Posted August 23, 201311 yr comment_17221 There has been a lot of comments lately about the Bombers needing to go with an experienced head coach (in the event Burke gets fired this year), so I decided to go have a look at the records of all the guys who have held HC jobs in the CFL and are still involved with the game. Apologies if I missed anyone notable. The records aren't pretty, unfortunately, but that's why these guys aren't head coaches anymore. Who do you think would be the best fit? Tom Higgins' record sure stands out. How about going with a guy who maybe didn't do so well the first time around, but may learn from his mistakes? Stubler didn't get much of a shot and the fact the Argos didn't win another game after his firing might speak to how little talent he had to work with. Richie Hall had an okay experience, and he is back to leading one of the top defences in the CFL. It's clear that no matter what direction we go, the guy would be bringing some baggage with him. But it's not completely unheard of for a coach to have little success in his first shot, then turn it around when he finally gets another chance. What do you think? Or would you rather go with a high-potential rookie again, like Dave Dickenson, Jacques Chapdelaine, or Chris Jones? The Experienced Candidates Marcel Bellefeuille Record as HC: 27-35 (.435) Paul Lapolice Record as HC: 16-28 (.364) Rich Stubler Record as HC: 4-6 (.400) Richie Hall Record as HC: 16-20 (.444) George Cortez Record as HC: 6-12 (.333) Doug Berry Record as HC: 27-26-1 (.500) Tom Higgins Record as HC: 72-53-1 (.571) Danny Maciocia Record as HC: 33-38-1 (.465) Greg Marshall Record as HC: 1-7 (.125) Jeff Reinebold Record as HC: 6-26 (.188) Matt Dunigan Record as HC: 4-14 (.222)
August 23, 201311 yr Author comment_17224 Out of that list, the only one I'd want is Tom Higgins. And if Higgins isn't available? Go with a new guy?
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17225 If higgins isnt in the cards I'd give cortez a shot. His offense was pretty good in hamilton. I want a offensive minded head coach.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17227 Pinball Clemons been too long away from coaching. We should approach him. haha ha hahahahahahahahahahaha
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17230 You forgot quite a few on the list... Greg Marhsall, Jeff Reinebold There were head coaches who become successful in their first year... like Chamblin, Milanovich, Trestman, Benevides.. some of them won the Grey Cups. CFL experience is key not only on the HC but thru the assistants as well... which we have less with Lapo and now with Burke... In the event that Burke is fired (or possibly quit, I got a hunch he will have a call from his old boss Trestman to be an assistant there, who knows)... and we hired a rookie Head Coach the Bombers should surround him with assistants that have years of experience in the CFL. That said... I'll inquire about Bob Dyce as Head Coach and maybe he can bring Khari Jones here as OC too and he's good friend Bob Wylie as OL coach.
August 23, 201311 yr Author comment_17231 You forgot quite a few on the list... Greg Marhsall, Jeff Reinebold I don't consider 2 names "quite a few"... and I don't consider either one a realistic candidate... but since you insist, I've added them to the initial list.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17232 Wait until January, we may be able to get Trestman if he bombs out in Chicago.
August 23, 201311 yr Author comment_17233 Wait until January, we may be able to get Trestman if he bombs out in Chicago. That would be nice but I doubt it. I've also added Matt Dunigan to the list. Time to bring back Dunigan? Recent surveys say yes.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17234 I would take Doug Berry over Cortez personally. Higgins would be my first choice though. Dunigan? Really? Maybe as a QB coach.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17235 The least of the evils is Higgins. I'd pass on another defensive minded boss.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17236 I would take Doug Berry over Cortez personally. Higgins would be my first choice though. Dunigan? Really? Maybe as a QB coach. I think berry is a shoe in for hc in mtl.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17237 This is the first part of Higgins bio on the CFL website: Tom Higgins was appointed as the Director of Officiating for the CFL on April 15, 2008. Prior to joining the Canadian Football League office, Higgins spent more than 25 years as a player, coach and personnel director. Most recently, Higgins was the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders. In his three seasons with the Stampeders, Higgins led the club to three consecutive playoff appearances. After an amazing turnaround season for the organization in 2005, Higgins was honoured with the CFL Coach of the Year Award for the second time in his career.Before joining the Stampeders, Higgins led the Edmonton Eskimos for four seasons which included a victory in the 2003 Grey Cup at Taylor Field against the defending Grey Cup Champion Montreal Alouettes. It was the organization’s first championship win in a decade.Higgins led Edmonton to two straight Grey Cup appearances and three first place finishes in the CFL West Division. In 2003 Higgins was recognized with the CFL Coach of the Year Award for the first time in his career. The previous season he was one of three finalists. I forgot he was the coach in Calgary that cleaned up the mess that was Calgary in the early 2000's. 2 - 3 years of Higgins at the helm might be exactly what we need to get some stability and get this team back on track.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17239 Dave Dickenson would be my first choice, and as much as I don't trust defensive coordinators, my second choice would probably be Chris Jones.
