25/26 CFL (Non Bombers) Off Season Thread

[SpeedFlex27]

23 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

There is more than one way to play QB & Tre can throw the ball pretty well actually. Way better than Streveler for example. What he can't do is read a defense.

Edmonton tried to make him a pocket passer which was dumb and worked out exactly the way you'd expect. He may never be able to run the quick decision, short game. To be effective he needs to run his style of offense. Ride & decide. 2 reads and run. Break contain. QB draw. Throw deep so every catch is a first down. 
 

Great, so a high school qb playing in the CFL. Just what we need. 

[GCn20]

11 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Great, so a high school qb playing in the CFL. Just what we need. 

I'm not even sure he realizes what he has described is pick up football.

[HardCoreBlue]

10 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

I'm not even sure he realizes what he has described is pick up football.

Which I was outstanding at btw, stats unbelievable on both sides of the ball and then came the pads and the real football and all of sudden my playmaking ‘changed’ drastically.

[GCn20]

17 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Which I was outstanding at btw, stats unbelievable on both sides of the ball and then came the pads and the real football and all of sudden my playmaking ‘changed’ drastically.

Yea...I agree....having talent is only half the battle. Ford is a dynamic athlete who struggles to play with a playbook. He is a guy that could probably be converted to another position and excel but as a QB he just doesn't have it. Not at the pro level anyway, I sure hope we don't sign him as a QB. 

Edited 4 hours ago by GCn20

[TBURGESS]

12 hours ago, GCn20 said:

As for letting him play sandlot, won't ever happen in professional football...ever. You would be the worst offensive coordinator ever. Sandlot is very low % high turnover football.

It's not sandlot. It's not high school. It's not standing in the pocket going through your reads either.

Highly mobile QB's can be highly effective. They can use their legs while they learn how to read defences. Trying to turn them into drop-back passers is the reason a lot of them fail & turn the ball over.

Ford struggled with a drop-back passing playbook. Smart coaches change their offences to match the players' strengths. If you're not willing to do that, then don't pick a mobile QB in the first place.

[GCn20]

7 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

It's not sandlot. It's not high school. It's not standing in the pocket going through your reads either.

Highly mobile QB's can be highly effective. They can use their legs while they learn how to read defences. Trying to turn them into drop-back passers is the reason a lot of them fail & turn the ball over.

Ford struggled with a drop-back passing playbook. Smart coaches change their offences to match the players' strengths. If you're not willing to do that, then don't pick a mobile QB in the first place.

Smart coaches don't play sandlot. What you are describing is sandlot. It doesn't work in the pro game. You absolutely have to be able to pass out of the pocket or you are doomed as a QB. That is why Ford sucked so hard last year. Teams simply spied him and he was done because he could not make them pay for that. It is easy to shut down a running QB, even one as good as Ford, if they don't possess the ability to pass well out of the pocket. No offensive coordinator in the world can make that better. If you can't threaten from the pocket you are done as a QB. There is no ands, ifs. or buts. You start rolling out every play, teams will catch onto that and it is very easy to defend half a field. You start tucking and running every 2nd play they spy you and/or run blitz and you are done. You absolutely have to be competent out of the pocket. 

We saw the exact same thing happen with Streveler. They simply gave no option to run and dared him to beat them with his arm. He could not. Exactly what teams did to Ford as well.

Edited 3 hours ago by GCn20

[Bigblue204]

Yeah eventually Defenses will scheme to take your mobility out of the game. As a change of pace guy there will be some value forsure. But as a back-up your 1 play away from starting. Starters need to be able to play from the pocket.

[GCn20]

2 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

Yeah eventually Defenses will scheme to take your mobility out of the game. As a change of pace guy there will be some value forsure. But as a back-up your 1 play away from starting. Starters need to be able to play from the pocket.

All teams do is change the attack angle of the ends to contain, and have a LBer spy the QB and if he can't read the hole in the defence or can't make the throw it's game over. Sure the odd time a great athlete like Ford might break a tackle for first down or more but over the course of the game it will be 2 and out....a LOT of 2 and out.

Edited 3 hours ago by GCn20

[Stickem]

Third Down saying Ford should/could land in the Peg......Says we're his best bet/fit to further his playing career now and into the future??Well that cinches it we'll certainly give him a hard pass

[Stickem]

Broxton of the Leos.....Nield  and Moxey.....great signings so far

[Tracker]

14 hours ago, bearpants said:

3 or 4 days ago there were 3 top WRs about to hit the market... all three are now signed and we landed one of them... some people are going to complain we didn't get the best one... but I think the reality is the other two probably weren't realistically coming here... I am happy we went out and got a legit talent. 

Ford the QB is a natural replacement for Demski the slotback?... I might agree if Ford gave any indication he was willing/interesting in switching positions...

He would not be the first and it may be that or UIC.

[SpeedFlex27]

1 hour ago, GCn20 said:

I'm not even sure he realizes what he has described is pick up football.

I coached kids in Grade 10 & that's all they did. Couldn't read a defense. So, one read. It ain't open... run. We didn't win many games. 

[TBURGESS]

47 minutes ago, GCn20 said:

Smart coaches don't play sandlot. What you are describing is sandlot. It doesn't work in the pro game. You absolutely have to be able to pass out of the pocket or you are doomed as a QB. That is why Ford sucked so hard last year. Teams simply spied him and he was done because he could not make them pay for that. It is easy to shut down a running QB, even one as good as Ford, if they don't possess the ability to pass well out of the pocket. No offensive coordinator in the world can make that better. If you can't threaten from the pocket you are done as a QB. There is no ands, ifs. or buts. You start rolling out every play, teams will catch onto that and it is very easy to defend half a field. You start tucking and running every 2nd play they spy you and/or run blitz and you are done. You absolutely have to be competent out of the pocket. 

