Greg Marshall
Encyclopedia
Greg Marshall is a former Canadian football
running back
and current head coach for the University of Western Ontario
's football team, the Western Mustangs. Marshall was the head coach
with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
of the Canadian Football League
from to . Prior to his time with the Tiger-Cats, Marshall was the head coach of McMaster University
's football team.
, and as a running back won the 1980 Hec Crighton Trophy as Canada's best collegiate player. Following his time in university, Marshall moved to the Canadian Football League
's Edmonton Eskimos
. Marshall played three years, from to , in the CFL with the Eskimos, winning a Grey Cup
in the 70th incarnation
of the Canadian football championship game. Marshall's Eskimos defeated the Toronto Argonauts
32–16, the last of Edmonton's legendary five Grey Cups in a row.
After his playing career, Marshall moved back to Western Ontario in 1984 to join the coaching staff.
in 1992 and helping the team win two Vanier Cup
s. In 1997, Marshall was lured to McMaster University and became the school's head coach.
In his first experience as a head coach, Marshall was an immediate success. McMaster went winless the season before Marshall's arrival, and he improved the team to a less disgraceful 2–5–1. The next year, McMaster made its first playoff appearance in twelve seasons, and in 1999 McMaster made the conference finals, where they were defeated by Wilfrid Laurier University
. This was good enough to make Marshall OUA Coach of the Year.
In 2000, McMaster won their first Yates Cup
but were defeated by the University of Ottawa
in the chase for the Vanier Cup. Marshall was named the CIS
Coach of the Year, becoming only the second person ever to be named both the top player and the top coach in Canadian university football. From 2000 to 2003, Marshall led McMaster to a record-tying four consecutive Yates Cup championships, but never once captured the Vanier Cup as Canadian university football's top team.
to start the 2004 CFL season
, replacing the legendary Ron Lancaster
as head coach. The Tiger-Cats had finished with only a single win in 2003
, and expectations on Marshall were not high. He was both the Tiger-Cats' first Canadian-born head coach and the first CIS coach to be named directly to a head coaching position in the CFL.
Under Marshall, the Tiger-Cats exceeded all expectations. The team won its first three games and finished at 9–8–1, good enough to make the playoffs in the East Division and make Marshall the first rookie head coach to be named Coach of the Year
since Edmonton's Ray Jauch
in . The Tiger-Cats lost the East Semi-Final to Toronto 24–6.
was a regression for the Tiger-Cats, as they finished last in the league at 5–13. Thanks to mediocre performances from a succession of quarterbacks that included Danny McManus
, Khari Jones
, Marcus Brady
, and Kevin Eakin
, the Tiger-Cats were forced to trade for Edmonton quarterback Jason Maas
in the off-season. However, with the arrival of Maas and the emergence of young running back Jesse Lumsden
as a legitimate threat late in the season, expectations were higher on Marshall and the Tiger-Cats for the season.
started off very rocky for Marshall, going into the current campaign with four straight losses, putting his very short coaching career in jeopardy. The situation was finally put on ice as general manager Rob Katz and owner Bob Young made the tough decision to end his tenure with the club, making Lancaster interim head coach once more.
. He has since led the Mustangs to three Yates Cup
conference championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010 in addition to two regular season first place finishes in 2008 and 2011. He made his first appearance as a head coach in the Vanier Cup
game in 2008
, but lost to the perennial power house Laval Rouge et Or.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
and current head coach for the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
's football team, the Western Mustangs. Marshall was the head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
from to . Prior to his time with the Tiger-Cats, Marshall was the head coach of McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
's football team.
Playing career
Marshall had a successful collegiate career at the University of Western OntarioUniversity of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
, and as a running back won the 1980 Hec Crighton Trophy as Canada's best collegiate player. Following his time in university, Marshall moved to the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
's Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
. Marshall played three years, from to , in the CFL with the Eskimos, winning a Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
in the 70th incarnation
70th Grey Cup
The 70th Grey Cup, also known as the "Rain Bowl", was the 1982 Grey Cup Canadian Football League championship game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Edmonton Eskimos. The Eskimos defeated the Argonauts 32-16 on the Eskimos' way to their fifth straight Grey Cup...
of the Canadian football championship game. Marshall's Eskimos defeated the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
32–16, the last of Edmonton's legendary five Grey Cups in a row.
