If the next step in your football coaching career is CFL defensive co-ordinator, these are probably pretty good times.

Then, again, maybe not quite as good as they seem, should Corey Chamblin and DeVone Claybrooks, the new head coach in Toronto and presumptive head coach in B.C., both decide to go the dual-portfolio route.

The shifting sands in CFL coaching — heavily influenced, but not solely controlled, by the incoming operations salary cap — may have an impact on what happens with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the wake of the decision by their preferred defensive co-ordinator, Jerry Glanville, not to return next season.

Glanville re-emphasized over the weekend that his decision not to sign a contract renewal stemmed from personal circumstance and did not have anything to do with his health which, he said, is fine. He stressed that any speculation his departure was related to the new salary cap is entirely unfounded.

There are as many as five, or as few as two (Calgary which loses Claybrooks, Edmonton which didn't rehire Mike Benevides), defensive co-ordinator positions available across the league. The more open positions, the less of a buyer's market.

There are a couple of ways Orlondo Steinauer could proceed, with some variations on the main themes.

He can wear a hat with two brims: one for head coach and one for defensive co-ordinator. But the route he favours is to be a head coach with separate co-ordinators fully responsible for offence, defence and special teams.

This corner leans that way, too. When the head coach doesn't have to concentrate on one unit, he can freely roam daily practices; he can worry-out game strategy from a full overview; he is more liberated at halftime to make overall adjustments; and his mind is less encumbered for those little, but complicated, late-game decisions so critical to CFL success.

The Ticats have sought permission from some teams to speak to certain individuals currently on their staff. It's assumed B.C.'s Mark Washington is among that bunch. He's already a defensive co-ordinator, so technically this would be a lateral move but it's as yet undetermined what Claybrooks will decide about his own roles.

Washington, Steinauer's CFL contemporary on the field and on the sidelines, would seem to be a natural philosophical fit who would allow Steinauer to simultaneously have input and leave his co-ordinator alone.

Benevides, another name often mentioned, has a decade of CFL head coaching or co-ordinating under his belt. On the other side of the ledger, his Edmonton defence had bottom-half numbers the past two years.

Steinauer says he's not averse to taking a chance on potential, so that brings up the likes of current CFL assistant coaches James Stanley and Jordan Younger, who have been associated with defensive success in Winnipeg and Toronto and have deep history with the new Ticat boss. Barron Miles, who's worked defences in four of the five western cities, could fall into that category as could a smattering of other CFL position coaches.

Internally, the Ticats' defensive coach rising star is Craig Butler, who went immediately from playing into coaching just 15 months ago. He's clearly being fast-tracked but his first larger step would likely be to special teams co-ordinator.

A hybrid option would be for Steinauer to hire a placeholder for a year or two while the future co-ordinator cuts his teeth, like Steinauer did under June Jones. Steinauer's mentor Rich Stubler could be that type if he doesn't return to Montreal, and so could B.C. special teams co-ordinator Jeff Reinebold, the Ticats' special teams, then defensive, co-ordinator over nearly five years.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

smilton@thespec.com

905-526-3268 | @miltonatthespec