Tedford resigns and Wally back as coach

[AngeloV]

Well, it became official today. Wally Buono is once again coach of the Lions.


http://www.tsn.ca/tedford-resigns-as-lions-head-coach-1.403035

[ArgoGabe22]

I wish I could do a mediocre job coaching and still get head coaching offers elsewhere. I'm not sure if it boiled down to coaching or lack of talent. I still give him credit for trying to implement a Tightend.

[Antwon]

I don't believe this will sit well with most Lions fans.

[Will]

I think the question needs to be asked and that is whether the Lions can find a steady HC with Wally looking over that person's shoulder?

[AngeloV]

I don't believe this will sit well with most Lions fans.

I don't get that. In 9 years as their head coach, Wally had a 101-60-1 record, with his worst season being 8-10. He also led them to a GC victory in his last season as HC. I would have been more pissed that he stepped away from coaching than I would be that he is returning.

[OV Argo]

[QUOTE=ArgoGabe22;74825]I wish I could do a mediocre job coaching and still get head coaching offers elsewhere. I'm not sure if it boiled down to coaching or lack of talent. I still give him credit for trying to implement a Tightend.[/QUOTE

But he did not try to 'implement" a tight end; they had those 2 ex-NFL TE types on the roster for an early part of the year, but they barely lined-up as true tight ends - tight to the line, down in a 3 point some, blocking for the run game and/or releasing down field in a pattern; instead they lined-up as TEs a few plays in a game and the rest of the time were in standard slotback look.

I was looking forward to seeing that out of Tedford too, but not to be = maybe he was afraid of offending the gob club? ;o) ; or let me guess - he quickly figured out that a TE just cannot work in the modern & "sophisticated" (sic) CFL offences of today.

Back to Wally as HC - hilarious - and good news for other CFL teams that will get to play them - how many times does this guy get to be recycled in the good ole CFL? - hire bad HCs and then they take the fall for Wally, and he gets to re-hire himself again ???

[JBarnsley]

So when do we see Blake Nill coaching for the Lions? Head coach in 2017?

[AngeloV]

So when do we see Blake Nill coaching for the Lions? Head coach in 2017?



Why would he want to? Look at the security he has at the CIS level. I'm sure Greg Marshall's experience in Hamilton may make successful CIS coaches think hard about a CFL "opportunity". Way too cut throat compared to their current gigs.

[JBarnsley]

Why would he want to? Look at the security he has at the CIS level. I'm sure Greg Marshall's experience in Hamilton may make successful CIS coaches think hard about a CFL "opportunity". Way too cut throat compared to their current gigs. I would think the money would be the incentive, but maybe I am out of touch with CIS coach salaries.

[R.J]

Can't say I'm surprised, Buono seems to have wanted his old job back for a while now and I can understand why Lions fans are none too happy about this. When Wally decided to move upstairs, he was never willing to completely give up control as he was always behind Bene and Tedford's shoulder for everyone to see. The talent has gone downhill and the team has been losing 2 more games each year, the only constant in that time is Wally.

[ArgoGabe22]

I don't believe this will sit well with most Lions fans.

Word is players didn't respond well to Tedford and I'm not sure he was anywhere near a fan favourite.

[ArgoRavi]

I don't know how you sell Wally to Lions fans. Yes, his record from 2003 to 2011 is outstanding but his record as a GM only since 2013 hasn't been as good as there has been a steady decline. I doubt that this will work out well for the Lions but time will tell.

[KCargosfan]

Buono needs to go away. Dude is over the hill and has run the Lions into the ground with a lack of talent, being arguably the worst non-Winnipeg GM in the league. Not that I care, but this reeks of desperation. Will be better for the league when he and Braley step down and allow some fresh faces to take over.

Harris will be gone, there's nothing proven at QB that isn't an injury waiting to happen, Shawn Gore seems to have gotten worse the last 2 seasons, the receiving corps outside of Arceneaux is poor, the secondary is either old or not talented, more than $500K of the salary cap is tied up in 2 linebackers, and Sask will be better next year.

[argolio]

Expenses for 2016 are reduced, so Braley is ecstatic.

[Bleeds Double Blue]

Tedford just didn't get the Canadian game. I'm surprised that he lasted the entire season.<P><P>Correct me if I am wrong but didn't Wally step away originally due to health reasons? I believe he had a heart condition of some sort but I may be wrong.

[Argo57]

Buono needs to go away. Dude is over the hill and has run the Lions into the ground with a lack of talent, being arguably the worst non-Winnipeg GM in the league. Not that I care, but this reeks of desperation. Will be better for the league when he and Braley step down and allow some fresh faces to take over.

Harris will be gone, there's nothing proven at QB that isn't an injury waiting to happen, Shawn Gore seems to have gotten worse the last 2 seasons, the receiving corps outside of Arceneaux is poor, the secondary is either old or not talented, more than $500K of the salary cap is tied up in 2 linebackers, and Sask will be better next year.

Agree, time for a fresh approach in B.C.
Braley will be thrilled, 2 jobs covered by 1 salary surely fans will be flocking to BC Place this season.

[AngeloV]

Agree, time for a fresh approach in B.C.
Braley will be thrilled, 2 jobs covered by 1 salary surely fans will be flocking to BC Place this season.

I still don't get the animosity. His coaching record speaks for itself.

[ArgoRavi]

Tedford just didn't get the Canadian game. I'm surprised that he lasted the entire season.Correct me if I am wrong but didn't Wally step away originally due to health reasons? I believe he had a heart condition of some sort but I may be wrong.

I think the greater problem for Tedford is that he had problems adapting to coaching professional players again. Even in the NFL, there are only a small number of coaches who have been successful in the NCAA and in that league because, in part at least, you are coaching kids in college vs. coaching adults in the pros. Tedford reportedly took greater control over schemes as the season progressed and the Lions did get better but it sounds like many of the veterans did not take to Tedford's methods.

As for Wally's heart issues, I believe that he had a surgery after the 2004 season and there haven't been any issues since. When he stepped away as head coach after 2011, it was a good time to go out on a high and it was thought that Mike Benevides was ready to assume control as head coach.

[Argo57]

I still don't get the animosity. His coaching record speaks for itself.

What animosity??
Simple observation, Lions fans have been down this road before.

[AngeloV]

What animosity??
Simple observation, Lions fans have been down this road before.

Yeah..all he did was lead them to the Grey Cup his last season in the duo role. Maybe his problem is that he just isn't good at picking head coaches.

[R.J]

Yeah..all he did was lead them to the Grey Cup his last season in the duo role. Maybe his problem is that he just isn't good at picking head coaches.
And finding top end talent as of late it seems, specifically at receiver, ol and dline.

[AngeloV]

And finding top end talent as of late it seems, specifically at receiver, ol and dline.

I'll give you o-line, but o-line has been a problem throughout the league. I like the receivers they have, but that goes back to the o-line issue, as the QB needs time to deliver to the receivers. Their D-line improved considerably as the season went on.

[1argoholic]

Well Wally gave up on Benevides too fast and Tedford was a mistake so he had to hit the sidelines again.