MADANI: CORTEZ OUT AS RIDERS O.C.
By Arash Madani
Sportsnet.ca
VANCOUVER — The freefall of the Saskatchewan Roughriders season will claim at least its offensive coordinator, and likely more members of the team’s coaching staff.
Sportsnet has learned the Riders have parted ways with offensive coordinator George Cortez, only a year after winning the Grey Cup. Cortez is believed to be one of a number of Saskatchewan coaches that will not return in 2015.
The Roughriders got off to a terrific 8-2 start this season, but lost quarterback Darian Durant to a torn elbow tendon in September. From there, the team was lost offensively — ineffective with back-ups Tino Sunseri and Seth Doege. Kerry Joseph was called off the couch from retirement in October, but did not help down the stretch, nor in the West semi-final playoff loss to Edmonton.
Cortez’s play calling came under fire throughout the season, and whispers from within the organization suggested a stubbornness to change.
Saskatchewan special teams coach Bob Dyce may also find a new home. Sources said Dyce is interviewing for both the University of Regina head coaching job, as well as the offensive coordinator vacancy with the Ottawa RedBlacks.
no screens,reverses,pitches,flea flickas….run up gut(minimal gain) then incomplete pass…punt! rider season in a nutshell…hope both kickers follow George…both "aweful" this yr!
Lets look at the head coach for all the mistakes he has made with this team. Who else is responsable for all of the loses that the team has occured at the end of the season? Does the coach not run the team? OH yes if you fumble the ball you do not play!!!! When does Cory take accountability for the poor season the team has had and the errors in some of his decision making? Blame as many coaches as you like,players, but at the end of the day the head coach is in charge. Did Cortez have to… Read more »
Good, Richie is next.
Soo, let me get this straight. You would fire the head coach every year that we don't win the cup.
Who is to say that Cortez wanted to come back to Saskatchewan anyways? He only signs one year contracts for a reason. Doesn’t matter who the offensive coordinator is, until they change the guy finding and bringing in talent, changing coaches is like moving chairs on the titanic. The core of the offence was all brought in under the Shivers (Durant, Best) and Tillman (Getzlaf, Bagg, Dressler) regimes. Taman has signed Labatte and Picard as free-agents but has failed to find and draft offensive players (minus Heenan – no one could have screwed that one up). If I was Cortez… Read more »
Hear Hear !
I suggest that Cortez was never the problem this year. They felt at the beginning of the season these two back-up quarterbacks from level 1 US Football colleges could give them that depth and they were proved wrong. Speaks positively how the CFL has developed. From my observation of Bo Levi's play the difference is just confidence, those decisions to pull the ball down and run or change the play on the fly have to be made now in split seconds and these quarterbacks have to be the best athletes on the team. Passes no longer have to be made… Read more »
Flea flickas? If you don't know what the plays are called, maybe just STFU.
Dan…. Was that your thoughts on Cory last year when he lead us to the Grey Cup win? SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU ARE JUST ANOTHER "WAGON JUMPER". We all know by now that injuries took over and especially to Durant. That is what hurt our season for this year and really none of your comments made any sense.
Corey Chamblin should stay end of story, there were lot's of problem's and lots of people to share blame but we do not need a new head coach. I would love to see Lapo back as OC this year, that would be awesome.
RC
Cortez, it is said, didn't have the talent to be successful. But success is when you don't and are able to use the talent you have and still be successful.Cortez did not utilize the skills of the players he had. That is why he is gone. Poster number one above is right. Was there any down in any game when you thought wow I never expected that play? Why does an O.C. want to establish the run? So the opposition doesn't know if you are passing or running. The threat of running makes the D-line think instead of reacting. Unfortunately… Read more »
Thanks for the Grey Cup in 2013. Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia, Henry Burris, Aaron Rogers, Darian Durant and for 2013 Kory Sheets especially made this guy look good perhaps better than he actually is/was. Without HOF QBs pulling the trigger with a lights out Defense to boot he's just a mere mortal. It also begs the question if he's such a guru he sure moves around a lot. Last year Geroy Simon bit his tongue, and Kory Sheets lost it on him. Had they not won the Grey Cup I'm certain he'd have been gone. This season it had to… Read more »
I'm trying to fully understand this. Cortez didn't have a competent QB for half the season. He didn't have a threat receiver all season. His O-line was swiss cheese. His RB's were benched by Chamblin. Yet he's the one leaving?? An who will we replace him with that's more competent? Our defence was supposed to have had monster talent yet we finished rated #8 out of 9 teams. This defence didn't step up and win a game for this team down the stretch. Yet through all of this there are no reports of Hall being relieved of his duties. He… Read more »
When did Chamblin not take accountability for not getting to the Grey Cup and only being the third best team in the CFL? you must not have been listening.
In any event, he is pushing ahead to make changes so the team is in a position to fight for first place and the Cup in 2015 – that is all that matters.
Just imagine the Grey Cup in Freezing Winnipeg next year where the Temp was minus 33 at game time yesterday.
If you idiots can read who said fire the coach?????
Yup clean house everytime we do not win the Cup…..last year at this time people were raving about our great coaches and we were afraid other teams would come and grab some of them…..they had just won us our 4th Cup. The GM was lauded for bringing in a cohesive group that was "all in" – many felt he did a great job bringing in talent that put us over the top (and don't bring up salary cap because we were only over a few thousand so who cares). Now a year later apparently the coaches are all bums, the… Read more »
It has been reported here this Riders team was "average" and "over-achieved". Huh??? If knowing your team is only "average" why aren't changes made (or reported so) throughout the season to improve (eg. special teams, receivers, etc)? Who is responsible for that? I'd say Management (Head Coach and up) who seemed content with past performance and maintaining the status quo, instead of changing for future success. When you settled on a retired 41-year old QB as your best chance of winning another championship, that's absolutely pathetic!
So last year Price, West and Price go down and they find Fuller at season’s end who becomes a starter in his own right. Fuller goes down and they find Rogers who studded out the last couple games of the year and playoffs. Our GM and scout haven’t found a receiver, let alone an in season injury replacement in the past 4 years. But the O-coordinator is the problem… O and D rankings are based on yards gained/given up. If your offence is in the bottom of the league moving the ball, it’s a strong correlation that your defence that… Read more »
should never brought in the old guy and used the young QB's they could have used the experience
What this guy said. I heard the Riders have 1 full-time player personnel person in Craig Smith. The Al's have 12? I'm not a fan of Taman, but how is he supposed to bring in the talent without any proper player personnel assessing this talent. The Riders are on their way down unless they increase that area big time. No excuses! Who is to say that Cortez wanted to come back to Saskatchewan anyways? He only signs one year contracts for a reason. Doesn’t matter who the offensive coordinator is, until they change the guy finding and bringing in talent,… Read more »