to the B.C. sideline.

Herb Zurkowsky, Montreal Gazette
Updated: June 15, 2018

VANCOUVER — The winningest head coach in Canadian Football League history doesn’t know what he’ll be doing next year — and, quite frankly, Wally Buono doesn’t care. He just knows someone else will occupy the corner office with the big windows that overlooks the B.C. Lions’ practice facility in suburban Surrey.

“It doesn’t matter. If I was 45, it would matter,” said Buono, 68, who is beginning his 46th season in professional football. “I have plenty of money in the bank. I have plenty of money in my RRSP. I have a beautiful home in Arizona. I have a beautiful family, (six) grandkids. It’s not important for me today to know I have to do X and Y.”

With 273 victories nobody has won more games in the CFL. And, as Buono quickly adds, nobody has lost more, either. Nonetheless, he has a 273-156-3 career record and a .635 winning percentage.

His contract as Lions general manager and head coach expired after the 2017 season which, he insisted last fall, would be his last. Now, he quips, it was all bluster, but not really. Had David Braley sold the team, Buono would have retired. When he didn’t, and with the Lions coming off a 7-11 campaign, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2003, Buono felt he couldn’t abandon Braley — who believed in him 16 years ago, when Calgary’s ownership no longer did.

So Buono returned, but only after Ed Hervey was hired as GM. That meant Buono didn’t have to saddle himself with personnel matters and contract negotiations last winter. It also meant he could spend six weeks at his winter home in Arizona. But this time, to ensure there was no ambiguity, Buono said 2018 would be the final one his career.

“I have six grandkids that I never do anything with, other than (spend) maybe a week in Arizona or a week in Hawaii,” he said. “I’ve done a lot in football. I’ve suffered a lot and I’ve succeeded a lot. My point is, after 46 years, I’d like to try to do other things.”

What those “things” are remain to be determined, but Buono said he won’t become a minority shareholder of the Lions or any other team, despite his deep pockets. It also seems he won’t parachute in to resurrect the Alouettes as president, GM, coach or director of football operations.

Buono, born in Potenza, Italy, but raised in Montreal, was a linebacker and kicker for the Als from 1973-82. He retired to become an assistant coach with the old Concordes. He said he was approached at one time by former GM Jim Popp during his 20-year tenure, but when the two couldn’t agree on who would have final say, the negotiations ended.
Buono tried to hire Hervey as his assistant before Edmonton appointed him GM. This time, Buono told Braley, the hiring of Hervey was paramount. Their roles have been clearly defined and, should anyone on the Lions regard Buono as a lame-duck coach, they should know Hervey will still be around to hold them accountable.

“If the players are happy to see me go, I’m okay with that,” said Buono, a self-professed benevolent dictator. “That’s why I felt it was imperative to have a GM. That’s who they’re responsible to, because he’s going to be here next year. There has to be continuity beyond me, which there is.”
As Buono and the Lions prepare for their regular-season opener Saturday night against the Als, he said the finality of his last season has yet to hit home. But while he refuses to make it his team’s defining rallying cry, the players can’t help but discuss sending their coach off in grand style.
“We know what’s at stake,” said fullback Rolly Lumbala, who has spent his entire 11-year career with the Lions. “We don’t want to make the year about him, but it’s about him.”

“There’s not too much talk, but everyone has it in the back of their mind,” added offensive-tackle Jovan Olafioye, who rejoined the Lions this season after spending 2017 with Montreal. “You want to send the old man out on a high note.”

If Buono had no idea about the success he would attain all those years ago, he credits former Als head coach Marv Levy with providing the veterans with ownership of those teams during the 1970s. The rest, Buono said, came from the work ethic his late mother instilled; the mental resilience he gained from his upbringing, part of which was spent at the Shawbridge reform school.

Through it all, Buono managed to check his ego at the door, surrounding himself with coaches who filled the void he could not. “People that are better than me at certain things,” he explained.

“You let them do what they’re good at. You do what your good at. I tell everybody, your job is to make me look good and I’ll help you look good. And we’ve always tried to surround ourselves with great players.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

[TheLionKing]

Opps, I just read the Lions depth chart and they do have Mackie and Knevel on the injury list. A relief to see.

Maybe Ed Hervey knows the history of Chris Jones in Regina

[MacNews]

Thank you Blitz for the very thorough review. I have been out of the loop and I'm looking forward to watching the game tomorrow. Now I feel all caught up!

[WestCoastJoe]

Who sits out? Maybe Mitch Barnett. Maybe Antonio Johnson, depending on the status of Jovan Olafioye.

Barnett was a 7th round pick by Hamilton in 2016. I have not really seen him play. He must be good on STs.

Happy to see us playing the roster game, tolerated by the league, with Mackie and Knevel stashed on the 1-game injured list. These guys would be poached instantly by Chris Jones in Regina. "Who needs draft picks? I'll just go shopping from B.C.'s Practice Roster."

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[WestCoastJoe]

Practice Roster and Injured Lists ...

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