What if Marcus Crandall stays healthy in 2008. What will happen?
Riders go back to the cup?
Get home playoff game?
Finish 3rd in west?
Make playoffs as cross over?
Dont make playoffs?
Hurt or not hurt Crandall is not qb by Labour Day?
What qb will be Riders back up after pre season games?
My answers are likely too negative for you, but here goes.
I have picked the Riders to finish 2nd again this year, but barely. Any stumbles at all and 3rd is a possibility. Crandell will not be the starter by Labour Day. He may be the back-up after TC/ES.
I personally like Durant, but there is big pressure to promote either Jyles or Tate, so it is a tough call. We know almost nothing about any of them, so just roll the dice. I think given what we gave up for Jyles, he must be considered #2 on the depth chart right now.
So the answer is, I don’t have a clue. But as I said, I like Durant. And he has the added benefit of being brought into the league by the Riders. I have a real soft spot for that aspect. Just once before I die I would like to see the Riders bring a guy directly out of college, develop him, keep him, win a championship with him. Kent Austin is the only raw recruit we have ever had success with, but even he was not direct from college. Kevin Glenn could have been that guy, but I don’t want to talk about it as I am still bitter over that trade (are you paying attention, AP–bitter over a Shivers trade!).
So yes, I am pulling for Durant.
3 thoughts Arius.
1 That is not negative.
2 You say big pressure to promote Tate or Jyles. Why? What proof of big pressure. And who is causing the pressure?
3 Interesting why you are pulling for Durant. ET told us this on Riderville. This is how Durant got to Saskatchewan. Durant was on Ottawa neg list. When Ottawa folded Hamilton got him. Think they had a neg list draft. When Riders made big trade with Hamilton they got Durants rights in that trade. ET told that story. You may think he is lying. But I dont know why he would be. He was talking about a qb who wasnt playing at all. It was last year. He said Durant knew he might be going to Ottawa because the North Carolina coach was a friend of ETs. And the coach had talked to Durant. We can ask Durant next month if it is true.
Hey, Tecumseh, which big trade with Hamilton? Isn't this Durant's 3rd year here? Prior to the Holmes deal, I can't think of any trade with Hamilton, let alone a big one....
I believe he is saying we got Durant’s rights in the Holmes deal…that is chronologically possible…
But we signed him as a free agent. As we did Tate. Tate actually fullfills my criteria just as well as Durant does. Maybe better. I just see Durant as ahead of him on the depth chart right now.
Anyway, Austin, you don’t think there is pressure to move Jyles up on the depth chart? We trade an all-star DE for a guy who was likely the 4th stringer heading to camp in Edmonton, but you think we will just cut him at TC? Or does he get the inside track to a position. With Tate, we were told all of last year how great he was. You yourself claim we turned down a 1st round draft pick to keep him. We went over the salary cap and cheated to keep him. But this year, we’ll just release him? If you don’t think there is politics in football, you really have not been paying attention.
Anyway, I don’t think my post was any more or less negative than usual. Just my opinion. Usually when I slam Marcus, you break out the soap box…
The trade involving negotiation players happened before draft for the ottawa players. So if it was part of the Holmes trade, Shivers must have had a blanket (i.e. I get any player off your list after the Ottawa dispersal draft).
We signed Durant within weeks of the Ottawa draft, so I suspect he either was on Hamilton's list before the draft or was on Saskatchewan's list in the first place.
In terms of the pressure, I believe it will be on Durant to keep his job. The riders (ET) from an optics point of view will be hard pressed to cut Jyles. Tate could be given his walking papers, but then people will ask why did we go over the cap to protect him if we just cut him.
I don't think unless Crandell is losing more then winning (which I hope isn't the case), he will be the starter for any play off games. The question will be if the games are close will they pull Crandell to let one of the young guns in. I don't think so. The only way I see the young guns getting playing time is during a blow out. Defensively, I don't think we will give up many big games (1 or 2 at the most). Offensively, I am not sure old Marcus can put up those types of numbers. So most offensive blow-out will need to come from the Defense, and I don't think we are as strong this year in the defense to have those types of defensive victories.
Answers-
AS I SEE IT. riders take 3rd, barely edging the esks.
Crandall will be qb on labour day.
backup… depends on camp im thinking jyles or tate
If Crandall stays healthy I say he is top 3 in league in QB's (behind Burris and Ray)just because of the weapons he is surrounded with and the system. Riders make it back to the cup. The backup gets garbage time only.
Realistically, I see Crandall getting hurt right around Labour Day and Tate coming in and (hopefully) lighting things up.