TAMAN UPDATES FANS

Roughrider GM Brendan Taman met with the media on Thursday to give the team's position on all the latest goings-on in Riderville. Here's what he had to say:

ON THE REMAINING LB'S (MCCULLOUGH, LLOYD, STEWART)

It's the experience thing. You can go out and sign guys who have experience but I think we can find some new guys who don't have the experience but who can fit in. We have MO and Chris Graham right now that we can play with in the middle but we'll sign some new guys. Some of the DBs we have can fit into the dime spot too.

ON OWNING THE #1 PICK IN THE DRAFT

It's gonna take a lot to move it and I don't foresee us doing that.

ON HUSKIES OL BEN HEENAN, THE TOP PROSPECT

He's a good player. There's a lot of other names out there but a young offensive lineman is pretty valuable. Whether he's the best pick at that spot, we'll see, but he's pretty high up in our rankings.

ON COLE BERGQUIST

He needs work and he'll have competition. We're not just going to give him the #2 spot. Where that plays out, we'll see, but we're not just gonna give him the job. His contract won't come into play there.

ON CONTRACT TALKS WITH DARIAN DURANT

We've talked and I'm actually going to meet with him this afternoon about a number of things. We're not in a hurry to do that. We'll continue to talk and we'll see where it goes.

ON KOCH AND GETZLAF

Koch's free in a month and Chris is going into his option. The option year guys are important but right now the free agents are the priority.

ON ANDY FANTUZ

Really nothing's changes since the last time I talked to you guys. February 15 is the date and I don't see anything changing.

ON DINWIDDIE'S FUTURE

We talked about him coaching at the end of the year but the staff worked out the way it did. Absolutely he's a very bright guy who wants to get into coaching and I could see him having a very bright future in that. From talking to him, he wants to still play but he knows ultimately his future is in coaching. He has a lot of contacts in the States. He's a good individual but the biggest thing we'll miss is his relationship with Darian.

ON GENE MAKOWSKY

I'm about to meet with Gene in the next couple of days to see where we're at with everything. I know him and Jeremy O'Day have talked and he spoke with Corey Chamblin on the weekend. We'll see where that goes. I haven't talked to Gene myself but we'll see where that goes shortly.

ON WES CATES

We're continuing those talks and we've told Wes we'll let him know shortly what his status is going to be.

DINWIDDIE GONSO!!

Axe continues to fall in Regina: The #SskRoughriders will release back-up QB Ryan Dinwiddie. Announcement from the #Riders ahead. #CFL

DISCUSSIONS WITH FANTUZ TO HEAT UP NEXT WEEK



Andy Fantuz watches from the sidelines as the Saskatchewan Roughriders play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers during CFL action in Regina, September 4, 2011.

REGINA — Discussions between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and slotback Andy Fantuz could heat up next week.

Tim Fleiszer, who represents Fantuz along with Gil Scott, said he expects to talk with members of the Riders’ football operations staff during the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Representatives from each of the CFL teams and those in the NFL are expected to be on hand for the Senior Bowl on Jan. 28.

Fantuz played out his option after the 2011 CFL season and is eligible to file for free agency on Feb. 15.

“I had good chats with the Riders before Christmas,” Fleiszer said. “I’m sure we’ll continue to have discussions, but free agency is still a long ways off.”

Brendan Taman, the Riders general manager, told reporters last week that he expected Fantuz to test free agency. Taman also feels the Riders still have a chance of retaining Fantuz.
“I think we have a chance of getting him back, but I don’t think it’s going to happen before the 15th,” Taman said. “When that happens, all bets are off, quite honestly. We’ll see where it goes.”
Fantuz was the Riders’ first pick (third overall) in the 2006 CFL draft. He was the most outstanding Canadian in the 2007 Grey Cup game and was the CFL’s most outstanding Canadian in 2010 while recording a league-leading 1,380 receiving yards.

