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Ed Philion played professional football. Then he coached in the Canadian Football League. While his transition to the Canadian university level has gone smoothly, he’s had to adjust his expectations and philosophy.

“You have to spend more time with a guy,” he said. “At the pro level, you’d go get another one. It’s just the talent level. They’re not 6-foot-4, 250 pounds and run a 4.7. They’re more like 6-feet, 220 and run a 5.0.

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“You can be the best jockey in the world,” Philion quipped, “but you can’t win the (Kentucky) Derby on a donkey.”

Photo by Kyran Thicke/Concordia Stingers

This isn’t to suggest Philion, in his first season as defensive coordinator for the Concordia Stingers, has inherited a bunch of mules.

The Stingers, coming off a 2-6 non-playoff season in 2018, opened their U Sports schedule last Friday with a heartbreaking 10-3 home-field loss to the powerhouse Université de Montréal Carabins. The visitors scored a touchdown on their opening drive, while the Stingers returned an interception for a touchdown, only to see the play nullified by a penalty. That’s how thin the margin of victory was.