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Lions versus Esks thoughts, and the final cuts.

June 20, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

Friday night at UBC’s Thunderbird Stadium the BC Lions closed out the CFL preseason with an 18-13 loss to the Edmonton Eskimos. There were positives and negatives that came from the evening, so let’s get at it in this recap of the night.

Of course the main question of the night was how Travis Lulay would look and would he survive the night and the result was a success on both fronts.

Lulay wasn’t spectacular, but he led the Lions on a (penalty aided) touchdown drive on the first series of the game, connecting with the ‘Manny Show’ to open the scoring. As a body of work, Lulay was able to accomplish what he wanted to. There was some rust, as he overthrew open receivers on a couple of occasions, but his vision downfield seemed solid, his composure in the pocket was impressive and he showed that he’s still going to use his feet when the opportunity presents itself.

Jonathan Jennings was next up and wasn’t quite as effective as he was in Calgary, going 4 of 8 for 63 yards, while also throwing an interception. He did connect with Terence Jeffers-Harris for 40 yards and survived a big hit. Greg McGhee impressed with his limited time, showing the running skill he has as well as a strong arm.

With the uncertainty of Lulay’s long-term future, the Lions will keep all four QB’s, with John Beck starting the season on the disabled list.

Emmanuel Arceneaux looked solid scoring the Lions only touchdown of the game, and Austin Collie showed the value he will bring to the roster. Jeffers-Harris showed well again with his second deep reception of the preseason. Bryan Burnham and Tim Vizzi did not shine, while Courtenay Taylor still hasn’t seen action with a lingering hamstring injury. Marco Iannuzzi had a solid game, including the Lions biggest play of the night, a 64 yard catch and run from McGhee. The Lions continue to struggle to find a way to get Shawn Gore involved in the offence.

Generally speaking I thought the offensive line played decent, especially versus a talented Eskimos defence. Lulay got good protection in the first half, and don’t be surprised if T-Dre Player has surpassed Dean Valli for a starting role. At left tackle, it looks like Tommie Draheim will at least start the season there.

In the second half there was a drop off and both Jennings and McGhee were hurried or flushed out of the pocket often. The unit continues to be a work in progress, but new centre Jason Foster looks to be solid and can start looking for accommodations in the lower mainland.

The defensive line registered just one sack on the night, and had issues plugging gaps against the Eskimos running game in the first half. Running back Shakir Bell averaged 10.8 yards a carry against the starters and that’s just not good enough. Alex Bazzie was ejected for spitting on an opponent, and on a Jeff Tedford team that preaches discipline, that certainly won’t have him in the coach’s good books.

It was fun to listen to the oohs and awes from the crowd watching Richie Leone launch missiles with his punts. Sadly when it came to field goal kicking Leone missed two which should have been automatic and one of them was ugly. Anthony Fera connected on a 48 yarder, but his punting wasn’t as impressive. With that, Lions have decided to go with Leone and hope he improves his place kicking while offering Fera accept a spot on the practice roster.

The Flags

God help us all if the preseason flag fest continues into the regular season. The game became virtually unwatchable because of all the linen being thrown around. I get that in the preseason you want to crack down, especially with the new rules, but I am not that confident that much will be different when the season starts. For the sake of fans and the game itself, let’s hope so.

The Setting

The BC Lions and the University of British Columbia deserve huge props for the way the game went off. From the clear directions to the stadium throughout the campus, to the crowd control afterwards it was very well done. Director of Fan Engagement, Jamie Pitblado and his team did a fantastic job.

Allowing the fans to watch from field level was a brilliant idea. There were tons of kids throwing footballs around and hanging out with Leo the Lion. For the diehard fan it gave them a chance to see the game up close and personal.

With the lush trees in the background and a beautiful west coast sunset, there couldn’t have been a better night to play football.

Because I needed to write about the game I stayed in the stands in order to see the action clearly, so the only negative from the night came from the sore butt and back from sitting on the wood benches.

