Watch above: The Saskatchewan Roughriders’ new interim GM Jeremy O’Day and interim head coach Bob Dyce joined Riders president Craig Reynolds Tuesday to address the media and discuss the future of the team in Regina.
REGINA – One day after firing general manager and vice-president of football operations Brendan Taman and head coach Corey Chamblin, Saskatchewan Roughriders president Craig Reynolds said “wholesale changes were required.”
“This club has high expectations and we clearly were not meeting them,” Reynolds told reporters Tuesday morning in Regina.
“This club should be competing for first and second year in and year out.”
Reynolds said he met with Taman Monday following the Roughriders 35-13 loss to the Ottawa Redblacks to drop to 0-9 on the season.
Both agreed a coaching move had to be made.
“We had belief in Corey to turn this around. What happened Sunday was the realization that we weren’t going to turn this around unless we made a change.”
Reynolds decided there also needed to be a change in the front office and decided to remove Taman at the same time.
“It was in the best interest of the franchise long-term to move forward in a different direction,” stated Reynolds.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan Roughriders fire head coach Corey Chamblin, GM Brendan Taman
Taman and Chamblin brought a Grey Cup title to Saskatchewan in 2013 as the Riders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 45-23 at Mosaic Stadium. And the squad looked poised to defend the crown, winning eight of its first 10 games in 2014.
But the Riders are 2-16 since. Six of their losses this year have been by four points or less, but Saskatchewan was outscored 21-3 in the second half Sunday against Ottawa.
READ MORE: Redblacks score in spurts to down Riders
Chamblin benched Brett Smith after he was intercepted in the end zone and Tino Sunseri took the remainder of the snaps. That drew the ire of many Roughrider fans.
Bob Dyce, who was named the Riders’ interim head coach, was quick to announce Smith would be the starting quarterback this Sunday when the Riders take on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at home.
Dyce said he will be making no coaching changes and that Greg Quick will remain as the defensive co-ordinator. Quick joined the Riders in that role this season but it was Chamblin who essentially ran the Riders’ defence.
Dyce, who began the season as Saskatchewan’s special-teams coach, is in his sixth year with the CFL club. He also spent seven campaigns as a coach and player-personnel director with Winnipeg.
“I’ve been in Saskatchewan here for a while since 2010 so I know the veteran players and I know the new guys.”
Dyce, a Winnipeg native, becomes the CFL’s second active Canadian-born head coach. Winnipeg’s Mike O’Shea hails from North Bay, Ont.
Jeremy O’Day, a former Roughriders’ offensive lineman who had been the club’s assistant general manager, takes over for Taman on an interim basis.
“I hold responsibility in where we’re at right now … it’s never one guy,” O’Day said. “Everyone of us who is here holds a responsibility in what’s happened on the field.
“I have a great opportunity in front of me to show I am ready. I hope my actions are going to speak louder than my words are and I think I’m prepared and ready to go.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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