under construction: CFL Teams Review/Preview Thread

[Rids]

Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Draft :Number one selection DL Linden Gaydosh (currently in other league). DL Urban (injured, expected later in season).Rec. Marquand.

Previous draftees signed : DB Stephen, DL Gascon-Nadon, DL Atkinson.

Draft item here:

Unless things are really changing and the University of Virginia doesn't know it Brent Urban is expected back as their starter in the fall.

http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/va/ ... hChart.pdf

[iso_55]

Okay Bluto, step up & give us the Argos story, my man...

[bluto]

TORONTO ARGONAUTS 2013 SEASON PREVIEW

 

Starters on Offence

QB: Ricky Ray (contract extended in offseason until 2015), (backups: Trevor Harris and Zach Collaros. Mitchell Gale looks to be the unofficial #4 on the PR)
OL: Tony Washington and (newly bearded) Chris Van Zeyl are locks at the Left and Right Tackle positions. Local boy Jeff Keeping looks to reprise his role under centre. There will be battles for the starting guard spots since there are four men who could start. Eppele (contract extended in offseason) and Parenteau started down the stretch and Reinders and Jones will look to take their spots. Veteran Wayne Smith can play any position on the line and will be a key backup.
RB: After a brief scare of the GCMOP perhaps going to play for the Jets, Chad Kackert returns to the starting tailback spot. Gerald Riggs Jr is getting good reviews in camp and looks to take the important backup spot again (a key position if #44 gets nicked up again). Durie has plenty experience at tailback here as well and was put in to give Boyd and Kackert a breather (or injury break) at times in 2012.
FB: Veteran Jeff Johnson lines up here most often (when the Argos actually line up with a FB). Durie could also step in here in a pinch. In short yardage in 2012, ILB/DE Kuale was put in as the designated battering ram... this role may be taken by NI Zander Robinson, a DE who came to camp and had his position on our roster page change to FB...
WR: CFL MOP Chad Owens is a lock in the slot as is NI Andre Durie. A pleasant surprise out of camp last season was Dontrelle Inman who also seems entrenched on the outside. NIs Spencer Watt and Mike Bradwell have the inside track on getting playing time, but other NIs Chad Rempel, Quincy Hurst (little speedster coming off a knee issue) and Julian Feoli-Gudino will be battling for their place in the squad. The Imports most likely to feature are Jason Barnes (who has already been making an impression in camp) and Romby Bryant (veteran speedster signed as a FA when he was surplus to requirements in Cowtown). Reggie Williams and Juaquin Iglesias are getting some good reviews at TC, and it seems like Coach Scott must have asked for bigger bodies at the position because other than Williams, some larger-body prospects have been brought in to try out: Chiles, Adams and Meline.

Overall, it is an offence that runs on a high percentage QB keeping them on the field until one of the playmakers steps up and makes something big happen for them. Ray and Calvillo have said that Coach Milanovich's system (this season run by Marcus Brady) is the most complex they've ever seen. You'd have to think that all the returning players with a year's worth of experience in that offence will be a boon for them. This should be (presuming main players play most of the games) one of, if not the, most potent offences in the league.

 

 

Starters on Defence

DE: Wide open competition here. With Foley and Flemmons gone, the prospects brought into TC are all fighting for contracts:Jerome Geathers earned some praise for his play when brought in for a late season game and recently brought in Eric Foster hopes to return to his NFL form after missing last year with an ankle injury. Take your pick from this list of others... but you'd have to guess that Jones wants speed and athleticism as he has a penchant for dropping DEs into coverage at times. The NIs hoping to be in Coach Jones' "NI by Committee" scheme are second year player David Lee and 2012 "futures" pick Cleon Laing.
DT: Returning veteran Kevin Huntley will take one inside position. The other two will be off season acquisitions. Khalif Mitchell creates ink everywhere he goes and this past offseason was no different. After dealing for the dominant 3-technique, Barker tried to deal him to a western team to satisfy the player. When no good deals emerged, he (and the coaches and players) took it upon themselves to sell Mitchell on playing in Toronto. It appears, so far, to have worked. A draft day trade with the Riders brings Jermaine Reid home who will be part of the "NIbC" approach.
LB: The SAM and WIL spots are locked in with Isaac and Ball, and you'd have to think McCune will be back to patrol the interior. Sophomore Bryan Payton has a chance to gain more plays this season. NIs Pottinger, Yurichuck, Antwi, Tonye-Tonye, (draft pick and O'Shea favorite) Spencer, Hood... most will get their playing time (if any) through special teams.
DB: Now this has gotten interesting... Safety and Captain Jordan Younger has made the decision to retire. At this late juncture, replacing him could be a scramble... it appears as though veteran NI Matt Black (another of the many home-town Argos) has stepped into the starting Free Safety role in camp...stay tuned! With McCullough gone, at least one spot was going to be open, but now with 2, the drama increases... Pat Watkins, Jalil Carter and Pacino Horne are locks. Argo fans are hoping that Jones' knack of finding rookie DBs who can play (and be impact players) continues with the large group in TC. Thusfar, DB Brent Vinson (a former Stamps PR player) has been impressing in camp and looks to be making a case for a spot on the gameday roster. NI Djems Kuoame is a converted WR.

