Calgary Stampeder Thread

[jerrym]

Also, from Dickenson's press conference.
Nick Arbuckle is the Stamps' No. 2 quarterback.
Ricky Stanzi will be third stringer
11:59 AM - Jun 11, 2018


I'm a bit surprised. Stanzi was with the team all last season - Arbuckle's a 24 year old rookie. Dickenson obviously sees something.

I'm not. Stanzi was terrible last year, going 4/8 for 53 yards with two interceptions and was beaten out by 23 year old Andrew Buckley.

Did Stanzi even play enough last year to be called "terrible"? I think he only played in the season finale against the Bombers and even Buckley looked bad in that one.

Stanzi also went 1/2 for 5 yards against Hamilton but more important he spent five years in the NFL but never being considered good enough to see any regular season game action. Despite having gone through training camps since NFL 2011, he only made the team as a #3 QB and will be 31 in September. Hardly an up and comer.

Calgary has released last year's third string QB Ricky Stanzi.

[jerrym]

More on why QB Ricky Stanzi was released.

“We’re going to go with three quarterbacks right now,” said Stampeders head coach Dave Dickenson. “Just got caught in the numbers game and we need that spot. We let him know and hopefully he lands somewhere.”
Stanzi was involved in a four-man fight to backup Bo Levi Mitchell throughout training camp, and at 30 years old there wasn’t much use in the Stampeders keeping him around as their third-stringer.
Nick Arbuckle won the backup job with a strong camp, but the Stampeders chose to go into the regular season with Stanzi as the third-stringer and Larry Brihm Jr. on the practice roster.

That never seemed like a long-term solution. CFL teams typically use their third-string quarterback job to work on developing a younger quarterback.
At 30 years old, Stanzi didn’t fit that bill. Brihm did.
“I was in the same spot, Ricky knows, I was honest with him,” Dickenson said. “When you get a little older and you’re a third-string quarterback it’s very tough. You’re trying (as a coaching staff) to develop a guy. If there was something that happened, knock on wood, we’d give him a call.”

http://calgarysun.com/sports/footbal...b-ricky-stanzi

[jerrym]

While it's far too early to tell, Calgary may have found a decent backup QB in Nick Arbuckle who went 4/4, admittedly for only 35 yards in garbage time, but he did not look uncomfortable on the field.

[jerrym]

Rene Paredes has now made 15 consecutive FGs, including going 6/6 this year. He already owns the CFL record of 39 consecutive FGs, so it is not impossible that he could break his own record this year.

[jerrym]

It's early in the season but it looks like Calgary may be continuing their tradition of dominant RBs with Don Jackson already leading the league in rushing yardage with a 10 yards/rush average, although many will contend the Argos helped him out a lot. One difference though from the Cornish and Messam days though is that Jackson is an International.

[jerrym]

Calgary is not only the statistically dominant defensive team in the CFL again, after 3 games it is on a pace to break the Toronto Argonauts' 1989 record of 302 points against by 92 points. I doubt the team would only give up 210 points, as injuries, the difficulty of getting oneself psyched up for every game, possibly meaningless games at the end of the season in terms of one's place in the standings, and playing against the more powerful Western team offences is likely to lead to more scoring against the Stampeders. Nevertheless, they have a shot at the record.

[ArgoRavi]

Calgary is not only the statistically dominant defensive team in the CFL again, after 3 games it is on a pace to break the Toronto Argonauts' 1989 record of 302 points against by 92 points. I doubt the team would only give up 210 points, as injuries, the difficulty of getting oneself psyched up for every game, possibly meaningless games at the end of the season in terms of one's place in the standings, and playing against the more powerful Western team offences is likely to lead to more scoring against the Stampeders. Nevertheless, they have a shot at the record.

The 1989 Argos' defence was that good? Toronto was 7-11 that season and it was a very frustrating one at that.

[argolio]

Edmonton gave up 302 pts that season. We gave up 428, which actually ranked #2 in the league.

Didn't help either team in the playoffs.

[jerrym]

Edmonton gave up 302 pts that season. We gave up 428, which actually ranked #2 in the league.

Didn't help either team in the playoffs.

You're right. That's what Wikipedia shows (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_CFL_season). I took the stat from a 3downnation article that was incorrect.

The record currently belongs to the 1989 Toronto Argonauts who gave up 302 that season.

http://3downnation.com/2018/07/02/su...or-stampeders/

[jerrym]

Defensive coordinator talks about the success of the Stampeder defence so far in the video below.

https://www.stampeders.com/2018/07/0...ooks-07-03-18/

[jerrym]

GM John Hufnagel has failed to sign Bo Levi Mitchell to an extension, making it more likely he could be going to the NFL next year. However, I disagree with the claim in the article below that he would be the best CFL candidate to make it in the NFL since Flutie, Garcia and Dickenson.

“I honestly don’t know,” said Mitchell when asked if he’d consider bolting south next year if a legitimate offer came in. “My focus is strictly on this year and making sure I do everything I can to make Calgary want to re-sign me. The (soon to expire) CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) is what it is. That’s what’s causing a lot of us guys not to re-sign. With the way the league mandated teams not to pay out off-season bonuses there’s not much incentive to go out and sign right now. And we don’t know what the cap is going to be. So, it makes it hard, and in a weird way not smart, to sign right now.” ...

After all, he is the CFL’s best candidate to make that jump since Flutie, Garcia and Dickenson before him.
“It’s a dream, right,” said the former Eastern Washington pivot. “It’s like staying in the AHL when the NHL comes calling. It’s not a fair comparison because I believe we’re both top tier leagues, but yeah, I believe it’s a tough decision. I have to first of all prove I’m healthy by going out there and having a great season and let the chips fall where they may.”
Indeed, proving he’s healthy is every bit as important as proving the 6-foot-2, 200-pound chucker is good enough to play with the big, big boys. ...