August 23, 201311 yr comment_17241 i think we should have a rotating head.coach position filled bi-weekly by 2 fans chosen by balloon pop contest..
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17245 Higgins would be in the deep part of the shallow end we've been fishing in for coaching hires. My preference would be to pay what it takes and give title to someone who deserves it and is the best candidate available. Hard to know what the chances of that happening are, but you see the guys like Milanovich (the Dickenson of 2010) turn down interviews here because they know that they won't get paid a top CFL head coaching salary and that they won't have the conditions in place to do their job properly. Hopefully this doesn't happen to us this time around.
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17249 Higgins would be in the deep part of the shallow end we've been fishing in for coaching hires. My preference would be to pay what it takes and give title to someone who deserves it and is the best candidate available. Hard to know what the chances of that happening are, but you see the guys like Milanovich (the Dickenson of 2010) turn down interviews here because they know that they won't get paid a top CFL head coaching salary and that they won't have the conditions in place to do their job properly. Hopefully this doesn't happen to us this time around. So pay them GM/HC money and surround them with player personnel guys, assistant GM,s and experienced coordinators....no problem, which what many of us have been saying since day one.
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17253 Higgins would be in the deep part of the shallow end we've been fishing in for coaching hires. My preference would be to pay what it takes and give title to someone who deserves it and is the best candidate available. Hard to know what the chances of that happening are, but you see the guys like Milanovich (the Dickenson of 2010) turn down interviews here because they know that they won't get paid a top CFL head coaching salary and that they won't have the conditions in place to do their job properly. Hopefully this doesn't happen to us this time around. So pay them GM/HC money and surround them with player personnel guys, assistant GM,s and experienced coordinators....no problem, which what many of us have been saying since day one. Something I finally agree with you on. Higgins would be the perfect GM/HC IMO.
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17273 If these are the candidates, I might stick with Burke... Swap Bellefuile and Burke back to DC but doubt that's an option... Maybe Chapdelaine... but really if there is progress with Burke this year, stick with him... otherwise, Bellefuille - he is the best choice of guys with CFL experience Assistants... maybe Campbell, Dyce, Maas, Nelson - hard to say...
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17274 Another candidate could be Rick Campbell Campbell has been my choice for a couple years now. He's one of the few guys out there who has experience coaching all 3 facets of the game, plus he has some pretty good family pedigree. (Not to mention a history of mostly success in the CFL.) Yes, he's mostly a defensive-minded coach, but he also spent a season coaching the RBs in Calgary and has spent a lot of time coaching special teams as well. As for Dave Dickinson (who I'd also like, but don't think we could get) -- I didn't realize he was Craig's brother. Could that connection be a help or a hinderance to convincing Dave to take up the HC job here? I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a Higgins GM/HC regime, though. It would be stability, which would be a good thing.
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17284 This is the first part of Higgins bio on the CFL website: Tom Higgins was appointed as the Director of Officiating for the CFL on April 15, 2008. Prior to joining the Canadian Football League office, Higgins spent more than 25 years as a player, coach and personnel director. Most recently, Higgins was the head coach of the Calgary Stampeders. In his three seasons with the Stampeders, Higgins led the club to three consecutive playoff appearances. After an amazing turnaround season for the organization in 2005, Higgins was honoured with the CFL Coach of the Year Award for the second time in his career. Before joining the Stampeders, Higgins led the Edmonton Eskimos for four seasons which included a victory in the 2003 Grey Cup at Taylor Field against the defending Grey Cup Champion Montreal Alouettes. It was the organization’s first championship win in a decade. Higgins led Edmonton to two straight Grey Cup appearances and three first place finishes in the CFL West Division. In 2003 Higgins was recognized with the CFL Coach of the Year Award for the first time in his career. The previous season he was one of three finalists. I forgot he was the coach in Calgary that cleaned up the mess that was Calgary in the early 2000's. 2 - 3 years of Higgins at the helm might be exactly what we need to get some stability and get this team back on track. Higgins was GM & Head Coach in Calgary & did a great job. He has the connections to hire great assistants & then lets them do their thing. But unlike Tim Burke, don't let that laid back almost shy persona fool you. He's the HC & GM. There's no doubt that he's in charge.
August 24, 201311 yr comment_17289 The combination of Higgins and having Craig here already could be enough to convince Dave to come over here if he wants to be HC. He turned down the Hamilton job when they hired Cortez didn't he?
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