It's a defence that sometimes drops 9 guys into coverage. They create mismatches, pressure the QB (while not being big sack generators, they hit as many QBs as any team), and try to be playmakers. Coach Jones has his work cut out for him to replace Younger. That could be a major blow. But the defence is arguably what won us the Grey Cup last season. And aside from 4 games where everything was a bloody mess, they were solid. They may not lead the league in fewest yards or points against, but it will be a strong side.

 

Key Special Teams

Obviously the story here is Chad Owens and how he's tilted the field for the Boatmen for the past 3 seasons.
Swayze Waters has the dual kicker role, but if his accuracy or health suffer again, young NI Anthony Alix hopes to step in.
Jeff Johnson will have excellent ST'r James Yurichuck to help lead Coach Osh's troops.

Can Owens extend his own Pro-Football record of 3 straight 3,000 yard seasons? It doesn't really matter whether he does or not, but his ability to shorten the field is what has been gifting the offence with short fields and bailing our defence out of danger for 3 years now.

New Additions: DT Khalif Mitchell, WR Romby Bryant, DT Jermaine Reid, LB James Yurichuk, QB Mitchell Gale, OC Marcus Brady
Subtractions: S Jordan Younger, DT Armand Armstead, DB Evan McCullogh, DE Rickey Foley, Ronald Flemmons, K Pre,
Draft: #8 OL Matt Sewell, #17 DB Jermaine Gabriel, #22 WR Natey Adjey, #52 OL Michael Di Domenico, #60 LB Paul Spencer

Players on the bubble: Not many returning starters are under threat, but there will be competition for open spots.
Competition for the starting guard positions will be intense as all 4 are capable. As well, the receivers should take note that Coach Scott has made more than one public statement about how he'd use a large receiver or two in his offence.
On the defensive side of the ball, there's now 2 DE jobs, a HB and S job available. It sounds like a lot, but it's less than Jones had to fill last season.
Swayze Waters has a strong leg, but was not as accurate as you'd want a frontline kicker to be... Anthony Alix will be looking totake any opportunity to show himself to the league as a viable NI K/P.

Last season summary: 9-9, 2nd in the east, 100th Grey Cup Champions. It was a very up and down regular season where the new coaches, players and system struggled to come together. In at least 4 of their games, the Argos looked lost and never had a chance. Most of the time they were competitive but didn't have all 3 phases ticking. Ray was a huge difference maker and provided a high percentage passing attack which made 2 and outs rare. When the team finally gelled, it was in a 5 game run finishing in a home Grey Cup victory.

2013 outlook and prediction: The offence remains intact and especially with the improved play of the O-Line in the final games of the season, you'd have to predict that Ray, Kackert, Owens and Durie will all have ample opportunity to make plays and put up big scores. Defensively, once Jones fills his holes in the secondary it should be a solid unit again. His coverages and scheme changes should keep them competitive, but without a veteran like Younger to be the on-field coach, it remains to be seen how this will iron itself out for 2013. Nobody within the Argos has said that they expect to finish tops in the East, but they all will tell you that they are playing for the Grey Cup.
11-7 1st in the East.

 

[DanoT]

I normally don’t do long posts, but no one else from Lionbackers seems up for it, so here is my BC Lions report:

 

Oline from Lion’s TC depth chart: Archibald, Kabongo, Reid, Norman, Olafioye. Kirby Fabien was a 2012 1^st round pick and was finally signed last week, is listed as a backup, but could be a starter by the end of TC or end of the season. Early TC reports are that he is looking impressive.

