Jason Maas retired, the Jared Zabransky experiment is over, Marcus Crandell is the new offensive coodinator, and Ricky Ray (Sacramento State, 9th year) gets to learn a new system, again!
So what happens if Ray goes down? Enter Kerry Joseph Tillman (McNeese State; 9th year in league, 2nd with Edmonton). Only kidding ET! Eric Tillman brought Joseph into this league the first time and is doing it again. Excellent move. Why? Because he's familiar with Crandell's system, is a valuable and experienced winner, and can mentor a young clone-like QB by the name of Eric Ward (Richmond, 1st year).
Joseph will pass along his knowledge of the game to a similar-styled Ward and Ray will do the same with the similar-styled Matt Nichols (Eastern Washington, 2nd year - he actually signed late last season and was on the practice roster with Edmonton, so he could be considered a first year guy). The Eskimos are really high on this Nichols kid. So this is how it will work: Ray grooms Nichols and Canadian stud Marc Mueller (Regina Rams, 1st year) while Joseph grooms Ward, because he shares the same type of attributes. Pretty heady stuff and I like it.
Bottom Line: Ray and OC Crandell will establish that uncanny relationship between QB and offensive coordinators that were QBs, just like Jones and Glenn in Hamilton, AC and Milanovich in Montreal, and Dickenson and Burris in Calgary. Joseph is a perfect fit for the two reasons stated above. Nichols, Ward and Mueller learn from two proven champions. Nice!