Will the Bombers' decision to keep their coach and GM help turn things around?

On the surface, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' decision to retain head coach Mike O'Shea and general manager Kyle Walters after a 5-13 season can be seen as questionable. The team only opted to not renew the contract of offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille, so they'll be going into next season with largely the same group. Moreover, the team's now 14-34 since Walters took over partway through the 2013 season, and they're 12-24 in the last two seasons with O'Shea as the head coach. O'Shea's also now fired three coordinators; defensive coordinator Gary Etcheverry after the 2014 season, special teams coordinator Pat Tracey partway through this season, and now Bellefeuille. However, there's a case for sticking the course with Walters and O'Shea, especially when you consider the role turnover has played in Winnipeg's recent problems.

The Blue Bombers haven't won the Grey Cup in 25 years, the longest current drought in the CFL (Ottawa hasn't won since 1976, but didn't have a team from 1996-2002 and 2005-2014), and frequent changes in the coaching and executive roles have played a substantial role there. Since current Nebraska coach Mike Riley won the Grey Cup for Winnipeg in 1990 and subsequently left for the World League of American Football, the Bombers have had 12 different coaches. Four only lasted one season. Coaching turnover's been a problem for Winnipeg recently, too, so much so that their team Wikipedia entry has a section titled "The Revolving Door Era." The Bombers made the Grey Cup in 2007, but fired Doug Berry after the 2008 season, replaced him with Mike Kelly, fired Kelly after the 2009 campaign, replaced him with Paul LaPolice, made the Grey Cup in 2011, and fired LaPolice partway through the next season. Since then, they went 7-21 under Tim Burke before firing him following a 3-15 campaign in 2013. Yes, O'Shea's results so far haven't been great, but both of his seasons so far are ahead of what Burke did, and keeping him around may let the team build towards something more.

The big problem with coaching turnover is that all of a sudden, you have players who the new staff isn't high on (for any number of reasons, from fit with the offensive and defensive schemes to perceived potential) and have to drastically remake your roster. Yes, there's going to be some of that anyways depending on who O'Shea brings in as the new offensive coordinator, but it's a good sign that he's said he's likely looking to hire someone with CFL experience; that will undoubtedly lead to some changes, but perhaps not as drastic ones as with a CFL newbie.

It's also notable that while O'Shea and his staff undoubtedly made some mistakes, the issues in Winnipeg this year weren't all about them; some were to do with personnel deficiencies (Walters has made some good moves, but was left with a very bare cupboard thanks to predecessor Joe Mack, and not all of his moves to restock it have panned out) and some were about major injuries. Moreover, worst to first turnarounds are very possible in this league; keep in mind that Ottawa was 2-16 last year, kept their HC and GM, and went 11-7 and won the East this season. Staying the course may not be hugely popular given the high hopes there were for the Bombers heading into this year, but at the very least, it's moving away from the turnover cycle that's plagued this team and giving O'Shea and Walters more time to turn this around. We'll see if they're worthy of it, but from here, giving them another chance seems like the team's best possible move at this juncture.