 

Centre, Reid is having back issues and  HC Benevides is on record as saying that guard Matt Norman is being groomed as an eventual replacement for Reid when it is expected, but not yet announced, that Reid will retire after this season. It is unclear if Norman will move to centre if Reid can’t go or if depth chart backup Baboulas steps up at centre.

Lions go with 2 import tackles, but both are all-stars so it helps make up for lack of depth at guard and centre. The Oline gave up very few sacks last year but it was partly due to Lulay’s elusiveness.

 

Receivers: With both Simon and Bruce gone mostly due to high salaries and advancing age, Lions have likely the youngest least experienced group in the CFL. OTOH Lions greatest depth is at NI and I receivers and they are all big, strong, and fast.  At 6’, 198 lbs, NI Shawn Gore is the smallest receiver and last year lead the Lions with 720 yards, NI RB Andrew Harris was next with 718 yards and then Geroy Simon who missed 5 games with injury was next at 700 yards. With no receivers even close to 1000 you might think that last year the Lions struggled with the passing game. You would be wrong as last year Lions QBs threw for over 5000 yards. Lulay when he is at his best likes to get everyone the ball. Last year he completed passes to 13 different receivers.

 

Nick Moore (6'2" 195lbs.) takes over Simon’s SB spot, Courtney Taylor (6'1" 205lbs.) takes over Bruce’s SB spot, Gore is the other SB. Newly returned from a less than lustrous NFL two year stint, Emmanuel Arceneaux (6'2" 210 lbs., 2 years in CFL, 2 years in NFL and still just 25 years old) has recently signed and will line up at short side WR with Earnest Jackson (6'2" 215 lbs.) as backup. NIs Iannuzzi (6'1" 195lbs.) and Foster (6'4" 212 lbs.) will battle for the wide side WR spot with Paris Jackson (6'3" 215lbs.) as a backup and 2^nd round 2013 draftee S.J. Haidara (6'1" 215lbs.) likely another backup and special teams guy.

 

RB: Andrew Harris with over 1400 yards combined running/receiving was Lions biggest weapon last year. Look for opposing Defences to game plan for Harris, opening up opportunities for the no name receiving corps many of who could be household names by season’s end. I expect Tim Brown to retain his job as kick returner and relief RB. When NI Harris goes out for a play, a I receiver goes out as well and is replaced by a NI receiver to maintain the I/NI ratio.

 

QB: Look for Lulay to continue to play at a high level as he has not yet reached his full potential. With backup Mike Reilly gone to Edmonton, last year’s 3^rd string QB Thomas DeMarco and former Bomber backup Joey Elliott battle for the second string job.

 

 

Defence: For a team that allowed the least amount of points against last year, Lions have made a lot of changes. Perhaps prompted by last year’s Western Final upset.

 

Dline: With Kalif Mitchell traded to the Argos, DE Keron Williams moves to DT and free agent signing (from Esks) Korey Williams goes to DE. Eric Taylor remains at the other DT and Kareem Smith at DE. NI Jabar Westerman is the rotational D lineman as he was last year as a rookie and won’t count as one of the needed 7 NI starters. Brandon Jordan will likely be an Import rotational guy. A very solid group and most of them can play DE or DT.

 

Linebackers: Solomon Elimimian returns to the MLB spot and Adam Bighill moves to Anton McKenzie’s OLB spot with McKenzie being utilized to rotate the two LB spots. LB/Nickel back Anthony Reddick is gone and Korey Banks moves from the short side DHB to LB/Nickel. DC Rich Stubler likes to platoon so I expect on short yardage Banks might come out with the versatile McKenzie coming in. Korey Banks has been the Lions best player on D for quite a few seasons but he will be 34 in a few months so it might make sense to give his legs a rest from time to time. Lions might not dress an extra DB on game day and may instead use Banks to replace any DB injured during a game with McKenzie replacing Banks at LB/Nickel. IMO this is the best LB group in the CFL.

 

DB: This is Dante Marshe’s 10^th season as short side corner back. Does any other corner in the CFL even come close to that kind of consistency? Often overlooked as an all-star, because he doesn’t yap much and when you cover your man as well as he does, the QBs just don’t throw the ball to your area and there is no measureable stat for that. The other CB will be Ryan Phillips moving over from his wide side DHB spot to replace the departed Byron Parker.

