Canadian Football League

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Canadian Football League all star joins Emporia State

Emporia State football coach Garin Higgins announced the addition of six coaches to his staff on Friday. They include: defensive coordinator Ken Gordon; defensive line coach Spence Nowinsky; offensive line coach Travis Fox; running backs coach Gary Manuel; safeties coach Joey Boese and cornerbacks coach Jordan Malone.
“I’m very excited to have our staff put together and out on the road recruiting,” Higgins said in a release. “This is a very enthusiastic group, and they bring a bunch of different ideas to the table.”
The six have had success at both the coaching and playing ranks, combining for four national championship rings and three Rose Bowl Championship rings among them.
Gordon, who will serve as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at ESU, comes from Minnesota State where he was defensive coordinator for the past two seasons. The Mavericks ranked second in the North Central Conference in total defense during the 2005 season.
Gordon spent two seasons as defensive coordinator at Pierce (Calif.) College prior to his stint at MSU. The Brahma Bulls led the Western States Conference in total defense during his last season.
Gordon started his coaching career in the MIAA, serving as a member of the Northwest Missouri State coaching staff during the National Championship years in 1998 and 1999. Gordon also played linebacker for the Bearcats in 1995 and 1996, earning first-team All-MIAA honors his senior season.
Nowinsky also joins ESU from Minnesota State after coaching defensive line for the Mavericks last season.
Prior to his stint at MSU, Nowinsky served as defensive line coach for Idaho. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wisconsin from 1999-2002.
The Badgers won the Rose Bowl during his time there, defeating Stanford, 17-9, in 2000.
During his playing days, Nowinsky was a four-year letterwinner at Minnesota State, competing from 1991-94 as a defensive lineman.
Fox joins the ESU staff after serving six seasons as coach at Kilgore (Texas) Junior College. He was the offensive coordinator in his last two seasons for the Rangers and also served as offensive line coach at Northwest Oklahoma State in 1999-2000.
Manuel also comes from Kilgore, taking over as the running backs coach after serving in a similar capacity last season for the Rangers. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Northwest Oklahoma, instructing quarterbacks and running backs from 2001-04.
Boese will join the Hornets’ staff after playing the last four seasons for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He was a CFL West Division All-Star in 2004 after posting 92 tackles and three interceptions.
During his playing days, Boese was a member of Wisconsin’s Rose Bowl teams in 1999 and 2000.
Malone comes to ESU after serving as a graduate assistant at Wayne (Neb.) State College last year. He was a two-time All-Conference selection for Minnesota State in 2003 and 2004.
Danny Cavender will remain as ESU’s tight end/strength and conditioning coach. This will be his sixth season with the Hornets.
Matt Martin will also rejoin the staff after serving last year as a defensive graduate assistant.
He played for ESU from 2002-05.

Monday, January 15, 2007

49ers hire former Canadian Football League Coach

The San Francisco 49ers hired veteran assistant coach Al Everest to be their special teams coordinator on Sunday.
Everest spent last season as a consultant at Southern California after serving as the New Orleans Saints' special teams coordinator from 2000-05. He had the same job with the Arizona Cardinals the previous four years.
Everest replaces Larry Mac Duff, who resigned Jan. 7 to become assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator at Texas. San Francisco still must hire a replacement for defensive coordinator Billy Davis, who was fired after the 49ers' 7-9 season.
Everest also coached in the CFL and the Arena League.


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