4 days ago
Hogan's Bombers debut a smashing success
Jason Hogan passed his first test as offensive co-ordinator with flying colours.
It just so happened to be a test that featured some unique curveballs as Hogan and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers had to find their way with starting quarterback Zach Collaros suspended and star running back Brady Oliveira leaving last week's season-opener versus the B.C. Lions in the first quarter with a shoulder injury.
Those factors would be enough to get even a veteran playcaller off their game, but to Hogan's credit, his debut with the big headset went on to be a smashing success with the Bombers prevailing with an impressive 34-20 victory to start the year 1-0.
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press
Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan not only beat Bombers former offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce in Thursday's home opener against the B.C. Lions, the Bombers' second half, seven-play, 108-yard playcall was the club's longest recorded TD drive.
'It was exciting,' Hogan told reporters after Tuesday's practice. 'Great first opportunity. Thought the guys delivered. First one at home, sold out crowd, my folks were in town, so, it's pretty memorable.'
The Bombers outgained the Lions 447-418 with backup pivot Chris Streveler (248 passing yards and three touchdowns) and No. 2 tailback Matthew Peterson (130 rushing yards and a major) unexpectedly leading the attack and making it look easy. Streveler, Peterson and receiver Nic Demski (four catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns) were all named to the Pro Football Focus Week 2 Honour Roll.
'To be able to get guys who aren't necessarily in a starting role to be able to deliver like that, it uplifts the offence, it uplifts the team. For myself, being surrounded by the staff we have and the enormous amount of talent we have on this offence I was not worried, and they delivered,' said Hogan.
'You prepare for the worst, but you never know what's going to happen, right? So, you have to be able to adapt. Luckily, I'm surrounded by so many competent people on our staff that I did have a level of confidence, but you never know. It was a good experience all in all.'
Arguably Hogan's most impressive feat on the night was the seven-play, 108-yard drive out of halftime that was capped off by a 30-yard touchdown strike to receiver Keric Wheatfall to go up 25-10. It's the longest touchdown drive the Bombers have had since the CFL started keeping track of that data in 2012.
'I didn't know about that stat, that's awesome that you guys look that stuff up,' admitted Hogan. 'It's exciting to know you can lean on your fellas and they can just go out there and execute being backed up on the doorstep. They marched down the field and flipped the field. I would've been happy just with ending with points and flipping the field on them, but it just so happens we were able to dial up a touchdown.'
Certainly, ending the contest with over 200-combined rushing yards also brought a smile to Hogan's face as a former running backs coach, but sticking with typical football talk, he was just glad to win no matter the fashion.
'We could win by one, that's all that matters (is that we win). There were a couple of Grey Cups where we would've been happy just winning by one,' said Hogan.
Hogan exchanged a few texts with Lions head coach Buck Pierce — who he replaced as Winnipeg's offensive co-ordinator this off-season — before and after the game. The student (Hogan spent three seasons under Pierce) got the best of the teacher on this occasion, but the two will meet again Saturday at BC Place in a 6 p.m. CT rematch.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea said Tuesday that he isn't surprised by offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan's success as Hogan works around the clock.
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'We're in good spirits,' said Hogan. '(Pierce) and I have a great relationship, and I love him to death. It was a good conversation.'
Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea wasn't surprised to see Pierce's successor hit the ground running.
'It's like anything else, the more work you put into writing the test, the easier the test seems. He puts in a ton of work and he's highly organized,' said O'Shea.
'For example, when he was a position coach, he was in the stadium all hours of the night watching clinic tape, watching other people talk about coaching, and systems and those things. Always taking in more information. Now he has a staff he relies on, and the players he relies on for information and he just so happens to be extremely organized and efficient in the way he processes all that information. But he takes in a lot of information. When he watches film, it's pretty quick that he sees what's going on.'
Taylor AllenReporter
Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor.
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