Training camp 2021

The Place for BC Lion Discussion. A forum for Lions fans to talk and chat about our team.
Discussion, News, Information and Speculation regarding the BC Lions and the CFL.
Prowl, Growl and Roar!

Moderator: Team Captains

Post Reply
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8174
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

DanoT wrote:
Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:09 pm
Hambone wrote:
Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:04 pm
DanoT wrote:
Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:35 pm
I wonder what two time former Lion D-Line coach Randy Melvin is doing. He last coached for the Lions in 2018 and was also the D-Line coach when the Lions won the GC in 2011.
DLC with Hamilton since 2019.
Melvin is a good one. Glad to see he is working for my second favourite team.
DLC must be a tough gig. The Argos lost their DLC Mike Davis about 10 days ago. They had just hired Stubler a few days earlier so must have known Davis might be leaving. That has me thinking the Lions were fully aware of Blugh's situation which led to bringing Louis into the fold.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
Reg18
Starter
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu May 07, 2020 6:21 pm

Regarding the report that leroy blugh may not be able to coach this year. Ciach may have to rethink how he will put his staff together. Like who he can hire on short notice and with some of the Dline talent they are brining inmwill they need much coaching? Time to tethink the organizing. Because coach campbell hasd already commited to be the DC. He is to have some decisions to make and can be flexible in what skill sets he will want. Time will tell.
User avatar
DanoT
Hall of Famer
Posts: 4309
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:38 pm
Location: Victoria, B.C. in summer, Sun Peaks Resort in winter

I am wondering if Claudell Louis was originally brought in as just an extra DL coach for TC but will now be promoted to DLC for the balance of the season.
Reg18
Starter
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu May 07, 2020 6:21 pm

Intersting to see the first round of cuts. Sometimes players sort themselves out and when they realize they may not beat out others they ask for their release to pursue other more promising situations. The later cuts are harder on players because they have invested more effort to get to that point. Not an easy business telling a young person that their dreams are over. I knew a cfl coach and he absolutely hated this part if the game. t. And i lived beside a hall of fame playetr with the riders and he knew every year he would have to fight for his job. There was always young guns coming after him and he was a !long time cfl all star and this was his life. How hard it nust be for an average player to have to live this way
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12580
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Overnight winds cleared a lot of smoke from the Kamloops sky before the Lions took the field for a boisterous but relatively short single practice on a comfortable 24-degree Wednesday morning.

There was no change in the list of walking wounded. Michael Reilly again did not throw. Receivers Brian Burnham and Lemar Durant also remained sidelined, along with tackle Ryker Mathews. Keon Hatcher continued to take first-team reps in Burnham's spot while Jake Bofshever spent some time at Durant's spot. Phil Norman remained at Mathews' right tackle spot while taking second-team reps at centre.

Will Arndt ran the first-team offence, backed up by Nathan Rourke and Shea Patterson. It becomes more clear every day that this team won't do anything unless Reilly is healthy. It's rare for any of the three backups to complete a pass more than 5 yards downfield. The defence is made up mostly of players new to the Lions but it looks and sounds like a close,-knit veteran group that takes pride in making stops and forcing turnovers.

WR Keyston Fuller scored a TD for a second straight day on a deep ball late in practice but there weren't many highlights for the offence. Lucky Whitehead beat Victor Gamboa on a post pattern in an early team session but Arndt's pass was underthrown, allowing Gamboa to catch up and hit Whitehead before the ball arrived. Jevon Cottoy continues to look good whenever he touches the ball, which is always near the line of scrimmage.

On the defenive line, Obum Gwacham and Josh Banks took first-team reps alongside J.R. Tavai and Ufomba Kamalu. The first-team linebackers and secondary have been unchanged since the start of camp, with Gamboa's spot the only possible question mark.