 

At free safety, the lost to free agency of Cauchy Muama means he will be replaced by last season’s backup, JR LaRose. The two DHB spots are up for grabs with last year’s backups Josh Bell and Lin-J Shell having the inside shot but challenged by newcomer Cord Parks.

 

At FG/P it’s 21 year vet Paul McCallum vs young guy Hugh O’Neill. My guess is that O’Neill is getting impatient on the IR list and Lions will look for a way to get both on the game day roster with O’Neill handling kick offs. Loosing one of these guys to Ottawa’s expansion draft in December would be advantageous for the Lions due to then getting to protect extra players.

 

With a very solid roster, look for the Lions to compete for first in the West.

[bluto]

Atta boy DanoT! 

 

thanks for contributing!

[iso_55]

We are missing a team, aren't we??? Too bad this thread hasn't generated any discussion... HINT!! HINT!!!

[iso_55]

In the West, it's gonna be between the Stamps & BC... Discuss...

 

In the East will the new stadium as well as a healthy Buck Pierce going to be enough for the Bombers to make the playoffs? Discuss... 

[Jacquie]

We are missing a team, aren't we??? 

 

You may have missed the Edmonton report. Mike posted something but said he would finish it later.

[17to85]

In the West, it's gonna be between the Stamps & BC... Discuss... 

maybe maybe not. Stamps (and by that I mean Tate) has something to prove I think. I think that's the safe bet right now but I dunno if Tate can make it through the season healthy or if he can actually be the guy the team needs him to be if he does. Durant takes a lot of crap and I get that but he is still capable of being a good qb in the west so if the stamps have a hiccup then the riders might be able to pass them. I think the only thing everyone agrees on is that Edmonton is looking to bring up the rear simply based on the massive gamble they are taking at qb.

[iso_55]

I think BC is in that same boat at qb. Behind Lulay, could Joey Elliott lead that team if he had to?? I know there are fans here who feel he got the short end of the stick from Burke when released. I think Lulay drives that team. Just as Henry Burris, Ricky Ray, Darian Durant, Buck Pierce & AC drive their team. Calgary is fortunate to have Kevin Glenn who can pick up the pieces should Tate go down again. 

[bluto]

 

In the West, it's gonna be between the Stamps & BC... Discuss...

 

maybe maybe not. Stamps (and by that I mean Tate) has something to prove I think. I think that's the safe bet right now but I dunno if Tate can make it through the season healthy or if he can actually be the guy the team needs him to be if he does. Durant takes a lot of crap and I get that but he is still capable of being a good qb in the west so if the stamps have a hiccup then the riders might be able to pass them. I think the only thing everyone agrees on is that Edmonton is looking to bring up the rear simply based on the massive gamble they are taking at qb.

 

i'm not sold on the Stamps being back either. that might just be from my particular standpoint (since we pretty much handled them all three times we met them and the one time they were close, it took a 450 yard, record breaking return game by Taylor to even make it close)... but mainly i think it's because in the Grey Cup, Coach Jones exposed them as the one dimensional team that they were.

once you take away Cornish (as we did, 3 times), they just don't have a viable "plan B"...

...i think that Huf and Dave **** have major work to do to avoid all 7 teams employing that (winning) strategy against them. 

[bluto]

I think BC is in that same boat at qb. Behind Lulay, could Joey Elliott lead that team if he had to?? I know there are fans here who feel he got the short end of the stick from Burke when released. I think Lulay drives that team. Just as Henry Burris, Ricky Ray, Darian Durant, Buck Pierce & AC drive their team. Calgary is fortunate to have Kevin Glenn who can pick up the pieces should Tate go down again. 

 

i think Elliot is going to be Wally's next pupil to bloom under his tutelage... then trigger a FA bidding war.

(which, if it happens, could make things very interesting at 315 Chancellor Matheson Rd.

[bluto]

so... as to the OP here... i'm going to leave this thread as is until Tuesday Night...

 

...at that point i'll ask a mod to delete all posts except the 8 review/previews... (so if the Authors care to do any amendments or beautifying, you have until then)

 

...then we start working on a consensus for the order of the standings and win-loss records.

[Mark H.]

i'm not sold on the Stamps being back either. that might just be from my particular standpoint (since we pretty much handled them all three times we met them and the one time they were close, it took a 450 yard, record breaking return game by Taylor to even make it close)... but mainly i think it's because in the Grey Cup, Coach Jones exposed them as the one dimensional team that they were.

once you take away Cornish (as we did, 3 times), they just don't have a viable "plan B"...

