McDiarmid pays ultimate price for Eskimos’ follies
EDMONTON Cory McDiarmid was replaced as Edmonton Eskimos special team co-ordinator the morning after the team suffered an embarrassing 30-3 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in a game that began with a blocked punt.
The announcement was made in an email that indicated head coach Jason Maas would hold a media availability to explain the decision Mondayand also revealed that assistant coach Dave Jackson would replace McDiarmid.
The Eskimos started virtually every possession deep in their own end against Winnipeg and ranked last in the league in opposition starting position after kickoff (36.3 yard line) going into the game.
Edmonton also ranked ninth in punt return average (7.7 yards), kickoff return average (19.6 yards) and eighth in kickoff average (61.8 yards) and special teams penalties (32).
The Eskimos, Argos and Alouettes are the only teams in the league without a kick return touchdown and have given up two.
With 15 years of CFL experience including four GreyCup games and Grey Cup championships in 2000 and 2013, McDiarmid worked with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Montreal Alouettes, Calgary Stampeders and B.C. Lions in various roles. Healso was defensive co-ordinator of the U of Ottawa Gee Gees.
Jackson is in his third season with the Eskimos.
A high school coach in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, Jackson moved on to coach with the Gee Gees and then returned to hometown Regina to coach the junior Regina Thunder where he won the CJFL title in 2013. He was hired by the Bombers in 2014 and the Roughriders in 2015 before Maas brought him to the Eskimos.