Can you smell it? Can you feel it getting closer? Yes fans the long hibernation known as the CFL off-season is coming to an end and across our country football fans are getting their colours ready for another great season of Canadian football, as training camps open everywhere and every team has its sights set on a trip to Vancouver in November for the 99th Grey Cup championship.

For the BC Lions, it’s a big year. The team ended the 2010 season playing some very good football and almost knocked off Saskatchewan in the Western Semi-Final. Heading into this year’s camp the club hopes to build on that momentum, return to the top of the CFL’s West Division and play in the Grey Cup in their newly renovated state of the art stadium.

But to get there the journey will be a long one and it all starts on Sunday, June 5th when those looking to make the 2011 squad hit the field at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops BC.

With the Lions finishing strong last season, the club elected to make continuity a key ingredient in their off-season planning. With the exception of a trade, a few free agent signings, a defection to the NFL and an unfortunate run in with the law, many players will be returning to the den to build on the momentum they ended last season with.

If you’re planning to head to training camp, BCLions.com has all you need to know on their training camp page. Bookmark it because if there are changes to the daily schedule they will post updates there. You can also download the club’s official Training Camp guide as well.

So all that said, take a look at the Lions as they head into training camp and begin their journey to a Grey Cup appearance in 2011!

A new leader emerges:

Last season the Lions fielded a very young team and many of the players were learning the CFL game. By the end of last season that growth was evident and the Lions started to show they had a lot of talent that was starting to get it. Early injuries to the offence and a revolving door at quarterback saw the team struggle out of the gate on offense. By the end of the year Travis Lulay had become the club’s starting quarterback and the undisputed leader of the offense. Nowhere was his growth more evident than in the Western Semi-final where he walked into Mosaic Stadium in Regina and nearly led the Lions to an upset over the Roughriders.

Lulay has all the tools to be a star in the CFL. Intelligence, toughness and the ability to pull the ball down and get yardage when nothing is there. He has the attention and respect of his team in the huddle and they are willing to follow him. That probably couldn’t be said of last season’s starter to begin the year. His arm strength may not be the best in the league but it’s more than adequate and he can pick teams apart by taking advantage what they give him. The beauty of Lulay is he is still learning and is eager to do so. He spent much of his off-season in BC and was a regular at the team’s practice facility,working on the offense, studying film and preparing himself to be the face of the offence. Look for very big things from Travis Lulay out of the gate.

Jarious Jackson returns as the backup and Mike Reilly will start camp as the number three, but the Lions have also brought in Corey Leonard, and Matt Johnson to compete. Knowing Buono’s knack for finding quality quarterbacks don’t be surprised to see the pecking order below Lulay change somewhat.

Protecting the leader:

Lulay will have better protection to start the season and a big reason for that will be the off-season acquisition of the 2010 offensive lineman of the year Ben Archibald, formerly of the Calgary Stampeders. The 6’4″ 322 pound Archibald will be protecting Lulay’s blind side at the left tackle spot, shifting last year’s promising rookie tackle Jovan Olafioye to the right side. The interior of the line will once again be anchored by the dependable and experienced Angus Reid. The Lions had asked Reid to assume a back up role to begin last season, looking to groom Dean Valli for the position but by the end of the year it as Reid returning to provide a calming influence on the line, showing the team he was still more than capable of being a starter. There will be key battles along the interior of the line in training camp. When the Lions drafted Justin Sorensen they likely saw him as a possible candidate for a tackle spot, but he is now listed on the depth chart as a backup centre to Angus Reid. Non-imports John Hameister-Ries and Jesse Newman are slotted in at left and right guard respectively. Dane Randolph and Nick Hennessy will slot in at backups at tackle while Andrew Jones and Dean Valli will backup as guards. Non counters Adam Baboulas (2010) and Yannick Sage (2011) will look to impress and possibly displace any of the previously mentioned backups along the interior of the line.

Running by committee:

Behind a steadier offensive line the Lions ground attack will likely be done by committee. Jamal Robertson returns as a duel threat from the backfield with Jerome Messam looking to improve on a solid rookie year. Injuries to Jamal Lee (knee) and Andrew Harris (torn pectoral muscle) will see both of those players get a late start. Rolly Lumbala returns at fullback and will again be a key contributor on special teams. With Yonus Davis no longer an option due to legal problems the Lions have stockpiled a collection of potential backs and have a poker in the fire on former Saskatchewan Roughrider and Hamilton Tiger Cat Kenton Keith who recently impressed at a free agent work out. Before that though, the Lions will see what they have with newcomers Tim Brown, Keegan Herring, Micheal Smith and non counting Tim Cronk. It’s likely that few names from this group will also audition for the returner role previously held by Davis. Smith is the cousin of former Lion Stefan Logan, and says he’s a little tougher and has more top end speed than his relative who was nicknamed “Joystick”. If that proves to be true, the Lions may have found a gem.

