Pierre named head coach of U of M Bisons football program

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This article was published 17/01/2025 (322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stan Pierre’s track record likely would’ve made him a hot candidate for a head coaching gig a long time ago.

The only problem is he wouldn’t have been interested. Being anywhere besides the University of Manitoba wouldn’t have felt right to him.

“I’m a Bison. I’ve been a lifelong Bison,” Pierre said.

On Friday, the 53-year-old was named the new head coach of the Manitoba Bisons football program, replacing longtime bench boss Brian Dobie, who retired at the end of last season after 29 years.

A Canada West conference all-star linebacker with the Bisons in 1991, Pierre has spent the last 27 seasons with the program as an assistant, coaching linebackers for a year before being promoted to defensive co-ordinator in 1999. He added the assistant head coach tag in 2005.

Pierre became a trusted aid to Dobie during runs to three conference championships, two national championship appearances and one title.

As co-ordinator, he helped 23 players graduate to the Canadian Football League (the seventh-most of any defensive co-ordinator in U Sports history) and has guided two players to careers in the National Football League (Israel Idonije and David Onyemata). He also coached two Presidents’ Trophy winners, which is presented annually to the U Sports Defensive Player of the Year.

“I honestly thought that I would be the best person for the job. I felt that I have had many accomplishments during my couple-decade career, I’ve basically been mentored from Brian through that time. I just feel like I was fully prepared to take the step and move forward,” Pierre said.

Pierre, who was viewed as a front-runner for the job, beat out three other finalists for the position.

Bisons QB coach Cory Waldbauer, former special teams co-ordinator and current head coach for Technical Vocational High School, Ryan Karhut, and University of British Columbia offensive co-ordinator Stevenson Bone, who was named the new head coach at the University of Alberta on Thursday, were also being considered.

Pierre, whose contract officially begins Feb. 1, has worked in the background for the last month, making plans and communicating with recruits. A meeting with the entire team has yet to take place, but that is expected in the coming weeks.

Dobie’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month.

Dobie called Pierre the right choice for the job. The 71-year-old did not have a direct hand in selecting his replacement but may have had an influence as the school’s selection committee vetted candidates.

“I wrote one, and only one reference letter, and that was for (Pierre). I think that says it all,” said Dobie, adding Pierre is the most respected coach on the Bisons’ staff.

“We’ve been partners in this for essentially three decades. His signature in our program is not just in constructing our defence but very much in shaping the culture and identity that is Bison football. Our partnership over three decades has built this program to where it is now, and Stan is exactly the leader needed to continue to move Bison football forward and upward.”

Pierre takes over a program that went 7-1 during the regular season but lost in the CanWest semifinals in 2024. Some important players from last year’s team are scheduled to return, including starting quarterback Jackson Tachinski, who enters his fifth year with the program.

Pierre said his personality is much more “constraint” compared to Dobie’s laid-back style, but isn’t concerned about the team transitioning to a new leader.

“I think that’s really not going to be that hard. Brian and I were partners in this, and I hope to find a partner that can make the relationship as fruitful as ours was,” he said.

The coaching staff will remain largely intact from Dobie’s tenure, Pierre said, but there will be additions, including a new full-time assistant coach to fill the role he left behind.

“Obviously, excited. Just like any new challenge, there’s of course anxiety, wondering what lies ahead. But mostly just excited to get going.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca