CFL needs to breed own QB's!

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
#1

Another year without a single Canadian QB on any roster in the country. If you want the CFL to really succeed, I mean financially and in popularity you must do the following. First off, every team needs to put aside a part of its budget to develop CFL minor football. Minor football in Canada needs to take the 3 down rule into its program. By doing so, it will create the need for youngsters to throw the ball, and it will give wrs and dbs a lot more opportunity to make plays and develop their skills. Also, special teams will develop as a more important role, kickers field goal kickers, long snappers will alll benefit from 3 down football! Coaches will also need to get more creative with play calling and overall the game will truly be Canadian. The next step is high school, with the transition coming after several years of initiating the 3 down rule in minor football. The major point here is that the 3 down rule will breed the QB's of the future and I know that there is a little Canadian kid out there who can win grey cups, we just need to put them into the position to be successful. As it stands, the majority of QB'S up here are really just hacks who failed to make it to the NFL. Now, they are taking jobs that should be Canadian.

Next, the leauge needs to start a rule that makes it necessary for each team to have one Canadian QB on the roster and that to make sure they are developed, each QB chosen needs to have a 3 year contract that pays above leauge averages and gives them a chance to start at least one game per year.

Also, the CFL should start a fund that grows with each passing year, maybe start with 50,000 dollars and add a little each year until a Canadian QB leads his team to a Grey Cup championship. By the time it takes to develop these kids, the pot will be at a substanial sum and will further intice QB prospects to continue to play and develop their skills instead of vying for more lucrative sports like baseball or hockey, which most QB prospects eventually do.

To recap, 1. 3 down football in minor football leauges, funded and supported by the CFL
2. Mandatory QB for each CFL team, with 3 year contract, above average salary to ensure development
3. A fund that grows each year that rewards the first Canadian that wins the CFL Grey Cup as a starter.

With the development of QB'S, Canada will no doubt produce champions and I think the skilled position players will become highly recruited down south after playing 3 down football since childhood.

Without development, we are stuck with mediocre American talent and another lost generation of potential talent.

#2

I think you might have missed the biggest reason why there are no Canadian Qbs. The real problem is our university system in Canada.

The programs up here don't have the perks like the states. Hardly anyone is on scholarship and most of the coaches just volunteer. How can you develop a QB this way?

What I really want to see in Qbs in the CFL is the best QBs possible starting up here, no matter what their citizinship is.

Players who come from the USA College programs have a huge step up from our guys. College in the USA is very close to the pros in the way they practise and prepare.

I don't see a Canadian QB ever becoming a star in the CFL. Guys will get the chance but they don't get enough experience to be a good starter.

#3

Sorry but insisting on Canadian quarterbacks is as unnecessary as having women players in CFL. CFL already has rules favoring Canadians. Also no need to develop Canadian talent when there is an oversupply of football players in North America. Doubtful that Canadian quarterbacks can actually improve CFL financially and on the field?

#4

They is no over supply of QB's in North America my friend, you are sadly mistaken, the supply doesnt even come close to matching the demand in either leauge.

We desperately need to develop our own QB's. The whole focus of the leauge should be Canadian and we should do everything in our power to develop our home grown talent to its fullest potential and we simply not doing that and it shows by not being able to produce a single QB in the entire leauge, its a disgrace.

#5

If your claim were true, there would be no unsigned CFL or NFL QBs. Ask Erik Meyer or Josh Betts whether the demand for quarterbacks exceeds the supply. Your claim is demonstrably false.

#6

I don’t know about your “CLAIM” - but, your SENTIMENT is absolutey APPLAUDABLE, and your suggestions are nothing less than INTRIGUING (although a little GIMMICKY).
Without over analyzing your ideas - the MAJOR flaw I find in your arguments is your fundamental IGNORANCE (as in ignoring of) the BIGGER PICTURE … that being the not so MINOR detail of FINANCIAL INCENTIVE … as long as NCAA Colleges offer FREE RIDES and as long as the NFL offers MILLIONS of $$$ to its players there will ALWAYS be an overriding DESIRE for the BEST Canadian Athletes to pursue the AMERICAN FOOTBALL Dream.

That being said - the BASE, and FUNDAMENTAL idea of making Canadian Minor Football Leagues actually play CFL style football is pure GENIUS. After contemplating it for a mere minute I can’t think of ONE SINGLE reason why they DON’T play CFL rules!!! Everything you said about increasing the importance and development of a PASSING game is true … Furthermore, by adding another player on the field on both sides of the ball also allows for more kids to PLAY and develop their skills. I don’t even see the need to DELAY implementation at the High School level … even when the American Football Dream is accounted for - ALL the skills being developed in the CFL style game are TRANSFERRABLE to the U.S game - so there is NOTHING LOST by playing CFL rules.

