2014 CFL Regular Season Thread

[OzSome]

Originally Posted by old-fart

Sask is pretty easy to game plan against - stop the run. Not one of their QBs is scary if forced to throw the ball. When Edmonton basically sold out to stop the run in the second half, Sask did nothing offensively. Expect the Edmonton D to play the run huge, and the check down dump offs to the running backs. If Reilly isn't playing, expect a low scoring game that will be boring as all hell.

Honestly, as a long time fan of the CFL, I'm really seeing a decline in interest. This has been a very bad year for the CFL and unless something changes, I see a continued decline going forward. Once mid-September hits and hockey season actually starts, interest in this 3rd tier league drops significantly in basically every CFL city except one. Even Hamilton cares more about hockey once it starts up than the CFL. The poor reffing, the blatant disregard of the SMS by one team, the generally poor play, the loss of any actual good player to the NFL... it all leads to a general lack of interest and I see attendance will continue to decline until the CFL is finally put out to pasture.

Every year people claim there is some kind of decline of interest in the CFL but nobody can really prove the accuracy. I think one of the reason for the decline of attendance is because all the home games are televised. In the past, the only way you can watch the hometeam on TV is when the attendance is close to capacity. Some people would rather watch the game on TV at home or at the bar than going to the stadium and try to find parking spot. I love going to the game at McMahon but that's one of my beef too..parking. I am not much into riding the C-train because of the bad experience on the last time I went to the game using the C-Train. Most of the games I think are pretty entertaining and yes I agree some are just plain bad. Even the NFL have those kind of games too. This season, it seems like every single starting QBs in the CFL went down with the injuries except Henry Burris, who happens to play in an expansion team. Poor play comes with the game no matter what league you watch. NFL, CFL, Arena Football league or whatever. As for good players going to NFL, we all know a lot of American players are using the CFL to be their step towards playing in the NFL and that will never change.
As far as I am concern, CFL is not in trouble and we will still be seeing this league for a very long time.

[Da_Chief]

I don't think there were any Stamps that got ignored on the All-Stars list. You can't brag about having the best depth and have the best starters imo.

We had a lot of injuries;
The receivers were a revolving door, not a single 1000 receiver (792 was the highest).
OL Bryant and Jones were permanent and got the nods, rest moved around/injured.
Mitchell missed many games as well.
Peredes was inconsistent all year.
Lemon maybe but the other 4 picked were solid (I actually would take Lemon over George).
3 in the secondary.
LB was a stiff competition, maybe Simpson but he was decent where others were really good.

Good choices imo.

[MissTeeks]

http://www.cfl.ca/article/2014-awards-finalists

PLAYER Solomon Elimimian (BC) Ricky Ray (TOR)
DEFENSIVE Solomon Elimimian (BC) Bear Woods (MTL)
CANADIAN Jon Cornish (CGY) Ted Laurent (HAM)
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN Brett Jones (CGY) Jeff Perrett (MTL)
SPECIAL TEAMS Lirim Hajrullahu (WPG) Swayze Waters (TOR)
ROOKIE Dexter McCoil (EDM) Tristan Okpalaugo (TOR)

[M*A*S*H 4077]

My guesses

Player: Elimimian
Defensive: Elimimian
Canadian: Cornish
OL: Jones
ST: Waters
Rookie: McCoil

[SuperMatt18]

Those award nominees kind of show why it was such a poor year in the CFL.

No real standout performers.

Lots of injuries.

Poor play on the field.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by Fire

The CFL needs to make changes to create more offense. I have no idea what they could do, but this season was quite bad for entertainment.

That is pretty simple, just increase the number of imports that can play.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

That is pretty simple, just increase the number of imports that can play.

I don't see how that would help at all. Of the 24 starts only 7 has to be national players (Canadians). A lot of those Canadian players are better than the imports anyway.

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by Fire

I don't see how that would help at all. Of the 24 starts only 7 has to be national players (Canadians). A lot of those Canadian players are better than the imports anyway.

I think it would make a huge difference. Every team is always fighting to make the ratio and sitting/releasing players that are superior to Canadians that are playing. There is a reason there are separate awards for Canadians and it is the same reason that a Canadian only rarely wins the overall awards.

The number of football players in the US is enormous. As the CFL adds expansion teams the Canadian talent will continue to be diluted even more than it was this year and the in game talent will continue to go down, imo.

Of players that are dressed on game day normally 22 of them are Imports, that leave us with 20 Canadians or almost 48% of your game day roster. The coaches have to fight just to make this ratio all the time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each team may have a maximum of 42 players, including 3 players who shall be identified as quarterbacks and 39 other players, of whom not more than 19 may be imports.

Teams must have a minimum of 41 players, including two players who shall be identified as quarterbacks and 39 other players, of whom not more than 19 may be imports.
Each team must establish a reserve roster of 4 players. These 4 players may be imports or non-imports.
Â
Roster BreakdownImportNon-ImportQuarterbacksTotal1920342

Each team may dress a 42-man active roster consisting of:

   3 QBs (no designation)
   19 imports
   20 non-imports

The 19 imports break down as follows:

   16 imports
   3 Designated Imports

The three designated imports are players who can play on special teams OR replace an import starter (they cannot start).

Of the 24 starters on a team, a minimum of seven starters must be non-imports. When applied to a starting roster of a team it breaks down as follows (when using the minimum number of non-import players):

   1 QB
   16 starting imports
   7 starting non-imports

A player who was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate of 7 years prior to turning 15 or if he’s a Canadian Citizen, was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate period of 5 years prior to turning 18.

