NCAA Football '11-'12

[Barrister]

Why would a promising young coordinator want to go to the CFL?

Head coaching experience. Six figure salary.

As I said, no one from one of the big "power schools" would be interested.  But the offensive co-ordinator from, I dunno, Utah or or Rutgers (and I just picked the names of somewhat smaller schools at random - I have no idea who the OC at either school actually is).

And cross border moves do happen.  I still remember when Mike Reilly, the last Bomber coach to win the Grey Cup, left the team to coach at Oregon State. 

Freedom and job security?  About as much as any level of football, which is to say next to none.   

[Barrister]

Sorry I noted that Pryor was like the CFL's MVP last year, BB.  When it comes to CFL footballl, maybe it is inappropriate to examine the MVP to determine what makes a player valuable.  I just don't know enough about Canadian Football to know that the Most valuable Player doesn't possess the kinds of skills and talents that makes a player at his position valuable.

I do pretty clearly know more about CFL than you do about Pryor, though, if you think Pryor is a "run first" QB.

I think Pryor might do well to go to the CFL to sharpen his skills, is my point.  He didn't finish his senior year in college, and I think he isn't ready to play QB in the NFL.  Certainly the CFL would expose him to the best defensive players he could find outside the NFL.

Why do you get so abrasive g?  I just want to talk football.

I don't necessarily disagree with your last paragraph, though I don't know if Pryor is NFL ready or not.  The last I heard of him was that commentators were urging him to switch positions, and figured he'd easily be drafted that way.  He'd certainly make more money as a running back or receiver in the NFL than as a quarterback in Canada.

I was mostly reacting to the notion that he was almost guaranteed to be a star in Canada.

It didn't work that way for Raghib Ismail - perhaps the only example of a genuine college star (and Heisman runner-up) that signed in Canada instead of being highly sought after in the NFL.  While he certainly wasn't a bust (and he was a Grey Cup MVP in '91, a game I remember well as it was the first ever Grey Cup in Winnipeg), it was generally felt he didn't live up to expectations, and he went to the NFL after two seasons.

[Valmy]

I thought (but am free to be corrected) that Pryor was in that Michael Vick/Vince Young "run first" college QB model.

That does not necessarily mean the player cannot pass.  Both Vick and Young are pretty good throwers even at the NFL level though Young does have that funky throwing motion.  I actually sort of object to the idea either Vick or Young were "run first" like they were a wishbone QB or something.

[Ed Anger]

Who said he'd be a star in the CFL?

[MadBurgerMaker]

You could certainly make the same kind of money as at a small school (Div IAA or DII) in the US, or better, but I don't know how much freedom and job security you would have.  I know nothing about the reps of CFL owners/GMs.

He seems to be talking about 1A schools. 

Head coaching experience. Six figure salary.

As I said, no one from one of the big "power schools" would be interested.  But the offensive co-ordinator from, I dunno, Utah or or Rutgers (and I just picked the names of somewhat smaller schools at random - I have no idea who the OC at either school actually is).

They both already make six figure salaries (Norm Chow is at Utah, Cignetti is at Rutgers).   Those are both 1A schools in AQ conferences, by the way.  The next step for them (well not Chow I guess) is a 1A head coaching spot somewhere. 

And cross border moves do happen.  I still remember when Mike Reilly, the last Bomber coach to win the Grey Cup, left the team to coach at Oregon State. 

Haha is that the same Mike Riley who was the old SA Riders coach back in the early 90's?

[Ed Anger]

I thought (but am free to be corrected) that Pryor was in that Michael Vick/Vince Young "run first" college QB model.

That does not necessarily mean the player cannot pass.  Both Vick and Young are pretty good throwers even at the NFL level though Young does have that funky throwing motion.  I actually sort of object to the idea either Vick or Young were "run first" like they were a wishbone QB or something.

Vick has a gun. Dude raped the Bengals with it one year.

[Barrister]

You could certainly make the same kind of money as at a small school (Div IAA or DII) in the US, or better, but I don't know how much freedom and job security you would have.  I know nothing about the reps of CFL owners/GMs.

He seems to be talking about 1A schools. 

Head coaching experience. Six figure salary.

As I said, no one from one of the big "power schools" would be interested.  But the offensive co-ordinator from, I dunno, Utah or or Rutgers (and I just picked the names of somewhat smaller schools at random - I have no idea who the OC at either school actually is).

They both already make six figure salaries (Norm Chow is at Utah, Cignetti is at Rutgers).   Those are both 1A schools in AQ conferences, by the way.

And cross border moves do happen.  I still remember when Mike Reilly, the last Bomber coach to win the Grey Cup, left the team to coach at Oregon State. 

Haha is that the same Mike Riley who was the old SA Riders coach back in the early 90's?

