Inside the CFL: From high to the lowest of low: the Chris Jones experience
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on July 25, 2024.
sports@medicinehatnews.com@MedicineHatNews ast week was a busy one in the CFL with the changes in Edmonton, Saskatchewan’s new uniform and Wally Buono being inducted onto the Calgary Stampeder Wall of Fame. It was the first time Chris Jones has been fired as a professional football head coach. His history shows a man who signs a contract, has some success, gets a better offer and leaves his employer high and dry. The 57-year-old product of Tennessee has been in the CFL for more than 20 years, beginning as an assistant with Montreal, 2002-07, followed by a stint as defensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach with John Hufnagel from 2008-2011. He bailed on the Stamps for the defensive co-ordinator’s job in Toronto where he won a Grey Cup in 2012. Hufnagel wasn’t amused. Jones left the Argos for Edmonton in 2014, won the Cup the following year, then took off for Saskatchewan where he enjoyed moderate success. On Jan. 8, 2019 he signed a two-year extension with the Riders. A week later he resigned and went to Cleveland as a defensive adviser. Soon after, the Browns fired their coach and Jones lost his position. Jones’ major talent turns out to be burning bridges. During his second stint with Edmonton, beginning in December 2021, Jones’ record over two seasons and five games was 8-33. He lost every home game in 2022, seven last year plus three this season. The stands were empty, cobwebs in the souvenir store, no lineups at the concession stands. The club was bleeding money, losing $15 million from 2021 to the end of last season. Once the CFL’s flagship franchise, the Elks are for sale. What a disgrace. The main job of a general manager is to find talent for his coach, in this case one and the same. How did GM Jones do? Of the 24 players who took the field against Ottawa last week, 17 were free agents, 10 of whom were signed going into the 2024 season. The rest signed last year. All but five came from other CFL teams. There were two men acquired by trade. His scouts found RB Kevin Brown and receiver Dillon Mitchell in 2022. Linebacker Nyles Morgan came aboard in 2022. Quarterback Tre Ford was selected in the 2022 Canadian College draft and started three games that year and 10 last season. Jones signed veteran American McLeod Bethel-Thompson as soon as he was available. (A good move, although Ford would certainly sell more tickets.) Of last Friday’s starting 24, there were no Canadians that he drafted. None. Since arriving in Edmonton, he brought in dozens of other players. Yet only two are starting today. It costs money to bring all those bodies in for a tryout. A coach has to be an excellent judge of personnel. Yes, he could recognize proven talent when he saw it, i.e. the veterans he signed. His scouting department led by Geroy Simon – now GM – and Frantz Clarkson let him down, but Jones had all the titles and the responsibility for results. Compare the Elks lineup to the Calgary team that beat B.C. last Sunday. There were six free agents from other CFL teams. Six of their seven starting Canadians were players they drafted. The rest of the American starters were found by the scouting department. Usually when a team makes a coaching change, the players are so fired up for the next game, they give their opponent a terrible shellacking. But after the Elks lost in the last four seconds against Ottawa at Commonwealth Stadium, five days later they went down to lose 20-14 in the nation’s capital. This Sunday they host Hamilton in the Misery Loves Company Bowl. It’s not a great match-up for the Herd. The Tiger-Cats are coming off their only win of the season and Bo Levi Mitchell is on pace to throw for more than 6,000 yards, a feat accomplished only five times, twice by Doug Flutie, once by Kent Austin, Anthony Calvillo and Dave Archer. The Hammerheads are second in passing and total offence, the Elks pass defence is second-worst in the league. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan won in their new uniforms and Calgary got a ferocious Lion off their backs. Kudos to mascots Gainer the Gopher and Ralph the Dog who performed in 30+ C heat. Graham Kelly has covered the CFL for the Medicine Hat News for 52 years. Feedback for this column can be emailed to sports@medicinehatnews.com. 25-24
