Laval’s Constantin named coach of the year

Photo credit Yan Dublet

QUEBEC CITY (CIS) – Université Laval’s Glen Constantin is the 2010 coach of the year in Canadian Interuniversity Sport football.

Constantin received the Frank Tindall trophy, presented by Coaches of Canada, Friday morning during the CIS Coach of the Year Breakfast at Loews Le Concorde Hotel.
 
Already honoured by his peers in 2005, the Rouge et Or mentor became only the sixth multiple winner of the trophy since its inception in 1969. He joined coaching legends Larry Haylor of Western (1998, 1990), Larry Uteck of Saint Mary’s (1993, 1988), Dave Knight of Waterloo (1989) and Wilfrid Laurier (1979, 1972), Frank Smith of UBC (1987, 1978) and Peter Connellan of Calgary (1985, 1977).
 
This fall, the four-time QUFL coach of the year led his troops to first place in Quebec with an unblemished 9-0 regular season mark, to a CIS-record eighth straight conference title thanks to wins over Bishop’s and Sherbrooke in the league playoffs, and to an appearance in Saturday’s Desjardins Vanier Cup final thanks to a thrilling 13-11 Uteck Bowl victory over Western. 
 
Despite the loss of long-time offensive coordinator Justin Éthier and Hec Crighton trophy-winning quarterback Benoit Groulx following the 2009 season, Laval had the highest-scoring offence in the nation in conference play with 45.7 points per contest. The Quebec City powerhouse also finished first in the country on defence for the third straight year and for the fifth time in seven campaigns, allowing a school-record 6.4 points per game on average.
 
It marked the first time a team led the nation in both categories since the 2003 Rouge et Or.

Constantin joined the Rouge et Or as defensive coordinator on the eve of their first official season in 1996 and helped them capture a first Vanier Cup in 1999. He took over as head coach in 2001 and has since built the program into a perennial national contender.
 
Now in his 10th campaign at the helm, he has guided Laval to four more Vanier Cup titles in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and to an unprecedented eight consecutive conference championships. Despite his relatively short tenure, he is tied with Connellan for most Vanier Cup wins by a head coach and could set a new standard with a victory on Saturday.
 
The Rouge et Or’s perfect regular season this fall was their fourth under Constantin, who heads to the 2010 CIS final with astounding career records of 67-14 in conference play (.827), 25-7 in post-season action (.781) and 92-21 overall (.814).
 
A graduate of the University of Ottawa in physical education (1990), the Quebec City native played linebacker and defensive lineman for the Gee-Gees, earning one selection as a league all-star. He started his coaching career at Bishop’s University, where he was in charge of the linebackers and the defensive line for four years, before joining the University of Houston Cougars of the NCAA as a graduate coach (linebackers) for one season.
 
From 2005 to 2007, Constantin led Team Canada to three straight titles at the Global Junior Championship, the first two as defensive coordinator and the last one as head coach. He also guided Canada to a silver medal at the 2009 world junior championship.
 
The other nominees for the 2010 Frank Tindall trophy were Mount Allison’s Kelly Jeffrey, Western Ontario’s Greg Marshall and Saskatchewan’s Brian Towriss.

The Desjardins Vanier Cup between No. 5 Calgary (9-2) and No. 1 Laval (12-0) is set for Saturday at 11:45 a.m. ET (9:45 a.m. MT) at PEPS Stadium in Quebec City, live on TSN and Radio-Canada.

For all the info on the CIS football final, visit: www.vaniercup.com

2010 FRANK TINDALL TROPHY NOMINEES
AUS: Kelly Jeffrey, Mount Allison
QUFL: Glen Constantin, Laval (recipient)
OUA: Greg Marshall, Western Ontario
CWUAA: Brian Towriss, Saskatchewan

ALL-TIME FRANK TINDALL TROPHY WINNERS (CIS coach of the year)

2010 Glen Constantin, Laval
2009 Steve Sumarah, Saint Mary’s
2008 Pat Sheahan, Queen’s
2007 Frank McCrystal, Regina
2006 Denis Piché, Ottawa
2005 Glen Constantin, Laval
2004 Jerry Friesen, Alberta
2003 Gary Jeffries, Wilfrid Laurier
2002 Chuck McMann, McGill
2001 Brian Dobie, Manitoba
2000 Greg Marshall, McMaster
1999 Blake Nill, Saint Mary's
1998 Larry Haylor, Western
1997 John Stevens, StFX
1996 Dan McNally, Guelph
1995 Rick Zmich, Wilfrid Laurier
1994 Brian Towriss, Saskatchewan
1993 Larry Uteck, Saint Mary's
1992 Ian Breck, Bishop's
1991 Rich Newbrough, Wilfrid Laurier
1990 Larry Haylor, Western
1989 Dave Knight, Waterloo
1988 Larry Uteck, Saint Mary's
1987 Frank Smith, UBC
1986 Bruce Coulter, Bishop's
1985 Peter Connellan, Calgary
1984 Steve Bruno, Mount Allison
1983 Doug Hargreaves, Queen's
1982 Bernie Custis, McMaster
1981 John Huard, Acadia
1980 Cam Innes, Ottawa
1979 Dave "Tuffy" Knight, Wilfrid Laurier
1978 Frank Smith, UBC
1977 Peter Connellan, Calgary
1976 Darwin Semotiuk, Western
1975 Don Gilbert, Ottawa
1974 Ron Murphy, Toronto
1973 Ed Hilton, UPEI
1972 Dave "Tuffy" Knight, Wilfrid Laurier
1971 Jim Donlevy, Alberta
1970 Frank Cosentino, Western
1969 Henry Janzen, Manitoba 
 

 
-CIS-