Chris Jones

CFL Talk
#1

In many ways I think Chris Jones will be the barometer of how the coaching cap and the other leagues starting up affects the movement of American coaches in the CFL.

He is in the last year of his lucrative deal in Sask. He is an American and suddenly feels that his income, scouting and coaching support staff is now limited in the CFL. He will have options.

I think he may well not sign an extension.

The CFL teams should be looking at keeping 20 year Canadian coaches like Benevides and Chapdelain engaged. They are the future of coaches for the league along with of course the CIS grads grooming them in the CFL game. The CFL would be well served to consider itself as a destination location as opposed to a stepping stone coaching league. Over time the “Canadian Mafia” in Winnipeg should become the norm.

#2

If Benevides and Chapdelaine are the future, the CFL is doomed… >:(

#3

Yeah I know. We see the league in totally different ways.

#4

This is the exact old boys club the CFL was finally getting out of…lord help this league if it returns. Downgrading coaches and thus the product is not a good look…ever.

#5

Hmmm…I certainly am not suggesting this.
What I am suggesting is that the cap and new leagues are going to draw down the good American coaches.

I would rather have the CFL employ and groom the best Canadian coaches available rather than looking for the 700th best American nomad/gypsy coach.

#6

Reality…Canada does not produce the calibre of coaching staff that the US does. The order of magnitude is simply not comparable. There-in you are asking for inferior coaching staffs. Of course there are quality Canadian coaches…not saying there are not…but as a whole, no. This causes a degradation of final product. That is the sad reality. Also…a great Canadian coach would jump to the US as well…don’t kid yourself. Football is to the US what hockey is to Canada…there-in each country produces more quality players and coaches of the respective sport. Further, where are you getting these Canadian coaches? Most won’t leave their kush CIS jobs.

#7

There are almost five times more US Community Colleges (133 - 65 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and 68 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) schools) with football programs than the 27 USports schools … almost 24 times as many if we compare USports to the 647 NCAA programs across Divisions I-III.

While Carleton has been successful in retaining Dave Smart despite his 13 national basketball titles in his 20 seasons (13 of the last 15), if a USports football coach moved up and had real success in the CFL they too would be poached by a US school … it is not American coaches that are “at risk” … it is successful coaches (IMO).

#8

No doubt it is any successful coach…no argument there…mentioned it above myself

And yeah, the volume and level of competition simply isn’t comparable on average, because of just that. It is great when some good Canadian coaches and other staff pop up, but it is unrealistic to think that if it was widespread it would not have a negative impact on the overall level of coaching.

#9

I know this doesn’t shift over night. The CFL has had 100 years of hiring American coaches and decision makers almost exclusively. Mostly American coaches and American decision makers who could not find jobs down south. These guys form the old boys network. Not the Canadian coaches.

We are seeing a shift. Obviously the most successful CFL coach in history is a Canadian. We have O’Shea as a very successful HC, Walters a good young GM, Noel Thorpe in Ottawa, Killam and Monson as Coordinators in Calgary, Rick Campbell in Ottawa who as a dual citizen has spent 40 of his 47 years in Canada. Benevides and Chapdelaine good coordinators with mixed results in short stints as HC. Why was Chapdelaine fired in Montreal anyway?

The CFL hopefully shows to Canadian grads and players that there is at least a pathway to real coaching careers in Canada.

We have 200 Canadian players cycling through the CFL every year with near full turnover every 4-5-6 years or so. That’s a good pool to look thru to groom in junior positions moving up the ladder.

#10

How do these ex CFL players gain experience coaching? Positional coaching gigs are now a precious commodity. Do you take one of them who has coached at what is pretty overall weak HS programs? Not likely. Not when there are people with experience in mountains better programs.

Then you look at positional coaching spot. The most common assistant role is with DBs. That is, outside of QB, the biggest gap between players north and south of the border. That seems like a massive mistake to use one there.

OL? Sure. How many OL coaches move up? Not a pile. I do think more Canadians should be OLC though…neber understood that.

Unfortunately, new coaches of any nationality are going to have a harder time getting their foot in the door now.

#11

He was 3-8 and the team was awful! The players quit on him.

#12

That’s quite the generalization. If there really are >600 NCAA football programs, there would have to be >6,000 coaching jobs, I would think. Bit of a stretch to assume that most CFL coaches could not get their foot in any of those doors.

I’m not as hung up on nationality as you, but I love to see ex-CFL players (Canadian or American) stick around and build a career here. Guys like Claybrooks and Steinauer who had options down south but chose to stay (or come back).

And then Claybrooks gives opportunities to guys like Nik Lewis and Drew Tate, who are probably more likely to be here long-term than whatever rent-a-coach shows up from the NCAA with zero Canadian experience.

#13

Rétrospectivement Chapdelaine n’était pas l’homme à limoger en premier

#14

Oh yeah. He was 4-2 then 3-8
Then they went 0-7 after the firing.
Quality and productive firing.

#15

Chaps had a couple of good seasons prior as an OC with the Stamps and Lions.
But overall, he had an up and down career in the coaching ranks.

Not sure I would consider him to be in the top of the cdn coaching category.
Same for Benevides.

#16

I would like to see the budget expand and coaches stay longer with there perspective teams. The best NFL teams don’t panic at the first sign of trouble (Pittsburgh,Seattle,Pats. You cannot outspend the NFL but you can be smarter.I have had season tickets for 25 yrs(Seahawks) and believe me the CFL is so much more fun.

#17

The new cap on coaching staff will no doubt have an impact and there will be a shakeout. Having said that some teams were getting out of control on the number of coaches and what they were getting paid. While the team had a cap for players it was a free for all for staff. The teams pays all the bills, something had to be done.

#18

I would say certain pay trumped sizes…because nobody is reducing more than a coach or 2. Paying Austin 600k to sit at home…Popp the highest paid GM (who is not also a coach), Trestman over 600k wear one hat…those are bigtime issues. I mean Huff was making 500 or 550 or whatever and when he rolled into only GM took a healthy cut and did so under his own accord. Jones was at 560, which seem high until you consider he legit wears 3 hats and goes all year. Maas was at 280 or so…which would be a bit above average for a new HC, but he was also OC, so fair enough. Not sure what his second contract landed him. I do agree something needed done, not so sure they did this right though

#19

My semi-educated guesses on CFL head coach salaries:

Jason Maas - $310k (slight raise from last unproductive season)
Chris Jones - $560k is accurate; he’s a 3-way gamer
Mike O’Shea - $325k (5 yrs of barely .500 football, not good)
Dave Dick - $340k
Claybrooks - $275 (2 yr min. guaranteed contract)
Campbell - $300k
Chamblin - $310k
Steinhauer - $290k

Extras:

Paul LaPolice (OC) - $225k (guessing he’s the highest paid assistant)
June Jones (OC) - $300k (higher than Plop but he’s buying back a demotion from HC)

#20

You’re missing Sherman.