Uninspired play has CFL coaches on the edge

By Graham Kelly - Inside the CFL on October 6, 2022.

It was homecoming night at McMahon Stadium last Saturday when the Good Ship Argonaut rowed into Calgary to take on the Stampeders. Nine Double Blue starters had previously toiled for the Red and White and seven of ten Argo coaches had once been with the Crowchild crew. The East Division leaders were on a four game winning streak that resulted in clinching a play-off spot.

The game on a beautiful evening at McMahon Stadium should have been a dandy. Instead, it was a dud.

Toronto opened the scoring with a single on the first play of the second quarter. That was followed by another rouge and two Calgary TDs. The score was still 14-2 with 4:10 left in the 4th quarter when LB Cameron Judge intercepted McLeod Bethel-Thompson and ran to the end zone. The Stamps added eight more, winning 29-2. Both defences were superb, the offences less so.

After the game Boatman boss Ryan Dinwiddie allowed, “The guys were really excited about getting into the play-offs the week before. Maybe we experienced a let-down.” No one was overly perturbed by the loss.

That wasn’t the case in the nation’s capital. After losing 34-19 at B.C. Place, the Ottawa Redblacks fired head coach Paul LaPolice. In last place with a mark of 3-11, including no wins at home, GM Shawn Burke said, “Sometimes a change is needed to move a team forward.”

Rick Campbell had led the expansion team to a stunning three Grey Cup appearances in the first five years of their existence, winning it all in 2016 be beating Calgary in overtime. He left for the West Coast after his club finished 3-15 in 2019. That’s when LaPolice was hired. His record was 6-22. When GM Marcel Desjardin supplied Campbell with the talent, Ottawa won. When players like Greg Ellingson and Trevor Harris left for greener pastures, they lost and had to rebuild. LaPolice wasn’t a bad coach; he had very little to work with.

Management signed Hamilton veteran quarterback Jeremiah Masoli to lead the team but he sustained a season-ending injury on July 8th. Even with Masoli behind center the Redblacks hadn’t won a game. Caleb Evans registered the first win, over Toronto 23-13 July 31st. Re-acquiring Nick Arbuckle from Edmonton, they had a modest two game win streak with victories over the Elks and Alouettes. Since then, three straight defeats.

LaPolice was criticized for poor play calling and yet with the exception of the most important statistic points scored, the team was fourth or fifth in most offensive categories, including sacks allowed. They were third in time of possession and had the second fewest penalty yards. They weren’t undisciplined, a coach’s responsibility. But they had trouble in the red-zone (play calling) and too many untimely turnovers.

LaPolice has been replaced with his special teams coordinator Bob Dyce whose previous experience was as interim head coach of Saskatchewan in 2015. He went 3-6 that year after replacing Grey Cup winning Corey Chamblin. Ottawa has four games left, two each against Hamilton and Montreal. If they win them all and Hamilton loses their remaining games, the Redblacks could squeeze into third place. Dyce likely won’t make a difference, though. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

While the Stamps were sinking the Bad Ship Argonaut last Saturday night, a record was being set during the afternoon in Edmonton. The Elks lost their 15th straight time at home, breaking the mark set by Ottawa, 1987-88. They have yet to win a game at Commonwealth under their new name. Inuit deity Anguta was not amused. “Italuit!(damn) he proclaimed. “We aren’t Elk, we hunt Elk.” Chris Jones’ ever changing crew have two more home games to break the curse, against Toronto Oct. 12 and B.C. on the 21st. They play in Winnipeg Saturday.

They can still take the cross-over position if they run the table while Saskatchewan loses to Hamilton tomorrow and their home-and-home match-ups with Calgary.

Although they were only four points behind the Bombers last week, Saskatchewan again collapsed in the fourth quarter. What needs to be done, coach Dickenson? “We’ve got to get healthy.” A win in Hamilton tomorrow is likely essential to clinch the cross-over.

If Paul LaPolice is gone, can Chris Jones and Orlando Steinauer be far behind?