B.C. Lions quarterback Casey Printers has undergone minor toe surgery, the CFL team announced Friday.

Two Canadian Football League Players Sign In The NFL

Tampa Bay of The NFL has signed Almondo Curry, a 5-8, 175-pound defensive back who played at Virginia and was runnerup for the CFL's outstanding rookie award with Montreal last season. Also joining the team was Kyries Hebert, a 6-3, 215-pound linebacker who played with Ottawa last season, tallying 56 tackles and two interceptions.

USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has appeared to be the leading candidate to replace Mike Heimerdinger as offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from the get go. With the college National Signing Day complete, Chow is finally scheduled to meet today with Titans head coach Jeff Fisher and possibly QB Steve McNair at Baptist Sports Park. Sources indicate the Titans will offer a deal around $1 million per season which will be accepted by Chow. Just hours after Heimerdinger's departure, Fisher contacted USC head coach Pete Carroll about Chow and agreed to wait until after the National Signing Day before setting up an official interview. "Norm and I will spend a lot of time together, talking about our offense, his offense, just to see if we can make it fit," Fisher said. "We have a lot to discuss and I am looking forward to getting into great detail." Though the 58-year old coach has never coached in the NFL, he's been the offensive guru for the back-to-back national champion Trojans who has produced Heisman Trophy-winners QB Matt Leinart and Carson Palmer. Before moving to USC in 2001, he coached QBs at North Carolina State who produced first-round pick QB Phillip Rivers. Previous to 2000, Chow spent 27 seasons at Brigham Young coaching QBs including Steve Young, Ty Detmer and Jim McMahon. Even before his duo of National Championships, his offenses have ranked among the nation's top 10 passing leaders 15 times in 21 years at three schools (and seven times in the top two). Twelve times they have ranked among the top 10 in total offense.He won the 2002 Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach and won similar awards in 1999, 1996 and 1993.Chow, whose father was Chinese and his mother Hawaiian, was born and raised in Honolulu. He played football for the University of Utah, where he became an all-Western Athletic Conference guard and honorable mention all-America in 1967. He played in the Canadian Football League for the Saskatchewan Roughriders until a knee injury ended his career. By 1970, he was coaching Waialua High near Honolulu.In 1973, he began a two-year stint as a graduate assistant at BYU and then took a full-time position on the staff as the recruiting coordinator and receivers coach. By 1982, he had worked his way up to the offensive coordinator. Under Chow, BYU had one of the nation's most potent offenses, which was based on the passing game. In 1983, the Cougars were 13-1 and set an NCAA record by averaging a staggering 584 yards per game. In 1984 they were 13-0 and national champions. In 1985, they were 11-3 and in 1990 10-3. When it appeared they were fading in the 90s, they went 14-1 in 1996 and won the Cotton Bowl.There appears to be no end to the praise of Norm Chow as a great offensive mind."A lot of guys can study and learn," Former BYU head coach LaVell Edwards once said. "Everybody does that. But Norm has a certain innate understanding and feel for it (calling plays). He's able to get into the flow of a game. He can get a feeling of how things are going and make the right call. That's where the innate ability comes into play. Norm is one of the best play callers we've had.""I've had some great coaches," Bengals QB Carson Palmer once said of Chow while still at USC, "but I guess I kind of saved the best for last because Coach Chow's just phenomenal."USC head coach Pete Carroll once said of Chow, "Norm has brought an integrity to our program and has validated what we stand for on offense. He really helped us get started because kids came here with confidence knowing Norm Chow would be involved in the offense. He gave me a legitimate shot at showing we'd have an offense that would be competitive from the beginning. His impact has been enormous."QB Matt Leinart has added the importance of Chow to his Heisman Trophy career, "Coach Chow is instrumental in my growth as a quarterback and PERSONALLY [emphasis added]. Our offense has skyrocketed after his first year here. He has a good system and has a great feel for the game. He really tries to utilize everyone's unique abilities to their full potential. We are a very balanced team, but we can pitch in so many different ways. My job is just to get the ball to those guys. [Personality wise,] He is low-key. On the field, he has a presence because of who he is and what he's accomplished."QB Steve McNair will certainly appreciate this quote by Leinart of Chow, "It's fun to play for him," Leinart said. "His system is very quarterback-friendly. He calls the play and lets me go do my thing. Just get the ball to an open receiver. The system is not very complex. It allows for the quarterback to be efficient. There is a lot of high percentage plays there. You just have to play smart." USC WR Mike Williams, who is expected to be a top ten pick in this April's NFL draft, is also a Chow fan. "Coach Chow has definitely opened my mind up to football and the possibilities of what you can do in this game. He showcases player talents so well. He is also a great guy. He's not a 'rah rah' guy but he is definitely a genius at what he does."Chargers QB Philip Rivers sang Chow's praise as well in his early development at NC State. "First of all, his knowledge of the game is just unbelievable. To me, it was the way he could teach and get me ready to play a game so early. Without having to throw the whole offense at me, without having to teach me a ton of fundamentals, he was able to teach me. What I saw or what I learned best, that's what he'd put in the game. He put me in situations to succeed as a true freshman in my first game. He was able to teach. He was able to teach and mold people."Though Fisher has said that today's meeting with Chow is a "first step" and that other candidates will be considered for the OC position, sbsun.com has reported Chow will be made an offer today which will be accepted. Such a move will be a huge boost for the Titans and a big step towards rebounding from a disappointing season. QB Steve McNair will certainly want to be a part of a Chow offense as will WR Derrick Mason who is a focus for renegotiations this off-season.

