Darrell Davis: Good coaches with good timing

Watching this year’s Grey Cup coaches together, on a stage before the media assembled for the 2016 Grey Cup in Toronto, you wonder how such inexperienced bosses motivated their teams to reach the CFL championship.

In his first year as a head coach, Dave Dickenson brought his Calgary Stampeders to the Grey Cup. Rick Campbell, in his third year as a head coach, brought his Ottawa Redblacks. Campbell also took his team to last year’s Grey Cup.

Although they’re new head coaches, they served apprenticeships as assistant coaches before earning their current jobs. That doesn’t guarantee success. Others haven’t been so successful following similar paths. Richie Hall, Greg Marshall, Gary Etcheverry, Rich Stubler and Jeff Tedford were former CFL assistants who had short, unsuccessful stints as head coaches.

Sometimes it’s just the right guy with the right team at the right time.