“Huff sat me down and asked, ‘has your interest in the NFL changed at all?’” said the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2016, whose club is already 3-0 with him leading the way. “All I told him is that it would have to be a vast difference to even think about it, given the way the NFL felt about me. I still feel slighted when I came out of college and I love this league and I want to keep building my career and my legacy here.” ...

“As a quarterback it’s a tough position to be in because you want to show loyalty to your club and you want to encourage other guys to sign contracts because you want the best team on the field to keep these guys here,” he said of his contract quandary. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

https://calgarysun.com/sports/footba...l-be-on-the-go

[jerrym]

Despite being on a pace to break the 18 game season record for fewest points given up by 92 points, new DB coach and former Stampeder DB through 2017 thinks his defensive backfield can do better by getting more interceptions and scoring more TDs off them.

[jerrym]

Former Stampeder and thrice CFL All-Star, as well as a former Seattle Seahawk, New England Patriot and New Orleans Saint until 2016, Brandon Browner has been arrested in California on kidnapping, burglary, false imprisonment and violation of a restraining order. He physically assaulted and threatened to kill a woman whom he had previously had a relationship with. Browner had already been convicted of battery domestic violence and child endangerment in May.

[jerrym]

The CFL's 2016 Most Outstanding Rookie, Davaris Daniels, who also starred at Notre Dame, continues to shine. In his last two games he had 76 yards against the Argos and 91 against Ottawa.

[OV Argo]

GM John Hufnagel has failed to sign Bo Levi Mitchell to an extension, making it more likely he could be going to the NFL next year. However, I disagree with the claim in the article below that he would be the best CFL candidate to make it in the NFL since Flutie, Garcia and Dickenson.



https://calgarysun.com/sports/footba...l-be-on-the-go

Mitchell continues to show an inaccurate arm far too often on deep balls IMO - and the NFL types will not put up with this; however IMO he could easily play there - maybe not a sure fire starter, but would be umpteen times better than some back-ups - because of his pro experience, poise in the pocket, and accuracy on a lot of safe throws.


Would have been interesting to see Trestman as an NFL HC and able to sign Ricky Ray in his prime; if it was on one of the many NFL teams that have mediocre to $hitty QBs, I 'd bet tons of money Ray would have been starting for Trestman there in that scenario.

Reilly could play there too - but he won't - too old for a QB looking to compete on a depth chart, plus his throwing "mechanics" (shot-put like delivery often) would be a no go for most NFL super-experts. And those experts there are just not interested in star CFL QBs anymore - done deal.

Now that Manzier guy - he's an incredible QB talent; quick now Tillspin & June - bench Masoli and hand the job to Johnny boy.

[OV Argo]

The CFL's 2016 Most Outstanding Rookie, Davaris Daniels, who also starred at Notre Dame, continues to shine. In his last two games he had 76 yards against the Argos and 91 against Ottawa.

Daniels is a good talent and same with Eric Rogers who returned for them; young guys like Michel or Begelton have flashed good talent too; Jorden - who fumbled away the GC game - is big time over-rated IMO - drops wayyyy too many. And with the Stamps pencilling-in only one NI receiver now = that means one of Lamar Durant or Brescacin are not going to play that much, but one of them is good for good ole NI "depth".

[jerrym]

The dominance of the Calgary defence is reflected in the fact that they are leading the league in fewest points surrendered (35), sacks (9), and forced fumbles (4). As noted above, at the current rate at which they are giving giving up points, they would break the record for fewest points given up by a team playing an eighteen game schedule by 92 points. Unless other teams find ways to break through this defence, the Stampeders are likely to lose few games this year, except perhaps the last game, as occurred the last two years.

[jerrym]

Simon Fraser University's Lemar Durant says he is close to returning after an eleven month absence due to an ACL injury followed by a single game this year. However he is not on the depth chart for tomorrow night against Ottawa.

“I’m feeling better and better, every day,’’ reports the Stampeders’ playmaking wideout.

On June 28 at McMahon, the Simon Fraser-developed Durant returned to active duty for the first time nearly 11 months after undergoing ACL surgery. In a supporting role that night against the Ottawa Redblacks, he began to regain competitive show-time traction if not pad the personal stats page. ...


“He’s ready to go,’’ says Pete Costanza. “One hundred percent back as far as feeling good athletically. And he got that mental block – ‘Am I really good to go?’ – out of the way last game. It’s a question now of getting his legs under him, being ready for the workload of a game. He’s so close. Right there. It’s just a question of getting out there and doing it.”


Now in his 11th season overseeing Stampeder receivers, Constanza has worked with his share of outstanding pass-catching ensembles. This stockpile – the returning Eric Rogers, DaVaris Daniels, Reggie Begelton, Juwan Brescacin, Kamar Jorden, Marken Michel, Durant – possesses the goods to rank up there with the best. ...


Durant certainly understands being healthy doesn’t automatically mean being chosen.
“I know there might be some games we rotate,’’ he acknowledges. “I’m not fully-locked in to being a starter every week. We’ve got a lot of really good receivers here. I’m just trying to stay doing what I’m doing, stay healing, stay improving and see how things play out. Inside competition just makes you work harder and that can only help everyone. And all the guys here are smart, able to play a bunch of different positions.

https://www.stampeders.com/2018/07/10/ready-to-go/

[jerrym]

International RB Don Jackson had another big game against the RedBlacks, gaining 102 yards to put himself back in the league rushing lead, 24 yards ahead of Ottawa's William Powell.

[paulwoods13]

Stamps look really strong this year, but if Mitchell is out for any length of time, that could be an equalizer.