Inside the CFL: Why can’t coaches be questioned on their decicions

By GRAHAM KELLY on June 23, 2022.

Last week 13 members of the 2020-2021 class were inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Seven are associated with the Calgary Stampeders, a reflection of the organization’s dominance since Norm Kwong, Wally Buono and Stan Schwartz took over the team in the late 1980s and early ’90s. Those three worthy gentlemen are Hall-of-Famers, as is current head coach Dave Dickenson.

Enshrined as builders were current president/general manager John Hufnagel and former CFL commissioner Doug Mitchell. The late Argo, Alouette and St. Mary’s coach Larry Uteck was inducted posthumously. Also entering the hallowed hall was Marv Levy, the former Montreal coach becoming the third person to make both the Canadian and NFL Halls of Fame – the others Bud Grant and Warren Moon.

Stampeder players who made it include QB Henry Burris, OL Freddie Childress, Canadian QB Greg Vavra, receiver Nik Lewis and DL Will Johnson. Saskatchewan O-lineman Clyde Brock went in, as did Argo player and now coach of the Ti-Cats Orlondo Steinauer and Hamilton/Edmonton D-lineman Mike Walker.

Will Johnson was one of the greatest defensive linemen to ever play the game, an All-Canadian five straight years. He didn’t win the CFL Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award, a flagrant injustice as is the fact 17-year O-lineman, five-time All-Canadian Lloyd Fairbanks from Raymond, Alta. is not in the Hall.

What I particularly admire about Will Johnson is he has always told it like it is. He will say flat out he and linebacker Alondra Johnson were the keys to Calgary Grey Cup appearances. He’s not bragging either, just stating the facts.

It has always somewhat surprised me that athletes at all levels, but especially the pros, accept incompetence. The coach is the unquestioned boss. Disobey and you don’t play. The culture of sports says the coach is always right and must be obeyed, their decisions to be accepted no matter what, even if the players know they couldn’t lead the champion Winnipeg Blue Bombers to victory over a high school team.

Will Johnson was the exception.

At first Johnson drank the koolade. In the 1991 Grey Cup against Toronto, trailing 36-21 10 minutes into the fourth quarter, Calgary had the ball on the Argo two. A couple of running plays and the Stamps would be eight points behind with enough time left to tie the game. Instead, quarterback Danny Barrett threw three incompletions. The Boatmen won.

Said Johnson: “With two yards to go, I’d have run a sweep or a quarterback sneak or quick-hitting dive play. But we’re not coaches. We’re just players and we have to accept what the coaches do.”

But that was offence. What about defence?

In the 1995 Grey Cup in Regina, Calgary faced the Baltimore Stallions, coached by Don Matthews. His on-field leader was Tracy Ham who was to become second all-time in rushing yards by a quarterback.

That statistic misled opponents to believe he was a one-trick stallion and couldn’t throw, ignoring the fact he had one of the highest completion rates in CFL history. Coach Buono decided to box Ham in and force him to pass. Ham ran for only 24 yards in the Baltimore 37-30 victory but completed 17 of 29 for 213 yards. Johnson disagreed with Buono.

“Any quarterback, no matter how lousy he is, if he stays in the pocket for a long time, is going to pick you apart.”

Johnson thought they should be going after Ham. So why didn’t he? “I did later on but the other guys are more coach-conscious, whereas I’m more win-oriented, doing what it takes. I’ve been in the league a long time so I do what I think it takes to win. I’ve got to pass rush. I’ve got to get off what the coach is saying and do what it takes to win.” Johnson had a fumble recovery and 35-yard run that set up a touchdown. Ham was sacked once.

Other Grey Cups were lost by coaching decisions. What Johnson did was rare. Ron Lancaster, who was nicknamed “The Little General” because he was such a smart quarterback, told me the only CFL coach he played for who ever asked his opinion about anything was Eagle Keys. Lancaster was baffled by decisions that cost the Riders Grey Cups in 1972 and ’76.