Toronto Argonauts: Jon Gruden predicts success under Marc Trestman
By Chris Mckee
Monday Night Football analyst and Super Bowl winning coach Jon Gruden says Toronto Argonauts fans should expect success under new head coach Marc Trestman.
The Toronto Argonauts are scheduled to kick off their season on Sunday, at home against their storied rivals the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
The Argos are coming off one of their worst seasons in recent memory, with the team limping through a 5-13 record which left them last in the CFL East Division.
On the field, the team was marred by injuries which included number one quarterback Ricky Ray, who only started nine games for the Boatmen last year which followed his 2015 campaign that saw him only play three times.
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The team’s move to BMO Field for the start of the 2016 season was supposed to revive some interest in the club and bring more of a party atmosphere to their games.
However, the club only averaged 16,380 tickets sold per game, which was worst in the CFL and well below the league average of 24,691.
There is plenty of room for optimism heading into the start of the 2017 season with a new regime in place, led by a new general manager in Jim Popp and a new head coach Marc Trestman.
Popp and Trestman were the architects of the Montreal Alouettes’ success of the 2000’s and Argos fans are hoping they can bring back some of their old magic and cast it over BMO Field.
Trestman has a famous supporter in his corner in Super Bowl winning coach Jon Gruden, who predicts Toronto will have success with the 2009 CFL Coach of the Year at the helm.
https://twitter.com/TorontoArgos/status/877149110331199488
Gruden and Trestman worked together on Gruden’s staff with the Oakland Raiders. He said: “I learned a lot of football under coach Trestman.”
Trestman returns to the CFL after stints as a head coach with the Chicago Bears and most recently as the offensive coordinator with the Baltimore Raves.
If Ray can maintain his health and stay on the field, expect him to have a career year under Trestman and his potent offence.
The Ti-Cats will be led by quarterback Zach Collaros and should provide a stiff test for Trestman and the Argos in his debut for Toronto this Sunday.
It’s like Gruden has said during his Monday Night Football broadcast: “Anything goes on any given Sunday, especially Monday Night.”
Next: Sorting through the Argos' final roster cuts
What do you make of Gruden’s comments about the Argos? Are you predicting a successful 2017 campaign for them or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.