It's Rourke's Offense Now

[cromartie]

So we've turned the page from Reilly to Rourke and I think it's important we talk about what it's going to take to make him successful.

The challenge, as I see it, is not that Rourke isn't "ready", it's that his skill set as a QB doesn't fit Campbell's offensive philosophy.

This is easy to see, because where Reilly was at physically in 2021 didn't fit it either.

Campbell, like his dad, prefers an offense geared around deep throw chunk plays based off of roll outs. To me, this isn't Rourke, who is more of an intermediate passer. He can throw deep but there's a wind up in his delivery that really inhibits his ability to throw as deep and as frequently as Campbell would like. Ideally you want to design an offense that creates intermediate chaos (slants, crossers), disguises formations and patterns pre-snap (Trestman's offense for Calvillo) and leverages TE/FB and receiving opportunities for the backs.

The analog here is having a Dickenson when you want a Printers. (Or having a Wilkinson when you want a Moon. Or having a Flutie when you want a Paopao) There's a reason Campbell won a Grey Cup with Henry Burris, because Burris has the QB skill set Campbell wants to run.

So if Reilly had returned, we'd face the same problem in 2022 as we did in 2021; an offense that doesn't fit the skill set of the quarterback. And now that Reilly isn't returning, we're facing the same problem in 2022 as we did in 2021; an offense that doesn't fit the skill set of the quarterback.

How we adjust is going to be the key to the season.

[Luck1sOnOurSid3]

So we've turned the page from Reilly to Rourke and I think it's important we talk about what it's going to take to make him successful.

The challenge, as I see it, is not that Rourke isn't "ready", it's that his skill set as a QB doesn't fit Campbell's offensive philosophy.

This is easy to see, because where Reilly was at physically in 2021 didn't fit it either.

Campbell, like his dad, prefers an offense geared around deep throw chunk plays based off of roll outs. To me, this isn't Rourke, who is more of an intermediate passer. He can throw deep but there's a wind up in his delivery that really inhibits his ability to throw as deep and as frequently as Campbell would like. Ideally you want to design an offense that creates intermediate chaos (slants, crossers), disguises formations and patterns pre-snap (Trestman's offense for Calvillo) and leverages TE/FB and receiving opportunities for the backs.

The analog here is having a Dickenson when you want a Printers. (Or having a Wilkinson when you want a Moon. Or having a Flutie when you want a Paopao) There's a reason Campbell won a Grey Cup with Henry Burris, because Burris has the QB skill set Campbell wants to run.

So if Reilly had returned, we'd face the same problem in 2022 as we did in 2021; an offense that doesn't fit the skill set of the quarterback. And now that Reilly isn't returning, we're facing the same problem in 2022 as we did in 2021; an offense that doesn't fit the skill set of the quarterback.

How we adjust is going to be the key to the season.

Can’t really say I agree here. Reilly was one of the most prolific deep ball QBs in league history, even in his last season. The issue was the line giving our receiver enough time to develop their routes, especially once Lucky was injured.

It doesn’t matter if we had 2017 Reilly, 2021 Reilly, 2022 Rourke, or any other QB in history; without a run game to keep LBs honest and safeties from bailing early we are toast. If we don’t have a line that can provide some kind of protection it’s going to be a rough season for Rourke.

Reilly played with a sieve line his first year as a starter and if he wasn’t possibly the toughest QB to ever play up here, I don’t think he would have survived. I just hope we don’t see the same thing happen to Rourke. We shouldn’t be relying on a guys generational toughness to compensate for no run game and subpar pass protection.

If Rourke is going to succeed he is going to need time in the pocket to go through his reads without wondering when he is going to get hit by a truck.

[Reg18]

No see needan OC that can use all the weaponswehave Rourkeis a good runner and with more cap room hopefully.we will see a.nslamced offense.iyooks ositivenow Reillywasn't going to be an easy sell now. Now we are investing in the future.

[B.C.FAN]

The major difference between Rourke and Reilly, besides experience, is that Rourke is a speedy, mobile QB who can elude pressure in the pocket and attack defences with designed runs. That's a double bonus that bolsters the efficiency of the offensive line and rushing game, the two weak spots in the B.C. offence. We saw some of his running ability last year, and a lot of it during his successful college career at Ohio. Rourke's rushing average of 6.2 yards last year was third in the league among QBs behind Jeremiah Masoli (6.6 yards) and Zach Collaros (6.3 yards). I've never thought of Collaros as a running QB but the Bombers made good use of designed QB runs in recent years when Chris Streveler was brought in as the change-of-pace QB, and they've continued without him.

Reilly's passing achievements last year were remarkable given his season-long injury and lack of practice. He was known as the league's toughest player for a reason, and the ability to play through pain is high on the list. I'm not sure about Rourke's accuracy on deep balls but he had the strongest arm of any QB in training camp last year (Reilly didn't throw much), and his 9.2 yards per passing attempt in the regular season tied Collaros for second in the league behind Matt Shiltz of Montreal (9.7) whose stats as a backup were almost identical to Rourke's except for interceptions and their effect on the QB efficiency rating.

