2024 CFL Draft

[ModAdmin]

Eli can play multiple positions on the oline including centre and guard.  He will likely be in a battle with Liam Dobson for the vacant guard position but the team is very high on Eli's ability which is why they signed him to a 3 year contract.

Nothing can be cast in stone until training camp is finished -surprises and injuries can happen - and the roster is finalized but Eli's chances to replace Geoff Gray are better than average IMHO. 

[Blue In BC]

You keep saying that... but I don't recall hearing that from anyone within WFC.  Do you have some inside info or something I missed?  Everything I heard from KW et al was "we have in house talent", "we have options" type stuff.

I have no inside information. I explained what I based my opinion on. It doesn't mean I'm correct.

That said, Dobson was listed as the back up LG last year on the depth chart. Eli was listed as the back up at center. We know depth charts can mean something or nothing.

I guess we'll know soon enough.

[LXTSN]

I think it's fair to say that no one on this forum knows much more than the next person.

We saw Geoff Gray take a lot of penalties in the first half of the year. He looked terrible.
MOS has way more patience and trust in the process than all of us lol
If he think either Dobson or Eli should be the starter, I'm sure he will be right. Buckle up! It might look a little ugly for the first 3-6 weeks until they settle in.

Are we voting? I'd vote for Eli. You can't have a successful football team without a Samoan in the trenches!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I think it's fair to say that no one on this forum knows much more than the next person.

We saw Geoff Gray take a lot of penalties in the first half of the year. He looked terrible.
MOS has way more patience and trust in the process than all of us lol
If he think either Dobson or Eli should be the starter, I'm sure he will be right. Buckle up! It might look a little ugly for the first 3-6 weeks until they settle in.

Are we voting? I'd vote for Eli. You can't have a successful football team without a Samoan in the trenches!

I dispute your opinion that Gray struggled last season with play and penalty accumulation and ask that you back up your statement with evidence.  "We saw" doesn't cut it, I have looked and did not find deficient play, multiple times.

[LXTSN]

I dispute your opinion that Gray struggled last season with play and penalty accumulation and ask that you back up your statement with evidence.  "We saw" doesn't cut it, I have looked and did not find deficient play, multiple times.

Is this real? I didn't think anybody would debate this.
They don't keep stats on holding or illegal blocking penalties. I suppose I could go back and watch all the games and keep track, but... this is a forum. I'll be okay with shooting from the hip on this one. If you want to prove me wrong I'll let you pull the tapes and I will shut up lol

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Is this real? I didn't think anybody would debate this.
They don't keep stats on holding or illegal blocking penalties. I suppose I could go back and watch all the games and keep track, but... this is a forum. I'll be okay with shooting from the hip on this one. If you want to prove me wrong I'll let you pull the tapes and I will shut up lol

You choose to disparage Gray's play, please point out the many times he got blown up or produce evidence he took many more penalties than any of the other O-linemen he played with.  I'll wait.

[Stats Junkie]

2023 Winnipeg Blue Bombers O-Line penalties

Geoff Gray - 3/25
Week 3 - Hold vs BC - negated 8 yard pass
Week 14 - Hold vs Ssk - offsetting with Roughing the Passer (Lanier) - negated 26 yard pass
Week 18 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap

Liam Dobson - 2/20
Week 18 - Face Mask vs BC - tackle on MFG return - dead ball penalty
WF - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap

Tui Eli - 2/20
Week 18 - Hold vs BC - negated incomplete pass
Week 20 - Illegal Block (Hands to Face) vs Edm - negated 9 yard pass

Stanley Bryant - 4/20
Week 2 - Illegal Block (Hands to Face) vs Ssk - negated 8 yard pass
Week 12 - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap
Week 15 - Hold vs Ham - Declined
Grey Cup  - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap

Jermarcus Hardrick - 6/25
Week 3 - Hold vs BC - Declined
Week 3 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap
Week 4 - Illegal Block vs Mtl - Declined
Week 18 - Hold vs BC - Declined
Week 20 - Objectionable Conduct (Misconduct) vs Edm - dead ball penalty
Grey Cup - Hold vs Mtl - negated 12 yard run

