Calgary Stampeders round out coaching staff with CFL veteran, newcomer

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Dave Dickenson went searching for contemporary units of eyes to spherical out his teaching employees.

That search took him to André Bolduc and Ryan Williams — the primary a veteran of the Canadian Soccer League, and the opposite under no circumstances accustomed to the three-down recreation.

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The hope is the additions — introduced Monday, with Bolduc as operating backs coach and Williams as quarterbacks coach — assist pump up an offence that’s endured its challenges the previous couple of CFL seasons.

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“André has CFL expertise and has been in a number of techniques,” mentioned Dickenson, the Stampeders’ GM/head coach. “After which for Ryan, he hasn’t been within the CFL in any respect, however he’s been with a extremely high quality program, the College of Georgia.

“I’m excited to get each.”

Actually, the rent of 32-year-old Williams is compelling.

Having been an NCAA assistant for six years, the CFL is model new to the previous faculty QB — with the Memphis Tigers and the Miami Hurricanes — so it’s out-of-the-box pondering for the Stampeders within the search to fill certainly one of their high-profile teaching vacancies, after Marc Mueller left the QBs coach put up to turn into the offensive coordinator of the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“The Canadian recreation is exclusive, and it’s good to have that CFL expertise,” Dickenson mentioned, “However I additionally suppose, typically, we simply rent the identical guys again and again. And I believed for our crew, it is perhaps a optimistic to have some completely different ideas from some guys that hadn’t been with us.

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“Regardless that Ryan wasn’t given lots of direct positional group obligations with Georgia, simply being round nice coaches and round a well-run program — a extremely well-run program — I believed could be a optimistic for us right here in Calgary.

“Todd Monken was the offensive coordinator at Georgia — he’s the man that went to the (NFL’s) Baltimore Ravens — and Ryan and I have been speaking over some concepts that Todd used to do. After which they simply have good coaches in Georgia — clearly, it begins with their head man, Kirby Sensible. They definitely noticed one thing in Ryan that made them need to carry him in and be part of that crew.”

Throughout his six-year tenure with the Bulldogs — who have been topped NCAA champs in each 2021 and ’22 — Williams labored as assistant huge receivers and high quality management coach and as a graduate assistant working with quarterbacks and recruiting and participant personnel analyst.

“Ryan’s trying extra to search out his personal voice and have a bit of bit extra obligations on his plate,” continued Dickenson. “So I believe coming to the CFL and a quarterback-driven league may be very engaging. It’s one thing he needed to do. We’ll simply strive to verify to not overwhelm him early and let him discover his footing.”

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The 52-year-old Bolduc, in the meantime, has intensive CFL expertise, together with 9 campaigns with the Montreal Alouettes and one with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The native of Alma, Que., was beforehand a head coach on the Université de Sherbrooke and Collège Montmorency and offensive coordinator on the Université de Montréal.

As a participant, Bolduc was a two-time all-star receiver with the U SPORTS’ Concordia Stingers and performed six seasons within the CFL — from 1996-2001 — with the Ottawa Tough Riders, the Edmonton Eskimos and the Alouettes.

“His status is his gamers actually play laborious for him — he’s a participant’s coach,” Dickenson mentioned. “I discovered after I was interviewing him and likewise asking round, only a few folks had the rest however optimistic stuff to say about him.

“He clearly didn’t preserve his job on the market, however from what I heard, he did a heck of a job and and gamers reply to him. He was nicely ready. He’s acquired information base of the Canadian Soccer League, and he’s accomplished particular groups — and now he’s accomplished rather a lot within the run recreation.

“I actually imagine he’ll make us higher.”

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Bolduc’s job, in fact, is to maintain up the long-standing custom of the Stamps’ stable operating recreation.

“André is gonna be the vet in that room,” continued Dickenson. “He’s accomplished this for 9, 10 years on the skilled degree. The running-back place is the toughest place to go away an imprint in, as a result of not lots of the operating backs have a 12-15 12 months profession. So we perceive that whereas we do have guys which have been with us, André is gonna be the one which he’ll slot in nicely and discover his voice rapidly.”

