2004 CFL Western Preview - B.C. Lions
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2002 record - 11-7-0-0. Playoff result: Lost to Toronto in East Division semifinal. Stadium - B.C. Place. Capacity - 29,706 Club Colors - Orange, black and silver.
All eyes this season will be on B.C. Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson.
After spending two seasons as an NFL backup, Dickenson returned to the CFL in 2003, signing a multi-year deal with B.C. reportedly worth $350,000 a year. After shaking off some early-season rust, Dickenson proved to be money in the bank, completing 370-of-549 passes (67.4 per cent) for 5,496 yards and 36 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. His passing efficiency rating of 112.7 was tops among CFL quarterbacks. Dickenson was named the West Division's nominee for the CFL's outstanding player award, finishing as a finalist to Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo.
After guiding B.C. to an 11-7-0-0 record _ good enough for fourth spot in the competition West Division _ Dickenson suffered a season-ending left knee injury that forced him to watch the Lions' 28-7 road loss to Toronto in the East Division semifinal. Dickenson tried to suit up against the Argonauts, but it became evident in the pre-game warmup that the veteran quarterback couldn't push off the leg to put any zip on his passes, let alone scramble if the pocket collapsed around him. A dejected Dickenson walked off the field with a slow, painful limp, returning to the sidelines wearing a track suit. An MRI afterwards revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament that required surgery.
Dickenson had minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee to re-trim some cartilage from his original tear, but he reported to training camp with other Lions veterans last month.
Dickenson's decision to sign with B.C. reunited him with Lions coach-GM Wally Buono. Before heading to the NFL, Dickenson played for Buono with the Calgary Stampeders.
With Dickenson and Buono, the Lions underwent a resurgence last year. The club posted an 11-7-0 record to finish in a second-place tie with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders, but ultimately fell to fourth in the CFL's tie- breaking formula. Still, it was just the third time in seven seasons that the Lions had finished over .500.
To help protect the five-foot-11, 185-pound Dickenson, the Lions dipped into the free-agent market this off-season to sign offensive lineman Bobby Singh, a B.C. native who played previously with Calgary . B.C. also free-agent running back Antonio Warren, another former Stampeder, to bolster its rushing attacmc That spelled the end of veteran Kelvin Anderson, another former Calgary player who was released despite rushing for 1,047 yards and averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
Anderson spent seven seasons in Calgary, surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing plateau every year and helping the Stampeders win two Grey Cup titles, before being released prior to the start of the 2003 season.
Dickenson's receiving corps is stellar. Geroy Simon (94 catches, 1,687 yards, 13 touchdowns) heads a group that also includes Chris Brazzell (68 catches, 1,111 yards, six touchdowns), Ryan The well (59 catches, 925 yards, four touchdowns) and Frank Cutolo (64 receptions, 908 yards, eight touchdowns), who was named the CFL's outstanding rookie. Cutolo is also a dangerous kick and punt returner as well.
Defensively, the best news B.C. received during training camp didn't come on the field. Rather, it came in a Vancouver courtroom.
On June 1, Lions defensive end Ray Jacobs, who was arrested a month earlier after cocaine was found in his car, learned he would not face criminal charges. Jacobs, 31, had maintained the cocaine found was not his and was crushed into the vehicle's floorboards by someone who borrowed his car.
With his legal problems behind him, Jacobs can now concentrate on football. He posted a team-high 10 sacks in 2003, leaving him tied for third in the CFL . Jacobs joined the Lions in 2003 after being cut by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Lions defense also features all-star linebacker Barrin Simpson, who registered a CFL-high 92 defensive tackles last season. Teammate Carl Kidd also enjoyed a stellar 2003 campaign with 80 tackles (fifth in CFL) while defensive back Mark Washington added 70 tackles.
But the club did release veteran cornerback Eric Carter in the off-season. Carter joined the Lions as a free agent in 1999 and helped the team win the Grey Cup in 2000. A multiple CFL all-star, Carter had four interceptions in 2003 and subsequently joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a free agent.
The Lions will also feature a new kicker. Curtis Head made 44-of-56 field goals (78.6 per cent) and finished fourth in CFL scoring with 188 points. But the American rookie struggled as a punter, posting a less-than-stellar 39.0 average.
In the off-season, Head left the Lions to take a coaching position at his alma mater, Marshall University. So B.C. signed former Stampeders punter Duncan O'Mahony, who averaged 41.4 yards punting in 2003 but was just 2-of-9 on field goals when veteran kicker Mark McLoughlin, 38, retired after Labour Day to become Calgary's president. O'Mahony's troubles forced McLoughlin to return to active duty less than two months later.
The skinny: After last year's fine showing, expectations are high in B.C. And with just cause. During his stellar career with Calgary, Buono habitually guided his team to 10-plus regular-season wins and appeared in six Grey Cup games, winning three.
But much of what the Lions do this year will be predicated on the health of Dickenson. If the veteran quarterback has no ill-effects from his knee surgeries, then the sky is the limit. But if he has a setback, then it will be up to B.C.'s defense to keep games in check while the offence finds a way to score points. And there are questions about O'Mahony's prowess as a kicker.
Sports Network predicted finish: Second.
