The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football coaching staff has been finalized and is looking better than ever for the 2008 campaign. Newly appointed Director of Football Bob Howes and interim head coach Greg DeLaval have rounded up some of the best coaches in the country to join the Blues this fall.
This year’s staff includes returning defensive coordinator Joe Rumolo and special teams coordinator Keith Castello, while new faces like John Engel, Ozzie Blackett, Jung-Yul Kim, Greg Gary and Donnavan Carter round out the staffing line-up.
Defensive coordinator Joe Rumolo is back for his fourth season with the team. Serving as the defensive line coach in 2005, Rumolo took over as defensive coordinator in 2006. Rumolo was the defensive line coach for the East team at the 2006 East-West All-Star Game at Laval.
He was taken 12th overall in the 1997 CFL draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats after enjoying a successful collegiate career at the University of Akron. The 1st Team Mid-American Conference all-star played eight seasons in the CFL, as well as suiting up for two years with the Buffalo Destroyers of the Arena Football League.
John Engel joins the Blues as the offensive coordinator for the 2008 season. The Etobicoke native began his coaching career close to home with the Ontario Varsity Football League’s (OVFL) Etobicoke Eagles.
In 2005, Engel was the offensive coordinator for Team Central Ontario, helping guide them to a second-place finish at the Canada Cup tournament. As a player, he was team captain of the 2002 York University Yeomen who won their first playoff game in school history. He returned to his alma mater fresh after graduation as an assistant receivers coach.
Back for his fifth straight season, Keith Castello will serve as the special teams coordinator. The former CFL standout played with both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Toronto Argonauts. He recovered two fumbles in the 1991 Grey Cup game that the Argos won 36-21 over the Calgary Stampeders.
Guiding the running backs this season will be Ozzie Blackett. Blackett was the running backs coach, offensive coordinator and head coach during his nine years with the Brampton Bulldogs of the OVFL. He then took his post at Notre Dame Secondary School in Brampton, Ont., where he has been coaching since 2002. During that time, Notre Dame has won four Region of Peel Secondary School Athletic Association (ROPSSAA) championships.
A member of the 1993 Varsity Blues Vanier Cup winning team, Jung-Yul Kim returns to the Blues for his first season as the Blues offensive line coach. After being the top offensive lineman at U of T for two years, Kim moved onto the CFL. He spent his first four years with the Calgary Stampeders, winning the Grey Cup in 1998. He then played his final two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts.
Kim last coached the Etobicoke Eagles of the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) and helped guide them to victory in the 2006 league championship.
With over 20 years of coaching under his belt, Greg Gary will coach the linebackers this year for the Blue and White. Most recently, he helped guide the Mississauga Warriors of the OVFL to division championships in 2006 and 2008.
As a player, Gary received a scholarship to California State University – Fullerton, where he was the captain of the football team and won an Iron Man award in 1981. After signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Rams in 1982, Gary returned to Canada to play four years with the Hamilton Tiger Cats, winning a Grey Cup in 1986.
A Mississauga, Ont. native, Donnavan Carter will serve as the defensive backs coach this season for the Blues. Carter was the team captain and defensive most valuable player at Northern Illinois University.
He went on to play eight years in the Canadian Football League (CFL), starting with the Toronto Argonauts in 2000. He signed with the Ottawa Renegades and was selected as a 2003 Canadian Football League Player’s Association (CFLPA) all-star at free safety. He continued onto the Hamilton Ti-Cats for 2004 and 2005 and ended his career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The Varsity Blues football team kicks off their 2008 campaign on September 1 at 7 p.m. when they take on the Waterloo Warriors at Varsity Centre.
2008 VARSITY BLUES FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
September 1 Waterloo at Toronto 7:00
September 6 Toronto at Windsor 1:00
September 13 York at Toronto 1:00
September 20 Queen’s at Toronto 1:00
September 27 Toronto at Guelph 1:00
October 3 Toronto at McMaster 7:00
October 9 Western at Toronto 7:00
October 18 Toronto at Ottawa 1:00