After his playing career, Marshall moved back to Western Ontario in 1984 to join the coaching staff.
First college stint
Marshall coached at Western from 1984 to 1996, becoming the school's offensive coordinatorOffensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in 1992 and helping the team win two Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
s. In 1997, Marshall was lured to McMaster University and became the school's head coach.
In his first experience as a head coach, Marshall was an immediate success. McMaster went winless the season before Marshall's arrival, and he improved the team to a less disgraceful 2–5–1. The next year, McMaster made its first playoff appearance in twelve seasons, and in 1999 McMaster made the conference finals, where they were defeated by Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University
Wilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
. This was good enough to make Marshall OUA Coach of the Year.
In 2000, McMaster won their first Yates Cup
Yates Cup
The Yates Cup is a Canadian sports trophy, presented annually to the winner of the Ontario University Athletics football conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport federation. It is the oldest still-existing football trophy in North America, dating back to 1898 and surpassing both the Grey...
but were defeated by the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
in the chase for the Vanier Cup. Marshall was named the CIS
Canadian Interuniversity Sport
Canadian Interuniversity Sport is the national governing body of university sport in Canada, comprising the majority of degree granting universities in the country. Its equivalent body for organized sports at colleges in Canada is The Canadian Colleges Athletic Association...
Coach of the Year, becoming only the second person ever to be named both the top player and the top coach in Canadian university football. From 2000 to 2003, Marshall led McMaster to a record-tying four consecutive Yates Cup championships, but never once captured the Vanier Cup as Canadian university football's top team.
Professional coach
Marshall joined the Hamilton Tiger-CatsHamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a Canadian Football League team based in Hamilton, Ontario, founded in 1950 with the merger of the Hamilton Tigers and the Hamilton Wildcats. The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Ivor Wynne Stadium...
to start the 2004 CFL season
2004 CFL season
The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:...
, replacing the legendary Ron Lancaster
Ron Lancaster
Ronald "Ron" Lancaster was one of the pre-eminent quarterbacks of the Canadian Football League during his playing career; after his retirement as a player, he was also coach and general manager in the same league, and a sports announcer for CBC Television...
as head coach. The Tiger-Cats had finished with only a single win in 2003
2003 CFL season
The 2003 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 50th season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 46th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2003:...
, and expectations on Marshall were not high. He was both the Tiger-Cats' first Canadian-born head coach and the first CIS coach to be named directly to a head coaching position in the CFL.
Under Marshall, the Tiger-Cats exceeded all expectations. The team won its first three games and finished at 9–8–1, good enough to make the playoffs in the East Division and make Marshall the first rookie head coach to be named Coach of the Year
Annis Stukus Trophy
The Annis Stukus Trophy is a Canadian Football League trophy, which is presented annually by the Edmonton Eskimos Alumni Association to the Coach of the Year, as determined by the members of the Football Reporters of Canada...
since Edmonton's Ray Jauch
Ray Jauch
Ray Jauch was a coach in the Canadian Football League, USFL, and the Arena Football League.A star high school athlete, Jauch played running back for the 1958 National Champion University of Iowa Hawkeyes, leading the nation in yards per carry. He played in the 1959 Rose Bowl against California...
in . The Tiger-Cats lost the East Semi-Final to Toronto 24–6.
was a regression for the Tiger-Cats, as they finished last in the league at 5–13. Thanks to mediocre performances from a succession of quarterbacks that included Danny McManus
Danny McManus
Danny McManus , is a retired professional American football and Canadian football quarterback who passed for over 50,000 yards in seventeen seasons in the Canadian Football League...
, Khari Jones
Khari Jones
Khari Okang Jones [ke-HAR-ee] is a retired professional Canadian football player and former television sports reporter for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Jones played quarterback in the Canadian Football League, where he enjoyed his most success with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers...