We saw the exact same thing happen with Streveler. They simply gave no option to run and dared him to beat them with his arm. He could not. Exactly what teams did to Ford as well.

Your theory is that pocket passers are the only successful QB's in the pro game & mobile QB's give the ball away too much. 

Let's test your theory using the stats for the 2 players in question:

Gives the ball away too much? Powell - 12 TDs, 9 picks in 352 attempts, 1 every 28. Ford 29 TDs, 19 picks in 534 attempts, 1 every 39. 

Can't throw? Powell - Avg completion 7.8, yards 2752, Comp 69% . Ford Avg 8.7, 4651 yards. (Take away Fords extra year & he's still over 4000), Comp 67% .

Rushing is is for running backs?  Powell - Avg rush 7.4 for 257. Ford 9.1 for 1129.

Powell gives the ball away more often, he throws for fewer yards on average, and the running isn't even close. 
Ford has a 2% lower completion percentage but beats Powell on every other stat. Tre has been the more successful QB so far. 

1 minute ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I coached kids in Grade 10 & that's all they did. Couldn't read a defense. So, one read. It ain't open... run. We didn't win many games. 

Sounds like they had a horrible coach to me.

[Mike]

Ceresna will sign with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or Ottawa Redblacks, per sources.

[Brandon]

Powell to the Elks

 

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/article/former-tiger-cats-qb-powell-agrees-to-two-year-deal-with-elks/

[Bigblue204]

8 minutes ago, TBURGESS said:

Your theory is that pocket passers are the only successful QB's in the pro game & mobile QB's give the ball away too much. 

Let's test your theory using the stats for the 2 players in question:

Gives the ball away too much? Powell - 12 TDs, 9 picks in 352 attempts, 1 every 28. Ford 29 TDs, 19 picks in 534 attempts, 1 every 39. 

Can't throw? Powell - Avg completion 7.8, yards 2752, Comp 69% . Ford Avg 8.7, 4651 yards. (Take away Fords extra year & he's still over 4000), Comp 67% .

Rushing is is for running backs?  Powell - Avg rush 7.4 for 257. Ford 9.1 for 1129.

Powell gives the ball away more often, he throws for fewer yards on average, and the running isn't even close. 
Ford has a 2% lower completion percentage but beats Powell on every other stat. Tre has been the more successful QB so far. 

Sounds like they had a horrible coach to me.

Crum is also a mobile QB. Yhe difference in the two is 1 of them has shown the ability to play from the pocket if needed. And 1 hasnt. Mobile qbs can be effective, but eventually they will have to play from the pocket. Thats been true for every qb from Jacobs to Flutie to Collaros to Rourke.

[TBURGESS]

Crum is an example of running until you learn to read and he's thrown as many picks as TD's. I'd take him over Powell, not that it matters now that Powell signed with Edmonton. 

[Stickem]

2 year deals with Broxton and Neild.......gotta like it

[Booch]

I not sure Ford has the accuracy...or a proper platform/mechanics to be an actual passer other than the off script and sandlot type stuff.

As a legit dual threat qb...don't see it...but as a change of pace guy...or a 2nd QB on the field with the right plays drawn up...could be valuable, but any notion he can be a legit starter....dont see it...hopefully he does too and accepts a new kinda role for himself

[Noeller]

Ottawa not messing around right now either... Seem to be signing up just about everyone available. Dinwiddie gonna turnover that roster in a big way. 

[HardCoreBlue]

40 minutes ago, Booch said:

I not sure Ford has the accuracy...or a proper platform/mechanics to be an actual passer other than the off script and sandlot type stuff.

As a legit dual threat qb...don't see it...but as a change of pace guy...or a 2nd QB on the field with the right plays drawn up...could be valuable, but any notion he can be a legit starter....dont see it...hopefully he does too and accepts a new kinda role for himself

All I’m asking is for us to be way more creative and strategic with our back up QB’s other than taking stats, as a holder and short yardage.

Being stuck in this mindset of live and die with your QB1 no matter what has its benefits but also has huge drawbacks imo. Just find the sweet spot of #1 guy being complemented with certain schemes with back up Qb’s that play to their strengths and development needs. Thats how coaches earn their paycheques.

[Noeller]

Woulda really loved this guy in Blue and Gold...

 

 

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

It's not sandlot. It's not high school. It's not standing in the pocket going through your reads either.

Highly mobile QB's can be highly effective. They can use their legs while they learn how to read defences. Trying to turn them into drop-back passers is the reason a lot of them fail & turn the ball over.

Ford struggled with a drop-back passing playbook. Smart coaches change their offences to match the players' strengths. If you're not willing to do that, then don't pick a mobile QB in the first place.

I'd love to see Ford's playbook at university. I think it was a lot more simplistic then would be needed in the CFL. You can't win at this level playing sandlot football.

Edited 41 minutes ago by SpeedFlex27

[Brandon]

 

 

No Crum for us

 

[Brandon]

https://x.com/JDunk12/status/2018022667551436937

https://3downnation.com/2026/02/01/ottawa-redblacks-agree-to-terms-with-former-riders-qb-jake-maier-sources/    Maier in Ottawa

Demario Houston to BC