RIDERS CONFERENCE CALL NOTES
The Roughriders held their annual State of the Franchise teleconference with the national media on Tuesday. Here are some notes and quotes from GM Brendan Taman and coach Corey Chamblin:
CHAMBLIN: This year’s theme will have a bit to do with team family like last year but we’ll take it a step further. I don’t want to use the term “repeat” because there are too many new factors (departed players and coaches). It’s all about 2014. Anything we did last year will have nothing to do with this year.
TAMAN: (On replacing players) Every year you have to replace players. We’ve only lost two offensive starters and four on defense despite all the pub. We have confidence in our scouting staff and we’re pretty happy with where we’re at.
CC: Change is good. It’ll be different but I like some of the changes and it can be positive. It allows us not to be stagnant or predictable.
BT: Every day Corey and I meet on the roster. We have four backs on the roster but that will change before camp. We’re fairly happy with what we have and we’re hoping one of these guys will be THE guy.
CC: Regarding the Florida camp, I looked at the camp when Sheets and Taj came in and where they are. I’m very confident in the guys we have and in Coach Cortez taking the offense to a new level. I’m confident we’ll have a very good offense.
CC: In Saskatoon a lot of things will be figured out. We’ve got guys who look like Dressler so maybe that will be an easy transition.
BT: Every year you’re subject to losing guys but a lot of these ones this year wanted bigger roles. Diamond and Jermaine went back to Montreal. Things like that you can’t control, including guys going to the NFL. We weren’t very active in free agency this year but that was the plan.
BT: I’m not surprised people are counting us out. There are quality guys who left but we don’t get caught up in what people think. Corey and I think we’ll be a good football team. It is what it is.
BT: We have a plan in place for a private ceremony for our team and staff for our rings but it’s a private ceremony so I won’t comment on that.
BT: Geroy and I have a great relationship and we talked after the Grey Cup. The plan is ongoing and we’ll continue to talk about it. We’re still in talks about his status for 2014. He has a good of chance of being back as he does of not being back. Like I said earlier, there was an agreement in place that after the first year we’d talk about the second year and obviously that was financial-related. If we can work that out and it stays that way, we’ll see, but right now we still have some discussions to do with him.
CC: This is a brand new year but each year I see the growth in Darian. The next step in his game is thinking like a coach. That’s being more in tuned with the offense, not to say he wasn’t last year, but to be more off a leader off the field and on the field.
CC: There are several players (in the draft) that are good at their positions. There are one or two guys we really like that we’re trying to hone in on.
CC: It’s about growth (for him). I always look at where I need to be and a lot of it depends on the team we have. I may be a different coach to get guys going but I look at myself as more than one type of coach. Hopefully we eliminate the losses year by year that I’m here.
BT: We’ll kick tires (on moving up in the draft). Right now we’re 8th overall. We could move up or move down. We’ll make some calls to our regular trading partners and see what happens. I’m sure Ottawa is getting some calls on the #1 pick but knowing GM Marcel Desjardins he’ll be hard to get it from.
BT: LB Mike McCullough is “floating right now” I guess you could say. Right now he’s still on our roster and still active. Obviously right now he’s still trying to figure out what he wants to do.
BT: Obviously Winnipeg is one of the rivalries we’ve built up over the years but Calgary, BC and Edmonton are right up there too. But it’s good to have the Bombers back in the West. That’s where they belong I feel, frankly. I’m sure they’re looking forward to playing us three times and they’ll be a better team. We’d rather have them here twice than going there twice but I’m sure it’ll be good.
CC: Rob Bagg is one of my favourite players and with the loss of a couple of players on offense he may see some more balls and with his relationship with Darian, his role may grow. We just hope everyone stays healthy and he continues to grow in his role.
BT: I’ve had some discussions with Mike McCullough. Really, we want to make sure he’s comfortable with whatever he decides. There’s not an immediate hurry to make a decision. We have to be in step with him on whatever he decides. It’s not easy for him or he would have made a decision by now.
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