Argofans

One thing I've really noticed through the first two weeks: how many players who started their CFL careers in Toronto are now significant players elsewhere, and how few significant players the Argos have who started elsewhere. Our recruitment has been top-notch over the past four seasons, but it's going to be severely tested this year. I was fascinated to hear Pinball publicly call for Vince Magri (who left before last season started) to be given a GC ring. Magri was indeed a massively important part of the success this team has had since 2021, and it has never been evident (to me, at least) how (or if) he has been replaced. A mgmt group that once had Magri, John Murphy and Alex Russell now has just Murphy. Sooner or later, the impact of those losses will be felt. Might be this season. Our draft, which has been A+ in recent years, is not looking too hot at the moment although maybe some of those guys will be here next season.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 3:18 pm One thing I've really noticed through the first two weeks: how many players who started their CFL careers in Toronto are now significant players elsewhere, and how few significant players the Argos have who started elsewhere. Our recruitment has been top-notch over the past four seasons, but it's going to be severely tested this year. I was fascinated to hear Pinball publicly call for Vince Magri (who left before last season started) to be given a GC ring. Magri was indeed a massively important part of the success this team has had since 2021, and it has never been evident (to me, at least) how (or if) he has been replaced. A mgmt group that once had Magri, John Murphy and Alex Russell now has just Murphy. Sooner or later, the impact of those losses will be felt. Might be this season. Our draft, which has been A+ in recent years, is not looking too hot at the moment although maybe some of those guys will be here next season.

Although nothing has ever been clarified by the Argonauts Mike Hogan’s draft day article sheds some light on the new football ops structure.

https://www.argonauts.ca/2025/05/01/hog ... ar-room-3/

The Argos also added 2 new coaches this off-season in Shivers & Greg Marshall - both veteran CFL coaches and both on the defensive side of the ball. Not sure going with CFL "experienced" guys for the sake of that is always a good idea but it is often the CFL way. Defence not really a big problem so far compared to the O, but have to wonder about the overall "culture" of the coaching room, anytime with changes.

2 losses to start the season without your star starter QB and with lots of changes /new guys in the line-up, and some new coaches - might not be that surprising; may take several games for this team to gel.

TrueBlueGuy wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 2:05 pm

Scooter McCray wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 7:48 am Had the pleasure of meeting Will, Adam Gosse and Daniella Ponticelli post game in Liberty Village.

This season is going to be interesting. I thought the East would be the stronger division again this year. It could still play out that way, but doesn't look like it now.

Ottawa and Hamilton are Ottawa and Hamilton.
Montreal are looking excellent.

Toronto with their off season departures cannot afford any injuries to starters this year. I thought Arbuckle would be a better QB, for his experience last year, but he has not taken ownership of the
job. Kelly is badly needed. Hopefully he is ready this week.

I picked Calgary to be the worst team in the league. They do not look like it.

BC, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan all look good.

It's going to be a fun season.

I see you left out the Elks...so they are a good candidate for 2025's worst team?
Stamps were very mediocre for 1st half. Argos gifted them a pick-6. And what was with
Arbuckle so often throwing into double-coverage? Can the Argo receivers not get open?

Yes, I did. For now they may be that bottom team. I want to see Tre Ford be successful there and become a star. I thought coming into the season the parity has never looked better, and the difference between worst in the league and best was at its smallest margin in decades. Unfortunately injuries are piling up for Toronto, Ottawa, BC, Winnipeg. Calgary had a pile of injured players yesterday too. Saskatchewan are missing 2 oline starters for the season.
Injuries and Depth look to dictate who is standing at the end.

I feel like they needed to switch QB’s after putting up 4 points at the half. Especially after the Arbuckle patented pre halftime turnover. If Dukes was on the roster, you know he’s coming in, so if you pick 2 other guys instead of him, why not try them out? I keep hearing we don’t have speed or no one was open. It looks that way when you never throw to the middle of the field. Daniel’s’ was visibly frustrated with his hands up a few times. Brissett and Mital were open at times, but the window closes too fast for Arbuckle’s ducks. He’s really lost some zip on the ball it seems. All game it was look down the sideline or look it off and hit Ungerer on the comeback or Williams check down. Way too easy to defend that, especially in the red zone and that’s why they couldn’t finish drives. I don’t mind starting Arbuckle next week with a fresh new game plan. It’s frustrating losing games that are so winnable.