BC Place, I love you.

In the End

Don’t lose sight of the fact that this a new beginning for the BC Lions, and coach Tedford will likely be continually tweaking things into his mold over the next few weeks. The Lions should become more proficient on offence with more targeted game planning reps.

The team will start the season with a bye, which will give Lulay more time to work on the timing with his receivers. The Lions will also have game film to work with on the Redblacks, while Ottawa will have only preseason footage at their disposal.

Final Cuts

No real surprises here but here is the full list of roster moves made by the Lions on cut down day. In all, 12 players were released, 10 were offered spots on the practice roster, 3 were placed on the 1-game injury list, and QB John Beck added to the disabled list.

Notable names offered practice roster spots were RB Keola Antolin who was injured through the first half of training camp, Terence Jeffers-Harris who was impressive after if his arrival in camp and in the preseason, and second year linebacker and special teamer Casey Chin.

Of their 2015 draft picks who were in camp, only DB Josh Brinkworth was released.

It all starts for real on July 4^th.

Full list of the Lions roster moves:

Released:

DB Jordan Rwiyamilira (N), DB Josh Brinkworth (N), DB Jeremiah Johnson (I), DB Myron Lewis (I), LB Cody Acker (I), DL Tim Jackson (I), DL Andre Monroe (I), FB Brandon Deschamps (N), RB Rickey Galvin (I), RB Damien Thigpen (I), WR Tim Vizzi (I), WR Whitman Tomusiak (N).

Offered practice roster spots:

DB Darious Lane (I), LB Casey Chin (N), DL Craig Roh (I), DL Maxx Forde(N), DL Jamarkus McFarland (I), WR Terence Jeffers-Harris (I), K/P Anthony Fera (I), RB Keola Antolin (I), OL Josh Aladonoye (I), OL Campbell Allison (N).

Placed on one-game injured list:

DB Steven Clarke (I), OL Cody Husband (N), OL Matt Norman (N).

Placed on disabled list: QB John Beck (I).

Returned to juniors:

OL Anthony Daley (N), WR Derek Yachison (N).

Follow all the CFL final cuts.

GAME NOTES: Concerns remain for Lions in preseason loss to Stampeders

June 13, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

With all the hype of the Tedford Tempo leading up to the BC Lions first preseason game, fans had reason to look forward to Friday’s preseason opener in Calgary so that they could see the attack live. What they got though was plenty of evidence that some of the problems that plagued the Lions last season still exist, at least for now.

A few thoughts for you chew on. Following a 20-6 loss to the Stampeders.

The Good:

There is little doubt that Jonathan Jennings improved his standing in the QB pecking order with his work in the first quarter. He wasn’t perfect and missed on a few throws, but he showed pretty good poise, working mostly against the Stampeders starting defence. He was easily the most pleasant surprise for me up in Kamloops when I was there and while he still needs to gain experience, there is plenty of promise in his game and with his demeanour on the field.
Richie Leone and Anthony Fera are going to make the kicking decision pretty tough for Jeff Tedford. Both players were good on their only field goal attempts (Leone 17 yards, Fera 39 yards) but Leone held the edge in punting averaging 52 yards on 4 kicks, while Fera averaged 39.7 yards on his three chances.
I liked the play of T.J. Lee and Alex Tillman, the latter unleashing the hit of the night on Calgary’s Nathan Slaughter. Tillman also got burned for the only touchdown of the night, but overall I liked his physical play.
Overall, I liked the work of Terence Jeffers-Harris, Bryan Burnham. I mentioned before the game to watch Tim Vizzi, but he didn’t get a chance to do much with the offence that sputtered under the direction of Travis Partridge and Greg McGhee.
I thought Keynan Parker had some solid reps at Safety, perhaps showing a little better than Chris Rwabukamba.

