Questions for new season start at the top
Lack of a commissioner, Argos restart among storylines worth watching
A new CFL season brings new hope, new expectations and new storylines. And yes, a new Mosaic Stadium in Regina and some pomp building up to the Grey Cup game later this year in Ottawa to coincide with the 150th birthday of the country.
The biggest news, however, will be the announcement next month of a commissioner to replace Jeffrey Orridge, who has stepped down after two years on the job. This is only the second time in 59 years the league will begin the regular season without a boss in place.
Here are the top 10 storylines going into the season, which starts Thursday with Saskatchewan visiting Montreal.
WHO’S THE BOSS?
There are several candidates competing for the job of CFL commissioner. The league is looking for a person with CEO experience who has a strong business acumen. Although the league won’t officially identify candidates, the names are believed to include former Basketball Canada CEO Wayne Parrish, former CFL star and financial services industry executive Randy Ambrosie and Scott Mitchell, president of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. But shouldn’t Michael (Pinball) Clemons be considered? He hasn’t even been interviewed. Now special adviser to the Argonauts, Clemons runs five companies, along with his charitable foundation. Has anyone done more for the league in the past 28 years?
THAT EMPTY FEELING
What will it take to get bums in the seats at BMO Field? The Argonauts attracted 24,812 to their home opener last year in their inaugural season in the refurbished stadium by the lake, but it was all downhill from there. The second home game drew a season-low 12,373. As the Argos stumbled toward the end of the season, crowds were between 14,000 and 15,000 for the last two home games. Can the Argos engage a public that is Blue Jay-obsessed? You can have all the tailgate parties you want, but the team needs to win and play entertaining football to boost attendance.
A RAY OF HOPE
Toronto fans haven’t seen the best of oft-injured Ricky Ray for quite some time, but the Argos have tied their fortunes to this 37-year-old quarterback. Ray has some important milestones coming up. Entering his 15th season, he needs four TD passes to reach 300 for his career. He stands seven back of Matt Dunigan (303) for fifth on the all-time list. And needs 117 yards to reach 55,000 career pass- ing yards. Can Trestman bring out the old, efficient Ricky Ray? Many are betting yes.
THE NEXT BREAKOUT STAR
If you’re looking for a breakout QB, look to Vancouver as strong-armed Jonathon Jennings seems to be on the cusp of greatness. Last season, he became the Lions’ first 5,000-yard passer since 2004. Jennings has plenty of upside at only 24. Zach Collaros in Hamilton is also due for a breakout season, after he missed 14 starts in the last two years.
ANY BEAST IN THE EAST?
It looks to be a two-dog fight in the East, with the defending Grey Cup champion Ottawa Redblacks matching up well with the Tiger-Cats, even without Ottawa being able to rekindle the old-time magic of Henry Bur- ris. The Ticats have a healthy Collaros. Montreal, the oldest team in the league at an average age of 28.4 years, seems in disarray and Toronto is rebuilding with wholesale changes on the field and on the sidelines.
NEW-LOOK REDBLACKS
King Henry is gone, retiring on top at age 41, but the Redblacks have also lost receivers Ernest Jackson (to Montreal) and Chris Williams (to B.C.). This is Trevor Harris’s team now and we’ll see how he performs as the go-to guy. Coach Rick Campbell, one of the shrewdest coaches in the league, has introduced an interesting concept by going with a rotating defensive line. Seven or eight defensive linemen will be employed by committee, with the intent being to have his linemen fresh by the fourth quarter.
COULD STAMPS GO 18-0?
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, the outstanding player of 2016, is still stinging from the Grey Cup loss and he’ll be motivated more than ever to return to the big game. The Stamps were15-2-1last season. Could they go 18-0? They have 51 veterans returning — the most in the CFL by far — and only nine first-year players.
PASSING ON RUNNING GAME
Over the past several years, the CFL has become a pass-happy league, aided by new rules that give receivers more room to run their patterns unimpeded. But if you like the running game, there’s been very little to excite you lately. Is the run game on its last legs? Last year, the run-to-pass ratio across the league fell to a historic low of 31:69. It may go even lower this year.
IS NICHOLS THE REAL DEAL?
Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols stepped into the starting role in Week 6 last season and reeled off seven straight wins. His 10-3 record as a starter got the Bombers into the playoffs for the first time since 2011. In a semifinal loss, he threw for a whopping 390 yards. At age 30, and after several attempts to show he can be a leader in this league, he is the most exciting QB in Winnipeg since Khari Jones and Dieter Brock.
THE CANADIAN BACKUP QB
Calgary is going with Canadian Andrew Buckley, a two-time Hec Crighton Trophy winner, as the backup to Mitchell, and Saskatchewan is going with Canadian Brandon Bridge behind Kevin Glenn. Mississauga’s Bridge has to show he’s more than a six-foot-five flame-thrower when he gets the chance. This development on two fronts could herald a new era for Canadian QBs, who once had to turn to other positions to make the grade. The most recent example is Ottawa’s Brad Sinopoli, who was converted to a wide receiver a couple of seasons after being relegated to the third-string QB in Calgary.