Keeping with the theme of ‘REALITY’ … I’m not a fan of your "above average salary " guaranteed to a Canadian QB on every CFL team. It does not make sense in terms of the MERITOCRATIC system, and I could see it as a cause of RESENTMENT, and undue hard feeelings between him and TEAMMATES (not good). Also, with regards to a FUND awarded to a Grey Cup winning QB - it goes counter to what football is all about -TEAMWORK!! So, again - bad idea.

As was mentioned - the REAL problems begin to show at the Canadian UNiversity level of play where the BEST of the BEST Canadian football players receive LITTLE incentive to stay in Canada to play. Without SCHOLARSHIPS and other material incentives nothing will will change this. However, one of MY great ideas was to establish REGIONAL AFFILIATIONS between the 8 CFL teams and the Universities that play in their respective Provinces.For example, Hamilton could offer BURSARIES to worthy HIGH SCHOOL atlhetes who will attend McMaster, Guelph, Waterloo etc. WHile Toronto could offer bursaries to athletes who decide to play at UofT, York, Western etc. At the end of said playing careers IF those players do indeed fulfill their POTENTIAL and prove to be WORTHY of a Training Camp INVITE - then it would not cost the CFL Team a Draft PICK to bring them in.

The CFL could also SUBSIDIZE some COACHING SALARIES to try and attract a better BREED of COACHES that could better develop the talent at the CIS level. Perhaps offering FORMER CFL QB’s a worthwhile stipened to COACH at the University level???

After that , I wouldn’t want to GUARANTEE too much to ANY player, let alone a QB. The answer lies in (as you ALLUDED to) the development of Canadian talent. A most worthy project for ALL who are interested in the Canadian game, INDEED!! Something The CFL should take a more PROACTIVE role in ENSURING.

Great thread though!!
Peace

#7

If the Cats have a QB from a no name school like Hartwick, you cant tell me that there isnt a single Canadian capable of playing in the CFL. I dont think there is a leauge in the world as special and unique as the CFL, perhaps Australian Rules Football, that is at least dominated by Australian players. I just dont understand why you dont have outrage from fans demanding to see Canadians at the QB spot, it doesnt make any sense to me. Teams are even trying to develop talent, the guys arent even getting a look. Hartwick College? Where is that?

#8

CIAU football is nowhere near the talent level of NCAA. Most Canadians that play in the CFL even went to NCAA schools.

I highly doubt we will ever again have a CIAU QB anywhere near a CFL roster let alone playing. The last guy I can remember was Eric Usik Western who was a 3rd string QB for the Ticats in 95 for maybe 2 games. The last canadian QB to ever start a CFL game was Bob Torrence in 93 for Hamilton. I remember it being a game in Edmonton.

Also, there are many high school teams in Texas that could EASILY beat any Canadian university team.

#9

The CFL already does enough to promote Canadian players.

There are no CIS quarterbacks in the CFL because there are no CIS quarterbacks with skill sets anywhere near what's required to play CFL ball.

Instead of bashing the CFL for this perceived outrage, why not bash CIS and minor football for failing to produce QBs capable of playing CFL ball? I don't want to see Canadian QBs in the CFL because of some affirmative action program as you propose.

#10

The football coaching, training and competition
a Canadian kid playing QB gets playing football

from minor football right through high school
is markedly inferior to that which U.S. kids get.

If it wasn't you would see Canadian-born QBs
in Division 1, 2 or 3 N.C.A.A football, nihan.

You can't expect a C.I.S. QB to leapfrog
ahead and legitimately make a CFL roster.

There best bet is to make a pro team
is minor pro U.S. football. [Arena etc.]

Almost none of them try this approach.
so I'm against CFL equal rights programs.

P.S.

Right from a very young age
Canadian kids get involved in hockey

Our best athletes are well advanced in the sport
long before they get into minor football programs

Hockey has likely become their first choice by then.

#11

Noone can possibly compare Canadian and US universities and colleges football programs .. of course the Americans have a better system and get better players and create better players you want to know why BECAUSE AMERICANS GO OUT AND SUPPORT THOSE TEAMS ... they put their behinds in the seats they buy merchandise they don't care that it's "NOT THE PRO LEAGUE" ... an average university game here in the US gets a crowd comparable to the best CFL game crowds well usually more.. The Florida Gators vs Georgia Bulldogs game in Jacksonville have ticket prices that are more expensive than going to a Jaguars Game because people support the teams here they can generate revenue here that Canada cannot because people up north there don't support the minor leagues. ALOT of the players in the CFL were players not good enough to make the NFL even the very good Canadian players try to go to the USA to make the cut it's just a shame that the American QB's going to the CFL just happen to be better than the Canadians....
wanna change that ? then the attitudes of sports fans in Canada will have to change.

