BC Lions Thread

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed Tennessee State placekicker Lane Clark, who had a 73.2% FG average in his senior year.

[jerrym]

BC National WR Will Watson, who was on the PR last year after being drafted in the seventh round following four years at UBC, has resigned with the team. The Lions have also signed International WR/KR Shaq Hill, who was an undrafted free agent signing with Houston and Tampa Bay in the NFL, after being a star receiver with Eastern Washington.

[jerrym]

GM Ed Hervey did not put the writing on the wall to talk to QB Jonathon Jennings. Instead, he used a 100,000 megaphone to say he questioned Jennings' work ethic and said it would be better for Jennings to explore his options elsewhere. Jennings had already said he was becoming a free agent.

[jerrym]

With Ed Hervey saying good-bye to Jonathon Jennings, his pursuit and quite possibly signing of Mike Reilly becomes all the more likely.

Mike Reilly will be the B.C. Lions’ starting quarterback next season. And if he isn’t, GM Ed Hervey better have a helluva Plan B in place. This prediction, admittedly, doesn’t qualify as a blinding revelation because, since the midpoint of last season, it became obvious the Lions were moving on from Jonathon Jennings and targeting Reilly as their main man.

Reilly, for starters, has a history with Hervey that goes back to the 2013 trade that sent the Central Washington product from the Lions to Edmonton, where Hervey was then the GM. Vancouver is also closer to Reilly’s Seattle home. And there’s a close relationship with Travis Lulay that factors in there somewhere, even though Lulay’s own future with the Lions is unclear.
One other thing to consider: Reilly is the CFL’s 2017 MOP, so you might say he fills a positional need on the Leos.

Now, under ordinary circumstances, this whole matter would likely be resolved in a couple of weeks when the league’s free agency season kicks off on Feb. 12. The problem there is this off-season represents anything but ordinary circumstances, which is why the Reilly story might still be months away from a conclusion. The CFL’s existing collective bargaining agreement with the players’ union expires in May, just before the start of training camps, and this negotiation sets up as a game changer for the league and its players.

Commissioner Randy Ambrosie has stated his goal is to double league revenues from a reported $210 million to $420 million annually. That’s a noble ambition and, to support his cause, Ambrosie figures to have a new franchise operating in the Maritimes by 2021 as well as initiatives in place to bring the CFL brand to Mexico and Europe. The problem there, as Drew Edwards pointed out on the 3-Down Nation website, is player salaries last year only accounted for 22 per cent of league revenues — reported to be around $210 million a year —which is way below other professional leagues.

The PA will be looking to change that in these negotiations. The league, for its part, is thought to be taking a long, hard look at the player ratio that guarantees Canadians seven starting jobs and 21 spots on a CFL roster. As things stand now, the highest-paid players (non-quarterback division) aren’t necessarily the league’s best players but experienced Canadian starters. This is in keeping with the laws of supply and demand and the league is interested in increasing the supply of players, irrespective of their passport. To sell this, Ambrosie will point to the new franchise and the jobs it represents for all CFLers.

At least that’s the league’s position. Just not sure if the CFLPA sees things the same way. Now, it’s unclear how the uncertainty over the CBA will impact this year’s class of free agents. At the conclusion of the regular season, there were 322 CFL players who were headed into free agency and, to date, only a handful have signed with their existing teams.

https://theprovince.com/sports/footb...eilly-than-cba

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed a good NFL-experienced International WR in Marquess Wilson.

A seventh-round selection of the Chicago Bears in 2013, Wilson appeared in 31 regular season games over four seasons with the team, recording 56 receptions for 777 yards and three touchdowns.

Wilson played college football for the Washington State Cougars where his 3,207 career receiving yards remain the second-highest in school history. The California native was a second-team All-PAC 12 selection in his sophomore season of 2011.

https://www.bclions.com/2019/01/29/l...rquess-wilson/

[jerrym]

National ST/LB Mitch Barnett has extended through 2020. In his third year, playing primarily on STs, he had 9 ST and 1 DT tackles.