He signed with the NFL’s Chicago Bears during the 2010 off-season and was released after the pre-season. Fantuz battled ankle injuries after returning to the Riders and dressed for only four games. Fantuz, 28, has had one NFL tryout, with the Jacksonville Jaguars this off-season.
Fleiszer said there has been some interest in Fantuz expressed by other NFL teams.

“Typically Gil and I will meet with all 32 (NFL) teams,” Fleiszer said. “We’ll have a better idea of what the picture looks like after that.”

The Riders had 14 players from the 2011 squad eligible to file for free agency. Taman has been pared that list to 11. Linebacker Jerrell Freeman, defensive tackle Keith Shologan and Fantuz were considered by Taman as the Riders’ top-tier free agents.

Shologan re-signed with the Riders on Nov. 18. Freeman agreed to terms with the Indianapolis Colts on Monday. He’s to be Indianapolis on Tuesday to officially sign the contract.
Regina Leader-Post

mmccormick@eaderpost.com

MATT DOMINQUEZ ON THE RIDERS

Roughrider great Matt Dominguez was on the Sports Cage Monday night and provided his thoughts on the Riders' hiring of Corey Chamblin as head coach and the contract status of receiver Andy Fantuz.

ON THE 2012 RIDERS

Initially when all the changes were gonna happen, you heard all the rumblings about names. You heard the sexy name guys, about guys coming forward, or elevate the guy that's already in the program. But I always thought that Coach Chamblin would be great. He's the guy I wanted. If you look at the makeup of the team, with the vets and the rookies, you need a guy with that personality and that type of energy. We went from having an old guy coaching staff to a young guy coaching staff in a short period of time. That's what the team needed.

In 2007 I predicted 12 wins because I saw the culture, the atmosphere and I knew the type of players that were there. Knowing what I know now about this team, the type of systems they'll be instituting, I think we won't regress. I think we'll be around a 10 win season. 10 wins get you in, and that's all that matters.

ON ANDY FANTUZ

When I re-signed with the Riders in December of 2004 ahead of free agency, my situation was totally different. I was an American. You can find import receivers anywhere. But there are very few non-import receivers who can play at Andy's level. Let's now put that aside. Out east, they have two very good quarterbacks in Toronto (Ricky Ray) and Hamilton (Henry Burris). If I'm a receiver and I want to play with a good QB, and I'm thinking about moving, that changes things. In my case, when I was in the NFL, I'd listen to offers from the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans because then my family could go to everyone of my games since I'm from Texas.

I haven't talked to Andy in 2 1/2 months but if he chooses to play for another team, that's his choice. Not many people would turn down a raise to be closer to their family. Not many would.

**You can listen to the entire 15-minute interview with Fantuz in the Sports Cage podcast two posts below.

JEFFELL FREEMAN A COLT ??

For CFL purposes, Jerrell Freeman never became a free man.

With a month to go before the Feb. 15 free-agency deadline, Freeman has apparently been suitably enticed by overtures from the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts.

"Well you've been good to me RIDERNATION, but i'll b in Colts blue next year!!!'' Freeman wrote on Twitter on Monday.

The message, which arrived at 8:45 p.m., Saskatchewan time, was quickly retweeted to all corners of the Rider Nation.

Chagrined parties within that domain were left to lament the departure of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' lone Canadian Football League all-star from 2011 - someone who was the West Division's nominee for defensive player-of-the-year honours.

Freeman's disclosure of his NFL opportunity was anything but surprising. It wasn't a matter of whether Freeman was leaving Saskatchewan. The only relevant questions were "where?'' and "when?''

Brendan Taman conceded as much three weeks ago. In conversation with Ian Hamilton of the Leader-Post, Taman - the Roughriders' general manager - said that "once the NFL is on the radar, it's pretty tough to avoid it.''

Given the interest in Freeman south of the border, his departure was inevitable. Taman could have sweetened his contract offer to the point of profligacy, and it would not have mattered one iota. Freeman would have been foolish to forego an NFL opportunity - especially at 25, when his marketability has never been higher.

Of course, this is all based on one reverberative tweet. Verification has yet to be received from the Colts or the Roughriders. As is prudent, Taman and head coach Corey Chamblin are not commenting on Freeman's situation until they see the documentation.