I'll concede that a 1A, AQ co-ordinator wouldn't go to Canada.  Maybe from a non-AQ school though.

And a quick check shows that A: yes it is the same Mike Riley, and B: he didn't go right from the Bombers to Oregon State like I somehow remembered.

[Barrister]

Who said he'd be a star in the CFL?

Grumbler seemed to:

I think Pryor's talent level will fit the CFL much better than the NFL.  He would make a lot less money per year in the minors, but his career would be longer because he would be one of the most talented and skilled players in his league, rather than one of the least.  I think that, in general, CFL football rewards the kinds of skills the typical successful college QB develops much more than the NFL does.

Emphasis added.

[MadBurgerMaker]

I'll concede that a 1A, AQ co-ordinator wouldn't go to Canada.  Maybe from a non-AQ school though.

To be fair though Utah is only AQ starting this coming season, and Rutgers is in the Big East, which barely qualifies. 

Edit:  What are the CFL coaching salaries like?  Dudes like Larry Coker and Dennis Franchione, head coaches of 1AA -> non AQ 1A transition teams, make $210k (Coker) and $350k (Franchione) plus incentives and whatever that are included in those types of things.  If they were just looking for some cash, instead of trying to work their way back into higher level 1A college football like I suspect both of them are doing and aren't going to succeed with, guys like that could probably be poached.   They're not exactly "hotshots" or "young" though, and their coordinators probably aren't superstars in the making.   

And a quick check shows that A: yes it is the same Mike Riley, and B: he didn't go right from the Bombers to Oregon State like I somehow remembered.

Sweet.  That dude has been all over the place in all sorts of weird leagues (the Riders were....World League...WLF or WLAF something like that) and at different levels.  Interesting career he's had. 

[Ed Anger]

I had wondered where Larry Coker went.

[MadBurgerMaker]

I had wondered where Larry Coker went.

Into the void of coaching a non-existent/non-playing team for the first ~two years of his contract and not getting paid much for his efforts.  I think his salary is supposed to start going up once they actually start playing games.

He seems to have done okay with recruiting and stuff.  They actually got some dudes with stars next to their names, which I wasn't expecting. 

[Barrister]

I'll concede that a 1A, AQ co-ordinator wouldn't go to Canada.  Maybe from a non-AQ school though.

To be fair though Utah is only AQ starting this coming season, and Rutgers is in the Big East, which barely qualifies. 

Edit:  What are the CFL coaching salaries like?  Dudes like Larry Coker and Dennis Franchione, head coaches of 1AA -> non AQ 1A transition teams, make $210k (Coker) and $350k (Franchione) plus incentives and whatever that are included in those types of things.  If they were just looking for some cash, instead of trying to work their way back into higher level 1A college football like I suspect both of them are doing and aren't going to succeed with, guys like that could probably be poached.   They're not exactly "hotshots" or "young" though, and their coordinators probably aren't superstars in the making.   

And a quick check shows that A: yes it is the same Mike Riley, and B: he didn't go right from the Bombers to Oregon State like I somehow remembered.

Sweet.  That dude has been all over the place in all sorts of weird leagues (the Riders were....World League...WLF or WLAF something like that) and at different levels.  Interesting career he's had.

I believe a CFL head coach makes something like $100-$200k, but now that I'm looking I can't find any numbers.  It depends on the coach of course.

What can I say - I've had the notion that an agressive CFL team should find a coach from US college ranks, rather than from within Canada, is one I've had for several years.  But nobody seems to be doing it.  But if you're a young assistant or co-ordinator at a place like, I dunno, Miami of Ohio (to pick a school I KNOW isn't in an AQ conference), but you're not likely to get a head coaching job anytime soon, getting the chance to be a head coach in a pro football league would be pretty intriguing.

[sbr]

And comparisons to amateur or semi-pro leagues are right out, by the way.  The CFL is a fuly professional league.  Players even at the bottom of the roster make a minimum of about $40,000.  It's not a lot of money, but players do not have to work a second job if they don't want to (some do however).

Good lord, I doubt Pryor can afford that a pay cut like that. 

[Ed Anger]

Here's the AP's story:

    The Saskatchewan Roughriders have acquired the negotiating rights to Terrelle Pryor and have spoken to Pryor's lawyer about bringing the former Ohio State quarterback to the Canadian Football League.

    Pryor's attorney, Larry James, said Wednesday that the CFL is a genuine possibility for the ex-Buckeye.

    "Yeah, it's like I told (the Roughriders). My house is not for sale, but at the right price, it's on the market," James said.

    James was in a meeting and had yet to speak with Pryor about the Roughriders, however. James said he did not believe Pryor had ever mentioned the CFL as a strong possibility in their conversations.

[Ed Anger]

I looked at the QB's on all 8 CFL teams. What a joke.