[jerrym]

The Lions have finally signed they guy they should have drafted not only because of his All-Star talent but because he could have helped attract attention among Vancouver's large Chinese population. Unfortunately, they are only getting him well after his playing career was over.

Bryan Chiu would be the first to tell you it’s well worth it. Back home as Lions new offensive line coach, the Richmond native and alumnus of the prestigious Vancouver College Fighting Irish program, you couldn’t wipe the smile off his face when asked to recall his time growing up as a big fan of the BC Lions.
“I remember being nine years old and sitting in the end zone with my sister and cousins watching Lui Passaglia, Mervyn Fernandez and all those guys,” Chiu recalls fondly. “I also remember telling my sister at that time I was going to be on that field someday hopefully playing for the BC Lions.”

The exact dream didn’t come to fruition. But that’s not to say the former centre has any regrets about a 13-year career in Montreal that included two Grey Cup wins, seven CFL All-Star nods- six of those coming consecutively from 2000-05- and playing a big role in helping the Alouettes establish themselves as the undisputed model franchise of the previous decade. ...

Chiu would cut his coaching teeth at Concordia University from 2010-13 before landing as offensive line coach with the Toronto Argonauts the next season. From there, he moved to the Ottawa RedBlacks for three seasons, earning a third Grey Cup ring in 2016. The nation’s capital would be where the long and windy road back to the west coast ended.

Although it will take some time to determine the exact makeup of his 2019 crop of offensive linemen, Chiu knows just the identity his group will need to play with in order to ensure the squad meets their common goal.
“They’re going to be nasty,” Chiu proclaims. “I want our guys to play with a high effort and lots of intensity. I don’t want them to be dirty, but I want them to play until the whistle and finish every block. When we’re behind I want the O-Line’s attitude to be ‘put it on our backs and we’ll win this game together.’ We’re going to keep our quarterback healthy, open holes for our running back and play smart football.”

https://www.bclions.com/2019/02/01/b...iu-comes-home/

[jerrym]

National RB Wayne Moore, who the Lions signed in July following his release by the Als, has extended through 2020. Last year he played primarily on STs where he had 11 tackles, but he did have four rushes for 20 yards and three catches for 12 yards.

[jerrym]

Jonathon Jennings is upset that GM Ed Hervey never confronted him face-to-face about his alleged poor work ethic.

Jonathon Jennings wishes B.C. Lions general manager Ed Hervey confronted him face-to-face about comments critical of his work ethic.

Hervey questioned the work ethic of Jennings and explained his reasoning last October.

“That stuff is just not true. If you ask anyone that knows me and is close to me, everyone knows how hard I work, everyone knows how much I care about the game, you can even talk to Travis [Lulay] about it. I’m not afraid to work hard and that’s not somebody that I want to be, I don’t want to be someone that everybody looks at he’s not working hard,” Jennings said. “That’s so far from the person that I am in the first place. Ed has his own opinions just like everyone else will. That’s part of the business, you have to respect what people think and their opinions of you and if you don’t see eye-to-eye then that’s why there’s eight other teams in the league.”

Jennings broke into the CFL with B.C. in 2015. He produced a career-best season in 2016 throwing for 5,226 yards and 27 touchdowns. But regressed in 2016 with 3,639 yards with 16 touchdowns against 19 interceptions.

When Hervey took over as GM, he negotiated a pay cut with Jennings prior to the 2018 season which saw the 26-year-old usurped as the starter by veteran Travis Lulay. Both sides are moving on as Jennings looks for a new home when free agency opens on February 12.

https://3downnation.com/2019/02/05/j...-him-directly/

[john]

is there a link between the retiring of buono and the sudden spending increase / hi level fa signings of late ?

