In that list, Gill and Nil interest me most. I'm not certain that a former NFL HC is the place to look, but rather a OC or DC with an innovative mind/approach (ala Trestman). That they are innovation would give me some hope they could adapt to the CFL rules. Same for NCAA coaches, although I would include HCs at that level. Fourcade would be an outside the box candidate, but I don't know enough about him to comment, other than our last hire was outside the box and that didn't work to well (although so was Trestman, so I don't disregard outside the box entirely).
Kubiak interviewed with the Dolphins and the Browns in the last few weeks and didnât take or get the job, article this weekend said he is considering taking a year off from coaching.
Tressel is barred from coaching in the NCAA and I think the NFL supports NCAA suspensions. Heâs currently fundraising for his Alma Mater.
So technically are available.
Blake Nill thatâs another matter. IMO he could handle both the GM/HC duties and has shown in the past no issue living out East.
Well, at least theyâve learned something from the Hawkins debacle. Iâve said myself that the killer for Hawkins wasnât his lack of CFL experience, but his lack of pro coaching experience. He had no idea how to coach grown men playing in a professional league.
Thatâs Popp. From the press release I read, its not up to him.
Taaffe came from the College ranks, there are others. I think as long as the individual is driven and motivated to learn at a brisk pace and invest himself, that coach could come from anywhere. Then you have guys like Turner Gill who havenât coach pros but played pro ball.
At its core football is like any other business and you canât be successful operating a business in fear.
The reality is you have to weight the risk against the current situation and frankly the owner would not be gambling much.
Rick Campbell was asked the biggest thing he learned from John Hufnagel. His answer was how important it is that everyone be treated the SAME from the GM to the guy cleaning the locker room⊠When you look at the retention problems, the disonnect between football and business ops. Inability to convince ANY ex players to get involved. I think it is the right way to go. If this was Popp from 2002 probably not but I really like the adjective you used âincestualâ.
You might be right. Personally, I think that most college coaches wouldnât be able to make that transition without cutting their teeth up here in a coordinatorâs role. Maybe a couple could, but theyâd be the exception rather than the rule. Taaffe to me was lucky. He inherited a very good team playing in a weak division.
The thing with Football HC. They are like cars. There arenât two models the same and they all have strenghts and weaknesses. Whatever the weakness you have to fix with your personnel. Hufnagel is too old to spend his off season scouting, you give him a John Murphy⊠A HC from the College ranks would need a good OC but he would likely be a much better recruiter than a guy coming from the NFL or the CFLâŠ
Turner Gill is a name that I had mentiooned before. Spent only a couple of seasons as a player in the CFL due to concussions but has done well for himself so far as a college HC. UB then Kansas and now smaller school in Liberty.
Kind of a tough job to make Kansas into a football powerhouse. Depending on what Gill wants for his future the CFL and an OC job could be a nice fit to start. Unless he is looking for another higher profile NCAA HC job first.
As for HC it may be a stretch for Gill at this point but no more of a strethc than Hawkins IMHO.
The HC coming into Montreal will not have the task of the Edmonton or Winnipeg job as the Als are still loaded with talent and are not in need of a complete rebuild but a good organizer to keep the ship runing smooth.
Oline is still in place as the factory pumps another new starter in Matte into the LG spot to go with last years Bomben along with veteran all stars at Center RT and LT should Bourcke re sign.
As for a new QB Montreal has a great one. The skill set and a great attitude and respect for the CFL and is a true leader that the players respect and will follow into battle.
Popp needs to focus on his GM job for sure as the kicking game needs an overhual so he will need to hop to it and make sure the guys are in place and give into the two kicker system specialist place kicker and punter. Also the addition of Stala was a key acquisition. Unless Graves breaks out like Sinopoli did he will be a project as well as Dobko. There are a lot of Canadian Receivers who are entering ther 3-5 seasons that should be ready to now contribute at least as a second Canadian receiver who can go along with Stala.
Losing Lavoi will be a whole to fill at the TE spot but every team has the same issue a lot of young guys but who is ready to contribute asa recieving threat. Bedard and Zalewski have both made their impring as long snappers but both have expereince at the TE position. If neither are ready I can see teams looking to some of the athletic Canadian LBs who have been special teamers to try to make the move to offense like Prime in Hamilton will be attempting.
IMHO a head coach and OC with some connections to the league via as a player that has coached in the states or CIS level or a coach that has coaching experience in the CFL.
Hawkins whole personality set a weird tone for the Als from the begining. They dont need another headline seeker but a good manager of a football team in its day to day practice operation and oversee his coordinators into a smoot running machine of football operations.
The DC is in place with the added title of asst HC and the offense is loaded with talent.
Problem with Hawkins was not his personality it was that he came to camp completely unprepared, then tried to fake his way through it and lost the respect of the players. The day he said players had to learn to hold the ball and tackle is the day he ended himself IMO.
You take a guy like Blake Nill. Who has played five years in the CFL. Built two programs who were languishing at the bottom of the CIS for years to Vanier Cup winners. Has successfully designed at least 3 completely different offenses from what I've seen, could be more, Is highly intelligent. Owns a Master's degree and is absolutely impossible to intimidate could jump in and be massively successful from day one and play chess with Austin and Milanovich and hold his own any day.
They should make football coach take the Wonderlic
I would be comfortable with a guy like Nill doing both jobs. Could he be pried out of Calgary and his alma mater ? Could he bring an OC with him ? Those would be the main points. The only thing about coaching in the CFL Iâve ever read him say is that he would not take an assistant position.
Nill could be the kind of HC who could make the jump. The programs he built at both SMU and Calgary mimic a pro style team.
A HC he would be able to gain respect of players as a former CFL player himself as well as his successful College programs in which many of the Canadian players in the league as well as coaches have crossed his path.
Another key to this is if he were to not be succesful at the pro level he would automatically be THE top coaching propspect for a team in need in the CIS. and depending how the dinoâs are he could also return there.