But Taman, for one, has seen it all before.

Early in 2010 - shortly before Taman succeeded Eric Tillman as the Roughriders' GM - defensive end John Chick signed with (guess who?) Indianapolis. Chick's bargaining power had been bolstered by the fact that he was named the league's top defensive player in 2009.

The dreaded CFL Player Awards Curse struck the Riders again last year at this time, when slotback Andy Fantuz signed with the Chicago Bears. Fantuz was decorated as the CFL's top Canadian in 2010.

And now, Freeman - who was the runner-up to Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Jovon Johnson when the awards were presented last November - is atwitter about what appears to be the consummation of a deal with Indianapolis.

What is it about first-year Roughriders coaches and notable departures?

Ken Miller had barely assumed the head-coaching reins in 2008 when quarterback Kerry Joseph, who was named the league's most outstanding player during the Grey Cup championship season of 2007, was dealt to the Toronto Argonauts.

Greg Marshall, who briefly succeeded Miller as Saskatchewan's field boss in 2011, discovered soon after being hired that Fantuz was off to the NFL.

One of Chamblin's "welcome to Saskatchewan'' presents is confirmation that Freeman is indeed destined for the NFL. His departure, as inevitable as it was, creates a cavernous hole on a Roughriders defence that was hardly formidable with him as part of the equation.

With Freeman, Barrin Simpson (released) and Sean Lucas (retired) out of the picture, the Roughriders will have a revamped linebacking corps in 2012. As a nightmarish 2011 season dragged on, the team's brain trust became acutely aware that Simpson and Lucas would have to be replaced, so the only glaring void is created by the fact that Freeman will soon be mingling with the likes of Peyton Manning.

Taman, who is as realistic and pragmatic as they come, knew there would be such a day. The onus is now on Taman and director of player personnel Craig Smith to uncover somebody, somewhere, who is a reasonable facsimile of Freeman.

Is Kye Stewart the answer? Is there a sleeper in an unremarkable pool of soonto-be free-agent linebackers? Is there a negotiation-list player who can make an immediate impact?

Uh, good luck ... Once the Freeman situation ceases to become a front-of-mind issue, the focus on Fantuz will be intensified. The never-ending Fantuz Watch will attract even more attention. (Please restrain your excitement.)

With Freeman gone, it is reasonable to expect that Taman will face additional pressure to resolve the lingering Fantuz issue in a manner that is satisfactory to the fans. That sentiment is understandable, given that Roughriders loyalists are salivating at the notion of a big-name signing.

But will their appetites be satisfied? Well ...

At last word, negotiations between Fantuz and the Roughriders were moving along at a glacial pace. Taman said last week that he expects Fantuz to test free agency - unless he, too, ends up signing with an NFL team.

If Fantuz does enter the CFL's open market, it is highly conceivable that he will end up elsewhere. The money earmarked for him by Saskatchewan will quickly be spent on another premier player.
And who knows? That player may very well bolster a Riders defence that took a hit on Monday evening.

rvanstone@leaderpost.com

DICKENSON TO RETURN

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are pleased to announce that Craig Dickenson will return to the Riders coaching staff as Special Teams Coordinator for the 2012 CFL season.

CRAIG DICKENSON – SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR
This will mark Dickenson's second season with the Green and White as Special Teams Coordinator.

Dickenson spent the 2010 season with the NFL's Oakland Raiders as assistant special teams coordinator. This was Dickenson's second stint in the NFL as he spent two years in San Diego as a special teams assistant for the Chargers starting in 2000.

Highly regarded for his special team schemes, Dickenson spent seven seasons with the Calgary Stampeders where he served as their special teams coordinator for five and worked with the running backs and receivers in his first two years with the team. He also spent one season with the Montreal Alouettes as running backs coach in 2003 before returning to the Stamps. Dickenson was a part of the 2008 Grey Cup championship team in Calgary.

Dickenson's coaching career began at his alma mater – the University of Montana in 1995 when the Grizzlies captured the NCAA Division 1-AA National Championship. His work with kickers and running backs earned him a position with Utah State where he coached before making the move to the NFL.

