For the first time in eight seasons the Vancouver Island Raiders did not play for the BCFC Cullen Cup, falling in the semi-final.

The Raiders have gone through another transition in the coaching staff this off season and are retooling for the 2015 campaign without Brian Ridgeway at the helm.

What’s Changing?

The most visible change for the Raiders comes on the coaching staff as Jeremy Conn becomes the second new head coach in the last two years.   Conn has brought former CFL and CIS player Jerome Erdman on as the new defensive coordinator and special teams coach.

The Raiders Board of Directors has also seen a change with eight new members to bring new life to Caledonia Park.

Graduating Players:

* LB Dylan Chapdelaine: The captain of the Raiders defence for the past five season, Chapdelaine graduates leaving a large gab in their linebacker crew.  He was five-time All-Canadian that brought leadership and intensity to the defensive side.  Last season he led the club with 33 tackles and a Conference high 26 assisted stops.  He also collected a sack, 2 knockdowns, a forced fumble and two interceptions

* WR Marshall Cook: To say Cook had a breakout season in 2014 is an understatement.  He led the Canadian Junior Football League with 1084 yards on 64 catches and scored 9 touchdowns.

* DL Ash Gayat: Easily the best defensive lineman for the Raiders in 2014 and over the last couple of years.  Last year Gayat collected 20 solo tackles and 10 assisted tackles, had 3 sacks, a knockdown and a fumble recovery.

* DB Dan Dubinski: Easily his best year as the Raiders top defensive back.  The veteran recorded 88 defensive points, second highest on the team.  He tallied 28 solo tackles, 8 assisted stops, a block, five knockdowns, a forced fumble and picked off a pair of passes.

What They Need

The defensive side of the ball sees more players graduate than on the offensive side.   Coach Conn and his staff are looking to add depth to almost all positions.   On the offensive side the Raiders are hoping to build depth on the offensive line like most teams, but perhaps the most intriguing position they are looking to fill is at running back.   The Raiders have had an unbelievable series of back come through the program over recent memory following Andrew Harris, Ashton Galloway and Michael Ritchott.

Counting On:

With a number of offensive weapons returning the Raiders shouldn’t have a problem scoring points.  All-Canadian quarterback Liam O’Brien returns following a terrific season connecting on a conference high 64.5% of his passes.  O’Brien completed 171 passes for a conference high 2,842 yards and 20 touchdowns.

One of O’Brien’s targets will once again be Dustin Rodriguez.  The speedy receiver/returner has great hands making 18 catches for 429 yards and two touchdowns.  As a returner he made 28 punt returns for an average of 12.1 yards and a major.  Rodriguez pulled triple duty in 2014 as the team’s punter as well.  He finished the season with a net average of 25.8 yards a kick.

On the defensive side the Raiders will rely on defensive end Quinton Bowles who showed he will pick up the pressure following the graduation of Gayat.  Bowles brings a high level of intensity and leadership on and off the field.   A year ago Bowles had a team high 4 sacks, collected 15 tackles and 7 assists.

The first step in the Raiders returning to the Cullen Cup championship game will be when they open Spring Camp from May 15-17 in Nanaimo.