Replacing Manny and opportunities to shine:

The Lions didn’t have a lot of turnover this off-season, but one big loss could be felt at receiver with the loss of Emmanuel Arceneaux to the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Paris Jackson will miss training camp on the training camp injured list as he is still recovering from a knee injury. Of the players returning from last season, look for Shawn Gore and Steven Black to have an impact coming out of camp. Gore and Black are slotted in as the team’s two starting slot backs heading into camp and both have the talent to hold onto those jobs. Gore never really got a chance to show his talents after arriving from the Green Bay Packers part way through the season, seeing most of his time on special teams. But Black became a dependable option for the team down the stretch and will look to entrench himself even more in the starting lineup.

Geroy Simon of course is the cagey and wise veteran who keeps on ticking. He needs 4 TDs to surpass Willie Fleming (87) for first on the Lions’ all-time list. He needs six TDs to reach 90 for his Lions career and 34 receptions to hit the 800 mark to add to his club record total. Simon is also closing in on Milt Stegall for the league’s all time receiving yards record, needing 1,432 yards to pass one of the CFL’s all-time greats and be in sole possession of the record.

Wide receiver is where things could get interesting. Second year player Nick Moore who didn’t see the field and 2010 draft pick Akeem Foster enter camp as tops on the depth chart, but the Lions have brought in some talented players to compete, hoping to find the next diamond in the rough to replace Arceneaux. The Lions have no fewer than 10 wider receivers to evaluate at camp, and early reports from rookie camp suggest that there are some good options to choose from. 2011 draft pick Marco Iannuzzi (Harvard) will look to impress. He likely won’t start right away but may also get a look as an option for kick returner. Other players vying for jobs will be Dobson Collins, Marc Ison, Kierrie Johnson, Calvin Simon, Jared Perry, William Osbourne and Brandon Thompkins.

Strength at Linebacker:

Despite the Lions troubles last year the defense was pretty solid last season and help the team in a lot of games while the offense struggled. The strength of the defence is definitely the linebacking core and the Lions are looking to make it the focal point of their defence this season. Last year’s rookie of the year Solomon Elimimian will be the centrepiece. It sounds as if the Lions will be employing a four linebacker set at least to start the year. If that is the case look for Adam Leonard, Anton McKenzie and nickleback Korey Banks join Elimimian. Joe Henderson returns for another year and will likely get rotated in and there is James Yurichuk who continues to improve and may play a bigger role this year. Joash Gesse, Adam Bighill and Tyrell Graham will also compete, but don’t excpect many surprises when camp breaks.

In search for the next Wake:

The Lions were extremely lucky to enjoy the talents of Cam Wake for two seasons. But since the monster that terrorized CFL quarterbacks left to star in the NFL, they have yet to find a replacement for the rush end position. Brent Johnson returns for another season and the Lions were happy with how fresh he was kept by rotating in and out during games. That’s how he’ll start the year with Aaron Hunt moving to defensive end and the newly acquired Eric Taylor starting at defensive tackle. Keron Williams will start on the other end and look to start the season healthy. Khalif Mitchell who arrived from the NFL last season with a bang but tailed off down the stretch could also see a lot of reps and should have a better handle on the CFL game. Newcomers Keyon Brown, James Bryant and draft pick Chris Hodgson will also look to impress.

Secondary remains strong:

One are where the Lions have always been solid over the last few years is the secondary and 2011 should find them solid again. Coach Mark Washington has a lot of talent to work with led by veterans Dante Marsh, Ryan Phillips, J.R. Larose and Davis Sanchez. Stanley Franks had a strong season in 2011 and he returns along with David Hyland who’s hard hitting take no prisoners style excited fans in the games he played in.  The Lions would like to see special teams demon Jason Arakgi play a bigger role and he’ll enter camp as the backup to LaRose at safety. LaRose is coming off a another serious leg injury and Arakgi should be ready to emerge soon. Second year players Anthony Reddick and Hamid Mamoudi both return and newcomers Marquez Hall and Micheal Carter and Travis Williams look to get noticed and crack a solid group.

Looking for that special player:

The Lions probably didn’t count on having to replace Yonus Davis in 2011. Davis’ legal problems left them with no choice however and the search for a new returner at camp will be one to watch. Various receivers and backs will be given opportunities and Buono will hope he makes the right choice. Last season he handed the job to Robert Jordan (who was also implicated in the Davis situation) who was ineffective before finding lightning in a bottle with Davis. The return game won the Lions a few games last year and replacing that component will be important to the teams overall success.

The kicking game will once again fall in the hand of the capable Paul McCallum who seems to be defying his age. McCallum had won of his best season kicking field goals last season and can still punt accurately and efficiently. Buono chose to keep McCallum over the up and coming Sean Whyte who was dealt to Montreal at the draft. The Lions drafted Hugh O’Neil out of the University of Alberta who be McCallum’s backup and who many feel was the best kicker in the draft.

