Former Argo Player, Ticat Coach Orlando Steinauer Heads to Fresno State

[jerrym]

Orlando Steinauer was my favourite Argo DB. I hoped he would some day return to the Argos as head coach.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are down a defensive coordinator, as the team announced Wednesday that Orlondo Steinauer has left to take a position with Fresno State.
Steinauer, a former CFL player of 13 seasons, spent four years as the Ticats’ defensive coordinator after joining Kent Austin’s staff in 2013. He will be Fresno State University’s defensive coordinator in 2017. ...


The Ticats, who have perennially boasted one of the CFL’s top defences under Steinauer, will make finding his replacement a top priority this off-season.
Steinauer, meanwhile, joins former BC Lions coach Jeff Tedford, who was hired as Fresno State’s head coach ahead of the 2017 season. The Fresno State Bulldogs finished their 2016 season 1-11, sixth in the Mountain West Conference of NCAA Division I FBS college football.

http://www.cfl.ca/2016/12/14/ticats-...-fresno-state/

[jerrym]

Although I knew he had quite a few interceptions, I was surprised to learn that he was second all-time in interception return yards. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlondo_Steinauer)

Steinauer had a tryout with the Detroit Lions of the NFL in 1996 and joined the Ottawa Rough Riders late in the season to play two games. After the Riders folded, Steinauer was selected in the second round of the dispersal draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Steinauer won East All-Stars at cornerback in 1997 and 1998 and then played out his option in 1999 to sign with the Miami Dolphins. While he was in the NFL, Hamilton traded Steinauer to Toronto along with Eric Lapoint and a first round draft pick for linebacker Mike O'Shea in June of 2000. Steinauer was released by the Argos in September of 2000 without having played a game in Toronto. Steineauer resigned with Hamilton and played a playfoff game with them. Steinauer signed with Toronto again for 2001 and ened up playing eight seasons with the Argos. Switched over to safety, Steinauer won four more East All-Stars in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 along with two CFL All-Stars in 2003 and 2004. Steinauer recorded a total of 49 career interceptions with a single season high of 7 that he hit in seasons ten years apart in 1997 and 2007. Of those 49 interceptions, Steinauer returned 5 for touchdowns.
After his retirement as a player, Steinauer took up coaching. From 2010 to 2012, Steinauer was the defensive backs coach for the Argnonauts, winning the Grey Cup in 2012. In January, 2013, Steinauer was named the defensive coordinator fof the Hamilton Tiger-Cats under new coach and GM Kent Austin.

http://www.cflapedia.com/Players/s/steinauer_orlando.htm

[PullTogether73]

Interesting.
I wonder if it was money or lifestyle that motivated him to go to California.
Maybe both?

Well, removes a potential HC candidate for the Argonauts, if he ever was one.

Btw, his first name is Orlondo, not Orlando (a common mistake).

[Argo57]

Career wise probably a good move for Steinauer, limited job openings in the CFL that would offer any advancement at this time, add to this he will also get his name out there down south which could lead to more career advancement and or a return to the CFL in a few years as a HC, good luck to him he has paid his dues.

[ArgoGabe22]

IIRC Steinhauer was looking to coach in the NCAA right after the Argos let him go in favour of Jones. But then Hamilton came along.

[AngeloV]

Best of luck to him. Good guy.

[gilthethrill]

You have to wonder why he would want to relocate to California when he could have 2 feet of snow in his driveway like I do?

[R.J]

I think this will work out positively for the Ticats, as they lose a poor to mediocre Defensive Coordinator. Also happy to see that there's zero shot he becomes the Head Coach here.

[doubleblue]

Good for Orlondo. I would think it would a step up money wise with the US dollar factor and all. Back in the early 2000's I used to attend quite a few Argo practices at Erindale and quite often his wife would be there with a couple of small children. I believe they were both girls. Hard to believe they would now be in their mid teens and maybe looking forward to California living. Jeff Tedford has always respected the CFL and the Players and Coaches because he played and coached here. Hope everything works out for them.

[Will]

One of the good guys (among many) in the CFL. Don't profess to know him well, but always had a friendly smile when I encountered him.

[RB957]

I am happy for Orlondo as this potentially a great opportunity.

On a negative side, USA Today just published an article on a grading of 17 recent U.S. college coaching changes. The link is here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...ires/95380636/

The new head coach of Fresno State is Jeff Telford, who coached the BC Lions for one year in 2015. The article is not very flattering for Telford, giving him a ranking of of C-.

I hope things work out for Orlondo, because I agree that he is by all accounts a good guy. Don't see him as Head Coach material just yet, so no loss IMO that he is not available for the Argos job, if it becomes available.

[PullTogether73]

I think this will work out positively for the Ticats, as they lose a poor to mediocre Defensive Coordinator. Also happy to see that there's zero shot he becomes the Head Coach here.

You know who the replacement will be?
Losing Steinauer is only half of the equation. His replacement may be better, or not.

[R.J]

You know who the replacement will be?
Losing Steinauer is only half of the equation. His replacement may be better, or not.

At this point if I have to guess I'd say Jeff Reinebold. So, the question would then become who replaces Reinebold ?

[ArgoRavi]

At this point if I have to guess I'd say Jeff Reinebold. So, the question would then become who replaces Reinebold ?

The same Reinebold who struggled as Montreal's defensive coordinator in 2012. He has always been a much better special teams coordinator than defensive coordinator IMO.

[Argo57]

The same Reinebold who struggled as Montreal's defensive coordinator in 2012. He has always been a much better special teams coordinator than defensive coordinator IMO.

As an Argonaut fan I would like that move!

[argotom]

All the best to him for the move, however I may be a minority here who thinks this is not such a big loss for the Cats.
Orlando's schemes this year with the D overall performance was average at best.
I really don't know what everyone saw in him as a potential HC material.
For me the loss of Condell had a more detrimental effect.

[R.J]

I really don't know what everyone saw in him as a potential HC material.
For me the loss of Condell had a more detrimental effect.

In full agreement here.

[Gill The Thrill]

I think this will work out positively for the Ticats, as they lose a poor to mediocre Defensive Coordinator. Also happy to see that there's zero shot he becomes the Head Coach here.

All the best to him for the move, however I may be a minority here who thinks this is not such a big loss for the Cats.
Orlando's schemes this year with the D overall performance was average at best.
I really don't know what everyone saw in him as a potential HC material.
For me the loss of Condell had a more detrimental effect.

Agree with both of your comments. Steinauer's defense in Hamilton was only marginally better than Toronto's and that's not saying much. The secondary was just as terrible and the entire unit only looked good against Montreal, Saskatchewan and Toronto. They were not even able to sweep Saskatchewan and pretty much lost any chance at 1st place with that loss in Saskatchewan late in the year.

[AngeloV]

They were not even able to sweep Saskatchewan and pretty much lost any chance at 1st place with that loss in Saskatchewan late in the year.

To be fair, The Cats offence was considerably worse than their defence in Saskatchewan that night.

[jerrym]

You know who the replacement will be?
Losing Steinauer is only half of the equation. His replacement may be better, or not.

At this point if I have to guess I'd say Jeff Reinebold. So, the question would then become who replaces Reinebold ?

I doubt Reinhold will replace Steinauer. He has had some success as a ST coach, but no one has thought highly enough of him to make him defensive coordinator, especially after going 6 - 26 as HC in Winnipeg over two years.