Kicker Takeru Yamasaki bounced back from a subpar Tuesday, hitting almost all of his field goals with great range and form. Stefan Flintoft and Jake Ford split punting duties. Flintoft booms his punts 50 to 60 yards. Ford looks like he's still struggling to kick a North American football.
User avatar
Gridiron Ernie
Champion
Posts: 685
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: within earshot of the ghosts of Empire Field

B.C.FAN wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:50 am
Overnight winds cleared a lot of smoke from the Kamloops sky before the Lions took the field for a boisterous but relatively short single practice on a comfortable 24-degree Wednesday morning.

There was no change in the list of walking wounded. Michael Reilly again did not throw. Receivers Brian Burnham and Lemar Durant also remained sidelined, along with tackle Ryker Mathews. Keon Hatcher continued to take first-team reps in Burnham's spot while Jake Bofshever spent some time at Durant's spot. Phil Norman remained at Mathews' right tackle spot while taking second-team reps at centre.

Will Arndt ran the first-team offence, backed up by Nathan Rourke and Shea Patterson. It becomes more clear every day that this team won't do anything unless Reilly is healthy. It's rare for any of the three backups to complete a pass more than 5 yards downfield. The defence is made up mostly of players new to the Lions but it looks and sounds like a close,-knit veteran group that takes pride in making stops and forcing turnovers.

WR Keyston Fuller scored a TD for a second straight day on a deep ball late in practice but there weren't many highlights for the offence. Lucky Whitehead beat Victor Gamboa on a post pattern in an early team session but Arndt's pass was underthrown, allowing Gamboa to catch up and hit Whitehead before the ball arrived. Jevon Cottoy continues to look good whenever he touches the ball, which is always near the line of scrimmage.

On the defenive line, Obum Gwacham and Josh Banks took first-team reps alongside J.R. Tavai and Ufomba Kamalu. The first-team linebackers and secondary have been unchanged since the start of camp, with Gamboa's spot the only possible question mark.

Kicker Takeru Yamasaki bounced back from a subpar Tuesday, hitting almost all of his field goals with great range and form. Stefan Flintoft and Jake Ford split punting duties. Flintoft booms his punts 50 to 60 yards. Ford looks like he's still struggling to kick a North American football.
Thanks for another welcome update, B.C.FAN. Much appreciated. Quick question; you allude to the first-team linebackers as having been unchanged throughout camp; I assume that group would surely include Jordan X. Williams and Bo Lokombo -- but who else currently makes up that first-team group? And how has Ben Hladik been doing, as I've never heard him mentioned by any coach or reporter.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12580
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Gridiron Ernie wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:18 pm
Thanks for another welcome update, B.C.FAN. Much appreciated. Quick question; you allude to the first-team linebackers as having been unchanged throughout camp; I assume that group would surely include Jordan X. Williams and Bo Lokombo -- but who else currently makes up that first-team group? And how has Ben Hladik been doing, as I've never heard him mentioned by any coach or reporter.
Jordan X. Williams is at middle linebacker, Bo Lokombo at WILL and Anthony Cioffi at SAM, the same position where he started all 18 games for Rick Campbell in Ottawa in 2019. Those three players are guaranteed to start as long as they're healthy.

Ben Hladik is pretty deep on the depth chart. He hasn't stood out at linebacker and I haven't noticed him taking reps on special teams, which is not a good sign for him.
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8174
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

B.C.FAN wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:50 am
Kicker Takeru Yamasaki bounced back from a subpar Tuesday, hitting almost all of his field goals with great range and form. Stefan Flintoft and Jake Ford split punting duties. Flintoft booms his punts 50 to 60 yards. Ford looks like he's still struggling to kick a North American football.
The ball would be a weak excuse for Ford. He came over to the US back in 2016 and has 4 years experience in US collegiate ranks.

