Ottawa Citizen

Chamblin savours return to coaching

Former Riders field boss takes on task of rebuilding Argos defence

- DAN RALPH

The time off was nice, but Corey Chamblin is happy being back where he belongs.

Chamblin is in his first season as the Toronto Argonauts’ defensive co-ordinator, secondary coach and assistant head coach under new head man Marc Trestman. The 39-year-old from Birmingham, Ala., is coaching again after being fired as the Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s’ head coach in 2015.

“It was refreshing to spend time with my family ... but they were ready for me to move forward in coaching,” Chamblin said. “That’s what I am, a coach.

“I love the atmosphere, I love the players and the things coach (Trestman) has done, but I’m a coach and I have the opportunit­y to coach a very good defence.”

Chamblin led Saskatchew­an to a Grey Cup title on home soil in 2013 and was named the CFL’s top coach that season. But the former Tennessee Tech defensive back is returning to his roots with Toronto.

Before becoming a head coach, Chamblin served as either a defensive backs coach or defensive co-ordinator with the Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe) and CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton TigerCats. As a player, he spent time with six NFL teams.

“We’ve got a guy who’s not just led a defence, but led an entire franchise, and I think that just makes us better to have that kind of experience,” Trestman said of Chamblin.

“He’s a Grey Cup-winning head coach and that’s something you just can’t put enough value on.

“He’s a great communicat­or, he’s an enthusiast­ic leader. No doubt about it, I’m very excited to have him with us.”

Chamblin is tasked with revamping a Toronto defence that had issues in 2016. The Argos were last overall in points allowed (31.6 per game), touchdowns allowed (59), rushing yards allowed (115.2 per game) and passes completed (70.9 per cent) en route to finishing in the East Division basement with a 5-13 record.

Toronto’s defence will feature several new faces. Defensive linemen Shawn Lemon and Ken Bishop, linebacker Marshall McFadden, Canadian safety Matt Black and defensive backs Marcus Alford and Aaron Berry are the lone holdovers in camp from the unit that took the field in the Argos’ season ending 41-17 loss to the Eskimos.

Toronto bolstered its defensive line by adding former Alouette Alan-Michael Cash and re-signing Edmonton native Cleyon Laing, a former Argo who earned a Grey Cup ring last year with Ottawa. The club signed Montreal linebacker Winston Venable as a free agent, but he abruptly retired on Wednesday. Venable’s departure could hasten Toronto’s pursuit of free-agent linebacker Bear Woods, the East Division’s top defensive player last season who was released this week by Montreal.

While Chamblin continues to evaluate talent during training camp, he knows how he wants his defence to play in 2017.

“We just want to be aggressive,” he said.

“We want to make sure we’re sound, that we’re a smart football team and fast.

“As far as the scheme, it’s ever-evolving ... but we want to make sure we’re fast.” Chamblin wouldn’t discount becoming a head coach again, but said that’s not something he’s actively pursuing now.

“I can tell you that, right now, I’m enjoying this role ... I don’t look to tomorrow,” he said.

“I’m not looking at next year or the year after that.

“If the opportunit­y comes, it’s because someone presented it to me. But I wake up every day thinking about how to get these guys in position to be better players than they were the day before.”

 ?? AL CHAREST/FILES ?? Former Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s head coach Corey Chamblin is back in the CFL as the defensive co-ordinator, secondary coach and assistant head coach of the Argonauts under new head man Marc Trestman. Chamblin says Toronto’s new defence will play smart...
AL CHAREST/FILES Former Saskatchew­an Roughrider­s head coach Corey Chamblin is back in the CFL as the defensive co-ordinator, secondary coach and assistant head coach of the Argonauts under new head man Marc Trestman. Chamblin says Toronto’s new defence will play smart...

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