The Lions return coverage was solid last season and many of the same cast will be back. Arakgi, Yurichuk and Lumbala are lethal down field tacklers and they’ll be the leaders on cover teams.

Who will make a name for themselves?

Every year there is a player at camp who forces the coaches to make a difficult decision and this year will likely be no exception. If it is, the football staff haven’t done their job in finding players to improve the team. Wally Buono is also known for cutting a veteran or two every year. Last season he had a very young team and his off-season to date has shown he wants to maintain continuity in 2011 and let the tam grow. But that won’t mean the plans cant change if a player gives him no choice. The biggest surprise may come at receiver, or perhaps running back. Paris Jackson’s knee is a real concern and a strong showing in camp by another player like Shawn Gore may leave Buono with a tough decision. There are also options waiting in the wings with Kenton Keith and Kamau Petersen.

Other key notes:

Fan Fest will be held June 12th: Gates open at: 1:30 pm
Autograph session: 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm
Practice: 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm

The team will hold a night practice on Monday June 20th.

Fans heading to Kamloops should note that on June 5^th, 8^th, 10^th and 19^th, the club will have very limited on-field activities during the morning practice session.

So there you have it, hopefully we’ve shed some light on some of the battles to watch for at camp. If you’re heading up to Kamloops or live in the area enjoy the practices and the experience of CFL training camp! Let’s hope all the hard work during the next few weeks results in a great year for the Lions!

The last major event before training camp goes this Sunday when the CFL holds it’s annual Canadian College draft. TSN will broadcast the first two rounds of the draft, beginning at 9:30 a.m. PDT and we’ll be live blogging the draft starting with some pre draft chat at 9:00am.

The BC Lions hold the 3rd overall pick in 5 of the 6 rounds. They do not have a 2nd round pick, surrendering that to the Calgary Stampeders when they acquired offensive lineman Jesse Newman last season. The club will be looking to add some depth to a young and emerging roster and will be aiming to have a better success rate in the draft than in recent years. Last year’s top pick Danny Watkins recently went in the first round of this year’s NFL to the Philadelphia Eagles while other recent picks have had to be released due to lack of roster space or plucked by other teams of practice rosters.

That said, 2010 was a productive draft for the Lions. As CFL.ca’s Jim Mullin writes, a total of five drafted players suited up for the Lions last season. All will be back in Kamloops for training camp and looking to play a bigger role in 2011.

Looking at the Lions biggest need you have to look at the receivers and in particular non-import depth at the position. The team has Paris Jackson, Shawn Gore, O’Neill Wilson, Akeem Foster and Matt Chapdelaine on the roster, and while they list Andrew Harris as a wide receiver he’s a running back at heart. Paris Jackson is coming off a sub par season after knee issues hampered his game, and the Lions are hoping for big things from Gore in his first full season with the team. Akeem Foster will also look to play a bigger role, but it’s plain to see the Lions have needs to address here, leading most to predict they will take a receiver with the 3rd overall pick. Calgary Dino’s Anthony Parker and Nathan Coehoorn are possibilities, as is Marco Iannuzzi out of Harvard.

The Lions also need help on the defensive line. Cameron Wake left a void that may not be filled for quite some time. Canadian Brent Johnson returns but isn’t getting any younger, so the Lions could be in the market for a defensive lineman in the draft.

Offensive line is always an option, but I can’t see the Lions taking one with the first pick unless Rice’s Scott Mitchell drops down to the Lions. They do need to start planning for a successor to Angus Reid and while Baylor’s Philip Blake may be intriguing, he’s also on the NFL radar for 2012 and it remains to be seen if BC is willing to take a chance on him like they did with Watkins last year. That uncertainty saw Blake drop in the final CFL rankings.

To get an outside point of view, I asked two people whose opinion I really respect to provide as an outsiders look at the Lions draft needs.

Kurt Ridley of Ridley Scouting provides scouting and player preparation services out of Airdrie, AB. He’s also the author of an extensive 2011 CFL Draft Guide (Available for download for $4.99) and has participated in CFL E-Camps in the past.

Jack Bedell writes an Eye on the East column for BCLionsDen.ca and also writes for the Montreal Alouettes web site.

Each of them had some thoughts on what the Lions might do on Sunday.

Kent Ridley

Review of 2010:

Interesting results from last year’s grab of college players. Danny Watkins is out of the picture and has been much talked about so we won’t dig into that. Shawn Gore had a run with the Packers that likely sent him to Vancouver a little more polished than straight out of Bishop’s. From testing highlight reel to a contributor in the offense is what is expected of him. Nate Binder has bounced around the CFL since his release in BC. Joash Gesse will move into a learning role behind James Yurichuk, a former first round pick, who extended his contract this spring. Akeem Foster is a guy who will need to make strides this year but has the skill set to do it.