ArgoZ wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 9:28 am I feel like they needed to switch QB’s after putting up 4 points at the half. Especially after the Arbuckle patented pre halftime turnover. If Dukes was on the roster, you know he’s coming in, so if you pick 2 other guys instead of him, why not try them out? I keep hearing we don’t have speed or no one was open. It looks that way when you never throw to the middle of the field. Daniel’s was visibly frustrated with his hands up a few times. Brissett and Mital were open at times but the window closes too fast for Arbuckle’s ducks. He’s really lost some zip on the ball it seems. All game it was look down the sideline or look it off and hit Arbuckle on the comeback or Williams check down. Way too easy to defend that, especially in the red zone and that’s why they couldn’t finish drives. I don’t mind starting Arbuckle next week with a fresh new game plan. It’s frustrating losing games that are so winnable.

A healthy Chad Kelly would have given the Argos a better chance in Montreal and I firmly believe would have resulted in a win over Calgary. The game on Saturday was, in particular, a very winnable game.

If there's one thing we've learned from Dinwiddie over four-plus seasons, it's that he does not change QBs mid-game, no matter how things are going. It's particularly unlikely that he would replace Arbuckle with either a raw rookie or a guy who has been in the system for three weeks. For better or worse, if Arbuckle starts this week (and I'm 99% sure he will), he will be the QB throughout the game.

ArgoZ wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 9:28 am I feel like they needed to switch QB’s after putting up 4 points at the half. Especially after the Arbuckle patented pre halftime turnover. If Dukes was on the roster, you know he’s coming in, so if you pick 2 other guys instead of him, why not try them out? I keep hearing we don’t have speed or no one was open. It looks that way when you never throw to the middle of the field. Daniel’s’ was visibly frustrated with his hands up a few times. Brissett and Mital were open at times, but the window closes too fast for Arbuckle’s ducks. He’s really lost some zip on the ball it seems. All game it was look down the sideline or look it off and hit Ungerer on the comeback or Williams check down. Way too easy to defend that, especially in the red zone and that’s why they couldn’t finish drives. I don’t mind starting Arbuckle next week with a fresh new game plan. It’s frustrating losing games that are so winnable.

IMO, the inability of a lot of CFL QBs now to make good intermediate to deep throws - see it; not be afraid to throw it; able to hit with consistent accuracy - is so common and frustrating, and limiting to an offence. That's what Chad Kelly has over most other CFL QBs (plus he is a mobile / dual threat QB); Vernon Adams shows it at times (along with bonehead mistakes) - beauty deep shot to Philpot last game; Collaros mostly can do it; Bo Mitchell misses way too many open deep receivers - IMO always been a weakness in his game; Rourke certainly showed the ability in his big CFL season but has to get it back; not sure Tre Ford will ever get there, but he has the arm; Dru Brown in Ottawa is mostly a short pass game manager; young Alexander in Montreal a maybe, but hardly proven and I doubt he has it: Trevor Harris - once in awhile but more a short pass guy like Dru Brown. Lots of high completion percentages now with 6 yard completions though.

SO - we see lots of short pass / check-down CFL offence - choice of the offensive coaches mostly. Boring, IMO, especially when it is usually not part of a balanced offence with a strong, applied ground game - that could kill safe, soft zone CFL defences that are defending against deeper passing.

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 15, 2025 3:18 pm One thing I've really noticed through the first two weeks: how many players who started their CFL careers in Toronto are now significant players elsewhere, and how few significant players the Argos have who started elsewhere. Our recruitment has been top-notch over the past four seasons, but it's going to be severely tested this year. I was fascinated to hear Pinball publicly call for Vince Magri (who left before last season started) to be given a GC ring. Magri was indeed a massively important part of the success this team has had since 2021, and it has never been evident (to me, at least) how (or if) he has been replaced. A mgmt group that once had Magri, John Murphy and Alex Russell now has just Murphy. Sooner or later, the impact of those losses will be felt. Might be this season. Our draft, which has been A+ in recent years, is not looking too hot at the moment although maybe some of those guys will be here next season.

Am I accurate in that you are asking the question of how many losses to players, coaches, etc, is too many?

paulwoods13 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 16, 2025 1:12 pm If there's one thing we've learned from Dinwiddie over four-plus seasons, it's that he does not change QBs mid-game, no matter how things are going. It's particularly unlikely that he would replace Arbuckle with either a raw rookie or a guy who has been in the system for three weeks. For better or worse, if Arbuckle starts this week (and I'm 99% sure he will), he will be the QB throughout the game.

I get it, as I said, it goes against cutting Dukes if these two guys are there for injury only. How many times over the last few years has someone’s 3rd string come in and torched the Argos? Frequent enough for my liking. Everyone’s a raw rookie at some point. Even if it’s a series or two to see if something can look different. Quite common to see many teams do that.