, Marcus Brady
Marcus Brady
Marcus Brady is a former professional Canadian football quarterback and is currently a wide receivers coach for the Montreal Alouettes. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Toronto Argonauts in 2002...
, and Kevin Eakin
Kevin Eakin
Kevin Eakin is an American football quarterback for the Alabama Vipers of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets of the National Football League as a street free agent in 2005...
, the Tiger-Cats were forced to trade for Edmonton quarterback Jason Maas
Jason Maas
Jason Maas is a former Canadian football quarterback. He is best known for his career in the Canadian Football League, which was largely spent with the Edmonton Eskimos...
in the off-season. However, with the arrival of Maas and the emergence of young running back Jesse Lumsden
Jesse Lumsden
Jesse Lumsden is a retired Canadian football player for the Calgary Stampeders and Olympic bobsledder for Canada.-Football:Lumsden is the son of former CFL fullback Neil Lumsden...
as a legitimate threat late in the season, expectations were higher on Marshall and the Tiger-Cats for the season.
started off very rocky for Marshall, going into the current campaign with four straight losses, putting his very short coaching career in jeopardy. The situation was finally put on ice as general manager Rob Katz and owner Bob Young made the tough decision to end his tenure with the club, making Lancaster interim head coach once more.
CFL coaching record
| Team | |Regular Season | HAM 2004 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional football team in the Canadian Football League. The 2004 Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished in 3rd place in the East Division with a 9–8–1 record, which surprised many as they had gone 1–17 the year before... |
2004 2004 CFL season The 2004 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 51st season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 47th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2004:... |
9 | 8 | 1 | .529 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in Division Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAM 2005 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season The 2005 Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished in 4th place in the East Division with a 5–13–0 record and missed the playoffs.- CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-References:... |
2005 2005 CFL season The 2005 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 52nd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 48th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 2005:... |
5 | 13 | 0 | .278 | 4th in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | ||
| HAM 2006 Hamilton Tiger-Cats season The 2006 Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished in 4th place in the East Division with a 4–14–0 record and missed the playoffs.- CFL Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:- Passing:-Rushing:-Receiving:-References:... |
2006 2006 CFL season -2006 Rogers CFL Awards:* CFL's Most Outstanding Player Award – Geroy Simon , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Canadian Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions* CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player Award – Brent Johnson , BC Lions... |
0 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 4th in East Division | – | – | (fired) | ||
| Total | 14 | 25 | 1 | .363 | 0 East Division Championships |
0 | 1 | 0 Grey Cups | |||
Second college stint
In August of 2006, Marshall returned to Western Ontario as offensive co-ordinator, which generated a large amount of coverage due to his prominence as a CFL coach. After the retirement of longtime Western coach Larry Haylor, Marshall became head coach of the program in 20072007 CIS football season
The 2007 CIS football season began on August 31, 2007, and concluded with the 43rd Vanier Cup national championship on November 23 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, with the Manitoba Bisons winning their third championship...
. He has since led the Mustangs to three Yates Cup
Yates Cup
The Yates Cup is a Canadian sports trophy, presented annually to the winner of the Ontario University Athletics football conference of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport federation. It is the oldest still-existing football trophy in North America, dating back to 1898 and surpassing both the Grey...
conference championships in 2007, 2008 and 2010 in addition to two regular season first place finishes in 2008 and 2011. He made his first appearance as a head coach in the Vanier Cup
Vanier Cup
The Vanier Cup is the name of the championship of Canadian Interuniversity Sport football and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is currently played between the winners of the Uteck Bowl and the Mitchell Bowl...
game in 2008
44th Vanier Cup
The 44th Vanier Cup was played on November 22, 2008, at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton, Ontario, and decided the CIS Football champion for the 2008 season. The Laval Rouge et Or dominated the Western Ontario Mustangs to win the championship 44-21, en route to a perfect 12-0 season...
, but lost to the perennial power house Laval Rouge et Or.