From The Sports Network
Dan Ralph, CFL Editor
FACTS & FIGURES: Division - West. 2002 record - 11-7-0-0. Playoff result: Lost to Toronto in East Division semifinal. Stadium - B.C. Place. Capacity - 29,706 Club Colors - Orange, black and silver.
All eyes this season will be on B.C. Lions quarterback Dave Dickenson.
After spending two seasons as an NFL backup, Dickenson returned to the CFL in 2003, signing a multi-year deal with B.C. reportedly worth $350,000 a year. After shaking off some early-season rust, Dickenson proved to be money in the bank, completing 370-of-549 passes (67.4 per cent) for 5,496 yards and 36 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. His passing efficiency rating of 112.7 was tops among CFL quarterbacks. Dickenson was named the West Division's nominee for the CFL's outstanding player award, finishing as a finalist to Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo.
After guiding B.C. to an 11-7-0-0 record _ good enough for fourth spot in the competition West Division _ Dickenson suffered a season-ending left knee injury that forced him to watch the Lions' 28-7 road loss to Toronto in the East Division semifinal. Dickenson tried to suit up against the Argonauts, but it became evident in the pre-game warmup that the veteran quarterback couldn't push off the leg to put any zip on his passes, let alone scramble if the pocket collapsed around him. A dejected Dickenson walked off the field with a slow, painful limp, returning to the sidelines wearing a track suit. An MRI afterwards revealed a torn anterior cruciate ligament that required surgery.
Dickenson had minor arthroscopic surgery on his knee to re-trim some cartilage from his original tear, but he reported to training camp with other Lions veterans last month.
Dickenson's decision to sign with B.C. reunited him with Lions coach-GM Wally Buono. Before heading to the NFL, Dickenson played for Buono with the Calgary Stampeders.
With Dickenson and Buono, the Lions underwent a resurgence last year. The club posted an 11-7-0 record to finish in a second-place tie with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders, but ultimately fell to fourth in the CFL's tie- breaking formula. Still, it was just the third time in seven seasons that the Lions had finished over .500.
To help protect the five-foot-11, 185-pound Dickenson, the Lions dipped into the free-agent market this off-season to sign offensive lineman Bobby Singh, a B.C. native who played previously with Calgary . B.C. also free-agent running back Antonio Warren, another former Stampeder, to bolster its rushing attacmc That spelled the end of veteran Kelvin Anderson, another former Calgary player who was released despite rushing for 1,047 yards and averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
Anderson spent seven seasons in Calgary, surpassing the 1,000-yard rushing plateau every year and helping the Stampeders win two Grey Cup titles, before being released prior to the start of the 2003 season.
Dickenson's receiving corps is stellar. Geroy Simon (94 catches, 1,687 yards, 13 touchdowns) heads a group that also includes Chris Brazzell (68 catches, 1,111 yards, six touchdowns), Ryan The well (59 catches, 925 yards, four touchdowns) and Frank Cutolo (64 receptions, 908 yards, eight touchdowns), who was named the CFL's outstanding rookie. Cutolo is also a dangerous kick and punt returner as well.
Defensively, the best news B.C. received during training camp didn't come on the field. Rather, it came in a Vancouver courtroom.
On June 1, Lions defensive end Ray Jacobs, who was arrested a month earlier after cocaine was found in his car, learned he would not face criminal charges. Jacobs, 31, had maintained the cocaine found was not his and was crushed into the vehicle's floorboards by someone who borrowed his car.
With his legal problems behind him, Jacobs can now concentrate on football. He posted a team-high 10 sacks in 2003, leaving him tied for third in the CFL . Jacobs joined the Lions in 2003 after being cut by the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Lions defense also features all-star linebacker Barrin Simpson, who registered a CFL-high 92 defensive tackles last season. Teammate Carl Kidd also enjoyed a stellar 2003 campaign with 80 tackles (fifth in CFL) while defensive back Mark Washington added 70 tackles.
But the club did release veteran cornerback Eric Carter in the off-season. Carter joined the Lions as a free agent in 1999 and helped the team win the Grey Cup in 2000. A multiple CFL all-star, Carter had four interceptions in 2003 and subsequently joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as a free agent.
The Lions will also feature a new kicker. Curtis Head made 44-of-56 field goals (78.6 per cent) and finished fourth in CFL scoring with 188 points. But the American rookie struggled as a punter, posting a less-than-stellar 39.0 average.
In the off-season, Head left the Lions to take a coaching position at his alma mater, Marshall University. So B.C. signed former Stampeders punter Duncan O'Mahony, who averaged 41.4 yards punting in 2003 but was just 2-of-9 on field goals when veteran kicker Mark McLoughlin, 38, retired after Labour Day to become Calgary's president. O'Mahony's troubles forced McLoughlin to return to active duty less than two months later.
The skinny: After last year's fine showing, expectations are high in B.C. And with just cause. During his stellar career with Calgary, Buono habitually guided his team to 10-plus regular-season wins and appeared in six Grey Cup games, winning three.
But much of what the Lions do this year will be predicated on the health of Dickenson. If the veteran quarterback has no ill-effects from his knee surgeries, then the sky is the limit. But if he has a setback, then it will be up to B.C.'s defense to keep games in check while the offence finds a way to score points. And there are questions about O'Mahony's prowess as a kicker.
Sports Network predicted finish: Second.
