THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY — John Hufnagel’s third season at the helm of the Calgary Stampeders is starting much differently than his second.
A year ago, the Stamps were the defending Grey Cup champions who had retained their entire coaching staff and most of their players from the previous season.
But the winds of change swept through the CFL club this off-season right up to the eve of training camp. Hufnagel says the retirements of import defensive lineman Jim Davis and Canadian receiver Brett Ralph earlier this week were unexpected.
Those departures came less an a month after Canadian receiver Marcus Howell announced his retirement.
"It’s been an interesting last 30 days for myself," Hufnagel said Wednesday at McMahon Stadium.
Rookies get on the field Thursday and full training camp opens Sunday. Calgary’s first pre-season game is in Edmonton on June 13. The Stampeders host Saskatchewan on June 20 before opening the regular season at home July 1 against Toronto.
Davis called it quits Tuesday because of a back injury, while Ralph announced Monday he’s decided to go to university.
The main questions to be answered at training camp are: Can kicker Rob Maver, Calgary’s first-round draft pick, make the transition from college to pro and replace Sandro DeAngelis? How long will it take receivers Ken-Yon Rambo and Ryan Thelwell, who both suffered season-ending injuries in 2009, to get back to full speed? Has Mike Labinjo lost enough weight to be affective again at defensive end? How will the offence operate without co-ordinator George Cortez?
"Training camp is going to be a learning experience on both sides, coaching and new players," Hufnagel said. "I’m anxious about it. I’m also excited about it.
"I look forward to fresh ideas and fresh enthusiasm on the football team and in the organization. With professional football, if you’re not a team that can adapt and accept and overcome change, then you’re not a very good football team."
Even the Stampeders administration and training facilities have been altered. The players have a new dressing room and weight room, while the coaches have moved across McMahon’s parking lot to a more spacious building.
Off-season change started at the top with the departure of player-personnel director Jim Barker to the Toronto Argonauts to become that team’s head coach.
Offensive co-ordinator Cortez left to the Buffalo Bills’ quarterbacks coach, which prompted a re-shuffling of Calgary’s offensive coaching staff. Quarterbacks coach Dave Dickenson will call plays on game day with Hufnagel more involved in offensive strategy in game preparation.
Calgary has won a lot of games over the last five years, including the 2008 Grey Cup, thanks to DeAngelis’s strong leg. But the Niagara Falls, Ont., native signed with Hamilton in the off-season, prompting Calgary to use their first-round pick, fifth overall, to get Maver.
Gregarious and colourful Jeremaine Copeland was dealt to Toronto for P.K. Sam in a swap of receivers. The departure of Dimitri Tsoumpas to the Miami Dolphins and retirement of veteran Jeff Pilon in April left a gap on the right side of the offensive line.
The three starting linebackers in last year’s playoffs – Dwaine Carpenter, Shannon James and Tim Johnson — are also no longer with the club. Calgary couldn’t afford Carpenter, Johnson opted not to return to the CFL this season and Hufnagel says he wanted more coverage than James could provide.
So there are subplots all over the field at training camp.
The Stampeders still have decent depth at receiver. Nik Lewis is expected to take on a bigger role. Hufnagel says Romby Bryant and Arjei Franklin, acquired from Winnipeg midway through last season, will become more settled into the offence.
Calgary also signed a receiver with a last name familiar to Stampeder fans. Washington State and Calgary native Johnny Forzani is the son of Canadian Football Hall of Famer Tom Forzani, whose No. 22 was retired by the Stamps in 1984. His uncle, John, is a co-owner of the club.
"I am very pleased with the ability with our receiving corps," Hufnagel said. "I will be a lot more pleased when I see Ryan Thelwell and Ken-Yon Rambo participating in regular practices."
Hufnagel is happy with the rehabilitation of Rambo (knee) and Thelwell (Achilles tendon), but not comfortable enough to throw them into two-a-day practices starting Sunday.
"I’m not going to rush Ken-Yon or Ryan Thelwell back on the field at training camp," he said. "I expect they will be disabled for their first amount of time until they, (athletic therapist) Pat Clayton and I are comfortable they’re ready to partake in the growing rigours of two-a-days."
Hufnagel is confident imports Edwin Harrison and Sam Allen can fill the void left by Pilon at right tackle.
Labinjo, a Toronto native, was a key contributor in Calgary’s victories in both the Western final and the Grey Cup two years ago. He showed up to training camp overweight last year and was a healthy scratch to end the season.
Hufnagel says the 29-year-old has worked hard to shed a lot of weight over the winter.
"Whatever weight he comes in at is going to be considerably less that was he finished with last year," Hufnagel said.
The leadership lost with the departures of Copeland and Pilon may be difficult to replace. The burden may fall even more on the shoulders of quarterback Henry Burris, and all-star running back Joffrey Reynolds.
Burris is still the quarterback with the best combination of arm strength and running ability in the CFL. He runs better than another in the league and when his arm and head are in sync, Burris is capable of big yardage.
"Our leader of this football team is our quarterback," Hufnagel said. "He has to make sure he’s doing his job not only on the field, but off the field and we’re comfortable with the person handling those chores."
NOTES — With the departure of Ralph, Franklin, punter Burke Dales and backup quarterback Drew Tate are trying out as the holder on converts and field goals . . . Tate and Barrick Nealy will battle during camp to be Burris’s backup . . . Linebacker Tristan Black had off-season foot surgery and isn’t expected to play before August. He’ll start the season on the nine-game injured list.
