Under the Headset: Can Ryan Dinwiddie Rejuvenate the Struggling Argos?
If, back in December 2017, you told Marc Trestman, Head Coach of the Toronto Argonauts, that his Grey Cup-winning team would win a total of 8 games over the next two years and that he would lose his job because of the Argos’ poor performance, he’d laugh at you. But after 32 gruelling weeks of horrible football in the Six, all of that came true.
All downhill from the Grey Cup
It all started with the season, and eventually career-ending injury of the CFL’s star QB, Ricky Ray. The 7-year Argo had just signed a contract extension and was raring for more football after winning his second Grey Cup with the team. But fate thought otherwise, and in Toronto’s home opener, Ray found himself hospitalised and his QB career over after a single tackle went wrong. Over the rest of the season, Toronto juggled between backups James Franklin and McLeod Bethel-Thompson — they eventually settled on Bethel-Thompson as their started in 2018. In that time, the Argos lost tons of talent in the Free Agency and were unable to perform at all. Star players such as James Wilder Jr experienced significant dropoffs in numbers, and injuries forced way too many Argos off the field and onto the injury list.
Over the two years of turmoil that followed their stellar 2017 season, the Argos went through three starting quarterbacks, a general manager — Jim Popp — and another head coach — Corey Chamblin. Things were looking bad for Toronto, and the only option they had left was to fire Chamblin after another dismal season. They needed a new head coach, someone with CFL experience, and who could bring the team back to where they used to be. Enter Ryan Dinwiddie.
QB coaching experience breeds success
A former QB coach for the Calgary Stampeders who helped Bo Levi Mitchell win two MOPs and get the Stamps to three consecutive Grey Cups, Dinwiddie seems the best man to revamp the struggling Argos. The first thing to fix is right down his alley — quarterback troubles. In 2018, the QB trouble came with the attempted juggling of Franklin and MBT; in 2019, it was the lack of a strong secondary. In 2020, Dinwiddie hopes to fix this by making one of the biggest acquisitions of the Free Agency — signing Matt Nichols from Winnipeg. Nichols brings experience and skill, and is used to leading teams back from the brink of disaster, as he did with the Bombers. Similar to Edmonton’s new HC Scott Milanovich, Dinwiddie’s experience as a QB coach will serve him well in getting Toronto’s quarterback issues sorted. With Franklin out and Nichols in, Dinwiddie has all the tools he needs to create a new star QB for the Argos and to get the team back on track.
All-new coaching staff
Another move that Dinwiddie’s made to ensure success in 2020 is to surround himself with an almost entirely new coaching staff. While dominant teams such as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have made very few coaching changes, the Argos recognise that poor coaching equates to poor performance and that changes needed to be made to get Toronto back in the game. Joining the Argos are Offensive Coordinator Jarious Jackson of the B.C. Lions, Defensive Coordinator Glen Young of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Special Teams Coordinator Mark Nelson of the Ottawa Redblacks, all of whom bring years of experience and expertise in their positions. Recognising the weaknesses in his coaching staff and making the necessary changes is a definite sign that Dinwiddie is up to the job and is ready and able to draw on the vast pool of coaching talent that the CFL has to offer.
But can he get the job done?
There’s no reason why Ryan Dinwiddie can’t rejuvenate the Argos and bring them back into Grey Cup contention. With an experienced coaching roster and a strong team thanks to a productive offseason, Toronto’s new HC has all the tools he needs to be able to transform the Boatmen into their former selves. However, at the end of the day, it’s down to the coach, not the cards he’s been dealt. Although Dinwiddie seems to be slotting into the role of head coach with ease, only time will tell how he’ll actually perform.
What are your thoughts on Ryan Dinwiddie? Will he be the deciding factor in transforming the Argos this season, or will it be something else? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @TheEndZone_Blog.