#12

I think you're over-estimating the calibre of Texas highschool teams. Let's say that there might be a few Texas highschool teams that could beat some of the poorer Canadian university teams like York or U of T (who can't even beat themselves). But the better Canadian university teams like Alberta and Laval are probably closer to NCAA Div II schools. Just the differences in ages/maturity between highschoolers (16-18) and university players (20-25) tells you who would be the better player where strength/speed are such big factors.

An Argo-Cat fan

#13

  1. Top athletes hoping for a career in sports will gravitate towards positions with a future. At this point, QB in the CFL is not one of them. Until the top athletes play the position, no Canadian will make a CFL team as a QB because the CFL is a business.

  2. In Manitoba and SK, minor football is three downs. I was unaware it was different elsewhere. Is it actually four down in Ontario?

  3. Football in the US (especially College and the NFL) is a business and often-times the better quarterback will sit or play based on politics (how it looks on the head coach, etc.). Being in the right place at the right time is often what makes or breaks a quarterback.

#14

In the 90's I was a defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for an Ontario high school. We played on a CFL sized field with CFL rules but with 4 downs. High school football would just be punting without that 4th down.

#15

Thought provoked by the Subject line: First you need a mommy and daddy QB. :lol:

#16

Not necessarily. I played 3-down ball in high school in the 90s, and there wasn't an excessive amount of punting compared to the CFL. Most offenses were geared more to the run than the pass, but run defense was soft enough that teams weren't going 2-and-out constantly. I can imagine adding a 4rth down would encourage teams to take more chances in the passing game though.

#17

Our QB had a pretty good arm and we had 2 receivers over 6'2" with great hands so we passed more than most high school teams. The main challenge passing in HS isn't you QB and receivers anyway. Its teaching an offensive line at that level to pass block. Luckily the QB got rid of the ball quick as most of the passes were less than 15 yards. In HS though you can often get pretty good YAK yards.

#18

nihon: Hartwick College is in New York State. You might think the college is no-name but Boltus doesn't appear to be. Haven't you seen this guys cannon arm or his stats? Haven't you read up on his record breaking career? Strong enough even to break the NFL combine benchpress all time record? Give me a break. I heard the Indianapolis Colts looked at him 4 times in his senior year. Their loss for not drafting him is Hamilton's gain. Maybe you should just sit back a while and watch what develops. Must be coach Bellefeuille likes what he saw. Doesn't matter where the players or QB in this case comes from - just what they can bring to the game. Who cares what college? It's the stats, record and performance that counts. I say ticats have an ace in the hole with this Boltus. Let's just wait and see.

#19

Watching Canadian University Football it is obvious why no Canadians play QB in the CFL. Most passes are wobbly and have an arch to them. Maybe they need to play with a smaller ball so they can get some zip on the passes. Not many teams in the CFL have backup QB's that are very good. Mostly they back up for two or three years then are moved out. QB's need to play to develop. They also have to devote the time to study offensive and defensive sets. Most good QB's are good because of their skills in reading defenses and coverages. They can make an offensive line look good.

#20

What is the point here, are we suppose to have these hack American QB's come up here and stink the joint out, pays them hundreds of thousands of dollars in the process and be happy about everything. Ill take a Canadian kid go 3-15 over an American anyday of the year. This is crazy, the Cats will end up something like 5-13 this year and wont be any further from a playoff birth little lone a grey cup championship then they were last year and all well be doing is talking about the development of Quinton Porter, an American QB who has absolutley no plans to remain here once his playing days are over, which I guess are sooner rather than later. It took the Argos a half to figure out this guys, and they stink. The dark days are upon us my friends, and I just dont get the point. Why bother supporting a team without having a Canadian as the starting QB. I would rather go 0 16 with a Canadian back there than 3- 15 or 5-13 with an American. At least the Canadian will stay here and be able to teach the next kid who comes along a little better and finally we will have some talent that can win games and eventually championships.

And while Im at it, why in the world did they fire coach Marshall??? What have they done since he left town, nada, squat, they have stunk the joint out every year since he went back to coaching college. It was a scam the way they let him go. THe guy had won the coach of the year award and the very next season gets fired half way through the year, whaaaaaaaattttttt? How do you fire the coach of year? Ask yourself that question, and who did they replace him with? And what did he do? STOP the INSANITY! There is something very fishy going on with the powers that be in the CFL. Get the game back to its roots, stop letting hack Americans, which really is what most of them are, surely not worth spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on that is for sure, get the Canadian kids into the game, let them develop and give them a chance to mature and play in this leauge, afterall it is the Canadian Football Leauge, isnt it?