Looking ahead:

Everyone knows the Henoc Muamba’s, Anthony Parker’s, and Matt O’Donnell’s of the Draft Class. I would like to bring up some names that you might have heard about and forgot or maybe never knew. Picking the first 4 is easy, picking the last 4 of the day is much, much harder.

BC enters the weekend with 5 picks. Their first chance to select comes in the first round at third overall. From there they sit back until the third round and select nineteenth overall. Their last three picks come at 26, 34, and 42. Don’t worry if your math is off because some media outlets count the Calgary forfeited pick as being #22 while others bump #22 down to Toronto. Hope they decide one year which way will become the standard.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Philip Blake (Baylor, C/LT) go to the West Coast after their time spent scouting Danny Watkins. Building depth for the future and being able to work with it is a key there. Moe Petrus (UConn, C) could be another futures pick that may or may not draw NFL interest next year. Currently he is ranked in the top ten for centers, one spot ahead of Blake, but the average NFL draft has only 5 or so selected. Alex Krausnick-Groh (Calgary, C) is a three year starter with the Dinos and could draw interest.

Jadon Wagner (BYU, LB) is another one that could fit the profile in BC. I know some BC fans will go “not another LB” but to create the competition it would make sense. Yurichuk, Gesse and Wagner could turn into a nice trio of defenders.

Craig Butler (Western Ontario, S) could take over the empty spot left by the Tad Crawford departure and was an active ball hawk in the OUA. He should be available when BC returns to the table in the 4th. Jeff Hecht (Saint Mary’s, S) could be another second half of the draft target. He is a tweener that played as a linebacker for the majority of his stint with the Huskies but projects more as a safety in the CFL. Another option could be Michael Carter (Maryland, DB). He should be a later round pick that doesn’t come with a lot of stats in tow but has speed to burn and could make an impact on special teams early. Michael put up great numbers at the JuCo level and timed at a 4.33 at the JuCo combine before ending up at Maryland.

Jack Bedell

One fact flying under the radar of late is just how young, fast, and aggressive the Lions’ have gotten on special teams and defence the last couple of seasons. You could really see some of that roster overhaul coming to fruition down the stretch last season. As B.C. began to blend all that athleticism with game experience on the back nine of their schedule, the wins started to stack up, and the team made a heck of a playoff run after a dismal start.

I don’t see any reason for the Lions to back off their recent draft strategies this Sunday when they’re on the board. With one Muamba already on the roster, Safety Cauchy, you have to figure St. FX LB Henoc Muamba would be a prime pick for B.C. if he’s still on the board in the third spot when they’re on the clock. He’d certainly bring a high-motor and textbook aggression to the Lions’ D and teams.

Bishop’s Junior Turner might be another possibility in the same vein for B.C. Turner showed off some of the same kind of speed his brother, Argos’ WR Steven Turner, possesses during his e-camp testing. He’d be an impact player on kick coverages right away, and might work himself into the rush end rotation pretty quickly a la Saskatchewan’s Shomari Williams last season.

And since it’s the CFL Canadian Draft, you can’t overlook the prospect of the Lions going o-line with their early picks. Several quality players should be available in the first two rounds if B.C. were to go that way, Baylor’s Phil Blake and Tulsa’s Tyler Holmes to name a couple.

For your draft reading pleasure

Jim Mullin (CFL.ca) – Lions on a run of strong CFL drafts.

Lowell Ullrich (The Province) – Lions may take a receiver with the 3rd overall pick.

Mike Beamish (Vancouver Sun) – Will it be all in the family for Lions and CFL draft star prospect Henoc Muamba?

Duane Forde (TSN.ca) – CFL Draft Dictionary

Join us for a live blog and discussion for Sunday’s CFL Canadian College Draft. The Lions hold the third pick in the draft. Who will join the pride this season? Leave a comment here on who you think the Lions will pick for a chance to win a BCLionsDen.ca “Tailgate Empire” t-shirt. To double your chances RT this message on Twitter:

I’m joining BCLionsDen.ca to talk CFL Draft on Sunday May 8th: http://bit.ly/lIvlYO #BCLions #CFL #CFLDraft #TailgateEmpire

This week the BC Lions announced the signing of Arkansas State quarterback Corey Leonard, who impressed the team at a recent tryout camp in Atlanta on April 16th.

Leonard suffered a knee injury in 2009 which set him back when it came time for the NFL draft. The talented QB took a year off to strengthen and get mobility back in his knee and will now try his luck in the CFL with the Lions.

With Travis Lulay and Jarious Jackson entrenched in the starter and backup roles heading into camp, Leonard will be vying for the number three spot with incumbent Mike Reilly, but he’s coming in with the right attitude.

“”I’m a competitor, and every day I set my new goals for myself. I was a four-year starter in high school and a four-year starter in college, and I’m not going up there [Canada] to sit on the bench,” Leonard said.

