Corey Chamblin inked a two-year contract with the Argonauts before the 2017 season and sources say that under the terms of that deal, Chamblin could leave Toronto if he was offered and ultimately accepted a head coaching position elsewhere.
Photo Credit: John E. Sokolowski, Toronto Argonauts
Chamblin has turned around the Argos defence that ranked last in points allowed (568), touchdowns allowed (59), rushing majors (19), rushing yards allowed (2,074), yards per rush (5.7), yards per completion (8.7), opponent completion percentage (70.9), red zone chances allowed (62), big plays allowed (rushes 20-plus yards and completions 30-plus yards equaled 52) in 2016.
Compare those numbers to Toronto’s defence in 2017. The Argos rank in the top five in points allowed (443), opponent touchdowns (46), passing touchdowns allowed (25), opponent net offence per game (second 337.2), opposition yards per play (6.2), two-and-outs (65), sacks (second 47), rushing yards allowed (1,454), passing yards allowed (4,654), opponent completion percentage (second 64.8) and opponent QB rating (70.3).
That’s a marked difference on defence under Chamblin even with some new faces in Toronto as he’s meshed them together. Pass rusher Shawn Lemon was a key piece that was in place. The double blue brought back Cleyon Laing on the interior of the defensive line after he spent time in the NFL and joined Ottawa for their 2016 Grey Cup win and linebacker Marcus Ball returned from three seasons south of the border. The Argos added defensive lineman Victor Butler, defensive lineman Dylan Wynn, Bear Woods and Cassius Vaughn while remaking the secondary except for holdovers Akwasi Owusu-Ansah and Canadian Jermaine Gabriel and Matt Black.
Chamblin was a defensive back in the NFL from 1999-2004. After that, the 40-year-old rose through the ranks in the CFL becoming a head coach for Saskatchewan in 2012. He led the Riders to a Grey Cup triumph on prairie soil in 2013, earning the franchise just its fourth, and most recent, CFL title since being established in 1910. During three-and-a-half seasons as head coach in Riderville, Chamblin posted a 29-34 regular season record while going 3-2 in the playoffs. All those post-season victories came in the most memorable run in Saskatchewan sports history which saw the Riders claim the Grey Cup at Taylor Field with a dominant win against Hamilton 45-23.
Montreal already has a head coach opening and there could be others based on how the off-season plays out.
