By Kristen Odland
Calgary Herald
Never one to mince words, John Hufnagel summed up 2012 for the Calgary Stampeders.
“A terrific season,” he said at Thursday’s fan forum at McMahon Stadium’s Red and White Club. “And a horrible ending.”
Of course, the head coach and general manager was referring to last year’s Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts, which has not been far from the minds of many, including those at the third annual event which provided around 200 fans an opportunity to quiz Hufnagel, team president Gordon Norrie, and players Keon Raymond and Rob Cote on all things Stampeders. The team also unveiled their 2013 motto: “Whatever it takes.”
But Hufnagel made it very clear that what transpired in the 2012 Canadian Football League finale is a big part of their motivation.
“Moving forward in the 2013 season,” he said. “Our starting point is that horrible ending.”
Early in his address, Hufnagel also slammed the door on any rumours surrounding the Stampeders and their majority owners, the Calgary Flames.
“I just want to put it to bed that the new ownership has been nothing but fantastic and supportive,” he said. “If we do hit a valley and we’re not winning as much as we’re used to, it’s not the ownership’s fault – it’s my fault.
“And I won’t allow that to happen, hopefully.”
Hufnagel also broke a bit of news, mentioning that there have been no coaching changes, unlike in 2012 when they lost three coaches in the off-season. Hufnagel also said Brad Sinopoli will also be trying his hand at wide receiver, which should provide an interesting angle to this year’s training camp.
Sinopoli, who was selected by Calgary as a quarterback in the fourth-round selection from the 2011 CFL draft, was cut from the team but called into action when they lost starter Drew Tate in Game 2.
In terms of player transactions, Hufnagel managed to put the pen to six of their eight free agents.
He talked about preparation ahead of the CFL Draft on May 6 – a class which is loaded with talent particularly in the offensive and defensive lineman positions – where they’ll have the seventh pick of the first round and seven selections in total. He and the coaching staff will also prepare for their free agent camps held in Florida.
Hufnagel offered an update of a study the Stampeders medical team underwent, investigating their eyebrow raising amount of knee injuries. The team had the league-most 10 including five defensive lineman undergoing season-ending knee surgeries.
“There was really no common denominator as far as the type of surface, the shoe,” he said.
“The only thing in common was usually contact caused the injury.”
However, Hufnagel said he was not satisfied with writing the season off as a “freak year.”
He wants to decrease the amount of stress players have to put on their knee joints at training camp, cutting out the intense individual period during the team’s two-a-day practices.
“What I took seriously was the amount of knee injuries,” Hufnagel said. “I’m going to try something.”