The ‘Canadian Quarterback Conundrum’ Special Part 10: Farhan Lalji Chimes in on the topic

CFC reporter Rahim deMolitor was tasked with getting to the bottom of the CANADIAN QUARTERBACK CONUNDRUM.  This multi-series story digs deeper than ever and includes interviews with many Canadian Football experts including a variety of journalists including Kirk Penton & Andrew Bucholtz; coaches including Danny Maciocia & Warren Craney; former players including Duane Forde; Quarterbacks including Brad Sinopoli, Giulio Caravatta, Jamie Bone and Michael Faulds and many, many, many more.  And of course, we encourage you to join in the discussion, and forward these great stories to your friends.

PART 1 – CLICK HERE

PART 2 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Giulio Caravatta, Warren Craney and Michael Faulds

Part 3 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Brad Sinopoli, Michael Faulds, Giulio Caravatta, Kirk Penton and Richard MacLean

Part 4 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Jamie Bone, Kirk Penton, Giulio Caravatta and Brad Sinopoli

Part 5 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Duane Forde, Andrew Buchotlz, and Kirk Penton

Part 6 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Kirk Penton and Andrew Bucholtz

Part 7 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Lowell Ullrich, Giulio Caravatta, Michael Faulds, Brad Sinopoli, Billy McPhee and Duane Forde

Part 8 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Danny Maciocia, Giulio Caravatta, Duane Forde, Brad Sinopoli, Andrew Bucholtz and Michael Faulds

Part 9 includes comments from Danny Maciocia, Andrew Bucholtz, and Duane Forde

Part 10 includes comments from Farhan Lalji

Part 11 – CLICK HERE includes comments from Christian Audet, Pat Boies, Cherif Nicolas

Part 12 CLICK HERE includes comments from Danny Maciocia and Brad Spinoli

TSN and CFL correspondent Farhan Lalji spoke to CFC about some of the biggest issues affecting Canadian quarterbacks at the professional level. Lalji, head coach of Vancouver’s New Westminister Hyacks varsity football team is also president of the British Columbia Secondary School Football Association.

Here is what he said to say –

On how Canadian quarterbacks are viewed in the CFL:

“That perception that (Canadian quarterbacks) can’t play is still out there. There are only two organizations that behave differently – one is Calgary, the other is Montreal. For everybody else, there is a bias. There are kids every year that have earned an opportunity to get a legitimate look and that’s the issue. If a player completely dominates the (the CIS) and has shown those tangibles — who are you to say he can’t do it? At the very least, that person is owed an opportunity.

“If Dave Dickenson, with his stature and skill set played at the University of Calgary or Western Ontario, would anyone have given him a second look? He would have looked just like the quintessential Canadian quarterback that was physically limited. That is the reason he looks at guys objectively — because of the skill set he brought to the game and how he was able to play at high level — but there is such little of that around the CFL. I am not here saying there a bunch of guys that are good enough, but philosophically the bias for a large percentage of the GM’s is still there.”

On the CFL’s preference for American quarterbacks:

“It’s not as if everyone is a big-time division-1 quarterback playing in the CFL. You are seeing guys like Josh Neiswander — who played at Angelo State. What the hell is Angelo State? The kid for Winnipeg (Justin Goltz) played at division-3 Occidental. Mike Reilly got a scholarship to Washington State, but played the bulk his collegiate career at Central Washington University — a divison-2 school. These guys from small schools south of the boarder are being given an opportunity and it’s beyond my comprehension why a guy from Angelo State or Occidental or Old Dominion is getting an opportunity but CIS kids are not.”

On CFL scouting:

“The CFL is about finding diamonds in the rough when it comes to import talent. Every coach, GM and talent evaluator thinks they have a formula that’s better than everybody else. They all want to be known as ‘that-guy’ who uncovered ‘that-guy.’ And they all believe they can evaluate talent better than the other eight teams in the league; it’s kind of amusing that way. The approach is, ‘I’m going to find the guy that you can’t because I’m better than you.’ That’s the mentality in this league — yet nobody wants to look at the guy in their own backyard.”

On what separates Calgary and Montreal from the rest of the league:

“Calgary and Montreal are the only two teams that legitimately look at (Canadian quarterbacks). When (Kyle) Graves was there, Trestman gave him time in preseason. And (Brad) Sinopoli had a legitimate opportunity (at Calgary) and that’s a result of Dave Dickenson being personally invested. I look at those two situations and see guys who have made a tangible investment with not just money, but actually getting their hands dirty. The way they do business is different and it ends with those two. The other seven teams to this point need to prove they are a little different. From every discussion I’ve had, Calgary and Montreal is where it ends.”

On the development debate:

“(Quarterback) is the most important position and it requires the biggest investment; it’s a passing league. Wally Buono was telling me there are 60-70 guys on the planet who can play the position well: they’re your starters in the CFL and your 1s-and-2s in the NFL. So people hold that position sacred – and rightfully so. But most CFL teams have a guy in the bullpen they’re developing and if you look at everybody’s roster, they keep four (quarterbacks). But they’ll only take the guy from Angelo State or Occidental and develop him and give him an opportunity.”

On how to help Canadian quarterbacks breakthrough in the CFL:

“I’m not an advocate of a quota because I don’t believe there are nine (Canadian quarterbacks) that belong in this league; what I want is a process-based solution. The (CFL) should designate a Canadian quarterback to be at three teams training camps. And designate that player get X-number-of-reps in both preseason games. Let’s say, 10-reps per game. If that happens, it would force CFL teams to give those quarterbacks meaningful looks in practice. And until that happens, they won’t get a fair evaluation.”

On what a Canadian quarterback would mean for the league:

“Are CFL fans clamoring for a Canadian quarterback? I don’t know if they are, but I know they weren’t clamoring for a Canadian running back. But when you look at the positive attention John Cornish and Andrew Harris have given the league, you have to believe a Canadian quarterback would have a similar impact. Look at how much Cornish and Harris have been glorified, especially with John winning the leagues MOP (Most Outstanding Player). Could you imagine if that was a quarterback? Imagine what that would do for the CFL.”