Chris Kolankowski - 4/20
Week 7 - Hold vs Edm - negated 2 yard run
Week 7 - Hold vs Edm - Declined
Week 9 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap
Week 12 - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap

Pat Neufeld - 5/50
Week 2 - Hold vs Ssk - negated 17 yard pass
Week 12 - Illegal procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap
Week 13 - Hold vs Ssk - negated 9 yard pass
Week 13 - Unnecessary Roughness (Misconduct) vs Ssk - dead ball penalty
Week 21 - Hold vs Cgy - negated 2 yard run

[theaardvark]

See?

LXTSN was right, Gray is right on the top of the list...

Oh wait...

[TecnoGenius]

I dispute your opinion that Gray struggled last season with play and penalty accumulation and ask that you back up your statement with evidence.  "We saw" doesn't cut it, I have looked and did not find deficient play, multiple times.

Ya Gray wasn't penalty-heavy.  His big problem has always been that A-gap seal with Ko-man.  For at least the first third to half of the season they were regularly getting beaten with bull rushes and/or stunts in their A-gap.  I pointed it out nearly weekly.

However, by the season's end they had that problem mostly fixed.  I think there were only a couple A-gap failures in the post-season?  That's ok with me.

The problem with Gray was he wasn't Desjar.  Desjar was lights out, and a better run blocker.  However, he wasn't bad, as these things go.  If I had my choice for '24 we'd still be starting Gray at LG in week 1.  But it is what it is and if the 2 usurpers can produce results only a bit worse than Gray then we'll be ok.

My big worry is a huge drop-off, but then I'm sure KW will find an alternate solution by week 6.  If he reads the forum he'll know he has the option of going IMP at LG       

[theaardvark]

Ya Gray wasn't penalty-heavy.  His big problem has always been that A-gap seal with Ko-man.  For at least the first third to half of the season they were regularly getting beaten with bull rushes and/or stunts in their A-gap.  I pointed it out nearly weekly.

However, by the season's end they had that problem mostly fixed.  I think there were only a couple A-gap failures in the post-season?  That's ok with me.

The problem with Gray was he wasn't Desjar.  Desjar was lights out, and a better run blocker.  However, he wasn't bad, as these things go.  If I had my choice for '24 we'd still be starting Gray at LG in week 1.  But it is what it is and if the 2 usurpers can produce results only a bit worse than Gray then we'll be ok.

My big worry is a huge drop-off, but then I'm sure KW will find an alternate solution by week 6.  If he reads the forum he'll know he has the option of going IMP at LG       

I think the powers that be have no issues with the current roster, and are expecting the continued contiuity of fine Oline play to continue.

[LXTSN]

2023 Winnipeg Blue Bombers O-Line penalties

Geoff Gray - 3/25
Week 3 - Hold vs BC - negated 8 yard pass
Week 14 - Hold vs Ssk - offsetting with Roughing the Passer (Lanier) - negated 26 yard pass
Week 18 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap

Liam Dobson - 2/20
Week 18 - Face Mask vs BC - tackle on MFG return - dead ball penalty
WF - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap

Tui Eli - 2/20
Week 18 - Hold vs BC - negated incomplete pass
Week 20 - Illegal Block (Hands to Face) vs Edm - negated 9 yard pass

Stanley Bryant - 4/20
Week 2 - Illegal Block (Hands to Face) vs Ssk - negated 8 yard pass
Week 12 - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap
Week 15 - Hold vs Ham - Declined
Grey Cup  - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap

Jermarcus Hardrick - 6/25
Week 3 - Hold vs BC - Declined
Week 3 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap
Week 4 - Illegal Block vs Mtl - Declined
Week 18 - Hold vs BC - Declined
Week 20 - Objectionable Conduct (Misconduct) vs Edm - dead ball penalty
Grey Cup - Hold vs Mtl - negated 12 yard run