The one question I had on the kickers is how does it work with the reduction of the Global roster limit down to 1? It looked like BC might be looking at using both their Global spots on Yamasaki and Ford after the draft what with there supposedly being 2 spots available. With Yamasaki being the only placekicker in camp and only 1 Global spot it would seem that there is no place for Ford no matter how well he performs in camp.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
Gridiron Ernie
Champion
Posts: 685
Joined: Sat May 14, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: within earshot of the ghosts of Empire Field

B.C.FAN wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:42 pm
Gridiron Ernie wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:18 pm
Thanks for another welcome update, B.C.FAN. Much appreciated. Quick question; you allude to the first-team linebackers as having been unchanged throughout camp; I assume that group would surely include Jordan X. Williams and Bo Lokombo -- but who else currently makes up that first-team group? And how has Ben Hladik been doing, as I've never heard him mentioned by any coach or reporter.
Jordan X. Williams is at middle linebacker, Bo Lokombo at WILL and Anthony Cioffi at SAM, the same position where he started all 18 games for Rick Campbell in Ottawa in 2019. Those three players are guaranteed to start as long as they're healthy.

Ben Hladik is pretty deep on the depth chart. He hasn't stood out at linebacker and I haven't noticed him taking reps on special teams, which is not a good sign for him.
Yes, I guess that's not looking real promising for Hladik not seeing time with special teams. At age 22 he's still pretty young. Perhaps the step up from UBC to pro ball was bigger than anticipated for him. So I'll take it that it's likely the usual suspects in LB backup roles (D. Davis, Konar, Gusylak-Messam), since I've not heard a peep about the global (Chinese) draftee Boqiao Li, or much about any of the other new faces in linebacking.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12580
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Gridiron Ernie wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:59 pm
B.C.FAN wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 12:42 pm
Jordan X. Williams is at middle linebacker, Bo Lokombo at WILL and Anthony Cioffi at SAM, the same position where he started all 18 games for Rick Campbell in Ottawa in 2019. Those three players are guaranteed to start as long as they're healthy.

Ben Hladik is pretty deep on the depth chart. He hasn't stood out at linebacker and I haven't noticed him taking reps on special teams, which is not a good sign for him.
Yes, I guess that's not looking real promising for Hladik not seeing time with special teams. At age 22 he's still pretty young. Perhaps the step up from UBC to pro ball was bigger than anticipated for him. So I'll take it that it's likely the usual suspects in LB backup roles (D. Davis, Konar, Gusylak-Messam), since I've not heard a peep about the global (Chinese) draftee Boqiao Li, or much about any of the other new faces in linebacking.
Interestingly, I haven't heard or seen anything of Li and he is not listed among the 84 names on the training camp position chart, although he is on the 85-man roster at bclions.com. Konar, Davis and Guzylak-Messam are the next men up and are taking regular backup reps. Hladik and fellow draft pick Damian Jamieson will need to land a job on special teams to make the roster. I'll try to watch the linebacker rotations more closely next time.
User avatar
David
Team Captain
Posts: 9364
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2002 10:23 am
Location: Vancouver (Kitsilano)

Update on Reilly here.

Neither Reilly nor Campbell seem overly concerned in this report, unless they're being very good poker players. Seems like it's a case of being cautious with a tender shoulder or stiffness (mild tendonitis or bursitis?) than anything more serious like a rotator cuff tear.


DH :cool:
Roar, You Lions, Roar
User avatar
SammyGreene
Team Captain
Posts: 8079
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 11:52 am

David wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:32 am
Update on Reilly here.

Neither Reilly nor Campbell seem overly concerned in this report, unless they're being very good poker players. Seems like it's a case of being cautious with a tender shoulder or stiffness (mild tendonitis or bursitis?) than anything more serious like a rotator cuff tear.

DH :cool:
Thanks for that update David. When I read BC FAN's detailed training camp report about Reilly still not throwing I couldn't help to think this is where we miss LU on the Lions beat big time. Lions can try and down play it as much as they want but I'm pretty sure LU would find out if he has had an MRI on it and more details of what exactly is wrong.
It sure the heck isn't from throwing wet and heavy footballs in Kamloops. Given he hadn't stepped on the field in about 20 months, there has to be plenty of rust to shake off for a 36 year-old, never mind getting in synch with the new personnel on offence.

