West prediction: Calgary to take division in 2006
By Arash Madani,
CFL.ca
A major off-season acquisition did not happen. Their splash of signings was more of a trickle. The Ottawa dispersal draft included no blockbusters, nor household names. And their last game in 2005 included seven turnovers during a collapse on home turf.
Yet the Calgary Stampeders still are the pick from here to burst out of the West Division tunnel come November when the 94th Grey Cup kicks off in Winnipeg.
“I truly believe we can be better than last year,” Stamps head coach Tom Higgins told reporters at the end of training camp.
Improved?
You bet.
A superior team to a club that ended up winning seven of its last eight regular season games to host a playoff game last year, don’t forget that part.
This is a roster with significant improvements in the defensive backfield and at the receiver position. But perhaps most important, the significant upgrade in talent comes with its Canadians. And in only his second year of being entrusted with the job, Calgary general manager Jim Barker is one of the best comprehending the structure of the ratio – and just how pivotal massaging non-imports into a lineup is.
It was never more evident than the spring’s dispersal draft that scattered former Renegades across the land. Big names came and went. Americans that boasted attractive numbers – sack totals; towering heights and weights but no real performance in two-plus seasons in the CFL – went in the first round and beyond.
The Stamps? They looked to the building block of constructing a champion: Canadians.
Calgary took a kid without a pro training camp under his belt and a receiver who quietly emerged as a target with lethal potential in the opening two rounds. Cam Yeow, you may remember, was only the No. 2 overall pick of the college draft the previous April; and Markus Howell showed speed and terrific hands while becoming a legitimate threat.
And when they looked south in Round 3, not only did the Stampeders corral a shut-down corner that can blanket a receiver and has a knack for swatting footballs like flies, but they were crafty in re-structuring Crance Clemons’ contract to make his addition financially feasible.
“A lot of people look at non-imports and feel you just have to find 20 guys to fill slots. We measure the quality of Canadians as how good you are overall,” said Barker the other night. “We think maybe the best place we’ve improved our team is with Canadians. We’re at the point now to upgrade the bottom part of the roster. When you are able to do that, well, that’s how you become successful year in and year out.”
Take a look at the guys who will debut this year in Calgary. The Stamps quietly added non-import Walter Spencer, who led the league in special teams tackles last year. And how about Howell over Mike Juhasz for the final receiver slot? Just flat better.
Most vital of all, though, is continuity in talent; familiarity with coaching; consistency with systems. The Stamps play-calling and position staff are all back; the athletes who had to learn the schemes are entering a second season together.
There was no need for an adjustment period to create chemistry.
That this group has all but two starters back from last November’s final game heading into the opener – against Edmonton, of all opponents – is nothing shy of remarkable. That, along with the fact that no less than 31 players remained in Calgary year-round to work together, clearly puts them ahead of perhaps every other team.
“I think it is maybe unprecedented that a team returns 24 starters from our playoff game and every coach. When you have that situation, you can pick up where you left off. So, consequently the (new players, reserves mainly) have to learn faster,” said Barker.
“And defensively, we have had some change because we weren’t good enough. We didn’t win it (last year). One of the places (to address) was the secondary.”
And they did.
Add it up. There are beefed up Canadians, a better defensive backfield and a quarterback (Henry Burris) who was the class of the 2005 free agent class. Add a slimmer, faster receiving target (Jeremaine Copeland) who is set to sizzle; a Grey Cup winning coach (Tom Higgins, 2003 Eskimos) who turned a 4-14 team to 11-7 in twelve months and the stability of talent and staff together.
That is why on a cold Sunday in November, expect the Stampeders to be in the Grey Cup as the team from the west.
Arash Madani is a sports anchor/reporter with A-Channel television in Ottawa
(The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily of the Canadian Football League)