The Lions also announced that import receivers Carl Sims of Western Illinois, Dobson Collins of Gardner-Webb and defensive back Marquez Hall of Tennessee State will join Leonard for the start of  rookie camp on June 2nd in Kamloops.

Here is a video profile of the newest BC Lions pivot.

It’s been a while Lions fans! I hope you’ve all been having a great off-season. If you’re like me, it’s already too long. I miss my Friday Night Football, tailgating and all the good times that come from being a CFL fan.

That said there have been some interesting things going on around the league so I thought it would be a good time to touch on a couple that will have an affect on the BC Lions.

Bye Bye Mannie

If you follow Emmanuel Arceneaux on Twitter you probably know by know that the Lions receiver is not likely returning to the team in 2011. Arceneaux has been actively tweeting about his NFL tryouts, and has stated he’s close to signing with an NFL club. His agent confirmed those statements in a recent articleby Matt Sekeres of the Globe and Mail.

Bardia Ghahremani, told the Globe that five NFL teams have shown interest and Arceneaux could make more in signing bonus money than he would on a new deal with the Lions. He also doesn’t think there will be an NFL lockout, which may be wishful thinking on his part. If there is a lockout and Arceneaux is under contract to an NFL team, he won’t be able to return the CFL, and could miss a year of football. A year he could be honing his skills in the CFL in preparation for even a bigger pay day, similar to the one Cam Wake received from Miami (A 1 million dollar signing bonus).

The Lions had an offer on the table for Arceneaux, and Wally Buono felt a deal was doable.

“The numbers [Arceneaux] put forward to us, we felt were doable,” Buono said. “They just felt that maybe it was best to see what the NFL would offer.”

Buono told Arceneaux to make it wothwhile if he decided to bolt for the NFL.

Of course every player deserves to chase his dreams, and we wish Mannie all the best, whatever decision he makes. The departure will leave a hole in the Lions receiving corps but should allow for Steven Black, Andrew Harris and Jamal Lee to assume larger roles. No doubt the club will be looking for more replacements in their upcoming free agent camps as well.

Ottawa Expansion

The guidelines for the expansion draft that will bring Ottawa back into the league were announced recently. You can find the full details on BCLions.com but here are some of the key points unveiled by the league:

• If everything proceeds as planned, the Ottawa team could take the field for the 2013 season. In that case, the expansion draft would be conducted on or about Thursday, December 13, 2012. It will consist of three rounds: one for imports, and two for non-imports.
• Ottawa will be able to select a total of eight imports and 16 non-imports, including two quarterbacks, from existing teams.
• If the team is ready to start play in 2013, Ottawa will pick first in all six rounds of the 2013 CFL Canadian Draft, after picking as many as four underclassmen from the NCAA in the 2012 CFL Canadian Draft.
• Ottawa will have the ability to select not more than two quarterbacks and not more than one kicker or punter (for clarity, Ottawa may not select a kicker and a punter). A Member Club cannot have both a quarterback and a kicker or punter selected from its roster. A Member Club cannot have more than one quarterback selected from its roster.

Round by round here are the rules that Ottawa and the member clubs will follow in the three round draft:

Round One:

• Member Clubs may protect one quarterback, and ten additional Import players.
• Ottawa will select one Import player from each Member Club.
• Import quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are eligible for selection (and protection), provided that: 
• Each Member Club may protect a maximum of one quarterback in the Import Draft.
• All other quarterbacks on a Member Club’s roster at the time of the draft are eligible for selection in this section.
• Ottawa will only be able to select two quarterbacks in the Expansion Draft.
• If a quarterback is selected from a Member Club in the Import Draft, such Member Club will be able to protect the names of an additional two Non-Import players in the first round of the Non-Import Draft.
• If a kicker or punter is selected from a Member Club in the Import Draft, such Member Club will be able to protect one additional Non-Import player in the first round of the Non-Import Draft.

Round Two:

• Each Member Club will protect six Non-Import players.

Non-Import quarterbacks, kickers, and punters are eligible for selection (and protection), provided that:

• If a Member Club had a quarterback selected from its roster in the Import draft, it will be permitted to protect eight Non-Import players in the first round of the Non-Import Draft (instead of six); and
• Ottawa will be prevented from also selecting a kicker or punter from that Member Club.
• If a Member Club had a kicker or punter selected from its roster in the Import Draft.
• That Member Club will be permitted to protect seven Non-Import players in the Non-Import Draft (instead of six); and
• Ottawa will be prevented from also selecting a quarterback from that Member Club.

Any kicker or punter selected in the Non-Import Draft must be selected in the first round. If a Member Club had a kicker or punter selected from its roster in the Non-Import Draft, such Member Club would be eligible to protect eight Non-Import players in the second round of the Non-Import Draft, instead of six.

Ottawa will then select one non-import player from each Member Club.

