CHAMBLIN SPEAKS
Former Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Chamblin gave an exclusive interview – his first since being fired on August 31, 2015 – to Yahoo.ca CFL blogger Andrew Buckholz on Tuesday. Here are some excerpts from the interview:
ON RIDER FANS’ EXPECTATIONS IN 2015
CC: You know, I don’t think the fans…I think their expectations should always remain high. I think that any football team, excuse me, any sports club, you should have expectations. You know, on their side, they can have the high ones. But I think when you look internally, we have to know what direction that we’re going. There were some things…you know, we brought in Kevin [Glenn] as the backup to fix some problems that we had the year before. In that sense, a total rebuild. But we didn’t have the names and the talent that we had in ’13 and some of that trickled down to ’14. And that’s no disrespect to the guys that are there but you got a whole lot of new guys that are trying to learn, or teach them, and have to have them learn the game. So winning the Grey Cup was probably not in the cards this year.
ON THE RIDERS’ DEFENSE IN 2015
CC: You know, I think the biggest thing is like I said, when you look at that, we went through a series of changes. You take a look at some players, you know, they had great years the year before and didn’t the next year. Sometimes there’s age in that factor. Of course, we changed coordinators and different things like that and tried to mix philosophies there. That’s what you try to look for, you try to look for a great mix there. It’s like a game plan, Andrew; when you put a game plan together, you think it’s going to work, then one or two things happen and you have to change. What’s funny about that was on the field, we had a game plan we used for those first several games. We had injury after injury on the defensive side, so it didn’t work, and you know, just some of the things I had planned in the offseason, some of them went the way I wanted to, some of them didn’t. You have to adjust your game plan.
I go through it and look at it, and to be honest with you, I think some of the outcomes would be the same if I was starting a new season. If I wanted this season to be correct, I’d have to go a little bit further back than the beginning of this season. Like I said, you know, when you look at it, I think where we are this year, where we ended this year was the culmination of the successes and the all-in mentality we put in earlier. I don’t think it’s just we woke up this morning and this is where it is. It’s kind of like the weather; at some point it’s going to change. It ended up changing on us. From the standpoint of where Brendan and I were, we knew we weren’t going to be a Grey Cup team. We knew we’d have our challenges. But we didn’t think we’d have those types of challenges.
DID HE SENSE GOING INTO 2015 HE’D BE FIRED?
CC: There was a change at the top with the president, and one thing I’m real big on, Andrew, is noticing change. There was change with a lot of employees in the building. One of the things that I noticed closely was that change was coming in the building. We didn’t know how it would affect us, but I felt there would be change. You know, a lot of people say ‘He had his mind set on coming down south.’ No. I knew at some point my tenure would be up, I thought maybe not this year, maybe next year. It was a surprise when we got to 0-3 and it was as loud as it was, when there were calls about “Let’s fire Corey,” and I’m like “At 0-3?” We’d just won the Grey Cup, we were on a hot roll until Darian got hurt 10 games into the year (in 2014), and now, three games in, they’re talking about firing me. Once it got to that point and it got that loud, I knew it would probably be on Labour Day.
ON HIS TIME IN SASKATCHEWAN
CC: Looking back in Saskatchewan overall, I can honestly tell you there is no bad blood there. Even with the way things went down, I’m truly appreciative of the organization and Brendan Taman for taking a chance on me, a young head coach. I think we had some great success there. Being a part of all those [Saskatchewan] head coaches, I think there’s 40-plus (yep: Chamblin was #41), and there’s only four of us that have a Grey Cup ring. Of over 100 years (of franchise history), I’ve been a part of one of only four championships they had, and I’m truly appreciative of that. I know that even though there is that blip in the history book there, there’s still that positive history of being the last coach to win the Grey Cup in Saskatchewan.
——
The full interview can be found here:
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl-55-yard-line/interview–corey-chamblin-on-his-firing-and-what-went-wrong-in-saskatchewan-213927029.html
While the last season and a half would have been better if Darian was in there, it would be nice to see Chamblin put blame on himself. Perhaps if his ego didn't get in his way, Hall and Cortez would still be here.
Some classy comments by Corey. (considering some of his tirades in the media during his tenure this year). Best of luck,
Boy, you need a shovel and rubber boots to get through that!
