REDBLACKS ANNOUNCE COACHING STAFF

 OTTAWA – Rick Campbell, head coach of the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League, announced the team’s coaching staff for the inaugural 2014 season at the new Lansdowne Park:

Offensive Coordinator: Mike Gibson
Defensive Coordinator: Mark Nelson
Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach: Don Yanowsky
Quarterbacks Coach: Marcus Crandell
Receivers Coach: Travis Moore
Defensive Backs Coach: Ike Charlton
Offensive Assistant: Jordan Maksymic
Defensive Assistant: Derek Oswalt

“These are exciting times as our REDBLACKS football family continues to grow, as we introduce our top-notch coaching staff to our fans,” said Campbell. “These men are great football coaches and quality people, which is important. We want to surround ourselves with talent and character throughout the organization. The extensive coaching and playing experience of this staff will continue to propel us in our quest to build a winning organization both on and off the field.”

Offensive Coordinator Mike Gibson
Gibson enters his 11th season in the CFL in 2014. He has spent the past three seasons with the Calgary Stampeders, working as offensive line coach on a staff that included Rick Campbell who was Calgary’s defensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013. Gibson coached the running backs for the Stamps in 2011 after serving two years with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as offensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.

In addition to Calgary and Hamilton, Gibson has been a CFL coach in Saskatchewan, where he helped win the Grey Cup in 2007; and Winnipeg, where he served as the Blue Bombers’ offensive coordinator and offensive line coach in 2005 and 2006.

Before the CFL, Gibson worked in the NCAA with the football programs at Rutgers, Colgate, Temple, Rice, Boston University, Cornell and Western Maryland.

Defensive Coordinator Mark Nelson
In 2014, Mark Nelson begins his 26th season as a coach at the professional and collegiate level, coming from the Montreal Alouettes in 2013 where he mentored the linebackers.

The 57-year-old native of Edmonton coached for his hometown Eskimos from 2010-2012, as linebackers coach during the first two seasons before having the defensive coordinator duties added to his role in 2012.

His most recent stint in the CFL began in 2009 when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers acquired Nelson as the team’s defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. From 1997-2008, he worked in the United States at various colleges, including Valdosta State, Arkansas Tech, Kentucky, Baylor, Tulsa and Louisville.

Nelson made his debut in the CFL as a player in 1980 with Calgary and played six seasons before retiring in 1987 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He made his first professional coaching appearance in 1992 as special teams and linebackers coach with the Eskimos, winning a Grey Cup in 1993. He also worked with the San Antonio Texans and the Toronto Argonauts, where he earned a second Grey Cup ring in 1996.

Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach Don Yanowsky
Yanowsky brings a wealth of coaching experience to Ottawa, having served over three decades in the professional, college and high school ranks. He made a CFL debut in 2012 in Calgary as linebackers coach for the Stampeders and held the same position last season. Yanowsky has served in several positions with various NCAA and high school programs, including Memphis, Louisiana State, Boston College, East Carolina, Duke, Arkansas State, Minnesota and Utah; including 10 seasons as a special teams coordinator in the NCAA. He began his coaching career in 1981 as a student assistant with the University of Toledo, where he also played.

Quarterbacks Coach Marcus Crandell
The 39-year-old native of Charlotte, North Carolina, joins the REDBLACKS after coaching with Edmonton (2011-2012) as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and Saskatchewan (2009-1010) as an offensive assistant.

Crandell played 11 seasons as a pivot in the CFL for Edmonton (1997-1999), Calgary (2001-2004) and Saskatchewan (2005-2008). His most notable achievement came in the 2001 Grey Cup when he was named the game’s MVP after leading Calgary to an upset win over Winnipeg at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

Crandell also played pro in 2000 with the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe and 2001 with the Memphis Maniax of the XFL.

Receivers Coach Travis Moore
Moore, a 43-year-old native of Santa Monica, California, has coached in the CFL since 2009 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (running backs) before moving to the B.C. Lions for three seasons to coach the receivers. Last year, he served as receivers coach in Edmonton.

As a player, Moore broke into the CFL with Calgary in 1996, following his collegiate days at Ball State. He spent seven seasons with the Stampeders and won two Grey Cups. He was named a CFL All-Star in three straight seasons, starting in 1999. He scored 78 career touchdowns and finished his CFL career with 9,868 receiving yards.

Moore led the league in receiving yards (1,198) in 1999 and in the 2000 season finished tied for the CFL crown with Winnipeg’s Milt Stegall with 15 touchdown receptions.
Moore also played the 2001 season in the XFL for the San Francisco Demons where he helped the team reach the championship final.

Defensive Backs Coach Ike Charlton
Charlton comes to Ottawa for his first full-time coaching job after stints as guest coach in Calgary in 2012 and Edmonton in 2013. The 36-year-old native of Orlando attended and played linebacker at Virginia Tech (1999 First-team All-American) and was drafted in the second round, 52nd overall, in the 2000 NFL draft by Seattle. He played two seasons with the Seahawks before joining Jacksonville in 2002, the New York Giants in 2003, Oakland in 2004 and New England in 2005.

He moved to Canada in 2006 and spent parts of six seasons in Winnipeg before joining Montreal in 2010 and helped the Alouettes to a Grey Cup victory.

Offensive Assistant Jordan Maksymic
Maksymic became a full-time offensive assistant last season with the Edmonton Eskimos after spending two seasons in the team’s video department. He has also worked in the video department of the Calgary Stampeders and as a graduate assistant at Northern Arizona University.

Defensive Assistant Derek Oswalt
Oswalt served as a guest coach last season with Montreal and worked in Edmonton as a defensive assistant in 2012. He has worked extensively in the NCAA for various schools, including a portion of last season at Fairmont State. He was also with Louisville as graduate assistant coach from 2004-2007. The Cardinals won the Conference USA championship and Liberty Bowl in 2004 and captured the Big East title and Orange Bowl in 2006.