...i think that Huf and Dave **** have major work to do to avoid all 7 teams employing that (winning) strategy against them. 

 

I'm going to assume that they'll do that work. With Glenn and his short yardage game you need a strong running game. The same thing happened in Winnipeg towards the end of '07 and then into '08. Teams took away the short yardage and the running game...assuming Glenn couldn't beat them with the deep ball...he couldn't.

 

A healthy and consistent Drew Tate will require a different game plan. That being said...I'll wager Jones, Chreehan et. al. are aware of that.

[Zontar]

Stamps and Riders change places. BC is still the class of the West. EDM will be a train-wreck.

[johnzo]

... Pat Watkins, Jalil Carter and Pacino Horne are locks...

 

Except Watkins is a no-show.  If he doesn't come back, Toronto will turn over more than half of its secondary -- and it sounds like Horne is going to start the season hurt on top of that.

 

Better hope that Barker can find some new kids who can play.  If he can't, the 2013 Argos might resemble the 2012 Ticats.

[sweep the leg]

i think Elliot is going to be Wally's next pupil to bloom under his tutelage... then trigger a FA bidding war.

(which, if it happens, could make things very interesting at 315 Chancellor Matheson Rd.

I've read that he's being beaten pretty handily by Demarco for the backup job. The same article said the bigger issue might be if they want Hart as the #3 instead of Elliott, b/c they apparently think highly of his potential.

 

edit: the article also noted how Westerman has been the star of camp so far...

 

As for the West this season, I think the Riders & Lions will be the top two teams. The Esks OL will have them in the basement.

[iso_55]

Riders?? Why??? Please explain...

[17to85]

i'm not sold on the Stamps being back either. that might just be from my particular standpoint (since we pretty much handled them all three times we met them and the one time they were close, it took a 450 yard, record breaking return game by Taylor to even make it close)... but mainly i think it's because in the Grey Cup, Coach Jones exposed them as the one dimensional team that they were.

once you take away Cornish (as we did, 3 times), they just don't have a viable "plan B"...

...i think that Huf and Dave **** have major work to do to avoid all 7 teams employing that (winning) strategy against them. 

That's just your massive argo bias coming through there. Seriously, because the stamps offense looked bad in the grey cup you assume that it was all on the argos and you know, not just Kevin Glenn pulling that old folding under pressure act that's dogged him his entire career. Seriously, everyone said the catch with the stamps in the Grey Cup last year was whether Glenn did the wilt under pressure thing or not, and low and behold... Glenn faced the pressure and wilted. The sooner you stop and take a step back and realize that the Argos weren't the super unbeatable team that you think they were the more objective you will be. The Argos could have quite easily lost to the Als in the East final, they finished .500 in a weak division, beat a terrible Edmonton team in the semis... seriously the esks started the season stronger than they finished AINEC, I would argue that by the end of the season despite having less wins that both the ticats and bombers were stronger teams than the esks were. 

[iso_55]

Argos have the Stamps number the past 2 seasons but I expect that will change this season. There isn't anything about the Argos that makes me think they are truly the better team overall. They beat Calgary for the GC & on that day & I certainly give them credit for that. 

[17to85]

Absolutely, I'm not saying they didn't earn their victory, I'm just trying to temper the rampant argo homerism coming from our resident argo fan. Got a few wins when it mattered but they weren't the dominating wins that Bluto pretends they were, the Argos were just one of a bunch of mediocre teams in the CFL last year, they just won the games that mattered most.

[Jpan85]

I got to admit I was sitting in the same section as Bluto at the Grey Cup I wish I could I have as much fun as the 20 loyal Argo fans had at that game.

[17to85]

I got to admit I was sitting in the same section as Bluto at the Grey Cup I wish I could I have as much fun as the 20 loyal Argo fans had at that game.

Hey our turn is coming sooner or later, think how sweet it will be when it's the bombers winning again.

[bluto]

I got to admit I was sitting in the same section as Bluto at the Grey Cup I wish I could I have as much fun as the 20 loyal Argo fans had at that game.

 

 

Hey our turn is coming sooner or later, think how sweet it will be when it's the bombers winning again.

 

 

if only it worked on the basis of who's turn it is...

 

...i'd have seen the Stanley Cup go down Bay Street by now at least once...

[iso_55]

You see, that's where we get our revenge, Bluto. Knowing it will probably be the 22nd century before the Leafs win the Cup again.