[waner]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

That is pretty simple, just increase the number of imports that can play.

There is already an unlimited amount of spots for Amercans to play the key spot of QB and there aren't enough good ones there. Unless the CFL can improve the quality of QBs in the league I am not sure having more American OL and DL are really going to make a difference. That is where the vast majority of Canadians are playing in the CFL nowadays. Most of the Canadian Receivers aren't really holding back any great imports and even safety seems to be moving away from being a solely NI spot that it used to be.

The real issue for the CFL is lack of star QB's. You used to have guys like Ham, Flutie, Dunnigan, Allen, Austin all in the league at the same time with McManus, Calvillo, Garcia, Dickenson coming up. Now the top guys are over the hill Ray and Burris and basically rookies BLM and Collaros. Guys like Reilly and Durant who would historically have been back-up/journeymen are now all-stars.

I think the move in the NFL towards more spread offenses has led to QB's like Wilson, Kapernick, Locker, Smith etc. getting spots in the NFL where before some of those guys may have had to come up to Canada and prove themselves first or even play their whole careers here. I also believe that the NFL changed the rules to make it easier for teams to have 3 QBs than it used which makes the QB market smaller as well.

It may just be a down cycle for the CFL and BLM, Wily, Collaros etc. may turn into greats in the next 2-3 years but until the QBs in the league improve there isn't much that the CFL can do to improve offense as so much revolves around the QB position in football and even moreso the CFL game.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Originally Posted by waner

It may just be a down cycle for the CFL and BLM, Wily, Collaros etc. may turn into greats in the next 2-3 years but until the QBs in the league improve there isn't much that the CFL can do to improve offense as so much revolves around the QB position in football and even moreso the CFL game.

I agree 100% with this. Every team other than Ottawa, the expansion team, also dealt with injuries at the QB position. To me this year was a bit of an anomaly and once Mitchell, Reilly, Collaros, etc. get some more experience and STAY HEALTHY the league will be in fine shape. Passing numbers around the league were down this year. Offences and quarterbacks will catch up, there's a cycle that occurs.

[RogerWilco]

An article on the ratio from a couple years ago that I found interesting.

http://cfl.ca/article/mullin-changin...game-the-ratio

We need better scouting, the NCAA turns out 24,000 football players every year.

[tvp2003]

Of all the "big name" NCAA QB's that don't make the NFL, I'm guessing the majority won't bother playing in the CFL unless they're really passionate about keeping their football career afloat. The money isn't there and the weather is probably a big factor as well.

I think that's why you see guys from smaller schools thrive (especially northern schools) -- they're willing to start small and work their way up. The cold weather is less of a factor as well:

Lulay - Montana State
Mitchell, Nichols - Eastern Washington
Reilly - Central Washington
Ray - Sacramento State
Harris - Edinborough (?)
Collaros - Cincinnati
Willy - Buffalo
etc...

[tvp2003]

Didn't see it mentioned but Joseph will start for Sask in the West semifinal:

http://www.cfl.ca/article/riders-ann...rt-wsf-vs-esks

[M*A*S*H 4077]

Question for Stamps fans: For football reasons, who are you guys cheering for on Sunday to win the West Semi and why?

[Barbecue]

Originally Posted by M*A*S*H 4077

Question for Stamps fans: For football reasons, who are you guys cheering for on Sunday to win the West Semi and why?

At first I wanted Sask to win as Edm has been on a roll with their wins.

Then I remember all the Rider fans migrating to McMahon with all their glorious dbagginess and figured that we could play either team. Both teams have their back up QBs on

[waner]

I really don't care from a football and non-football aspect.

Usually I would prefer the Riders to lose because their fans are so obnoxious but I have heard of a ton of garbage from Eskimo fans this year about how they are actually better despite being whipped 3 times this year by the Stamps.

From a football aspect both should be easy wins for the Stamps in the WF and outside of the craziness that happens in WF the only threat they pose is that fluke wins can occur. Based on rosters and play this year both are a couple of steps below the Stamps.

[tvp2003]

I'll take the Eskimos -- would love to see our defence stick it to Chris Jones one last time, on the way to the GC no less. Vroom vroom!

Besides, if old man Joseph is good enough to get a win, Durant at even 50% gives them a fighting chance. Too many bad memories of Calgary losing to Sask at home in the playoffs...

[White Out 403]

I like that Reilly is hurt so the Rider fans don't have that excuse when the Eskimos demolish them this weekend. That's really all I have to contribute.

[M*A*S*H 4077]

As for me, I am not expecting the Riders to win. I would feel better about their chances of they were playing Calgary this weekend. Commonwealth has not been kind to Saskatchewan. I'm driving up for the game with a buddy, should be a good time at least

[corporatejay]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

Of all the "big name" NCAA QB's that don't make the NFL, I'm guessing the majority won't bother playing in the CFL unless they're really passionate about keeping their football career afloat. The money isn't there and the weather is probably a big factor as well.

I think that's why you see guys from smaller schools thrive (especially northern schools) -- they're willing to start small and work their way up. The cold weather is less of a factor as well:

Lulay - Montana State
Mitchell, Nichols - Eastern Washington
Reilly - Central Washington
Ray - Sacramento State
Harris - Edinborough (?)
Collaros - Cincinnati
Willy - Buffalo
etc...

Arm strength is a big one too. A lot of big time college QBs can run a US offense and run options etc... but the reason they don't make it in the NFL is arm strength. With the CFL field as big as it is they would get destroyed up here. Look at Troy Smith.