TGIF - SOME THOUGHTS ON THE NEW COACHING STAFF

It’s finally Friday!

The first official week of 2012 has to be deemed an eventful one, especially around Rider Nation.
It started with loads of rumours about the Riders’ 2012 coaching staff and most turned out to be true.

The offensive staff was introduced on Tuesday and Thursday the defensive staff was revealed. The special teams co-ordinator has yet to be officially announced, but it’s expected that Craig Dickenson will return in 2012. His contract runs through next season and the Riders are looking at extending it.

Here’s a list of Corey Chamblin’s staff and the respective ages of each member:

Head coach: Corey Chamblin, 34.

Offensive co-ordinator/running backs coach: Bob Dyce, 46.

Receivers coach: Jason Tucker, 35.

Running-game co-ordinator/offensive line coach: Kris Sweet, 38.

Quarterbacks coach: Khari Jones, 40.

Defensive co-ordinator: Richie Hall, 51.

Linebackers coach and assistant to the head coach: Alex Smith, 68.

Defensive backs: Barron Miles, 40.

Defensive line: Mike Walker, 53.

Special teams co-ordinator: Craig Dickenson, 40.

It’s a good mix of youth and experience, which is what Chamblin was looking for in his first group of head coaches.

There isn’t much on the Riders’ front today. The special teams are to be announced next week. I talked with Jones at great length today about coming to Regina as the quarterbacks coach. He told me that he was essentially free agent after his contract ran out on in December with the Tiger-Cats, so he was looking for work. He is looking forward to working with Darian Durant and is quite aware of the pressure that comes with being the face of a franchise. More on that and Jones’s thoughts on the Riders will be online later and available in Saturdays’ paper for those of you still like the feel of newsprint in the morning.

There has been some confusion about Smith’s expanded role with the Riders. He is the linebackers coach and the assistant to the head coach, not assistant head coach. Smith will assist Chamblin in dealing with the league office, scheduling, travel and those kind of things. Chamblin feels that Smith’s experience of 15 years with the Riders was too valuable to waste. Good move by Chamblin to tap Smith’s knowledge of the league.

Another interesting point about the staff is Dyce, Smith, Hall, Miles and Chamblin all have experience in the player personnel aspect of the game. CFL staffs are so small that each coach needs that, but the aforementioned five have all been through those roles with their team. That should help with the off-season decisions.

Here’s Chamblin’s philosophy for the off-season:

“We want to win the off-season,’’ Chamblin said. “That’s coaches doing all the things that they need to do and being diligent. We want to win the off-season to help us win the season.’’

That’s it. Time to get pounding, after all it’s Friday.

RIDERS NAME DEFENSIVE COACHES

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are pleased to announce their defensive coaching staff for the 2012 CFL season.

RICHIE HALL – DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Hall will once again run the Riders defence after returning to the Green and White last season. Previous to that, Hall spent two seasons as head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos where he also led the defence. Previous to his time in Edmonton, Hall was a part of the Green and White coaching staff for 15 seasons, eight as defensive coordinator and developed a reputation for fielding a top defence year after year.Before moving into his coaching role, Hall spent nine years playing in the CFL including four seasons with the Roughriders from 1988-1991.

ALEX SMITH – ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH/LINEBACKERS COACH
Smith returns to the Green and White for his 16th season. He will continue to coach the Rider linebackers and will work in an advisory capacity with Head Coach Chamblin. He will also act as a facilitator in regards to the Canadian draft. Smith originally joined the Roughriders' coaching staff in May 1997 as linebackers coach. A Level Two Certified National Coach, Smith offers the Roughriders 36 years of coaching experience. Before joining the Green and White on a full-time basis in 1997, Smith gained valuable CFL experience as a Roughrider Guest Coach in 1995 and 1996.Prior to joining the Roughriders, Smith spent five seasons with the Regina Rams of the Prairie Junior Football League as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.

