JEAN-PHILIPPE ASSELIN: Head coach

After serving as the Gee-Gees interim head coach since March 2010, coach Jean Philippe Asselin was officially named head coach of uOttawa’s football program in January 2011. As interim coach in the 2010 season, Asselin led the Gee-Gees to an OUA best 7-1 record and to their first Yates Cup appearance since 2008. Read more >

CORY MCDIARMID: Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator

Named assistant head coach in March 2011, Cory McDiarmid brings three trips to the Grey Cup final, one Vanier Cup, and almost 20 years of coaching experience to the Gee-Gees coaching staff.

A player as well as a coach, McDiarmid has a true passion for football especially after being involved in the sport for over 30 years. For McDiarmid, the constant process of learning the game and communicating ideas with players and fellow coaches about the sport is something he says keeps him involved.Read more >

OFFENSIVE COACHING STAFF:

CHRIS COULSON: Offensive coordinator

Chris Coulson returns for his 10th season as a coach with the Gee-Gees and his 7th as offensive coordinator. A teacher at Brookfield High School in Ottawa, Coulson was offensive coordinator for the East Ontario U17 team from 2006 to 2009. Under his watch, the provincial team earned a national championship in 2009.

Born in Belleville, Ont., and listing Thomasburg, Ont., as his hometown, the Acadia University graduate (1998 Kinesiology/Education) was an Axemen captain for two of his five seasons (1994-98) where he played on the offensive line. Coach Coulson has also spent time as a guest coach with the Ottawa Renegades and Buffalo Bills.

IRV DAYMOND: Offensive line coach

The former CFL great is in his fifth season coaching with the Gee-Gees. A five-year player with Western Ontario (1981-85), Irv Daymond graduated in 1985 with a degree in Economics, earning OUA all-star and CIAU All-Canadian honours in his final season. Drafted into the CFL in 1984 (sixth round, B.C. Lions), Daymond played 10 years (1986-95) with the Ottawa Rough Riders and was a CFL East all-star and CFL players association offensive line MVP in 1992 at centre. A computer system administrator in Ottawa, Daymond is from neighbouring Barrhaven, and has coached community football with the Nepean Redskins.

NAIM EL-FAR: Assistant offensive line coach

Naim El-Far, an offensive guard with the Gee-Gees from 2003 to 2007, enters his second season as assistant offensive line coach. El-Far is the only Gee-Gee recipient of the Russ Jackson award (2006), presented to a CIS player who best combines academic and athletic achievement with community involvement. A native of Amman, Jordan, El-Far holds a uOttawa Ph. D. in Computer Science.

JOSH SACOBIE: Quarterbacks coach

Peppered throughout the Gee-Gees record books as the program’s star quarterback from 2004 to 2008 and 2007 OUA MVP, Josh Sacobie re-joins the team for his first year as quarterbacks coach after participating in the 2011 International Federation of American Football (IFAF) Senior Men’s World Championships in Austria. The all-time Gee-Gees leader in attempts (1,111), career passing yards (7,714), touchdowns (79), and completions (637), the New Brunswicker was nominated for the Hec Crighton in 2007, was a two-time All-Canadian, and a three-time OUA all-star. Sacobie graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in psychology and criminology in 2008.

CRAIG BEARSS: Running backs coach

Now in his second season with the Gee-Gees, Craig Bearss, a native of Kingston, Ont., joined the uOttawa coaching staff after spending five years (2005-2009) as a running back with the team. He was a captain in his two final seasons.

TYLER ALDERCOTTE: Receivers coach

Tyler Aldercotte begins his second season as an assistant coach with the Gee-Gees. He was a receiver for uOttawa from 2004 to 2007.

DAVID JACKSON: Running backs coach/Assistant to the offensive co-ordinator

After more than 10 years of involvement in football as a player and a coach, David Jackson will be making his Canadian university coaching debut with the Gee-Gees. Jackson’s coaching experiences include high school teams in Canada and a stint as a player/coach in the British American Football League from 2003 to 2006. Jackson is looking forward to contributing to the success of the Gee-Gees program.

CHRIS BRZOZOWSKI: Assistant offensive coach/ A.V. coordinator

Chris Brzozowski, a Brantford, Ont., native and University of Waterloo graduate in Electrical Engineering (2000), enters his ninth season with the Gee-Gees having never played organized football. Also a personal trainer, Brzozowski is a senior electrical engineer with Rockwell Collins.

DEFENSIVE COACHING STAFF:

DAVID TIMMONS: Defensive backs coach

David Timmons is in his second season coaching with Gee-Gees after playing with the team from 2004 to 2008 at half-back. An OUA first team all-star and first team all-Canadian in 2007, Timmons has been involved in football since he was six years old despite a short break after graduating in 2008 with a Commerce degree, specializing in management information services. Timmons’ coaching experience includes the Athletes in Action all-star games. The Pierrefonds, Que., native currently works as a computer programmer at the Public Service Commission.

COREY GOFF: Defensive line coach

With over 14 years’ experience coaching football and another 11 years as a player at minor, high school, and American college levels, Corey Goff is an important addition to the Gee-Gees team for the 2011 season. Originally from Regina, Goff played for five years at Valley City State University in Valley City, North Dakota, before graduating in 1999 (B.S. in Education). Goff’s success as a coach has reached high levels of football, including a trip to the 2009 British Columbia Football Conference final with the Surrey Rams. One of Goff’s goals as a coach is to help his players achieve success both on and off the field, something that motivates to continue coaching. He has also said he is very excited to work with coaches Asselin, McDiarmid and Nelson, as well as to help continue the provincial and national success of the Gee-Gees program.

NELSON MARTIN: Assistant defensive coach

A first-round draft pick for the B.C. Lions in 1981 and having won a grey cup with the team in 1985, Nelson Martin brings over 20 years of experience as a coach and as a player to his position of assistant defensive coach. Before joining the Gee-Gees, Martin had coaching positions for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Martin names his passion and love for the sport of football as something motivates him to continue his involvement in football. A graduate of Simon Fraser University, Martin will be responsible for defensive pass coverage coaching this season.

LUIGI COSTANZO: Special teams coordinator, linebacker coach and alumni outreach coordinator

Luigi Costanzo brings almost 15 years of coaching experience to the University of Ottawa. Playing in his first football game at just eight years old, Costanzo is committed to teaching the fundamentals and has established a reputation of excellence over his six-year tenure as the head coach of the Ottawa Junior Riders program.
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DAVID MILLER-JOHNSTON: Kickers coach

David Miller-Johnston, 38, is an Ottawa native in his sixth year of coaching with the Gee-Gees and one of few dedicated CIS kicking coaches. A former five-season punter/kicker and 1997 All-Canadian at Concordia, Miller-Johnston was drafted second overall by Toronto in 1997 and completed his professional career in 2002 with the Ottawa Renegades before returning to Concordia University where he was the kickers coach for two seasons.