The Bad:

The trenches on both sides of the ball continue to be a concern. The Lions gave up 5 sacks including a blind side hit on Jennings that resulted in a turnover, after Kirby Fabien couldn’t make his block. Fabien has been getting second team reps in camp, and perhaps this was evidence of why. But the interior of the line is still an issue, and that’s not great news for a team hoping to keep its start QB healthy in 2015.
Speaking of that QB, how about the nugget dropped by TSN’s Glen Suitor claiming that Travis Lulay told him that if the season started today, he doesn’t think he would be ready? Ugh, where have we heard this story before? We know there is a plan, but all through camp there has been no real indication that Lulay was feeling that way, so this was a bit of a downer to hear.
The defensive line wasn’t much better, allowing penetration into the second layer much of the night. The only real starter missing from the bunch was Khreem Smith, so this area is once again a concern for the Lions. Alex Bazzie might have been the Lions best on the night, with an honorable mention to Zach Minter Wouldn’t it be nice of Houston decided they didn’t want Christian Covington? Don’t hold your breath.
Travis Partridge didn’t use his time wisely and was completely ineffective. He also threw a bad interception. Not a good sign for a player who was here last season, and with two young Tedford picks pushing him. Partridge may have put his spot on the roster in jeopardy with his performance.
No one stepped up in the running game; None of Brendan Bigelow, Rickey Galvin, Damien Thigpen or Pascal Lochard had much success carrying the ball. With no Andrew Harris in the lineup it would have been nice to see some more from the running game, but the offensive line wasn’t exactly opening up holes for them either.

In the end, this is a team installing new offensive and defensive packages, and they left 12 regulars off the roster. Tedford got a lot of players into the lineup, and will now look at the film to dissect who isn’t cutting it and change directions to give the starters time to get into game mode.

Next week will be a far better gauge of where this team stands, but there were enough signs that give you cause for concern in a few key areas.

Let’s hope next week eases some of that.

By the Numbers:

BC at Calgary, Preseason Game 3, Final Stats (Via the CFL)

The Lions Notebook: Training Camp Edition: June 9th

June 10, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

A nice breeze made things a little cooler for today’s sessions at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops, much to the relief of the players and this blogger sitting in the stands. The Lions continue to install the offense of Jeff Tedford in preparation for Friday’s preseason opener in Calgary.

Here are some observations from today’s sessions in this edition of the Lions Notebook: Training Camp Edition, June 9th.

The Scene

The Lions practiced without pads for the morning session but had them on in the afternoon for the last time before their game in Calgary on Friday. The afternoon was a spirited affair that saw a player skirmish involving DB Torrie Williams and an unidentified player on offence that was broken up quickly by Jeff Tedford.

Watching: Solomon Elimimian (afternoon), Courtney Taylor, Lavelle Hawkins, Courtney Taylor

Behind Centre

Jonathan Jennings continues to separate himself as the front runner for the backup/third string role to Travis Lulay, just ahead of Greg McGhee. Both players can expect to see a fair bit of work in Calgary (Lulay will not play) along with Travis Partridge who will likely get the start. Partridge is going to have to really show something in my opinion to not get over taken by Jennings or McGhee in my opinion. John Beck is back in camp and threw light passes in drills early in the session, but was not a full participant.

In the Trenches

The Lions appear to have settled on a starting five on the offensive line, for now at least. Jovan Olafiyoe of course stays at right tackle, Dean Valli at right guard, Jason Foster at centre, Matt Norman at left guard and newcomer Josh Aladenoye at left tackle. Kirby Fabien continues to participate on the second unit, and this is a big disappointment, as many were hoping he was going to rebound from an inconsistent 2014 after returning from injury. Right now, Fabien is backing up Norman, who seems to be settling in nicely at guard after moving from centre.

Dante’s Corner

Anyone concerned about the loss of Dante Marsh should rest easy, as Ronnie Yell has really stood out for me at this camp and looks to be in midseason form. He’s been battling against Manny Arceneaux and has showed very well. He’s quick, physical and has been in Arceneaux’s grill constantly. He doesn’t always win the battle, because let’s face it, Manny is pretty good, but Yell seems to be adjusting just fine to not only his role, but the new rule changes imposed on defenders.