And hearing the other QBs are struggling for the most part isn't an encouraging sign. I'm more sold on Patterson's potential than Ardnt even though he certainly is the favourite for the back-up spot given his Ottawa ties.
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8174
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

Have they been handing out the normal depth chart to you folks in the stands BCF or just the simple sheet available on the website?
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
BC 1988
Legend
Posts: 1357
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:58 pm
Location: BC (since 1988)

https://weather.gc.ca/airquality/pages/ ... 007_e.html

What with apocalyptic smoke hanging around up there, and ominous Reilly injury talk,



On the other hand, I've got a more bemused attitude about this season, different than "regular" years. That it's happening at all is a marvel, with the USA again becoming the COVID threat it was last year at this time.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12580
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

The smoke was thick in Kamloops Thursday, and the Lions toned down the intensity a bit in a practice that lasted just over two hours.

Bryan Burnham and Ryker Mathews remained on the sideline but Lemar Durant was back on the field and took his customary first-team reps at slotback. Phil Norman continued to replace Mathews at right tackle and take second-team reps at centre. Keon Hatcher remained at Burnham's slotback spot but hasn't done much to stand out.

Quarterback play remains a problem area. Michael Reilly hasn't thrown a ball all week. Will Arndt and Nathan Rourke again split first-team reps and seemed to have good control of the short passing game but have had no success throwing downfield. Rourke showed his strong arm by trying unsuccessfully to hit Lucky Whitehead on a deep ball in triple coverage. Whitehead appeared to misjudge the ball, which was safely knocked down and probably should have been intercepted. Arndt missed an open Whitehead in the end zone on a rollout to the right. He missed Whitehead on what may have been the same play Wednesday. He can't seem to throw on the run. Arndt also floated a wide-side out pass that was snagged for a pick-6 by Victor Gamboa in the biggest play of the practice. It was a huge play for Gamboa, who took second-team reps at field corner behind Jalon Edwards-Cooper after being on the first team since the start of camp. Kiante Hardin and Bejour Wlson also got some first-team reps as the Lions shuffled the secondary around a bit.

Gridiron Ernie asked about the linebackers, specifically global draft pick Boqiao Li and UBC product Ben Hladik. According to Matt Baker of the Lions, Li is still trying to get a work permit from China and is on the suspended list. The Lions hope to get him into the country eventually. As best as I could determine, here are the first, second and third team linebacker rotations. (The strong side linebacker is generally considered to be a DB these days):

WILL: Bo Lokombo, Dyshawn Davis, Jordan M. Williams
MAC: Jordan X. Williams, Adam Konar, Ben Hladik
SAM: Anthony Cioffi, Austin Joyner, O'Shane Samuels

Takeru Yamasaki again showed his strong leg, hitting 2 of 3 long field goal attempts and missing the third just wide left. Sefan Flintoft and Jake Ford split punting reps and both kicked well. With only one global roster spot, I don't know what happens if the Lions choose to keep Yamasaki and Ford. I assume they'll just have to dress one less American player.

Finally, for anyone planning to attend camp, especially for the second scrimmage Saturday morning, be aware that the gates to the Hillside Stadium grandstand have been locked more days than not, with signs saying the facility is closed to all but media members. That's not true. City staff just haven't remembered to unlock the gates, and the signs are remnants from Week 1 when all CFL stadiums were closed due to COVID protocols. You can enter through the field-level gate at the east end of the grandstand closest to the Tournament Capital Centre. Fans are supposed to cross two lines of caution tape to get to the west end of the grandstand. The east end of the grandstand is reserved for media but most days there are no media members present, and most fans have sat there. I saw Farhan Lalji once last week and Chad Klassen of local CFJC TV on Wednesday. The dozen-or-so diehard fans who find their way into the stadium each weekday are the only outside eyes on the team.

Hambone also asked about depth charts. Unfortunately, the most we get at the stadium is a copy of the online position chart linked to the training camp page of bclions.com. Most CFL teams have apparently stopped issuing training camp depth charts. I may be the only person charting first- and second-team reps. It's been that way for several years, even when the club issued more detailed numerical position charts.
Post Reply