Jamie Nye: Edmonton keeps their coach, future lies with QB

News out of Edmonton is Jason Maas stays. The word came straight from the coach’s mouth on his weekly radio show.

The head coach took over a Grey Cup Championship team and hasn’t experienced a losing record. Ten wins in year one, 12 in year two and an even 9-9 record this season.

By no means would this overall performance getting any average coach fired, but this coach is different.

Maas is a hot head. He’s even admitted he needs to try to change his demeanour on the sideline. When you watch other coaches around the league, I can’t think of anyone who has thrown a hissy fit, let alone the handful Maas has had on the sidelines — throwing Gatorade jugs, chucking headsets and nearly foaming at the mouth during other tirades.

It’s the biggest flaw Maas has. If he was as calm and cool as June Jones, not many would be looking at him as a coach who should be fired. Even Chris Jones gets mad, but not raging Hulk angry.

But the true success of Maas going forward likely rests with the future of Mike Reilly. With no apparent succession plan to replace Reilly, Maas needs his quarterback to return or the conversation about his future may be much different next off-season.