Just like before, bullshit baffles brains. No accountability, not a hint of culpability, everybody else's fault.
Well, Fu Cory, this FUBAR was primarily of your making, the construct of the team you envisioned, the coaching staff, team morale, stuff that failed in every way! On top of that, the deliberate sabotage when you knew the fix was in!
This one… you wear it!
Who, me?
I read the whole interview. He's still the perfect narcissist. He still has not accepted any responsibility for wrecking this team. He's never made a mistake, but somehow or another he was fired, he explained that as a "wave" that is sweeping the entire football scene.
I did notice though that he was quick to take credit for 2013 and mentioned it several times.
I think his self esteem is just fine.
Red
Just my opinion but don't think you had enough experience as a DC to be both a DC and a Head Coach. Wish you would have just stayed at the HC position and hired an experienced CFL DC. I think you would still be our HC.
Can't go back so best of luck in your future….unless you come back to coach against us.
Habs Rule
"Brendan and I didn't think we were a grey cup team.." but yet i recall a bold 12-6 prediction by Taman. Everything out of his mouth is BS, he's a snake oil salesman. Even is this final interview he can't own what he did and passes the blame
It seems comical that in mid August everybody on Sportscage were blowing smoke up his butt. Praise Reynolds for listening to the fans and not the experts.
Just like when he was with the Riders Blah Blah Blah but never says anything
yeah you should all listen to Michael Ball a disc jockey and George whatever the Pizza maker. They were talking about accountability and Corey was and the backstabbing began on their little call in show. End of the day I've long said the Rider fanbase are morons. I'm in Edmonton and just went to the Oilers game. The reality is in Edmonton they know what a winner is and what it should feel like. Saskatchewan, 40 Head Coaches….4 Grey Cups. As I was in the airport that goof that used to run the cable company was having lunch. He's the… Read more »
We'll always have GC101 and that can never be taken away. It's clear his ego is still inflated. I wish him the best though. In a few years after the sting of this disaster of a season is over (well hopefully over) it will be interesting to get the pulse of Rider Nation on what they think his legacy is. I would like to think that it will be the Grey Cup on home turf, but perhaps they way he went out and seemed to almost take pleasure in being canned will be what he is best remembered for. I… Read more »
If BULLSHIT was money , Chamblin would be a Multi Millionaire.
I agree with the above anon … we are all scorned lovers. Ron Lancaster, Al Ford, John Gregory, Kent Austin, Roy Shivers, Danny Barrett all got laughed out of town at one point now all are remembered as key figures in our history. Over time feelings will repair and Brendan and Corey will be destined for a night at the Plaza and remembered as the people that orchestrated the single greatest sporting moment in our provinces history. Maybe one of the singles greatest moments in Sask period. Just like lots of things have to go right, a lot of things… Read more »
"where we ended this year was the culmination of the successes and the all-in mentality we put in earlier." Why is it other teams don't go from Grey Cup Champs to the bottom of the heap in 2 years? Nice try at an excuse. "There was change with a lot of employees in the building." I guess the new President was hired to change the whole regime, no sense, big deal. "we changed coordinators and different things like that and tried to mix philosophies there. That's what you try to look for, you try to look for a great mix… Read more »
Didn't people used to acclaim CC the best coach in Rider history after the '13 Grey Cup. He's no EAGLE.
All the best Corey. You coached us to the greatest victory in Rider history. No one can take that away from you or from us!!!
I guess CC would only interview with a real, qualified, and respected media type. Ouch that's gotta hurt.
I'd bring him back.
The clock management thing is hilarious!! Go ahead, break down the plays again versus Toronto. But don't forget to include the fact the quick snap drew Toronto offside resulting in a first down. We didn't score on the quick snap which would have put us in third and life anyways.
Clock management. Pfft! Their offence marched 100+ yards for a TD then a 2 point convert in under a minute. Bottom line. End of story!
THAT EDMONTON POSTER IS A JACK ASS
""We are winners""
The fact is Edmonton hasnt had a winning team in any sport in over 10 years. Give it a rest buddy. Your Mouth is spewing nothing but crap!
Humm… Didn't Edmonton just win the "CFL West Division pennant" this past week-end ?
Way back when Roddy, was talking about if Saskatchewan had a Mount Rushmore for Rider Coaches c.c would be on it.