Bombers defence is in the details

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This article was published 13/11/2024 (333 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER — Despite the wheels being in motion for years, Jordan Younger had no idea when he’d get the chance to take the steering wheel of a CFL defence.

Beginning in 2018, Younger spent six seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, mostly in the shadows as the club’s defensive backs coach. That’s not to suggest he wasn’t respected for his work; on the contrary, he had the upmost confidence of head coach Mike O’Shea, who was also a former teammate of Younger’s on the Toronto Argonauts in the mid-2000s.

It took a little time to get there — not many position coaches would be willing to stick it out that long — but Younger was finally promoted to DC in January, just a week before his 46th birthday. The move highlighted a coaching shuffle that also included a change at special-teams co-ordinator, with Mike Miller taking over for Paul Boudreau shortly after announcing his retirement as a player.

“I’ll tell you this, it was a very short conversation,” started O’Shea. “He talked about his vision for the defence, I think I had one or two questions. One would have been at what point do you continue moving forward with it or do you go back in a different direction? Once again, a very quick answer and away we go.”

O’Shea added: “But that moment, that conversation happens for several years prior to that. It’s building to that.”

The title of defensive co-ordinator never did come up in the several conversations between O’Shea and Younger before he was offered the job. After all, veteran defensive coach Richie Hall occupied the role and neither would disrespect a man they both admired and won championships with by discussing that type of business behind his back.

“It’s really just conversations about football. Conversations of what we did well and what we didn’t do well and what we could be better. Just coming from the perspective of genuinely caring about the success of the people in the room,” Younger said. “Because we’ve had a relationship — both as teammates and coaches — the conversations happen kind of naturally. For me, I can’t even identify the moment it was clear for him. I know how important this team is to him. I know how important the CFL is to him. So, I’m honoured he wanted me to be the defensive co-ordinator of this team.”

Fast-forward 11 months and it’s safe to assume the decision paid off. The Bombers are in Vancouver for Grey Cup week, back in the championship game for a fifth consecutive season, and Younger’s defence is tops in the CFL.

Under Younger’s guidance, the Bombers have allowed the fewest points, the fewest touchdowns, the fewest yards, the fewest first downs and the fewest offensive plays. That’s about as good as it gets for a first impression.

“He was that good years before; he just was always comfortable with what he was doing,” O’Shea said. “When he first came into the league as a player, we were on the same team and he was very smart then. Also, if you’re around him for any length of time you understand how thorough he is, how thoughtful he is at everything he does.”

What really separates Younger from other DCs across the CFL isn’t just the excellence on the field, but how he’s achieving the results. He’s brought a whole new system to the defence, one that prides itself on versatility and doesn’t have the same look and feel of a more traditional three-down D.

As an example, when facing second-and-long, whereas Hall would often use four defensive linemen, two linebackers and six defensive backs, Younger uses one fewer D-lineman and linebacker and eight defensive backs. Against the Saskatchewan Roughriders quarterback Trevor Harris in the West final last Saturday, Younger dropped as many as nine players into coverage.

It’s certainly not an orthodox approach, and perhaps what drives that home the best is the fact the Bombers finished dead last in QB sacks, with 26. Last season, they more than doubled that number.

“I’m trying to use their skillset, the things they’re good at, their gifts, and trying to put them in places where they can succeed,” Younger said. “The fact that they’ve embraced that, took on roles where maybe a big guy is doing smaller guy things or small guys are doing big guy things. That versatility makes it more challenging for the offence. They have more trouble with identifying who’s doing what. If it’s more difficult for them, that means it’s easier for us.”

Bombers all-star halfback Deatrick Nichols said he and teammate, strong-side linebacker Redha Kramdi, once went up to Younger and asked him what made him come up with the idea. Younger answered that he was drawing things up in the dirt, just trying to come up with different situations.

“His brain is always operating at a high level,” said Nichols, referring to Younger as the definition of a player’s coach. “He looks at the game inside out and outside in, from every angle and he figured it out. We’ve always loved him and when he needed us, we are always going to have his back and vice versa.”

Tony Jones still can recall the level of detail Younger had when they spoke for the first time. He called the scheme he’s come up with the best, by far, he’s ever seen or played.

“He’s like a scientist when he breaks things down,” Jones said. “Every call he knows where the holes are and where we want to go. Every call is broken down like that, so we know where our help is and where we can cheat to align to when to make the play. He knows we can’t just be giving offences the same looks.”

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You don’t have to tell Buck Pierce how valuable a defensive mind Younger is. When Pierce was applying for the head coaching job in Saskatchewan last offseason, he had leverage with Younger as his DC.

It turned out to be a close call, with the rumour being Pierce was going to be offered the job but used his leverage to return to Winnipeg as offensive co-ordinator so long as Younger got his promotion.

“He’s done a great job of just continuing to adapt and try new things. His willingness to be innovative and kind of step outside the box a little bit and look at things different than other people would have, that’s what makes Jordan who he is,” Pierce said. “What’s exciting to see is just how our defence has evolved and what they’re doing now is just a product of him being open to some new ideas and new things.”

Jeff.Hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

Jeff Hamilton is a sports and investigative reporter. Jeff joined the Free Press newsroom in April 2015, and has been covering the local sports scene since graduating from Carleton University’s journalism program in 2012. Read more about Jeff.

Every piece of reporting Jeff produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.