Prior to the start of the Estevan Sportsman's Dinner at Affinity Place on April 24, the Mercury was given a few minutes to fire some questions at the Canadian Football League's Annis Stukus Award winning coach Corey Chamblin and one of his Grey Cup winning receivers Chris Getzlaf. The two members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders were in the city to help the Estevan Bruins Junior hockey team do some fundraising and to visit with local football fans.
In the exchange with Getzlaf, the homegrown football product noted he was not expecting any major changes to the 'Riders offensive playbook or attitude, even with the loss of 1,000 yard receiver Weston Dressler.
"There won't be a pile of change. The offence coaches will bring something in that we will adapt to mentally and physically," he said.
"Of course, there will be new things, but no wholesale changes. We'll do what we need to do in Weston's absence. The offensive scheme will be the same. George Cortez (offence co-ordinator) has a good system where he can put in new things each week of the season."
Asked to comment on the presence of veteran receiver Geroy Simon who joined the team last year and helped them reach the Grey Cup final, and win it, Getzlaf said that with a man of Simon's calibre and experience, there was a lot of learning that could be embraced due to his years of employment with the B.C. Lions.
"Sure we share information among ourselves, and I can learn a lot from a guy like that. He said he wants to play another year, at least."
Getzlaf and Chamblin said the Roughrider defensive secondary should be one of their steadying influences this coming season.
Neither of the two wanted to speculate as to what they think the new salary cap will be this year but it is expected to rise significantly from its current $4.4 million per team based on the recently signed agreement between the CFL and television broadcaster TSN that is paying $40 million for exclusive television rights.
"The cap questions I leave to the league and our team representatives," said Getzlaf. "I expect there will be an increase, but just how much I don't want to guess."
Chamblin, in response to a question on communication with general manager Brendan Taman regarding player signings and budget considerations, said he has a concept of a set roster even before the 70 or more players who are vying for a spot on the team arrive at training camp.
"We have the veterans, the good players, the depth chart guys and then we have the bubble guys," said Chamblin.
"But when I start camp I don't know the numbers (salary levels) I just try to deal with the players and how good they are or can be, and I don't want to know the numbers, and I don't care about the numbers."
But when it comes down to the last few days of camp and the last few players on the bubble, Chamblin chuckled and said, "Oh yes, Brendan will be there and I'll be looking and he'll be looking, and I might get a raised eyebrow when I suggest that one player might have a bit of an edge over another."
In other words, if there are two players on the bubble with nearly identical skills, Taman would much rather see the Roughriders sign the guy who may not cost them as much on pay days. That's the brutal reality of life within the salary cap.
Asked about finding a replacement for the talented tailback Kory Sheets and his, at one time, heir apparent, Jock Sanders Chamblin laughed again.
"We'll have a replacement. I'm always looking for two kinds of tailbacks. I look for a true tailback who is a real tailback, like Kory, and I want to look at tailback/receiver, guys who can be a good tailback but bring the additional receiver trait, and I believe we have some of both ready to come to this year's camp. We did the same thing last year and it worked out well didn't it?"
Chamblin agreed with Getzlaf that offensive co-ordinator Cortez is capable of building an innovative attack that will play well with receivers and runners.
Asked about the status of 38-year-old Simon, Chamblin again, was on the same page as Getzlaf.
"Geroy's got a lot of miles in him yet," he said.
Later in the evening, Chamblin admitted that Simon, on occasion, didn't always appreciate the role he was asked to play on the field, often as a decoy receiver, but he genuinely embraced it and his veteran moves always made him a threat. When he was used as a primary receiver, like in the Grey Cup game, where he caught two touchdown passes, he was more than equal to the challenge and was always prepared and always willing to provide sage advice to the younger players.
On the defensive side of the game, Chamblin said he and defensive coach Richie Hall spent a lot of time working on details. Chamblin came to coaching as a defensive expert and was involved in defence as a player in the NFL and other leagues.
"Our defensive concept is clear."
During their speeches, Getzlaf focused on the need to make sacrifices and paying dues as a bench sitter while learning the professional game.
Both men paid tribute to Roughrider quarterback Darian Durant as a man who was a consummate professional on and off the field.
Chamblin, a native of Birmingham, Ala. now makes his home in Regina, with his wife and three sons.
"It's a tough job coaching the Roughriders, especially when I came in, some of the players were older than me, the 37-year-old said. He is now in his third year as head coach.
Chamblin recalled a conversation he had with Durant before he took the head coach job and while the first season led to some ups and downs, it was always positive steps being taken when the dust had settled.
Speaking of the losing streak the team went through in the middle of last season, Chamblin said "that's when you get to test your championship mettle. The turning point was the fourth losing game in that streak. We learned a lot about ourselves as a team, and we galvanized after the second win when we came out of that losing streak. That game against B.C. that week was one of the toughest games to coach because they were so ready, but we beat 'em."
Getzlaf noted that Chamblin was a players' coach and he felt he (Getzlaf) and Durant shared a certain chemistry during games thanks to the fact they put in extra time in preparation so that when an extra wrinkle, or an addition to a pass route became necessary, they were both on the same page.
"He knows where I'm supposed to be and where I might be," said Getzlaf, adding that over the past few years Durant has taken a lot of undeserved criticism from fans but has remained mentally strong. Chamblin called him one of the toughest players he has ever encountered and "I believe he still has another level."
As for Durant not running with the ball as much as he had in the past, Chamblin just smiled and said, "you look for the right time and when he chose to do it, it was the right time. Cortez wouldn't call it, he'd hold him back, but we knew, he knew, when he needed to run."
As far as being ready for the 2014 season, Chamblin said the win in 2013 is long past now, the players have checked their egos and "we'll see how the guys look with the pads on."
