Arthur Ward/CFL.ca
TORONTO — The Duron Carter experiment doesn’t seem like it’s ending any time soon.
One of the CFL’s most explosive offensive weapons is firmly entrenched on the defensive side of the ball for the Riders, where he continues to fill in for the injured Nick Marshall at boundary corner.
Chris Jones has always done things his own way. It’s what makes him such a unique and polarizing figure in the CFL, even with the success he’s brought to virtually every team he’s coached.
And, like clockwork, here we are again. With a 1-2 start and at least one unconventional decision, Jones has drawn the ire of many Riders fans, but, just like in everything he does, is approaching the situation with conviction.
The Waggle, Episode 113: Done with DC at DB? + Henoc Muamba talks changes
Listen to the latest from The Waggle as Davis Sanchez and James Cybulski discuss the Riders’ decision to keep playing Duron Carter at corner. Plus, Henoc Muamba talks about the changes in Montreal as the Als try to build on a Week 3 victory.
The question: is it time for Chris Jones to cut his losses, find a replacement at corner and inject his struggling offence with one of the most impactful playmakers in the game?
Expected to take another step forward and contend for the West Division crown, the Riders are coming off a loss at home to an Alouettes team that hadn’t previously won in nearly a year. There are several factors in the team’s slow start, but Duron Carter’s position has been by far the most talked about.
The Weekly Say looks at three pressing questions across the league for Week 4:
Is the decision to play Duron Carter on defence costing the Riders?
Duron Carter has had a tough time handling the CFL’s fastest receivers so far (Arthur Ward/CFL.ca)
Marshall Ferguson: Is water wet?
Chris O’Leary: It won’t fix all of their problems, but Duron Carter needs to be back on offence. Teams have figured out that Carter can’t keep up with the smaller, speedier receivers in the league. Diontae Spencer got the best of him two weeks ago and Chris Williams raced past him in Regina on Saturday. Hamilton also has a smaller, Speedy receiver. I’d bet they’re scheming to attack Carter in the same way.
Jamie Nye: The Roughriders are struggling on offence and Duron Carter has been a liability on defence over the last two weeks. What has Carter been able to do in his career? He’s been an exceptional receiver! The logic doesn’t work for me on why he’s still being played on defence.
Don Landry: Yes. While Carter has shown the odd spectacular flash as a defensive back, the last two weeks have illustrated that the Riders are susceptible with him on defence and would be better off with an experienced corner, even if that experience comes from a place other than the CFL. It was an interesting experiment but it is time to put Duron Carter back where he can be of most use to the Roughriders and that is tormenting the other teams’ defensive backs as a receiver.
Matthew Cauz: It certainly isn’t helping but neither is the injury to Collaros and the ineffectiveness of Brandon Bridge. I would, though, put Carter back at WR full time. He makes life easier for the rest of the receivers which can only help whoever is at quarterback (Side note to the CFL and TSN: Burn all tapes of that Montreal/Saskatchewan game please.)
Jim Morris: The last two weeks have shown playing Carter as a corner is not only costing the Riders on defence, it also is taking away a weapon on offence. I think it’s time to shelf this experiment. Overall, I find Carter’s antics getting a little stale.
How confident are you in James Franklin as the succession plan in Toronto?
James Franklin is set to make his first start as an Argo, but is he worth the hype? (Kevin Sousa/CFL.ca)
Ferguson: 85%. Guy is made for this and has been in need of an opportunity for far too long, he’ll make the most of it.
O’Leary: 80%. Nothing’s ever a sure thing, but I saw Franklin up close at the start of his career in Edmonton and I think he’s the real deal. He knows the Canadian game and he’s got a ton of ability. Like any QB, he’ll need some time to grow into the starter position and like any QB, he’ll need adequate protection to have a chance at succeeding. I know Marc Trestman thinks highly of McLeod Bethel Thompson, but if Franklin gets the right amount of time I think he can live up to the hype.
Morris: You look at James Franklin’s numbers and he has a small body of work. I’m still about 75 per cent confident he has the ability to take over from Ricky Ray and make the Argos a threat.
Nye: 75%. After seeing him play some very efficient football at times with the Edmonton Eskimos, there was a reason the Argos invested in him. While there appears to be a future there you can never be certain if they got ‘it’ or not. We’ll find out right away.
Cauz: I’m going 75%. I have always been a big Franklin fan whenever he got a chance to play with Edmonton. Having Marc Trestman can only help his long-term development.
Landry: I’d say 60% confident in James Franklin taking over for Ricky Ray. That’s not a knock on Franklin, either. It’s just that we are so early in his life as a starting quarterback and I’ve seen too many sure things ultimately end up as footnotes. Having said that, I see what everyone else sees; Strong arm, great wheels and what seems to be good football sense. Tons of potential. It’s just that when it comes to James Franklin, QB1, we don’t know what we don’t know. Yet.
A month into the season, what’s been the biggest surprise so far?
Chris Streveler‘s early success has come in the absence of injured pivot Matt Nichols (The Canadian Press)
Morris: My biggest surprise is three games into the season and Johnny Manziel has yet to throw a pass for Hamilton. With Jeremiah Masoli playing well I can understand why the Ticats don’t want to tinker with success. Still, you’d think they would want to find out if Manziel can play in this league.
O’Leary: A few things come to mind. So many quarterback injuries so quickly, Chris Streveler’s play as a true rookie, the Argos and Riders starting so slowly. What really stands out to me, though, are the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. I didn’t think they’d fall back into that 0-8 start they had last year, but I wondered if they’d have the same energy that they showed when June Jones took over last season. Watching Jeremiah Masoli march his offence down the field has been a treat over the last few weeks. If I was trying to sell the CFL to a non-football fan, I’d have them watch the Ticats. I didn’t think I’d say that at the start of the season.
Landry: Chris Streveler. How can he not be? A little over a month ago, most CFL fans had no idea who he was.
Ferguson: How easy – outside of the Hamilton game – Bombers QB Chris Streveler makes transition to the Canadian game look. He has the right skill-set and coaching staff to have meaningful success this season in Winnipeg but I never saw it coming.
Nye: I know the quarterback is now hurt but the fact the Argonauts, who were riding high at the back half of the season, have come out so flat is my biggest surprise with the Riders a close second. Offensively and defensively they have been unimpressive and nowhere near looking like a Grey Cup favourite.
Cauz: CFL Players swear even more than I thought they would.
