Saskatchewan rough Riders’ newly hired offensive coordinator kelly jeffrey Not afraid of a good challenge.
“I’m someone who looks for challenges,” Jeffrey said via Zoom from his home in New Brunswick. “In my first head coaching job they had one winning season in 34 years when I took over, in my second head coaching job at Mount Allison I took over a team that had three wins and 45 losses in their last 48 games And it was their 100-point loss in recent history.
“I don’t look for established organizations, I don’t look for (a position where everything is going), I don’t want to follow a legend and take things easy, I see an opportunity.”
An opportunity is certainly one thing that lies ahead of Jeffery as he takes over as the Riders’ offensive head coach after one season spent with the team as linebackers coach.
“This is my dream job, so I’m excited to be a part of Rider Nation and I can’t wait to be here in 2023,” he said.
Jeffery may not have been the first or obvious choice to take over offensive coordinator duties in 2023, but was successful after multiple reports several potential candidates turned down the position to lead the offense of one of the league’s most popular teams.
However, he is coming into the new season excited for the opportunity to run the offense in a pro league, while also bringing some extra fuel to his desire to win.
“I’m so excited about it, I’m going to hold it as fuel,” he admitted. “As folks put it down, I think if they’re so great about this organization no matter the circumstances, if they’re concerned about the head coach and GM (only for one more year under contract), if you feel you are the man for the job then those things should not matter.
“I feel like I’m the guy for the job and those things don’t concern me, we’re going to take this thing forward. I’m excited, I can’t wait to get started and I’m betting on If you’re betting on yourself, the outside doesn’t seem right.”
It is not the first time that Jeffrey has been in control of the team’s offense, holding the offensive coordinator title with the Mount Allison University Mounties in 2006 and 2007 before shifting duties to become the team’s head coach, a role he held for eight years. Played for sessions.
Prior to that he spent four seasons as both head coach and OC for Mayville State University in North Dakota.
“Kelly Jeffery is an outstanding coach and a man of high character and integrity,” head coach Craig Dickenson said in a statement released by the team. “We are thrilled that he has accepted the job of offensive coordinator and look forward to an outstanding year with him in 2023.”
Jeffrey has his work cut out for him going into 2023 as he takes over a Roughriders offense that struggled the back half of the season, averaging just 18.9 points per game, the second-lowest offensive average in the CFL.
“I’m going to put guys in position to succeed and we’re going to work really hard to get the ball to the playmakers so they can do damage on offense,” he explained.
With the return of Jamal Morrow and Frankie Hickson to a two-way running back attack, damage-causing playmakers could certainly come out of the Riders’ backfield in 2022.
In a 12-game, injury-shortened season, Morrow ran extensively in the CFL, churning out 666 yards on the ground, good for fourth-best in the CFL, while Hickson ran for 533 over the same span.
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Both should see plenty this upcoming season following Dickenson’s ongoing mandate, which he addressed during the team’s season wrap-up conference in early November.
“I love running football, I think the more physical team usually wins and one of my philosophies as a coach is you want to impose your will and control the line of scrimmage,” he said .
“To seal a win, if you can’t run the ball, you’re going to have a hard time finishing the game,” Jeffery echoed. “So, running the ball is going to be very important.”
Morrow, the team’s featured running back, had nothing but high praise for Jeffery after re-signing with the team less than a week ago.
Morrow said, “Coach Kelly was a staple for me last season, we developed a relationship throughout the season and I like his coaching style.” “He’s a guy who believes in us and believes in us in the back room, so we love him.”
“If he takes the offensive coordinator position, it will be a huge breakthrough for this team, I’m very excited if he’s in it.”
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