Do the Riders have enough time to fix the problems that festered under Marshall and Berry?
At least the Saskatchewan Roughriders didn't wait long to realize the status quo simply wouldn't work for a franchise that won't tolerate losing -- certainly not when there was clearly an uproar in Riderville.
Head coach Greg Marshall and offensive co-ordinator Doug Berry, both of whom were relieved of their duties on Friday, in a mass firing less than 24 hours after the team lost 24-18 to Toronto to fall to 1-7, were clearly not popular among the fans.
They had grown accustomed to winning ever since the team won the Grey Cup in 2007 and made it back to the championship game the last two years.
They took it personally that their beloved team had become the worst in the Canadian Football League in terms of its record under Marshall, a career assistant coach who finally became a head coach this year, and Berry, in his second season co-ordinating the offence.
The two had not endeared themselves to the fans if for no other reason than the team sputtered badly. Something had to be done to send a message to the fans, whose voices could be heard loud and clear in Rider Nation.
Team president Jim Hopson had to know that, as did vice-president of football operation Ken Miller, who returns to the sidelines after giving it up after last season following a three-year term.
The Roughriders have become a money-making machine, with record profits of more than $6 million last year. It all corresponded with a winning product on the field at a time in the Riders' history when fans are buying everything the team was selling.
Hopson and Miller made the move to try and right a wrong.
There are still 10 games remaining in the regular season, enough time to try to undo the problems that festered under Marshall and Berry.
Quarterback Darian Durant, who thrived under Miller, looked hopelessly lost and confused without him on the sidelines to discuss strategy. Under Miller, Durant played well moving the pocket to create confusion for defences. Under Berry, Durant became a statue in the pocket.
Whether Berry couldn't find a way to unleash Durant's strengths is hard to fathom as they worked well together last year. But that was with an offence that had the league's leading receiver, Andy Fantuz, who signed in the off-season with the Chicago Bears, and a healthy supporting cast.
Minus Fantuz and some other key receivers who are injured, the Riders' offence failed and neither Berry nor Durant could overcome this handicap.
Marshall wanted a traditional defence that was the polar opposite of the unorthodox one employed by former defensive co-ordinator Gary Etcheverry, who resigned as defensive assistant just before training camp for what was described as personal and business reasons.
Etcheverry had been overlooked as a head coaching candidate by Miller. The two had a long history together and in 2002, when he was the head coach of the Toronto Argonauts, Etcheverry hired Miller to help with the offence.
You have to wonder if Miller made a mistake in retrospect because the team succeeded with Etcheverry's defence and he knew the personnel. There's no question Etcheverry is quirky, but that worked a lot better than Marshall's method.
You could say that Marshall inherited a situation in which he was doomed to fail as the Riders could not stay at the same level of excellence minus key players and a head coach who had a calming influence on them.
Miller was the offensive co-ordinator of the 2007 Grey Cup-winning team. The personnel was there and he managed it well, although he has to be given credit for molding and developing Durant, who became the team's starting quarterback in 2008.
Miller had a great rapport with Durant that clearly was missing this year with Berry.
So now Miller returns to the sidelines after giving it up after last season to oversee football operations. Miller had reached a point in his life in which he was moving closer to retirement but now the man affectionately known as Grandpa is back coaching again.
This is not something he wanted to do, but simply had to do to save a losing season.
Undoubtedly the fans will be happy as they liked Miller because he won and winning is really all that matters now for a franchise that had stopped doing exactly that.
In order to keep the interest strong in Rider Nation, a move had to be made. This is not to suggest that the team will automatically turn around and start winning, but it was failing badly under Marshall's overall coaching and Berry's co-ordination of the offence.
If Fantuz is cut by the Bears, as many predict he will, and if former defensive end John Chick fails to stick with the Indianapolis Colts, after spending last year on the practice squad and re-signs with the Riders, the team will improve significantly.
Fantuz was voted the CFL's top Canadian player last year and Chick was voted the top defensive player the year before. They are studs and the Riders need them desperately because they couldn't find adequate replacements.
They got by without Chick last year, but missed him this year and had an ineffective pass rush.
Miller's return is pivotal moving forward because there is still time for the Riders to rediscover their winning ethos.
Certainly the fans are hoping so.
