A former NCAA coach has come into the picture at UBC.
Little Man on Campus is reporting Robin Ross, a former NFL position coach who headed the program at Western Washington U. up until it discontinued football in late 2008, is one of four finalists to take the Thunderbirds. Justin McElroy previously looked at some other candidates. The in-house possiblity, Dino Geremia and the alumnus coaching across town, Simon Fraser offensive coordinator Shawn Olson (who QB'd the T-Birds to a Vanier Cup in 1997) are also believed to be finalists, according to Howard Tsumura's report.
You know how people (present company included) are, so the fact UBC is interviewing a coach who was in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference might lead one to wonder what that says about the school's athletic ambitions. Ross' extensive coaching CV does not include any previous experience in Canada; it's a bit odd a 30-year coach would want to take on a job that would involve learning a whole new set of rules.
Related:
Jan. 18 interviews: Olson, Ross, Geremia among finalists for UBC head football coaching job (Howard Tsumura, Vancouver Province)
Football: Ex-Western Washington coach finalist for UBC gig
It's nothing new for a Canadian university team to have an American head coach.
ReplyDeleteThe Gee Gees have had at least three American born and trained head coaches.
Of course, Bob O'Billovich, Joe Moss and Don Gilbert were all ex CFL players with the Ottawa Rough Riders.
So obviously these three men were well acquainted with Canadian football rules.
Would UBC hire an American coach in preparation to join US college ranks?
I don't know...that sounds kind of presumptuous.
Maybe he's the best man qualified for the job.
I will see your presumptuous and raise you a "sensationalism." It is a fair leap, but it seemed worth putting out there, especially for our site which aggregates contents and sometimes goes for the "dummy lead" based on what could happen. The UBC-to-NCAA storyline has not completely gone away.
ReplyDeleteThere have been a few U.S.-born coaches in Canada; the CIS coach of the year award bears the name of an American who naturalized, Frank Tindall.
Apparently UBC could have hired Gary Etcheverry, the Defensive Coordinator from The Saskatchewan Roughriders. A team that was in the 2009 GreyCup. He is a coach of over 30 years experience at ALL levels of football from highschool to the NFL. But instead they are going to hire another inexperienced local product with less then 7 years of Coaching experience at ANY level. Once again it looks like Bob Philip has dropped the ball. (4 bad hires in a row Bobby) Guess this process will take place again in another 3-5 years when The Thunderbirds continue to be the laughing stock of CIS West Football.
ReplyDelete