[jerrym]

is there a link between the retiring of buono and the sudden spending increase / hi level fa signings of late ?

It may well be as Buono has a reputation as being tough in salary negotiations. Jonathon Jennings called him "cheap" in an interview, to which Buono standing behind him laughed and said "thrifty". However, I also think the Lions are facing an attendance crisis as attendance spirals downhill, helping Hervey to convince Braley to open the chequebook, not an easy task. However, spending almost a million dollars on two free agents (Mike Reilly and OL Sukh Chungh) strongly suggests the Lions administration realized needed to change its approach.

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed former Argo National kicker Anthony Alix as well as National WR Jevon Cottoy.

Alix played three games for the Argos in 2013, including hitting a career-high 48 yard FG before joining the Redblacks in 2015 where he had a 41.5 yard punting average and a 59 kickoff average in 8 games.

Cottoy was a star with the 2018 junior Langley Rams of the BCFC catching 39 passes for 657 yards and 8 TDs in eight games.

[jerrym]

National long snapper Tanner Doll, who was cut by Ottawa in June after two years with the club and then signed with Hamilton, where he made it into four games, has signed with the Lions.

[jerrym]

Former Argo WR Duron Carter claims signing to play with Mike Reilly is the best move he has made in his career. He also comments on his relationship with Trestman.

“Going into Toronto I knew coach Trestman had his whole system as far as what he wanted to do on the field and off the field. My whole job and my main goal was to integrate into the team and football was second. I knew the football would always come,” Carter said. “It just got to a point where we were struggling and me being a new guy coming into the offence and into the locker room, I don’t think coach Trestman felt comfortable using me. And he just stuck with what he knows and you can’t blame him because we were losing game after game.” ...

“I can definitely say yes I do sometimes get bored with the game when I’m not in the game. It more comes from being able to be a game changer and what I think I could do, why would I not be involved? I want to be that game changer,” Carter said. ...

B.C. Lions general manager Ed Hervey had conversations with Carter prior to him joining the Argos last year, so the foundation was laid for the sides to come together when free agency opened in February. Carter and the Lions agreed to a one-year deal, which was announced following the signing of quarterback Mike Reilly to a four-year $2.9 million contract. ...

“This is literally the best move I’ve ever made in my career, I’ve always wanted to play with Mike Reilly,” Carter said. “I used to watch him on film all the time and I used to be very jealous of Adarius Bowman and Duke Williams and Derel Walker and Brandon Zylstra, all these different guys that Mike Reilly has been throwing to they all went at least 1,500 yards every single one of them. I’m ready to be that guy.”

Reilly called Carter soon after the two-time CFL all-star pass catcher signed on with B.C. The 34-year-old franchise QB believes Carter has a colourful personality.

“One of the first things Mike Reilly said to me is that he wanted me to remain the same and be the type of player that I am because he is going to be dependant on me and I’m ready for that,” Carter said. “I know what I want from the game of football and for me it’s wanting to be known when I’m done as one of the greatest to play. I have to start making decisions in my career on how to get there. It’s being part of a team and winning. Me joining alongside with Mike Reilly I think will be a great mesh.’

https://3downnation.com/2019/03/07/d...e-on-cfl-life/

[jerrym]

BC has signed International DL Darius Allen, who played for them in 11 games in 2016 before going to Edmonton for 2017-18 where he played six games in two years, as well as new International recruits DL Davond Dade, WR Joey Augustin and DB Marloshawn Franklin.

Dade was a second team All Big Sky Conference All-Star and in the 2018 Tennessee Titan TC.

Augustin had 149 catches for 2,410 yards and 27 TDs at Div II University of Charleston, leading the team in receptions three years in a row.

Franklin was a highly sought junior college transfer who played at U of C Berkeley whose performance earned him a couple of NFL mini-camps invites.

