Mitchell Blair
After Sunday’s Labour Day victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Saskatchewan Roughriders Head Coach Corey Chamblin admitted he was surprised at his team’s 7-2 first half start. As he looks back of the first half of the season and looks ahead to the second half, Chamblin is extremely pleased at what he has seen and admits they have perhaps overachieved.
“I’ll tell you the truth,” Chamblin said after Wednesday’s practice. “When I look back at things and all the changeover we had, we have over-achieved and that last year’s group that won the Grey Cup as a whole under-achieved. I told Brendan (GM Brendan Taman) that we are over-achieving because they are stretching themselves to be better, they are putting in hard work and they are better than anyone thought they would be. That’s a testament to the coaching staff and the players by saying we are going to be better than last year.”
When it comes to what the team has done after nine games, it doesn’t take long for Chamblin to say what has impressed him the most.
“There are two things—unselfishness and a renewed focus.” Chamblin stated. “They have put the past behind them and the young guys have moved forward and evolved tremendously in many areas. It’s been great watching these guys grow into tremendous football players. The motivation for this year stems somewhat from all the off-season talk, but it wasn’t to prove everyone wrong. The guys that were here, especially the new guys taking over for those who left, could say I’m just as good as what they had. That’s a testament to those new guys. There wasn’t a sense of doubt in this room, it was just a case of the losses we had, how quickly those new guys could learn and catch on and they caught on quicker than I thought they would.”
The growth doesn’t just exist with the players. In his 3rd year as a head coach, the 37-year-old Chamblin has taken his team to the top of the mountain having done that last season. While he was watched his team grow and evolve into the team it is today, he says he is a much different coach than he was when he first took over and a much different coach than the one who walked off the Mosaic Stadium turf last November as the fourth man to lead this organization to a Grey Cup championship.
“I’m always trying to be better. I see more now when it comes to what all three phases of the game are doing.” Chamblin admits. “The game is also slowing down for me and I’m learning not to panic when it comes to different things at different points of the game. It’s tough after being where we were last year to evolve more into the position because I had to figure out what the next step was. That next step was making sure I could do more. Seeing a little bit more and learning a little bit more is key. Winning the Grey Cup is a great thing, but you have to want to be better. You want to practice better, utilize your roster better and keep these guys on an even keel whether its bringing them up or getting their spirits up depending on what is going on.”
One part of the equation where Chamblin wants to be better is not stumbling out of the gate in the second half the way they did last season. The Riders walked into Winnipeg feeling good about themselves, but a loss in Winnipeg sent the team spiraling into a four game losing streak which had the team scrambling to get their act back together before playoffs which they did. As the Riders get set to once again start the second half of the season with a game in Winnipeg, Chamblin doesn’t surprise anyone when he says that scenario can’t be repeated.
“This is the first game of a brand new season. No one goes to the Grey Cup at Labour Day. “Chamblin said. “We have to understand to always be aggressive. We have to have the guys ready at all time. We have to be aggressive from now right through down the stretch.”
As they start the second half of the season, they are tied with Edmonton for second place in the West with Calgary just one game ahead. Chamblin looks at the three teams and says there isn’t a lot separating them which begs the question as to what team will come through and what do they have that the other teams don’t. He feels it will come down to who is not only the healthiest team, but what team is the most consistent.
While Chamblin doesn’t want to look too far ahead and is concentrating solely on what happens Sunday at Investors Group Field, he will acknowledge his team is in a good position to repeat as CFL champs, but cautions it’s far too early to make travel plans for Vancouver because there are many battles to be waged including four games against the Stampeders and Eskimos.
“Can this team reach the Grey Cup?” Chamblin asks. “I think we’ve got just as good a shot as any, but as I said, our biggest test right now is trying to get a win out of Winnipeg this weekend and start the second half strong. As I said, you don’t win it all in the first half of the season, you win it in the second half and I’m hoping we can go into Winnipeg and beat a team that has played us tough twice so far.”
Chamblin’s confidence and his desire to get better is a winning equation, but it’s an equation that has many variables and factors to it. A victory in Winnipeg would be the team’s seventh straight win and get them off on the right path for the second half, playoffs and perhaps another Grey Cup appearance and victory. The answers will start coming Sunday in the Manitoba capital.