[Hambone]

2021 Lions run game was abysmal until the final couple of games. It was much better in 2019 when they finished a respectable 4th in the CFL. Biggest difference then was in the personnel packing the pigskin. The top 3 had Harris accompanied by Streveler, Stanback and Powell. BC had White whose 960 in 15 GP was 5th best. CJ Gable snuck in ahead of him with 1001 yards.

[DanoT]

2021 Lions run game was abysmal until the final couple of games. It was much better in 2019 when they finished a respectable 4th in the CFL. Biggest difference then was in the personnel packing the pigskin. The top 3 had Harris accompanied by Streveler, Stanback and Powell. BC had White whose 960 in 15 GP was 5th best. CJ Gable snuck in ahead of him with 1001 yards.

I thought James Butler had a decent season running and catching, for a rookie. 5'9", 210lbs is a nice size for a CFL RB. I imagine a lot of that weight is in the legs. Still, the Lions need to sign a bunch more RBs.

[Sir Purrcival]

I'm not convinced that it is the actual RB's that are the issue as opposed to some of the intangibles. Like having a QB that massively favours the pass and has done his whole career, his having input in the choice of OC and shaping the overall philosophy of the game plan and having an Oline that has more holes than a colander.

It's one of those things, a choice. The CFL is a throwing league but the most successful teams also have a strong running attack. Getting 5 or 6 yards on a a run especially opens up the possibilities of sustained drives with big plays interspersed. The best example that I can mention is that of Mike Pringle and Anthony Calvillo. Calvillo was like Reilly in his preference for the pass but how much did the threat of Pringle keep the QB rush at bay? Quite a bit considering the success of Calvillo who couldn't run worth a damn and who went down when you laid a finger on him. A strong running component in the overall game plan makes the job easier on the Oline, makes the job easier on the QB and it does a pretty good job of beating down the defense as well.

[Luck1sOnOurSid3]

I'm not convinced that it is the actual RB's that are the issue as opposed to some of the intangibles. Like having a QB that massively favours the pass and has done his whole career, his having input in the choice of OC and shaping the overall philosophy of the game plan and having an Oline that has more holes than a colander.

It's one of those things, a choice. The CFL is a throwing league but the most successful teams also have a strong running attack. Getting 5 or 6 yards on a a run especially opens up the possibilities of sustained drives with big plays interspersed. The best example that I can mention is that of Mike Pringle and Anthony Calvillo. Calvillo was like Reilly in his preference for the pass but how much did the threat of Pringle keep the QB rush at bay? Quite a bit considering the success of Calvillo who couldn't run worth a damn and who went down when you laid a finger on him. A strong running component in the overall game plan makes the job easier on the Oline, makes the job easier on the QB and it does a pretty good job of beating down the defense as well.

It’s kind of a “chicken-or-the-egg” scenario. Were we pass happy because we had a weak running game or did we have a weak running game because we were pass happy. I lean towards the former. Linebackers were able to either blitz or sit on slants all game because they knew they didn’t have to fill a gap and we were never able to punish that with north south run plays.

[Coast Mountain Lion]

No see needan OC that can use all the weaponswehave Rourkeis a good runner and with more cap room hopefully.we will see a.nslamced offense.iyooks ositivenow Reillywasn't going to be an easy sell now. Now we are investing in the future.

In English, please?

[B.C.FAN]

J.J. Adams of The Province offered some insights from Nathan Rourke and Rick Campbell on what the quarterback transition could mean for the B.C. offence.

Rourke capped off the season by starting in a 43-10 win over the Edmonton Elks, rushing for three touchdowns, while throwing for 359 yards and another major.

“That last game of the year against Edmonton you saw a good dose of what he can be,” said Campbell. “He just needs to do his thing and we’re going to try to add as many good players to this team as we can … He’s young. He’s energetic, he’s hungry, he’s competitive. He shows all the signs to be a good player in this league and we want to give him that opportunity.”

Rourke will get to have a far more influential voice in the preparation and game-planning, and hopes to see an offence much like the one the Lions ran against Edmonton: 30-plus pass attempts with a decent dose of designed QB runs, run-pass-options and running back hand-offs.

Rourke also gave no indication that he wants to renegotiate his rookie contract, instead expressing hope that the Lions will use the salary-cap savings to sign some quality fee agents.

“I’m excited because of the fact that I’m on a rookie contract and that Rick and Neil get to put some money towards some really good players and hopefully build a really good team (and) we can bring in some guys that are going to help us win some games and make my job a lot easier.”

Life after Mike Reilly: Rourke reflects on his new role as B.C. Lions No. 1 QB

[Sir Purrcival]

I'm not convinced that it is the actual RB's that are the issue as opposed to some of the intangibles. Like having a QB that massively favours the pass and has done his whole career, his having input in the choice of OC and shaping the overall philosophy of the game plan and having an Oline that has more holes than a colander.

