Wednesday morning marked the official countdown to 2018 training camp as General Manager Ed Hervey, VP of Football Ops./head coach Wally Buono and quarterback Jonathon Jennings met with media members via conference call.
Along with recapping the CFL Draft and some of the other key moves made this offseason, updates were provided on the health and camp roster status of Travis Lulay. Buono shared some interesting insight on how he might change his coaching style in his final season and the brass once again spoke glowingly about the training camp set up at Hillside Stadium in Kamloops. The first day of on-field workouts at Thompson Rivers University goes Sunday, May 20th.
You can view the entire training camp schedule HERE.
KEY QUOTES
Ed Hervey
On the keys to having an improved pass rush and how he assesses players to fit what they want:
“You try to get players that fit the skill set of being able to rush the passer. It’s not scheme oriented because schemes change so much in this league and coaches move around from time to time. You’ll find yourself overhauling the roster more than you like to. When you’re out scouting players there are basic skillsets that we look for in pass rushers, not only from the outside but the inside. You can get pressure from guys who are physical at the line of scrimmage as well. It’s not solely based on a guy’s ability to get around the guy. Sometimes you want a guy that can go through the guy. Those are the kind players we’re looking for as well.”
When asked by CFL.ca’s Chris O’Leary how Buono compares to the other head coaches he has previously worked with:
“There’s a lot of layers to this. First of all, Wally has more experience than both of the coaches that I’ve worked with combined. He also has the experience as a General Manager so it gives me the opportunity to bounce ideas off of him. Wally is being modest when he was talking. We work as a team. Obviously, it gives me the freedom to select the players, but we both share the same goals, we both share the same passion for this football team and that’s winning football games. We’re not in this to roll the ball out there and see what happens; we expect our team to go out there and make things happen.
That’s what I enjoy about our conversations on the daily, is that everything is about making sure we put the best BC Lions football team on the field. We both want physical players, we both want passionate players and we want players that are going to execute. As far as us working together and the day-to-day, it’s easy to walk in there with a question and get a different perspective. It has allowed me to continuously grow in the position that I’m, but also allow me to make decisions I feel best fit this football team.”
His answer to a question from TSN 1040’s Lowell Ullrich on an update on Lulay’s health and if he will begin camp on the deferred injured list:
“I’ve watched Travis practice. He’ll be available in camp and not be on the deferred. We’re going to have a scheduled workout here in the next couple of days where we’re going to open it up to the media and allow everyone to see where he’s at. We feel very good and optimistic about Travis’s ability to participate in practice. We’re going to take it based on what the doctors give us, but he is more than ready and is not going on the deferred list.”
B.C. Lions quarterback Jonathon Jennings, right, runs from Calgary Stampeders’ James Vaughters during first half CFL football action in Calgary, Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Wally Buono
When asked whether he will approach his last season coaching any differently:
“I want to think of it as the next season with high expectations and I’ve always approached it the say way. Honestly, I thought 2017 was going to be my last season until probably the ladder part of October when David (Braley) was very candid about he wasn’t going to sell and he wanted me to help him in the transition. I don’t want to put pressure on the team, I don’t want to put pressure on Ed, the players or the coaches. My job is to coach in 2018. After that, life goes on. We have our own expectations and our own goals. We want to be in Edmonton, in November, when it counts.”
Question from TSN 1040’s Lowell Ullrich on if his final season will bring any specific changes to his coaching style:
“I have been thinking about being a little bit more reckless. You know how conservative I am, you know how I am about a lot of things. Talking with Jarious (Jackson), Mark (Washington) and Jeff (Reinebold), here how about this? I am going to adopt Don Matthews’ mindset a little bit about letting go a little bit, not being dumb but being more aggressive maybe, be more courageous and maybe be more willing to take risks. At the end of it, I feel comfortable that the coaches that are surrounding me will give me the options to do that with confidence. It’s not them, it’s me. This is my last year, I am going to maybe work harder at trying to win. And if that means I have to take more risks, what’s the worst that is going to happen? Are they going to fire me? If they do, God bless them. I will just have an earlier retirement than what I already have.”
Jonathon Jennings
On whether Buono’s last year increases pressure and expectation amongst the players:
” I don’t think that’s the case. I think we all have high expectations of ourselves every season. We have to come in and have that desire to win regardless of who’s the coach. Like Wally said, he’s going to coach in 2018 and we have to play in 2018. He preaches it all the time: our job is to win and not just to play football. We have that expectation on ourselves and it would just be the icing on the cake to send Wally out on a good note.”
When asked by Jon Keen from Radio NL in Kamloops about his excitement for another training camp in that city:
“I love Kamloops. I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to a new year and a new start for our team. Ever since I was a rookie and saw pictures of where we were going, I mean it’s fantastic, it’s outstanding. The set up is beautiful, (we have) beautiful weather, the facilities are great and the people there are nice as well. It’s run really smoothly. I’m just excited to get back there and get back with the team.”
You can listen to the entire Lions season preview conference call HERE!