PRESEASON GAME B PRIMER

9-yr CFLer Luc Mullinder

ENDGAME
By: Luc Mullinder

The stage in a game of Chess where there are a few pieces left on the board is defined as ‘Endgame.’  It’s also a great way to describe the last-ditch job interviews that are taking place tonight when the Roughriders face the Edmonton Eskimos.  There are a few guys left that are preparing to take, what could be, their last reps in a green bucket for the 2014 Saskatchewan Roughriders.  In one of the most physically demanding Pay-For-Play businesses, this will be their last shot, to make THIS team.

The problem for all the hopefuls during Friday’s look is that the reps are substantially limited.  One of the things that GM Brendan Taman, and the Saskatchewan coaching staff have done, during the plethora of meetings since the off-season began, is formulate what identity and characteristics the 2014 Riders will have.  Since camp began, the brass has also plugged in the majority of the guys that fit this model, and what their role within the squad will look like.  Save for a couple positions on Friday, the first half (and some of the 3rd) will probably feature the warriors that will represent the Green and White brand, when the season opens up versus the Hamilton Ti-Cats.

For those whose fate is still undetermined, all is not lost.  Whether they are given one rep or 31 reps, each has to be considered a bar of gold.  And how one will barter with that gold is going to tilt the scales either in favour, or the opposite.  There a couple guys on every team who are in that ‘hope to show something’ mode this weekend.  One can’t sit around moping about the opportunities they aren’t getting;  it’ll be the easiest way to miss the one opportunity that they do get.

Injuries are also going to play a role in the final decision process.  Some players will have done themselves a favour by getting hurt during practise or the first exhibition game and those players may take up a spot that was going to be used for someone else … Yes it’s a slippery slope that CFL teams run.  Practise roster, Injured Reserve, 6 Game Injured List, 46 and 42 man roster (or whatever number the CBA has allotted), all these spots will be filled by Sunday or Monday.

In the last instalment of our Training Camp Exhibition Primers and Analysis, I’ll give you some interesting situations when it comes to roster spots, and a couple of guys I ask that you look into.

We obviously know that the RB battle still isn’t over, so I’ll leave those guys out.  You’ve been force fed that story all week anyway.  Once again, as a former player, I can’t stress enough about the importance of what is on film in the coaches eyes, and what we see as observers are two different things, I just want to hit you from another train of thought…

Potential Questions for the Coaching Staff and GM

• #12 Jordan Sisco:  The U of R local talent is entering his 4th season with his hometown team and has yet to make a major statistical contribution.  For the majority of players coming out of the CIS, there is a 3 year window in which coaches can gage development and potential.  A national (formerly non-import) has the benefit of passport, international players, are expected to ‘put in’ immediately.  Granted, the Roughriders haven’t been lacking in great Canadian receivers since 2006, my man ‘DIP’ is at the point now where the staff needs to be able to rely on him to make plays, or move forward with some of the younger talented players that they have in the stable.  Jordan hasn’t received a ton of looks and targets in practise, and time may be running out.  Hopefully he can take advantage of some special teams reps and get a couple of balls thrown his way, in order to show a sceptical public, that he has been worth the wait.

• #81 Chaz Schilens:  One of the first guys that Rod and I “raved” about has yet to separate himself from his competition during live action.  It’s one thing to pass the eye test; it’s another thing though to have it transfer to on field production.  He didn’t see many targets during the first exhibition tilt, but for his sake, hopefully he had his playbook down.  With the need to make plays aside, on Friday, Schilens is also going to have to show that he has adjusted mentally (in all aspects) to the CFL game in order to keep pace with other newcomers like Brett Swain.

• Defensive Line Depth:  This situation was made interesting by the last minute addition of international veteran Jeremy Beal.  The front office wouldn’t have brought the former Oklahoma Sooner in this late, just to add a camp body.  To add fuel to the fire, Markus White, who looked like a great addition until a health scare sidelined him, is looking like he might get some reps today!  White is an aggressive player that can go inside and out, if he makes a few big plays, he may justify a spot somewhere on this team.  Another point worth noting was brought up to me by Rod yesterday, where does David Lee fall into this equation, with Ainsworth (and Wellman who I haven’t really discussed) showing potential?  That’s a tough answer.  Lee obviously provides some experience and the ability to play snaps at both end and tackle, not to mention the passport bonus.

I think it all depends on how Coach Chamblin looks at his depth.  Does he want a guy that he can play for a year, while he grooms his younger eager talent? Or, does he go with the younger talent now, and really lean on them during the year in order to speed up their growth?  He might do both, there’s always a defensive lineman on practise rosters, the question may become, which one.

Watch Out For…

• #18 Scott McHenry:  Being sidelined for long spurts probably killed #18.  He is a hard working blue collar guy, that didn’t hesitate to pack on weight and adjust, when asked to go from WR to FB.  The physical expectations between the two positions are different to say the absolute least, but McHenry has been a nice surprise since making the move.  With Neal Hughes still out with a nagging foot injury, and Spencer Moore, who still needs to become a blocker, McHenry has an opportunity to make another step in his career and become the lead guy, at the FB position for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

• #62 Levi Steinhauer:  Big Red!!!  I can’t tell you guys enough how impressed I was with the way this guy was running down the field last game.  He was constantly affecting the punt returner’s path, and was in and around the majority of the tackles.  Levi’s a big dude too, and with the combination of is running ability, may very well be able to carve out a “Randy Chevrier” type of career.  If our long snapper can be at the point where special teams coaches are making a concentrated effort to include him in the blocking scheme, it will prevent some of our ball hawking punt cover guys from seeing a double team during the season.  In the battle for field position, the long snapper may not be glorified, but it is a HUGE commodity.

There’s still a ton of pieces on the board Ridernation, and that’s a good thing.  If the staff had made all their cuts mentally at this point, it would signify a lack of talent and the need to bring guys in throughout the early stages of the season.

The reality of this game is that there’s never room for everyone that you want.  Decisions have to be made, and they are NEVER personal.  Coaching staffs and General Managers have bosses too, not to mention the demands that this province has put on them since 2007.

This team is going to be a good one.  There will be a learning process that they go through together, but they have the right coaching staff in place to facilitate that.  Barron Miles and Avon Cobourne have been outstanding all camp.  The addition of quirky LB coach Brad Miller adds another guy that will be willing to sleep in the building, in order to get the final cut ups in line for his players to study.  If there’s one guy in the CFL that use player turnover to his advantage, it’s George Cortez.  Richie Hall, who has been a staple in this organization, is one of the best DC’s in the league and is the ultimate players coach.

At the head is a guy that exudes a confidence that players buy into immediately.  He demands just as much out of the coaches on the sidelines, as he does his players on the field.  In his third year at the helm, Corey Chamblin has adjusted to the spotlight, and to the requirements that come with overlooking a locker room full of different egos, personalities, and insecurities.  The scary thing is that he is just getting started.  One can look at him and see that there is an ambition to be one of the best head coaches that the CFL has seen.  When it’s all said and done, he might very well be that.

There’s still one more exhibition game left…hope, dreams, futures and decisions will all be sorted out by Monday.  In all its brutal beauty the 2014 season is upon you Ridernation … ENDGAME