[jerrym]

Former Argo Duron Carter is earning high marks for his "elite level football IQ". However, it's his emotional IQ that has always been in question, although to be fair the Argos did not use him very well last year. I agree with Carter that if anyone can help him elevate his play it's Mike Reilly because of his skill, mental toughness, and never-give-up attitude.

“I hope that through being a successful team in BC, all the good can show,” Carter said. “When we were successful in Saskatchewan, all of a sudden I was such a great guy and I was a team leader. Everything is going well. As soon as you lose, the same thing happened in Montreal, there always has to be somebody to blame. At this point in my career, I would much rather not be the guy to blame.” ...

Carter can be the most exciting player on the field and the most unpredictable. With the good comes the bad. There’s been off-field distractions, run-ins with teammates and the law. Carter is like the likeable kid you knew growing up who somehow always found himself in trouble.
The Lions know the baggage Carter brings. They also believe they can solve the riddle he presents.

“He can be misunderstood,” said Jackson, who was an assistant coach in Saskatchewan when Carter had his best season. “He’s just an outspoken person. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. You have to pat him on his back for his passion, try not to harness that and make him be somebody he’s not. Let him be who he wants to be, as long as he’s not doing things to embarrass the club, as long as he’s not calling out his teammates or doing crazy stuff like that. I know he’s flamboyant. At the end of the day you know Duron Carter loves football.”
Claybrooks dismissed concerns Carter can be a dressing room cancer. “If you ever talk to any of Duron’s teammates, no one says anything bad about him,” said Claybrooks. “Even teams he’s been on in the past, teammates don’t do that.” ...

Carter laughs when asked if the move to the West Coast gives him a fresh start. “Every new team I go to, everybody (says) ‘it’s a fresh start.’” He said. “Do you really get a fresh start? It’s the same guys I played with and played against in the league, same coaches I played with and played against. The CFL is a brotherhood. The people that thrive in the brotherhood and know they are good people, those are the guys that stay in the league. I hope to be one of them.”

If anything has rejuvenated Carter’s attitude it’s the prospective of playing with Reilly, the best quarterback he’s played with in the league. “It literally means everything to me,” he said. “I haven’t taken my off-season this serious since I was a rookie first coming into the CFL. I just want to be ready because he’s a superstar.

I have seen him elevate other guys’ play. I just want to be part of that. I’ve been through 15 or 18 different quarterbacks in my career. It would be nice to have an All-Star quarterback where he can put the ball up and I can go get it.”

https://www.bclions.com/2019/03/14/m...l-football-iq/

[jerrym]

The Lions have signed QB Austin Apodaca, who dressed for four games for the Als last year and was in the Bombers TC in 2017.

[jerrym]

Duron is once again being Duron.

https://3downnation.com/2019/03/19/o...-kiss-his-ass/

[jerrym]

Brandon Rutley who played only one game last year because of a torn ACL hopes to be ready for TC.

Despite a strong showing at his first training camp in Lions orange, Brandon Rutley had to wait until week five for a shot on the active roster. The euphoria quickly wore off when he suffered a season-ending torn ACL after rushing for 91 yards and a touchdown against the Ottawa RedBlacks. ...

Much like trading for the now departed Tyrell Sutton later last season, the addition of Rutley from Montreal was designed to bring some physicality to the Lions’ backfield. Though a small sample size before going down, the former San Jose State Spartan came as advertised in his lone appearance.
Having only appeared in 36 games since debuting with Hamilton way back in 2012, Rutley understands there are no guarantees heading into this season as he joins forces with newcomer John White as part of the Lions running back contingent that will be in Kamloops.

https://www.bclions.com/2019/03/26/e...-raring-to-go/

[jerrym]

BC OL Jovan Olafioye has announced his retirement. During his career from 2010 to 2018, he was selected a CFL All-Star in six consecutive seasons from 2011 to 2016 and won the CFL Most Outstanding OL in 2012. He also played in every game in every season, except for 2017 when he missed six games. He deserves consideration for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.