Chris Kolankowski - 4/20
Week 7 - Hold vs Edm - negated 2 yard run
Week 7 - Hold vs Edm - Declined
Week 9 - Illegal Procedure vs BC - pre-snap
Week 12 - Illegal Procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap

Pat Neufeld - 5/50
Week 2 - Hold vs Ssk - negated 17 yard pass
Week 12 - Illegal procedure vs Mtl - pre-snap
Week 13 - Hold vs Ssk - negated 9 yard pass
Week 13 - Unnecessary Roughness (Misconduct) vs Ssk - dead ball penalty
Week 21 - Hold vs Cgy - negated 2 yard run

Wow! I was way wrong! Good for Gray!

Any chance you can pull up the year before for just Geoff Gray? Is my memory failing me already, or was it possibly the year before that I'm thinking of?

Regardless, I believe in Eli and Dobson, and I think they will do great!

[Blue In BC]

Penalties are one thing. Missed blocks, not opening holes for Oliveria or allowing pressure on Collaros.

Now I don't know how many missed assignments he made but that's probably even more important than a few penalties.

Considering we were the league leading scoring team, had the most productive run game, none of our OL could have been that bad.

[Stats Junkie]

Wow! I was way wrong! Good for Gray!

Any chance you can pull up the year before for just Geoff Gray? Is my memory failing me already, or was it possibly the year before that I'm thinking of?

Regardless, I believe in Eli and Dobson, and I think they will do great!

You are likely remembering 2022

Geoff Gray (2022) - 12/95
Week 2 - Hold vs Ott - Negated 43 yard pass
Week 2 - Hold vs Ott - Declined
Week 3 - UR vs Ham - Dead Ball Penalty
Week 4 - UR vs Tor (Offsetting) - Dead Ball Penalty
Week 9 - I.P. vs  Mtl - Pre-Sanp
Week 10 - I.P. vs Mtl - Pre-Snap
Week 10 - I.P. vs Mtl - Pre-Snap
Week 12 - Hold vs Cgy - Declined
Week 13 - I.B. (Hands to Face) vs Ssk - Negated 5 yard run
Week 17 - Hold vs Ssk - Negated 2 yard run
Week 17 - Hold vs Ssk - Negated 11 yard pass
WF - Hold vs BC - Negated 7 yard pass

[LXTSN]

You are likely remembering 2022

Geoff Gray (2022) - 12/95
Week 2 - Hold vs Ott - Negated 43 yard pass
Week 2 - Hold vs Ott - Declined
Week 3 - UR vs Ham - Dead Ball Penalty
Week 4 - UR vs Tor (Offsetting) - Dead Ball Penalty
Week 9 - I.P. vs  Mtl - Pre-Sanp
Week 10 - I.P. vs Mtl - Pre-Snap
Week 10 - I.P. vs Mtl - Pre-Snap
Week 12 - Hold vs Cgy - Declined
Week 13 - I.B. (Hands to Face) vs Ssk - Negated 5 yard run
Week 17 - Hold vs Ssk - Negated 2 yard run
Week 17 - Hold vs Ssk - Negated 11 yard pass
WF - Hold vs BC - Negated 7 yard pass

When I grow up I want to be like Stats Junkie!
This makes a lot more sense. Sorry to Gray also. This shows really impressive improvement!

[TecnoGenius]

Any chance you can pull up the year before for just Geoff Gray? Is my memory failing me already, or was it possibly the year before that I'm thinking of?

As Junkie showed, I think you're remembering the UR he was starting to get known for.  He was getting a rep as a pile jumper with a bit of nasty.  He was definitely a push to the whistle type player.  But we tend to like that in OL as it grinds down the D by 4th Q.

From the stats, it was clear he learned how to temper it a bit to avoid the URs.  Maybe after some taken-aside discussions with MOS, lol.

Oh ya, SSK fans hated Gray's guts always calling him dirty and nasty and cheater.  Good days my friends, good days.  Don't worry, they'll find someone else to complain about in '24.