I have mixed feelings about it.  Sure you can hire a guy like Gary Crowton but quite frankly, I think his undoing was more that he couldn't evolve vs. his lack of CFL experience. 

 

We all ***** about the recycling of CFL coaches and coordinators.  So I'm open to the prospect of scouring the US for a guy that understands football but more importantly has the right attitude and is willing to evolve with the game.   Because when I read thru all the guys that many of you are recommending as replacements and quite frankly none of them are getting me too excited. 

 

Thoughts?

Trestman had none.

 

Former QB's would be a good place to start, especially ones with some coaching experience. Same thing for defence.

The key isn't experience, the key is hiring talented people. Trestman it is well documented accepted that he knew nothing about the CFL and dove into film and talked to people and actually learned what was working. I think a lot of people probably just come up thinking they'll pick up the nuances on the fly and don't appreciate the differences. So I don't care if someone is experienced or not, I care about if they're good enough to get the job done and part of that is knowing when you don't know something and learning what you don't know. 

There are so many young talented position coaches that have a ton of CFL experience that are intune and flexible enough to start adapting to changing concepts around the league that I feel that's the better route to go.

As already pointed out, having experience gives you an upper hand, but if you're willing to do the extra work, success can be found.

 

Plenty of cases of experienced coordinators who have failed too in addition to those without the experience.

I have mixed feelings about it.  Sure you can hire a guy like Gary Crowton but quite frankly, I think his undoing was more that he couldn't evolve vs. his lack of CFL experience. 

 

We all ***** about the recycling of CFL coaches and coordinators.  So I'm open to the prospect of scouring the US for a guy that understands football but more importantly has the right attitude and is willing to evolve with the game.   Because when I read thru all the guys that many of you are recommending as replacements and quite frankly none of them are getting me too excited. 

 

Thoughts?

 

Gary Crowton's problem was on multiple fronts, but one of the biggest was that he was so stubborn with his play calling that he did not make changes even when consultants or those around him suggested things.  The other factor is that Lapolice was calling the plays when he first showed up in town, but after he got fired, Crowton had to pick up that playbook and figure things out on his own, and Burke of course could offer no input for him.  Not to mention Mack was running the team aground to boot.

 

I think our fanbase as a whole is opposed to any idea of OCs coming in fresh off the American gridirons, but Marc Trestman fit that bell and he did quite well, so yes it can and has worked.  I think the biggest factor is whether or not the players buy into the scheme, and no matter what anyone says contrary to this, you absolutely have to have an o-line, or WR and RB blocking schemes going and going full throttle to make your playbook work, and this is what we're lacking on all fronts.

 

Every OC though is going to be judged by what they are doing now, and that goes for the old dinosaurs as well as the young bucks.

 

Would I be happy if Cortez came here?  Absolutely, but just for the record though, he's not leaving SSK just because those dumb fans on Riderfans yesterday called for him to go, their board of directors has a long history of telling their fans to suck it and shut up.  But other OC's out there that are great are not going to be unemployed or out there at the moment.  Other OCs that come from below the border might be from lower tier NCAA football schools, but not FBS, probably FCS or Division II schools or lower, probably not the best choices for us.  We'll see though.

The key isn't experience, the key is hiring talented people. Trestman it is well documented accepted that he knew nothing about the CFL and dove into film and talked to people and actually learned what was working. I think a lot of people probably just come up thinking they'll pick up the nuances on the fly and don't appreciate the differences. So I don't care if someone is experienced or not, I care about if they're good enough to get the job done and part of that is knowing when you don't know something and learning what you don't know. 

That jackass they hired to coach Montreal last year comes to mind.  That guy acted like he was 2legit and his amazing NCAA coaching was going to win him the Grey Cup.  He probably never bothered to watch a CFL game prior to being hired.

 

I think our fanbase as a whole is opposed to any idea of OCs coming in fresh off the American gridirons, but Marc Trestman fit that bell and he did quite well, so yes it can and has worked. 

 

 

Did Trestman not come up here as head coach not OC, and he made a point of hiring experienced coordinators?

Milanovich wasn't experienced when he hired him. Neither was Chris Jones. 

Milanovich wasn't experienced when he hired him. Neither was Chris Jones. 

wasn't milanovich the qb coach when he started in montreal, and trestman promoted him when he came in?

If I was a CFL HC I would invite in a couple guest coaches a year with the thinking that these guys may eventually become CFL co-ordinators vs just another set of eyes for a position group. 

If I was a CFL HC I would invite in a couple guest coaches a year with the thinking that these guys may eventually become CFL co-ordinators vs just another set of eyes for a position group. 

We do invite at least a couple of guest coaches every year.

Yes most teams do however they are primarily there to work with positions and help with the expanded roster there in training camp vs learn the Canadian game. I'd put a heavier emphasis on looking for bodies to become future OCs and DCs because if your co-ordinators are any good they'll be moving up after a year or two. Look at Toronto losing a DC and a STC in the same offseason. 

 

Milanovich wasn't experienced when he hired him. Neither was Chris Jones. 

wasn't milanovich the qb coach when he started in montreal, and trestman promoted him when he came in?

 

Yes, he was never an OC before. 

Scott Milanovich actually played 6 games with the stampeders in 2003 and actually finished the year as the stamps qb coach, This from his montreal alouette page i suppose you can call it

 

Before becoming a coach, he played several years in the NFL, NFLE, AFL, XFL and CFL. He played one game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1996, staying on with the team as a backup through 1999. He signed with the Cleveland Browns before moving on to the NFLE Berlin Thunder. He played one season with the AFL Tampa Bay Storm as well as with the Calgary Stampeders. Following six games as a player, he closed out the 2003 campaign as the Stamps’ quarterbacks coach.

 

 

So Milo did have some prior knowledge of the CFL, had a full seasons worth of knowledge actually

 

Sure he went back to NFL Europe for a few years but that one year of CFL experience, it certainly probably helped him lots

 

 

Regardless though, You see way more Crowtons Andrus's and was it Dan Hawkins? I think so, but you see way more of them than you do Marc Trestmans that's for damn sure. 

 

Honestly is it fair to put Crowton in that group tho? He was just an OC, Andrus, Hawkins and the sorts were head coaches. 

 

Can anyone name a guy with absolutely zero knowledge of the CFL other than Trestman who came up here and actually did something good? I honestly can't think of him. Trestman is the exception, Crowton Andrus Hawkins etc are the norm. 

 

WIth that being said, there does seem to be a trend of sorts there, the guys who have come up and failed for the most part.. they were offensive guys, OC's or Head Coaches really... Not many Defensive Coordinator fails. Think that just speaks to basically the Defense is the same in North America regardless of if its NFL NCAA or CFL, only difference is one extra player and some alignment issues, Not too much to overcome i don't think... Offense tho? seems that all the different nuances the CFL has, seems like some/most guys have a hard time adapting to that.  

Why are Canadian college coaches so hated in this league?

Why are Canadian college coaches so hated in this league?

Who says they are? The most successful CIS HCs don't want to leave for the CFL, generally speaking.

 

Why are Canadian college coaches so hated in this league?

Who says they are? The most successful CIS HCs don't want to leave for the CFL, generally speaking.

 

more stability and likely higher pay being a cis head guy than working up through the cfl ranks

_{Brian Towriss has been HC of the U of S Huskie's for 30 years. Most wins in CIS history. I've often wondered why he never went on to the CFL.  Its happened in the NFL also where coaches have opted to stay in the NCAA.}