Jacques Chapdelaine was promoted to offensive co-ordinator as the B.C. Lions finalized their coaching staff Wednesday.
Chapdelaine succeeds Steve Buratto, who took a job as offensive co-ordinator with the Calgary Stampeders last month. Chapdelaine was the team's receivers coach last season. "Jacques has been instrumental in developing our receiving core," Lions head coach and general manager Wally Buono said in a release. "We are excited on his return as he leads our offence in the 2005 season."
Lions receivers Jason Clermont, Ryan Thelwell and Geroy Simon were all named CFL all-stars last year while Simon led the league in touchdowns scored and pass receiving.
The Lions led the league in most offensive categories last season, including team passing (6,335 yards), points scored (544) and total offence (7,726 yards).
The Lions also re-signed defensive co-ordinator/defensive backs coach Paul Arslanian, special teams co-ordinator/linebacker coach Mike Benevides and offensive line coach Dan Dorazio. The team also named Steff Kruck quarterbacks coach.
Kruck joins the Lions from Kutztown University, where he was the quarterbacks coach and offensive and recruiting co-ordinator.
Meanwhile, Ottawa Renegades head coach and GM Joe Paopao introduced his coaching staff for next season.
Kani Kauahi returns as the team's offensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach. Tommy Condell is back as the quarterbacks and receivers coach, while Jaime Hill will also return for the second straight year, remaining the defensive backs coach and will add co-defensive co-ordinator duties to his responsibilities.
Jim Clark was elevated from defensive assistant to special teams co-ordinator, succeeding Dave Easley, who is reportedly joining the Winnipeg Blue Bombers staff.
Greg Marshall has been added as defensive co-ordinator and Richard Harris is the team's new defensive line coach. He held the same position with the B.C. Lions last season.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed Chris Cvetkovic (6-2, 235, Concordia ’01, DOB: June 28, 1977 in Hamilton, ON).
“Chris is a talented long snapper that would have been difficult to replace,” said Brendan Taman, GM & VP of Football Operations. “His return solidifies our special teams as it relates to the kicking game.”

The Toronto Argonauts Football Club is pleased to announce the addition of three new players to its defence. Defensive End T.J. Bingham comes to the Argos with NFL, NFL Europe and AFL experience, as does cornerback Tony Lukins. Both players participated in separate World Bowl NFLE Championships. Bingham was the Scottish Claymores’ sack leader in 2003 and was a key player in the Berlin Thunder’s World Bowl Championship win in 2004. Lukins had a great college career at New Mexico State University before signing with the Chicago Bears in 2002. The New Mexico native also spent time with the Oakland Raiders (NFL), the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), the Rhein Fire (NFLE) and the Chicago Rush (AFL).
James McGill enjoyed an outstanding senior season at K- State in 2003 which culminated in a Big-12 Championship. He led the team with 6 interceptions from his safety position, including one in the Big-12 Championship game vs. Oklahoma. For his efforts, which also included 27 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 5 pass break-ups, McGill earned honourable mention All Big-12 Conference.
All three players will report to training camp this spring.

The Calgary Stampeders were so impressed by Joffrey Reynolds' brief stint in the CFL that they're bringing him back.
The Stampeders Tuesday announced they'd re-signed Reynolds to a new contract.
Reynolds joined the Stampeders late last season after he was released by the NFL's New York Giants.
He played five football games for Calgary. He rushed for 497 yards and two touchdowns in that time

The Montreal Alouettes will bring back five of their six assistant coaches from last season and have added two more, the CFL club announced Tuesday.
Only special teams co-ordinator and linebackers coach Daryl Edralin will not be back. The team said Edralin had family commitments.
His replacement is Cory McDairmid, a Nanaimo, B.C. native who has worked in recent years for B.C., Saskatchewan and Toronto.
The Alouettes also moved Andrew Garven, a native of Oakville, Ont., from the football operations department to the coaching staff.
Returning from last season to head coach Don Matthews' staff are offensive co-ordinators Doug Berry and Kevin Strasser, defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones, offensive line coach Steve McAdoo and special teams and defensive backs coach Noel Thorpe

Canadian Football League Signings

The Calgary Stampeders signed Canadian free-agent defensive lineman Randy Chevrier on Monday.
Chevrier, drafted by Edmonton fifth overall in 2001, didn't play last season after leaving the Eskimos for a tryout with the New York Jets. The move reunites him with former Eskimos coach Tom Higgins, who was recently named head coach in Calgary.
"My decision to come to Calgary was an easy one," Chevrier said in a release. "I feel this organization has taken all the right steps to compete for the Grey Cup. I'm excited in reuniting with Tom Higgins as we've always had a great relationship."
In other moves, the Ottawa Renegades re-signed defensive back Crance Clemons and receiver Darryl Ray and secured linebacker Erik Dandy, a product of the University of Western Kentucky, while the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed safety John Sullivan and offensive lineman Kendrick Rogers.