Round Three:

• Member Clubs will then submit a second list of an additional six Non-Import players for protection.
• If a Member Club lost a Non-Import kicker or punter in the first round of the Non-Import Draft, such Member Club would submit two additional Non-Import player names for protection.
• Ottawa will then select one non-import player from each Member Club.
• The Commissioner will resolve any dispute related to player eligibility for the Expansion Draft process.

Not a bad deal for Ottawa if they should get some good football people in place and draft wisely. It will no doubt hit some of the Member clubs hard depending on the players they lose. The idea will be to have Ottawa competiive right out of the gate to ensure the public support the club. Several member teams, including the Lions benefited greatly through the dispersal draft the last time Ottawa folded.

If you’re on Twitter, you’ve probably heard the phrase “Tweetup”. So what is a Tweetup?

A tweetup is simply a meetup of people that share a common interest on Twitter. In this case you’re a BC Lions fan or a CFL fan and you would enjoy watching the Lions crush the Stamps on Friday night in a great social setting with other fans.

The Tweetup will be at Schanks Sports Grill in New Westminster! Kicking off at 7:00 pm, Friday’s inaugural event will feature great drink specials and a variety of prizes including autographed photos and two tickets to the Lions’ final home game on Sunday, October 31st against the Saskatchewan Roughriders!

I’ll be attempting to Live blog the even for our CFL.ca Friday Night Football Live chat as well.

Follow the Lions on Twitter: @BCLions and follow us as well @BCLionsDen for all your BC Lions tweets!

You can help spread the word about this fun event by retweeting this post, and use the hashtag #LionsTweetup on Twitter!

Jim Mullin is the Sports Director at CKNW 980 AM in Vancouver and has offered us the chance to share his blog posts here on BCLionsDen.ca. We’re excited to have Jim’s opinions on the CFL and encourage you to follow his own blog on CKNW.com

By Jim Mullin (CKNW 980)

The BC Lions made a trade, took a gamble and got their wish list at the Canadian Draft, Sunday.

While conventional thinking had the Lions taking Bishop’s receiver Shawn Gore with the fourth overall pick, they instead chose highly touted offensive lineman Danny Watkins of Baylor University. The native of Kelowna will play out his NCAA eligibility this year before potentially arriving at the Lions 2011 camp.

Then, by the time the 10th overall pick rolled around, Gore was still available.

The Lions selected the Bishop’s grad in what Wally Buono described as triumph of “reverse psychology”.

The fact that Gore has signed with the Green Bay Packers as a free agent this afternoon may have send his draft value down to the second round. He is the third player from the Bishop’s program to be selected by the Leos in the past two drafts.

“Shawn is arguably the best receiver in the draft,” noted Buono. “He’s got some opportunities down south and we’ll wish him the best with those, but he’s too good to let slide by to another team.”

The Leos picked up a pair of defenders out of the University of Montreal as linebacker Joash Gesse and corner back Hamid Mahmoudi were selected 16th and 20th overall respectively.

“Joash has had a few injuries which didn’t’t help him at the Evaluation Camp this year,” admits Buono. “What we have seen on film however, tells us that he is a strong, physical playmaker with great football instincts.”

“Hamid will come in and compete for a wide side cornerback position with Davis Sanchez. He had 13 interceptions over a little over three years so he definitely has a knack for big plays.”

Two more receivers were drafted in the fourth round as the Lions grabbed Tusculum College’s Nate Binder and St.Francis Xavier’s Akeem Foster with the 24th and 25th selections.

The Lions had just a single selection in the fifth round and used it to pick up St. Francis Xavier defensive back Cauchy Muamba and then wrapped the 2010 Canadian Draft by choosing St. Mary’s offensive lineman Adam Baboulas and receiver Matt Chapdelaine, son of Lions offensive coordinator Jacques Chapdelaine.

“Overall I’m not sure I have seen a better all-round draft not only for our club but all the teams in our league,” said Buono. “I think it speaks well of the players being developed in Canada and the future of our game.”

Welcome to our 2010 CFL Draft Live Blog page. On Sunday, May 2nd, at 9:00am Pacific I’ll be joined by Jann Shreve (BCLionsDen.ca, ProPlayers.ca) Kent Ridley (RidleyScouting.com) and Tyler Bieber and Michael Peltz (CFLDaily.com) to blog and discuss the draft as it unfolds. Make sure you join us to discuss some CFL football and in the meantime download our CFL Draft Primer from CFLDaily.com.

Spread the word on Twitter and to your CFL friends, and we’ll see you here Sunday morning!

Kent Ridley recently attended E-Camp in Toronto and was kind enough to send us a couple of interviews from top prospects Taurean Allen and Chima Ihekwoaba of the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. Kent is a guest writer here at BCLionsDen.ca and is owns and operates Ridley Scouting Services which is based in Alberta.

Taurean Allen – CFL.ca	Chima Ihekwoaba – CFL.ca

Taurean Allen

1. When did you start playing football?

A: I started out playing football in my Grade 10 year of high school. My school didn’t have a team my grade 9 year so I had to settle for playing volleyball that fall semester which was a blast I might add.