Here is a bit more from Yell himself, courtesy of the BC Lions on Twitter:

DB @rondonbby on expectations for 2015, adjusting to rule changes & fine tuning his game alongside vet Ryan Phillips https://t.co/1XwDj26AtR

— BC Lions (@BCLions) June 10, 2015

Kicking Battle

We have been very impressed by the two kickers in camp, Anthony Fera and Richie Leone, but Tuesday wasn’t a banner day for either. Both players missed some field goals and shanked some punts, so Friday is going to be interesting to see which player emerges as a front runner for the job. Still there is no denying the leg strength of both candidates, both kicking 47 yard field goals to the back of the endzone and both launching some absolutely spectacular punts in both sessions.

Receivers

vizzi-940 — Make note of the name Tim Vizzi (Photo: BC Lions Den)

Marco Iannuzzi had a strong day, getting open to make several TD catches during passing drills. One name to watch out for is Tim Vizzi, who has some people drawing comparisons to Weston Dressler. The Penn State product isn’t big in size, but runs good routes and has a solid set of hands. When you add the likes of Bryan Burnham, Austin Collie, Terence Jeffers-Harris, Shawn Gore and Manny Arceneaux and this group looks talented. Nevermind the additions of Cameron Morrah and A.C. Leonard, both of whom continue to impress. Now the Lions must find a way to keep as many of these talented players as possible.

There is some mystery to the status of Courtney Taylor whose participation in camp has been minimal since I’ve arrived.

Harris Watch

Rest easy Lions fans, Andrew Harris looks very, very good. Harris show no signs that his injury from last season isn’t healed. He looks quick and explosive hitting holes. Like Lulay, I wouldn’t expect him to see any action in Calgary, because there is no point, and the Lions have other backs they need to evaluate, like Shaquille Murray-Lawrence, Brendan Bigelow, Rickey Galvin and of course Keola Antolin, With Murray-Lawrence and Antolin missing earlier sessions with minor injuries they will be looking to impress in the preseason.

The Injury Bug

The Lions appeared to have taken a blow to their defensive line when DT Michael Brooks went down with what appeared to be a right knee injury. Brooks was carted off the field near the end of practice and it didn’t look good. Brooks had been impressing and it’s a tough break for him if the injury is as bad as it looked. Tim Jackson (North Carolina) is the next man up on the depth charge and will look to take advantage of Brooks’ bad luck.

As my friend Lloyd Bruneau noted, Jason Vega is currently sitting in Winnipeg, waiting for a phone call.

Offensive lineman Cody Husband and Cameron Thorn continue to follow concussion protocol.

Just For Fun

We leave you with this. The Lions cranked up the music for their warmup session and we caught this video of linebacker Adam Bighill who dances across the screen like he was in a Broadway show.

One more day at camp for us, with an hour walk through in the morning, we’ll spare you the details of that and will take in the afternoon session before heading home to Vancouver.

Thanks for reading, everyone.

The Lions Notebook: Training Camp Edition – June 6th

June 7, 2015 By Brian Wawryshyn

I have a confession to make; I’m a bit of a freak when it comes to the BC Lions. That probably explains why on four hours sleep, I got up at 4:00am to make the three and a half hour trip for our annual pilgrimage to Lions training camp. Why is it so easy to get up for football, but it feels like waking the living dead to go to work?

But I digress.

Today was the first day of our five day visit to the tournament capital of Canada, Kamloops, BC, and the best word I can describe what I saw on day one is, impressive. Here are some thoughts, in a special training camp edition of the Lions Notebook.

Tedford’s Way

We’ve all heard a lot about the “Tedford Tempo” but until you see it live, you can’t begin to understand how different this camp is from any other BC Lions camp you’ve seen. Everything is timed and organized down to the second. As this photo of the segment clock that Jeff Tedford brought in shows.

