By: Jim Morris – CFL.ca
Phoo: Gord Weber
Too close to call for Coach of the Year
One of the coaches appearing in this year’s Grey Cup will also be awarded the AGF Coach of the Year. Edmonton’s Chris Jones and Ottawa’s Rick Campbell are the two nominees.
After a disappointing first season Campbell reshaped the REDBLACKS over the winter. They won the Eastern Final with an exciting 35-28 victory over Hamilton in their first home playoff game in 32 years.
This season, Ottawa was fueled by the best net offence in the CFL and also attacked the quarterback extremely well by leading the league with 62 sacks
“I’m very honoured to be nominated for that award,” said Campbell. “I’m sure Chris would say the same thing.
“We’re focused on the big prize at the end of the week.”
The Eskimos finished first in the West with a 14-4 record. They then defeated the Calgary Stampeders 45-31 in Western Final last week at Commonwealth Stadium. It was the Eskimos’ ninth consecutive win and sent them into the Grey Cup Championship for the first time in a decade.
In his second season as a head football coach in the CFL, Jones has gone a perfect two for two in Coach of the Year nominations. This season Jones led the CFL’s stingiest defence in allowing the fewest points in the league. In his two years as a head coach, Jones has compiled a 26-10 record with the Edmonton Eskimos.