2. How did you end up at Laurier?

A: After an extensive recruiting process I chose Laurier because they had everything I desired in a University and football program. Those criteria’s were a small community, a winning tradition, and an excellent academic reputation within the job force. Also helped that #5 was available!

3. What do you prefer to play – CB or S?

A: I would have to say CB. I feel I possess all the required tools (speed/instincts/aggression) which has made me a dominant CB in college and ultimately with some fine tuning, pro coaching and continued hard work, the same results should be actualized at the CFL level.

4. Favorite CIS highlight?

A: My favorite highlight hands down would be my diving interception against McMaster in our ’08 campaign. They stayed away from me the entire game and when they finally threw my way it looked like it was going to be overthrown, but I turned on the jets, dove, and hung on for dear life. I got up and started to pump up our fans which made that moment that much better.

5. Biggest achievement in football so far?

A: My biggest achievement in football thus far would be everything that has led me to this point in my football career. All the individual recognition and awards that I have garnered along with the three football championship teams I have played on has allowed me to stay hungry and keep driving to be the best, which has led me to where I am at today.

6. What do you expect to bring to a CFL team?

A: If I do have the privilege of being drafted into the CFL, I expect to bring my versatility, child like passion and superior knowledge of the game to the table. My athletic ability and overall football skills is a product of nature (god given) and nurture (hard work), but it is my passion and knowledge of the game that I feel will help me the most in my transition from college ball to the pros.

7. Any advice for the 2011 Draft Class now that you’ve been through the E-Camp?

A: My advice to the guys who are privileged enough to go through this process next year would be to make the necessary sacrifices. Whatever sacrifices that may be to ensure that each individual is at the peak of their game and athleticism is within each man. A wise man once said, ‘In the game of football there are only 2 types of pain: That of hard work and the pain of regret.’ The choice is yours!

Chima Ihekwoaba

1. When did you start playing football?

A: I started playing football in the 10th Grade at Notre Dame Secondary School Burlington Ontario. Played Defensive end, Defensive Tackle, Line Backer and Fullback, through my high school years.

2. How did you end up at Laurier?

A: I committed after visiting the school a few times. I knew that Laurier’s defensive system would be a great fit for me. Laurier’s system relies on athletic defenders across the board. Also in my prior to my freshman year I knew that there would be many 3 veteran defensive ends in their final years, so I knew prior to coming to Laurier I could learn a lot from these guys and my coaching to develop me into the player I’ve become.

3. What do you prefer to play – DE or DT?

A: Defensive End.

4. Favorite CIS highlight?

A: My first sack in my freshman year in my first series of play in CIS football against  University of Toronto.

5. Biggest achievement in football so far?

A: The honour of being invited to the CFL evaluation camp. It sums up all the hard work I’ve put in thus far and my dedication to the game.

6. What do you expect to bring to a CFL team?

A: A competitive hard worker, who is dedicated and loves the game of football. Also, a versatile and athletic football player who comes from a very intricate defensive system. I physically dominate offensive linemen with my strength and speed play after play. I take my pride in my “will to win” every down. Very good footwork and technique, again a versatile D-lineman who can rush from a four down line or up as a rush at the same time. Calm and collective off the field, but when the pads are on its all business.

7. Any advice for the 2011 Draft Class now that you’ve been through the E-Camp?

A: Start training now. The next year dictates your future in football, work to be the best every day. Keep in mind there’s someone out there trying to take your spot. The people that don’t believe in you is your motivation, prove them wrong. Eat or be eaten.

Kent Ridley is an athletic scout and owner of RidleyScouting.com. A service based in Alberta that identifies top athletes in football, basketball, lacrosse, soccer and hockey, helping them acheive their goals of getting noticed by pro scouts. They set up and distribute player profiles, organize scouting systems and do scouting of their own.They’ve recently stepped up their efforts to help bridge the gap between playing professionally and hiring an agent. We met Kent at Grey Cup in Calgary this year, and after following him on Twitter and seeing the knowledge he has about CFL prospects, we asked if he would like to do a piece for BCLionsDen.ca, and he graciously agreed. Hopefully he’ll check in from time to time offering his opinions on the top prospects to watch for possible careers in the CFL.

You can’t look ahead without first looking back. For BC that includes 3 draft picks in the first 5 picks of the 2009 CFL Draft. Those three picks turned into running back Jamall Lee, special teams leader/linebacker James Yurichuk and speedy receiver Matt Carter. The Leos followed that up in the third round with a coaches son in big Matt Morencie. In the fourth round they chose safety Tang Bacheyei from Kansas and in the fifth round the final BC pick was Jonathon Pierre-Etienne.