There is a much more business like feel to this camp, than any other camp I’ve attended. Coaches where headsets to communicate, there is less chatting and joking around by the players. You can tell they are here to work, and I haven’t always felt that way watching a Lions practice.

On the Short Side

One of the big questions at this camp is who will replace 11-year Lion Dante Marsh on the short side corner. During this session that player was Ronnie Yell, who looks more than ready to take on the challenge. Yell was one of the most impressive players I saw on the field today, and he had some aggressive battles with Emmanuel Arceneaux.

Behind Centre

Jonathan Jennings is making an impression at camp and you could see why. He throws a very nice ball and was by far the best QB on the field in the morning session. Travis Lulay continues to pace himself, and didn’t attempt many deep throws. Travis Partridge I thought had a bit of a shaky session, while Greg McGhee had some nice completions as well, but doesn’t look as polished as Jennings. John Beck has made his way to Kamloops (18 pounds lighter) and will undergo more tests here before being given the green light to practice.

The Offensive Line

This seems to be a constant concern for the Lions and for once it would be to come to a camp and not have to talk about it. The injury to Hunter Steward certainly muddied the waters for the team but there were also some interesting observations to be made during Saturday’s sessions.

For one, Kirby Fabien is not in the first unit, replaced instead by Matt Norman at left guard, while Dean Valli is on the left. This is concerning simply for the fact that the Lions (or at least their fans) have been hoping that Fabien would return to the form he showed prior to his knee injury in 2013. Has Fabien fallen from grace that far, or are the Lions simply getting Norman work at guard to see where he fits into their plans after removing him from the centre spot?

Paul McCallum

I’ve seen a lot of reaction to the Paul McCallum release that was announced today. Some fans are mad at the way it was handled by the Lions, some are miffed to why McCallum was released at all without a proven field goal kicker on the roster and others are wondering why McCallum was even brought to camp if they had other plans, only to be asked to retire after five days.

It’s my personal belief that the Lions tried to do the right thing and let McCallum call it a day without being officially cut. They brought him to camp, because until recently they only had McCallum on the roster. When Richie Leone was released by the club and the Lions came to terms with Anthony Fera, the picture changed, but the Lions still needed to see how they performed.

At 44 years of age, even Paul McCallum admits that his best days are behind him. He’s still a very reliable field goal kicker from inside 45 yards, and his experience with every stadium in the league is second to no one in his position. But his punt average is dropping, the Lions are leaving points on the field because of his limited range, and they have two guys in camp that have looked very good.

There will be some growing pains with whoever handles the kicking duties, but it you can’t wait forever to make the switch, and the Lions feel they have two very promising kickers to choose from and may indeed keep both of them on the roster.

Only Wally Buono and Paul McCallum really know how all of this went down and in time we will all hear the story. In the meantime, the McCallum era in BC is definitely over and we wish Paul well. He’s been a great BC Lion and he’s had a hall of fame career.

Keeping it Light

At the end of the morning session, Tedford gathered his players around and told them it was time to kick field goals. Both Leone and Fera would each kick two field goals. For everyone they missed the whole team would have to do “gassers” or wind sprints for those of you unfamiliar with the term.

But there was a catch, the rest of the team was told to make as much noise as possible to try and distract the two kickers. Thankfully for them, all four field goals were made and the two kickers instantly became the most popular guys on the field.

Hot as…

The Lions practiced Saturday under baking hot conditions Saturday in Kamloops. Jeff Tedford chose to make the afternoon session a walk through, and it lasted just over an hour, which was no doubt just fine with the players.

Sunday is supposed to be even hotter, and the Lions will have another light day, as the club’s annual Fan Fest takes place at Hillside Stadium. It’s free for all and the gates open at 12:30. We’ll have photos and other tidbits from the event here on 3DownNation.com.