All totalled, the rest of Dickenson’s employees consists of returnees with a mixed 53 years of teaching expertise:

• Particular-teams coordinator and assistant head coach Mark Kilam (coming into his twentieth season as a coach with the Stampeders)
• Defensive coordinator Brent Monson (fifteenth season)
• Offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Pat DelMonaco (eleventh season)
• Defensive backs coach and CFL draft coordinator Dwayne Cameron (fifth season)
• Linebackers coach Bob Slowik (fourth season)
• Receivers coach Nik Lewis (second season, additionally performed 11 seasons for the Stampeders)
• Line of defense coach Juwan Simpson (second season, additionally performed eight seasons for the Stampeders)
• Offensive and particular groups assistant coach Des Catellier (second season)

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An addition to the coaching and medical employees is Daryl Chambers as energy and conditioning coach. Chambers has beforehand labored for the Canadian Sports activities Institute Calgary and the College of Calgary, in addition to serving an internship with the Calgary Flames. Chambers has additionally been employed by Ignite Athletics and ORKA Efficiency.

The remainder of the soccer operations employees consists of:

• Assistant common supervisor and director of participant personnel Brendan Mahoney
• Director of U.S. scouting Cole Hufnagel
• Director of soccer operations Nick Bojda
• Director of soccer administration Molly Campbell
• Head athletic therapist Stephen Wady
• Assistant athletic therapist Hailee Coll
• Gear supervisor George Hopkins
• Assistant tools supervisor Gord Taillefer
• Director of video operations Ross Folan
• Video assistant Bruce McCabe
• Video assistant Nick Friedrichson

“We’re all in a mode proper now that we’re trying ahead to type of washing unhealthy style in our mouth from final 12 months,” added Dickenson. “It’s our enterprise to show it yearly, however everyone knows it’s a type of years the place greater than ever this 12 months, for all of us, we would like that chance.

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“I do suppose we’ve had lots of change within the final three years, and as soon as once more, we’re having a number of guys which are completely different. However I believe that everybody works collectively and everybody has completely different personalities and completely different strengths, and I don’t really feel like anybody isn’t rowing in the identical path.

“And that’s what’s vital for a employees.”

STAMPS RE-UP TRIO

The Stampeders have introduced again DB Titus Wall, making that announcement Monday. The 24-year-old Ohio native has performed 21 video games over two seasons since signing with the Stamps in April of 2022. Enjoying primarily on the strong-side linebacker place within the secondary, Wall has 94 profession tackles together with eight tackles for loss, 10 special-teams tackles, 4 sacks, three compelled fumbles, three interceptions, one fumble restoration and three knockdowns. Wall has scored two defensive touchdowns for the Stamps — one on an interception, and one on a fumble return. In 2023, Wall began 11 video games at strong-side linebacker and had 55 defensive tackles together with a team-leading 5 tackles for loss. He additionally recorded seven special-teams tackles, two sacks, one compelled fumble and two knockdowns earlier than struggling a season-ending shoulder damage within the Labour Day Basic … Additionally Monday, the Stamps inked American defensive finish Charles Wylie. The 25-year-old Atlanta native signed with the NFL’s Ravens as a linebacker in 2022. The 6-foot-2, 251-lb. Wiley recorded 5 tackles and 1.5 sacks in pre-season motion earlier than being launched on the finish of coaching camp. He was later added to the New York Giants’ apply squad and in 2023 he attended coaching camp with the Cleveland Browns. Earlier than turning professional, Wiley performed his two seasons with NCAA’s UTSA Roadrunners, and in 26 video games with them, he had 79 tackles together with 19 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two cross breakups and three fumble recoveries, together with one which he returned 44 yards for a landing. Wylie transferred to UTSA after three seasons with the Ole Miss Rebels. In 33 video games for the Rebels, he picked up 57 tackles together with 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks … Over the weekend, the Stamps re-signed American operating again and kick returner Peyton Logan. The 25-year-old Memphis native was the Stampeders’ nominee for Most Excellent Rookie in 2022 after ending second within the CFL with 2,078 all-purpose yards. In 2023, he performed six regular-season video games and carried the ball 17 occasions for 169 yards and a landing and ran again 22 punt returns for 175 yards and 16 kickoff returns for 333 yards and one missed-field purpose return for twenty-four yards. His finest offensive efficiency got here in an Oct. 20 recreation in opposition to the host BC Lions, when he rushed for 105 yards and a landing … American linebacker and special-teams-ace Darius Williams additionally re-upped with the Stamps over the weekend, The 27-year-old native of Sacramento, Calif., suited up for 16 regular-season video games in 2023, and, along with his team-leading 22 special-teams tackles, he contributed 4 defensive stops together with one deal with for loss. He added one defensive deal with and one special-teams cease within the Western Semi-Remaining. In 25 profession video games for the Crimson and White, Williams has 14 defensive tackles, 28 special-teams tackles and one sack.

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