MIKE WALKER – DEFENSIVE LINE COACH
Walker returns to the Riders for his second season leading the defensive line. He brings over 25 years of playing and coaching experience to the Green and White. The Indiana native spent the 2010 season as defensive line coach for the Edmonton Eskimos and was a defensive consultant for the Toronto Argonauts in 2008. From 1997 to 2007, he coached the defensive line at his alma mater Washington State as well as four bowl games – two Rose Bowls, Holiday Bowl and the Sun Bowl. During that time he also coached the 2002 Outland Trophy winner Rien Long.Prior to entering the coaching ranks, Walker was a three-time CFL all-star and a four-time All-Eastern Conference selection, playing with both Hamilton (1982-89) and Edmonton (1990-91).

BARRON MILES – DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH
Miles is the newest member of the Riders defensive staff as he comes to Saskatchewan from the B.C. Lions where he spent the last two seasons as a defensive and player personnel assistant. Miles made the transition into coaching after retirning from a storied 12 year playing career in the CFL. His career began in Montreal where he spent seven seasons as a defensive back before playing his final five years with the Lions. The Nebraska grad was named a Divisional All-Star nine times and a CFL All-Star six times over the course of his playing career.

NEW RIDER COACHES

BOB DYCE

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR

KHARI JONES

QUARTERBACKS COACH

KRIS SWEET

RUNNING GAME COORDINATOR

AND OFFENSIVE LINE COACH

JASON TUCKER

RECEIVERS COACH

RIDERS NAME OFFENSIVE COACHING STAFF

The Saskatchewan Roughriders are pleased to announce their offensive coaching staff for the 2012 CFL season.

BOB DYCE – OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/RUNNING BACKS

Dyce has spent the last two seasons as the receivers coach and passing game coordinator with the Green and White. Before joining the Riders, the Winnipeg native spent seven seasons with the Blue Bombers where he served as the team's receivers coach and was in charge of the team's Canadian player personnel. Prior to making the transition into coaching in the CFL, Dyce spent seven seasons as the receivers coach with his alma mater the Manitoba Bisons. Dyce began his coaching career in 1992 when he joined the staff of the St. Vital Mustangs of the CJFL. He spent two seasons with the Mustangs before making the move to offensive coordinator and receivers coach for the Winnipeg Hawkeyes of the CJFL. He spent the 1994 and 1995 seasons with the Hawkeyes.


KRIS SWEET – RUN GAME COORDINATOR/OFFENSIVE LINE
Sweet spent the last five years as the offensive line coach with the Calgary Stampeders. Prior to joining the Stamps, Sweet coached the offensive line at Columbia University after spending a year in the same position at Kentucky State. He entered coaching in 1997 as a graduate assistant coach at Tennessee Tech followed by single seasons at Holy Cross and Elon. After that Sweet spent five years at Presbyterian College where he began coaching the running backs and tight ends before being named offensive coordinator in 2003. The Salem, Virginia native got his first taste of the CFL when he served as a guest coach with the B.C. Lions in 2005.

KHARI JONES – QUARTERBACKS COACH
Jones has spent the last three seasons with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, where he spent the first two seasons coaching the quarterbacks and most recently served as the Ti-Cats offensive coordinator. Prior to moving into coaching, Jones spent eight years as a decorated quarterback in the CFL receiving all-star nods and winning the Most Outstanding Player Award in 2001. His playing career began in 1998 with the B.C. Lions where he spent two seasons before being traded to Winnipeg. In 2004, he went on to play with the Stampeders for the remainder of the season before joining Hamilton in 2005. After attending training camp with Edmonton in 2006, Jones went on to spend the season in broadcasting with CBC. Before returning to the CFL as a coach, Jones became the Director of Football at National Sports Development based in Calgary.

JASON TUCKER – RECEIVERS COACH
Tucker spent two seasons coaching the receiving corps in Edmonton after suffering a fractured neck in 2008 which cut his distinguished player career short. The four-time CFL and West All-Star won a Grey Cup in 2003 and finished his career with 7,046 receiving yards in his seven years as a receiver with the Eskimos.