Football: Windsor of change; nominations open for Morencie's successor

Evidently, where there is smoke, there is fire: A reliable and trustworthy source says Windsor coach Mike Morencie will not be on the sidelines in 2010.

The new coach will likely be from outside Windsor and environs. What is likely to happen is Morencie will be offered another position within the university, to avoid a lame-duck campaign.

This is not a rumour site, but the source has never steered us wrong. It was reported last fall Morencie, whose contract runs through the 2010-11 school year, had been told he needed a five-victory season in order to keep his job.

The 2-2 Lancers just lost 49-0 to Waterloo. Their next two games are vs. No. 4 Queen's and No. 8 Laurier, plus they have to make the OUA's longest road trip to play Ottawa in the regular-season finale, so 5-3 is not looking good.

I would say it is dollars-to-donuts Windsor will have a new coach in 2010. Here are a few cisblog.ca candidates for the job (it's not grave-dancing, the rumour mill has churned at cisfootball.org for a good long while):
  • Mickey Donovan, Western linebackers coach: The former CIS defensive player of the year has has a unique background as an American who played in the NCAA (Maine) and QUFL. One of Donovan's fortes is recruiting, where he and Mustangs defensive coordinator Paul Gleason have been invaluable in helping Greg Marshall shore up the overall talent level at Western, which had slipped early on this decade. Donovan is pretty young,

  • John Bloomfield, former coach of the Ontario Football Conference's Windsor AKO Fratmen and of the St. FX X-Men: Bloomfield has ties to the Windsor area and has previous CIS head coaching experience and experience with the Lancers, so he's got that goin' for him, which is nice.

    At the same time, there were the clouded-in-innuendo circumstances of his departure from St. FX following last season. No one questions Bloomfield's football acumen, though, and lookie-lookie, the X-Men have started 3-0 this season. It is Gary Waterman's team, but he's fighting with what was Bloomfield's army.

  • Ryan Pyear, Laurier offensive coordinator: Another young, ambitious assistant coach who has essentially apprenticed to lead an OUA team since he was a teenager, as a SOFAC (Son of a Coach), a five-year starter at quarterback for the Golden Hawks and as Gary Jeffries' offensive coordinator. It might be too-much, too-soon, but another former Laurier OC, Stefan Ptaszek, is already an OUA coach.

  • Pat Tracey, Queen's defensive coordinator: Tracey has built a big home with the Golden Gaels and it would be as hard for him to leave as it would be to see him leave, speaking a Tricolour fan. Also please keep in mind that with any coaching change, it means two careers get uprooted, the coach and his spouse.

    Tracey is very settled at Queen's and is a native of Eastern Ontario. At the same time, it is fair to toss his name into the hat, given that he has more than a decade's experience as a DC in the OUA, having worked at Guelph in the late 1990s before joining Pat Sheahan's staff in 2000 and taking the defensive duties in '01. He is practically the dean of defensive coordinators in the league.
Go ahead and say this is trading in rumours, but who among us does not love a good Internet meme? This is for real.
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14 comments:

  1. Of the names mentioned Tracey or Bloomfield are likely the most qualified.

    With that said Donovan might be the best guy to bring in players the quickest.

    I think it's important for Windsor to get as big of a name as possible, thus influencing more to consider Windsor as a viable alternative.

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  2. I like Donavan and Pyear.....both young but up and coming. Tracey won't leave Kingston.

    JB...forget it....won't ever happen.

    Donovan might want to be a HC now...anywhere in the CIS. Pyear could be waiting for the WLU job to open up in so many years?

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  3. All I can say is its about time. IMHO Windsor has some excellent and dedicated young players who are not from the Windsor area that deserve a fair shot.
    I think it's important that if a new coach is appointed that he be from outside with no ties to the Windsor area as stated above.

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  4. Donovan is a possible good choice that is a players coach. Attended a Mac/Western game 2-3 years ago at Ivor Wynne. Sat behind the Western bench with family and alumni. Idiots in first row or two heckling Western with unkind and beligerent comments. Donovan asked them politely asked them to stop and after some period of ignoring his polite requests he was a minute or two away from scaling the wall to get at them. Fortunately someone called security and spectators removed from stadium.

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  5. There's not a chance that John Bloomfield will coach at the U of Windsor. That ugly black thing on the horizon when you attend a Lancer game is not the Ambassador Bridge but the one Bloomfield burned on his departure as Offensive co-ordinator. He complained to everyone but the Pope that he was owed $$

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  6. How 'bout thinking beyond the OUA (tough I know) but, CFL, CJFL and CIS. There's more than just southern Ontario to recruit and discuss. If Windsor really wants to take it to the next level, why would they just aim for a Western (non-Vanier assistant) or a former X coach? Nothing personal, just thinking outside the box.

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  7. Good point, you have anyone specific in mind? Please keep in mind, just considering someone from outside Windsor might be outside the box enough for Windsor.

    Bloomfield coached with a CJFL program (the Fratmen). Donovan was playing in the CFL not too long ago and played CIS football in another conference.

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  8. Someone should call Mike Circelli from CCH in London. Strike in Westerns backyard.

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  9. What I can't understand is why would the University let this coach run the team into the ground? Year after year he destroys the spirit of the team, he reduces the number of possible recruits that were looking to move into an already depressed city and he hasn't made one positive change to improve his outcome? I predict that Windsor will be the punching bag of the CIS for the next few years because of what has been left to the management of the Athletics Department. The writing is on the wall, make the changes and start the rebuilding...this year was over at Waterloo!
    Morencie maybe a good local recruiter, have him continue to do so if need be, get him off the field.

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  10. Give me a break. I would not hire Ryan Pyear as head coach. I find Pyear to be incompetent as OC at WLU.

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  11. Where's Warren Goldie these days?

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  12. Warren left coaching earlier this year to dedicate himself to his business interests.

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  13. Donovan, PJ Edgeworth, Mike Circelli - Western.

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  14. To me, I think none of these guys mentioned will be the head coach. There is a guy that is coaching in OUA that has a connection and played for Gord Grace at Mount A could end up getting the job if he applies.

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