So walking out of the draft it looked like BC would be sitting pretty with the non-import talent. However this grouping of seven players only participated in 22 regular season games in Lion colours. Jamall Lee returned from his tryout with the Carolina Panthers to suit up in 4 games with his only scratch on the scoresheet being a 10 yard reception. Given a full training camp and time to learn the playbook completely he will contribute in a much bigger way this year. James Yurichuk suited up in all 18 games and it looks like it’ll be more of the same this year.

The next three picks however finished the year in different uniforms. Both Matts (Carter and Morencie) found a road that ended up in Hamilton, while Bacheyei also went to Ontario but into the SkyDome locker room. Finally Pierre-Etienne spent the year on the practice roster hoping to make a big impression on coaches this spring.

Now unlike the big spectacle that is the NFL Combine and NFL Draft that follows, which takes up hundreds of hours of programming on various sports networks and sees more folks sign up for NFL Network than any other stretch during the year, the CFL Draft is a different beast all together. Rather than spending a lot of time in analysis of your year ending roster the CFL draft is a lot more of bringing in top non-import talent regardless of need at a specific position.

This year you’ll see teams doing weird things based on some formula that they hold to in their war room and on their draft boards. For example last year Montreal drafted 8 players that combined for a total of 8 regular season CFL games and saw 4 of the players picked retire before the season.

That all said let’s look to the upcoming camps and see who the Lions might just be bringing to camp this spring.

The first round sees the Lions pick third overall. Of the first 7 picks (Hamilton forfeits their first round pick due to the Supplemental Draft last year) potentially 5 will come from the NCAA with all of those having another year of NCAA play available to them. The cream of the crop right now prior to the combines in no particular order are:

Joe Eppele (Washington State) a 6’8” 306 lb offensive left tackle with Vancouver ties already. Big body that has done well in a program that hasn’t done as well during that time. Has mentioned in previous interviews that he wouldn’t be returning to Washington State for a final season but that door is still open.

Danny Watkins (Baylor) a 6’4” 310 lb offensive left tackle that is also a BC native. His path is a little different as Danny played hockey growing up and his first game of organized football occurred at Butte Junior College in California while taking forest fire fighting courses. Since getting into the pads all he has done is become a regional all star and has started every game he’s played in 3 years (2 at Butte and 1 at Baylor).

John Bender (Nevada) a 6’8” 325 lb offensive right guard that has a knack of taking care of his quarterback. Nevada set an NCAA record with 3 thousand yard rushers this year. Big John was a key to that offensive line that simply pushed defenses around.

Shomari Williams (Queen’s) a 6’2” 245 lb defensive force. Spent time at University of Houston as a linebacker but lined up in Kingston mostly as a defensive end. Had a fantastic run through the OUA playoffs, bowl game and Vanier Cup.

Cory Greenwood (Concordia) a 6’2” 235 lb linebacker that earned the 2009 CIS Defensive Player of the Year award. Was in on 72 tackles (52 solo and 20 assists) in 8 games and added 2 sacks to the mix.

Brian Bulcke (Stanford) a 6’4” 273 lb defensive tackle that entered the 2009 NCAA season as the #1 prospect on the CFL Scouting Bureau Top 15. A broken wrist will send him back to Stanford for a 5th year as he earned a medical red shirt. Otherwise he was a strong bet to go first overall in the 2010 CFL Draft. As a junior he had 18 tackles and 4 sacks in the Pac-10.

What would the CFL Draft be without some top receivers. A pair of All-Canadians are leading the pack. Concordia’s other Cory. Cory Watson is an inside receiver coming in at 6’2” and 204 lbs. This second team All-Canadian pulled down 52 passes for 821 yards in only 8 games (1 of only 4 CIS players over 800 yards) with 6 touchdowns.

Akeem Foster (St. FX) a 6’5” 208 lb wide side receiver. Perhaps didn’t have the draft year season that grabbed the spotlight but Akeem did snag 37 catches for 595 yards over the 8 game CIS season to earn first team All-Canadian accolades.

Another receiver to toss into the mix is Jordan Sisco (Regina). A 6 foot 210 lb receiver that earned an invitation to the annual Shrine Bowl thanks to a 52 catch year for 700 yards. He is a between the 20s receiver though with only 2 touchdowns and a 13.5 yards per catch average for the Rams.

For those that need more names here’s an interesting list – Taurean Allen (Wilfrid Laurier, CB); Charlie Houghton (Georgetown, RB); Steven Hughes (Ottawa, WR) and speedy Steven Turner (Bishop’s, RB).

With 5 months to the first snap that matters things are very liquid at this point. Look to the National Invitational Combine and the CFL run E-Camp to change positions and no one is a lock. Between the one on one drills for the linemen and the famous 40 yard dash for the ball handlers and ball hawks things will shimmy and shake some more.

Ridley Scouting

Owner: Kent Ridley
Website: http://www.RidleyScouting.com
Twitter:  http://www.twitters.com/RidleyScouting
E-Mail: rids@ridleyscouting.com
Phone: (403) 863-8643