Inside the CFL: Lions defying expectations as CFL season progresses

By GRAHAM KELLY on September 23, 2021.

On Aug. 5, when I made my prediction for the order of finish in the Western Conference, I picked B.C. to finish last because they had made so many changes.

I was wrong.

It seems likely they will make the playoffs, while for the first time in league history, neither Alberta team will qualify for the post-season.

After missing the playoffs two years ago, and qualifying for the wild-card the season before, owner David Braley and President Rick LeLacheur decided major changes were needed. GM Ed Hervey and rookie head coach DeVone Claybrooks were shown the door. Since capturing the Grey Cup in 2011, the Lions have won a single playoff game.

Replacing Claybrooks was Rick Campbell who has three Grey Cup rings, two as an EE assistant and one as head coach of the Ottawa Redblacks when they won the Cup in only their third year of existence. Of course his famous father Hugh won his first Grey Cup as a Roughrider receiver in 1966, five straight as Edmonton head coach and four as GM and CEO in the Alberta capital, 10 in all. Good blood lines.

Campbell inherited problems on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Mike Reilly was sacked a league-leading 58 times and missed the last two games with a right elbow injury. He ranked fifth in the league with an efficiency rating of 96, sub-par for him. While Bryan Burnham was second in the CFL in receiving, the next pass catcher on the list, Lemar Durant, was 17th. The 2019 Lions ranked eighth in total offence, scored the second-fewest points and surrendered the most.

Clearly priorities for Campbell were giving his 36 year old quarterback more weapons and better protection. He signed former Blue Bomber wide receiver and kick-off return specialist Lucky Whitehead. After six games, he leads the CFL in receiving yards. Along with Chris Rainey, the Lions have an excellent return game. Whitehead is first in the West in combined yards.

Campbell also picked up slotback Dominique Rhymes from Ottawa. The Leos are now first in passing, second in points and fourth in sacks allowed. Reilly ranks second among quarterbacks overall and first in passing efficiency with a sparkling 119.5. Shaq Cooper and James Butler are good running backs but they don’t use them much.

Defensively, Campbell’s priority was putting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Three of the four starters on the D-line are rookies, as is middle linebacker Jordan Williams. The secondary was OK in 2019, but under duress because the line couldn’t harass the QB. They have allowed the second-fewest points but rank eighth in net offence surrendered. Campbell is a defensive specialist and will fix that.

The only category the 2019 team finished first at was place kicking, Sergio Castillo making 91.1 per cent of his field goal attempts. Unfortunately he headed south, but after a rough start finding the right one, Jimmy Camacho is perfect through six games. B.C. punter Stefan Flintoft is first in punting.

So, things are looking up in Lotus Land.

Give a lot of the credit to president Rick Lelacheur. He won two grey Cups while CEO in Edmonton. He is one of the best CFL men in the country. A very important challenge he faced was finding new ownership.

David Braley, the greatest CFL owner of them all (in addition to the Lions he also bought the Ticats and Argos when they were facing collapse) bought the B.C. franchise in 1997. For the past few years because of encroaching age and health problems he was anxious to sell. Mr. Braley passed away at the age of 79, October 26, 2020. Braley brought stability to a club previously owned by the likes of Murray Pezim and Nelson Skalbania. He brought the late, Lion icon Bob Ackles back to the fold and hired Wally Buono. During Braley’s tender, the Lions won three of four Grey Cup games.

Buono stayed on longer than he wanted because of his affection for David Braley who was persuaded to keep owning the team because of his affection and loyalty for Wally. They were a great pair.

The new owner is Vancouverite Amar S. Doman, the founder and owner of one of B.C.’s largest companies, the Futura Corporation.

He loves football and is in for the long haul.