2015 Season Player Transactions Thread

[AngeloV]

FWIW:

#Argos sign K Ronnie Pfeffer. Saw him often at Laurier. Really improved as career progressed. Better K than P. Doesn't lack confidence. #CFL

— Mike Hogan (@tsnmikehogan) July 1, 2015

Just got back from practice, and Hogie has nailed it. Pfeffer really struggled with punting today (they did about 10 game situation punts, and I would say he had 1 excellent punt, 5 not so great and 4 outright shanks). He has a very strong leg for FG's as he was kicking 40 yarders and clearing the 20 yard endzone.

[1argoholic]

Stala can handle the punts then.

[AngeloV]

Stala can handle the punts then.

He certainly wasn't practicing punting, so I don't think they are going in that direction....yet. I think the Argos should look into getting a guy like Ricky Schmitt. He's a very good punter and kickoff guy, and might be a pretty good FG kicker too. Eddie Johnson might be worth a call as well. He was neck and neck with Medlock in their first CFL camps with the Argos in 2009. He's 34, but hey..he's a kicker. They can play forever.

[jerrym]

Argos have a kicker for the Riders game.

Kitchener's Ronnie Pfeffer has gone from hopeful undrafted prospect to genuine Canadian Football Leaguer in the span of one day.
The all-Canadian kicker/punter at Wilfrid Laurier University had a successful audition with the Toronto Argos on Tuesday.
Then he signed on the dotted line. "And now, I'm a Toronto Argo," Pfeffer, 22, said after the CFL team's practice Wednesday. ...
It's a little surreal because it happened so fast, but Pfeffer, wearing No. 17, will get the start as the Argos punter and place kicker. ...
Pfeffer's transformation from scrawny high school soccer midfielder to CFL player has been nothing short of amazing. He only took up the game of football in Grade 12.
During his first season at Laurier, his feeble punts ranked 27th on a list of 28 Canadian university punters, a frail 29-yard average. Through little more than dedication and hard work, Pfeffer transformed those numbers to lead the nation in his senior year last season when he averaged 42.2 yards per boot. He leaves Laurier as the Golden Hawks' career leader in field goals (53) and he kicked the school's longest field goal, a 50-yard bomb last season.
Pfeffer, who recommitted himself to off-season training last summer, bulked up to a solid 185 pounds to fill out his five-foot-11 frame.
He is regarded as an excellent locker-room guy and was voted a captain by his Hawks teammates in 2014, a rarity for a kicker.

http://www.therecord.com/sports-stor...h-cfl-s-argos/

[jerrym]

Here's a video introducing Ronnie Pfeffer as an Argo.

http://www.argonauts.ca/video/index/id/112037

[AngeloV]

Don't think so - since he was the leading punter in CIS ball and not an all-star place kicker

Stats can be very deceiving. Don't know how often you have seen him play, but Hogie is at every Laurier game where there is no Argos conflict.

[doubleblue]

Do we have a weather forecast for Regina on Sunday. Old Taylor Field can become quite a wind tunnel some days.

[OV Argo]

Stats can be very deceiving. Don't know how often you have seen him play, but Hogie is at every Laurier game where there is no Argos conflict.

Yep - agreed stats can be deceiving - but they can also reveal some things at times; have lots of respect for Hogie, and he may be well right. A 42+ punting average in CIS ball is quite good. Boris Bede made the Als as starting kicker out of CIS ball (and he gets qualified as an import) - has a booming strong leg - especially on kick-offs, but has been inconsistent as a FG kicker and even as a punter inspite of that very strong leg.
I was a tad surprised that Pfeffer was not drafted, but it is the CFL draft we're talking where all sorts of top notch CIS players often get over-looked. I hope Pfeffer pulls thru - tough job to replace the best dual kicker in the league.

[Wobbler]

I thought we might have heard more about Bauman's signing by now. Didn't anyone ask about it during today's media scrum? I'm looking at you, Frank...

[OV Argo]

So, it's not like Pfeffer is going to learn how to punt under pressure in the next few days. We have to bring in a punt specialist... right?

Are you saying he is some sort of neophyte punter who has to learn on the job??? - he just led the CIS in punting; the Pussycats were going with Medlock as punter all last year - great FG kicker but a lousy punter.

[Wobbler]

Yeah, I changed my mind about that thought, OV, and edited it into a Bauman post. It's not hard to believe that Pfeffer was just jittery in his first pro practice and that he'll be OK on Sunday.

[AngeloV]

Yeah, I changed my mind about that thought, OV, and edited it into a Bauman post. It's not hard to believe that Pfeffer was just jittery in his first pro practice and that he'll be OK on Sunday.

Hard to tell with no names on shirts at practice, but there was a receiver running scout team wearing #82. I just assumed that was Bauman.

Are you saying he is some sort of neophyte punter who has to learn on the job??? - he just led the CIS in punting; the Pussycats were going with Medlock as punter all last year - great FG kicker but a lousy punter.

From what I saw at practice (and I'm really hoping it was just jitters), Medlock is a way better punter than Pfeffer--and I agree that Medlock isn't a very good punter. The 42 yard average you mention he had at Laurier...I really don't think that punters are asked to punt as high, or as directionally sound in the CIS. Hope I'm wrong, but at this point, he looks to be in over his head.

[Wobbler]

I guess we haven't really talked about Pfeffer's performance on Sunday. He was OK! The early 50 yard field goal was arguably a morale booster for the whole team, and his punting average was 42 yards, as advertised. Having said that, I hope we're still open to the idea of bringing in a vet.

[Argo]

I guess we haven't really talked about Pfeffer's performance on Sunday. He was OK! The early 50 yard field goal was arguably a morale booster for the whole team, and his punting average was 42 yards, as advertised. Having said that, I hope we're still open to the idea of bringing in a vet.

How many of his punts were into that strong wind? Are there any veteran Canadian punters / kickers available and who would represent an upgrade? I wouldn't mind sticking with the kid: he's Pfairly good and developing him could be something of a win/win.

Several more games without Swayze; I'm a bit concerned, this being his second significant injury (at least in terms of missed games)...

[Will]

If Swayze's injury was more long-term then I might be worried (although needing a few more games to be sure) about the selection of Pfeffer, but I don't mind him in the short-term.

[ArgoRavi]

How many of his punts were into that strong wind?

I don't believe that he had a punt with the wind at his back in that game which makes his 42 yard average all the more impressive.

[AngeloV]

I don't believe that he had a punt with the wind at his back in that game which makes his 42 yard average all the more impressive.

Agreed. I was pleasantly surprised, because he shanked most of his punts in his first practice.

[R.J]

Pfeffer looked impressive IMO with his punting ability, especially when you consider he was punting into the wind. As for the place kicking part, his kicks seem to push right, however he's a young kicker and from what I've seen over the last two decades, it takes kickers time to develop. I'd like to see the Argos brass keep the kid around once Waters gets healthy, never know when you might need him again and nothing wrong with developing a young Canadian kicker.

[Argo57]

Agreed. I was pleasantly surprised, because he shanked most of his punts in his first practice.

I don't know Angelo, sounds like the observations of a guy who wasn't actually at practice?

[AngeloV]

I don't know Angelo, sounds like the observations of a guy who wasn't actually at practice?

LOL...You think I was worried? You should have seen Lori Bursey that day. I think his first scrimmage punt went 7 yards.