It's one of those things, a choice. The CFL is a throwing league but the most successful teams also have a strong running attack. Getting 5 or 6 yards on a a run especially opens up the possibilities of sustained drives with big plays interspersed. The best example that I can mention is that of Mike Pringle and Anthony Calvillo. Calvillo was like Reilly in his preference for the pass but how much did the threat of Pringle keep the QB rush at bay? Quite a bit considering the success of Calvillo who couldn't run worth a damn and who went down when you laid a finger on him. A strong running component in the overall game plan makes the job easier on the Oline, makes the job easier on the QB and it does a pretty good job of beating down the defense as well.

It’s kind of a “chicken-or-the-egg” scenario. Were we pass happy because we had a weak running game or did we have a weak running game because we were pass happy. I lean towards the former. Linebackers were able to either blitz or sit on slants all game because they knew they didn’t have to fill a gap and we were never able to punish that with north south run plays.

Little of column A, little of Column B. I'm just not sure that I lay the blame on the RB's. A lack of good OLine blocking, a tepid interest at best from the coaching to develop a solid run game and a QB that prefers a game plan that favours a lot of passing leads to neglect on the other side of this offensive ledge. Has a lot to do with how much attention you direct to that aspect of the game. So maybe we didn't have all world running backs but you simply can't be effective long term if you so obviously favour one part of the game. In a funny kind of way, the leading passing and leading rushing stats often signal to me a lack of balance from other parts of the game.

Looking at the last 10 Grey Cup Winners, There were 3 that were 7th in rushing, 2 that were 1st, 2 that were 3rd, 1 that was 4th and 5th and 1 that was dead last.

[Figaro]

Have been away from the Forum for quite a while, but after reading the insights of those regular contributors I realize how much I missed this group.

The discussion around Rourke is interesting. My take is that he will be very successful if the coaches adapt an offence to fit his skill set rather than force him into their vision of an offence that suited Reilly. As for the run game, I think the last few games really gave Butler a chance to show that he is a rugged between the tackles runner that forces the safeties up and the linebackers in. Takes a lot of pressure off the line. Linemen prefer to run block - they are more aggressive when moving forward hitting opponents. Pass blocking often has you on your heels taking a beating.

Second and five or six is a good place to be for quick short passes that neutralize a pass rush. With the right receivers (Whitehead, Burnham, Cottoy) a quick five-yard swing pass or slant pass for a first down can turn into a long YAC play. Starting long drives built on this style eventually pays dividends when a defence tires - then you take a few probing long shots. I felt the Lion's offence with Maksymic depended too much on Reilly completing the long ball - hence the line looked porous because of the steamboats required. So is Maksymic going to call the plays or will they get a new OC that can work hand-in-glove with Rourke?

As for the O-line. I thought the abysmal play that almost got Reilly killed was more about coaching than personnel. The sacks fell off when Kelly Bates was hired - excellent line coach.

Anyway, just a few thoughts.

[Gridiron Ernie]

J.J. Adams of The Province offered some insights from Nathan Rourke and Rick Campbell on what the quarterback transition could mean for the B.C. offence.

Rourke capped off the season by starting in a 43-10 win over the Edmonton Elks, rushing for three touchdowns, while throwing for 359 yards and another major.

“That last game of the year against Edmonton you saw a good dose of what he can be,” said Campbell. “He just needs to do his thing and we’re going to try to add as many good players to this team as we can … He’s young. He’s energetic, he’s hungry, he’s competitive. He shows all the signs to be a good player in this league and we want to give him that opportunity.”

Rourke will get to have a far more influential voice in the preparation and game-planning, and hopes to see an offence much like the one the Lions ran against Edmonton: 30-plus pass attempts with a decent dose of designed QB runs, run-pass-options and running back hand-offs.

Rourke also gave no indication that he wants to renegotiate his rookie contract, instead expressing hope that the Lions will use the salary-cap savings to sign some quality fee agents.

“I’m excited because of the fact that I’m on a rookie contract and that Rick and Neil get to put some money towards some really good players and hopefully build a really good team (and) we can bring in some guys that are going to help us win some games and make my job a lot easier.”

Life after Mike Reilly: Rourke reflects on his new role as B.C. Lions No. 1 QB

I'm impressed with young Rourke's mature mindset. He comes across as a very sensible 23 year old. e.g. his selfless comment regarding his rookie contract -- rather focusing on what that affords the team re additional signings. Thumbs up to that line of thinking!

[Hambone]

Rourke also gave no indication that he wants to renegotiate his rookie contract, instead expressing hope that the Lions will use the salary-cap savings to sign some quality fee agents.

As noble as that gesture is the risk is by loading up on quality free agents they could put themselves into a position where next off-season they have to dump a bunch of payroll to free up money for what it will cost to re-sign Rourke who would be a pending FA. IMO better to give him a bit of a bridge deal, maybe adding a year, to start the adjustment to what it might take in 2023 or 2024. It doesn't have to be anything.crazy, maybe a bump to $200K to recognize he has a new role but has something to prove to get up there with the big dogs.

[Sir Purrcival]

Maybe incentive laden? Give him a modest rise for next season, add the incentives, the better he does, the more he earns.