Pierce set to return to the ’Peg

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea would downplay the biggest storyline of the week.

The Bombers’ home contest against the B.C. Lions at Princess Auto Stadium on Thursday (7:30 p.m.) not only marks the club’s first game of the 2025 campaign, it also marks the return of Buck Pierce, who spent 10 years with the team — the last four as offensive co-ordinator and quarterbacks coach — before accepting his first head-coaching gig with the Lions.

“I think the same thing I’ve always thought: it’s not me versus Buck whatsoever. Really, it’s two squads that have created their own identities, and they’ll go out there and play good football. It’s always about the pros versus the pros, not necessarily the coaches,” O’Shea said.

I’m excited for Buck’s opportunity. I was excited for him to get his first win. I mean, it’s pretty neat to watch. There’s always going to be a personal relationship there.”

There might not be another player or coach outside of the building who knows the Bombers as well as Pierce. He worked with most of the offensive players who will attempt to drive the field on the Lions’ defence, and he’s practised against many of the defenders he will try to best in an effort to extend his unblemished record as a head coach.

Even with that in mind, O’Shea still disregarded any notion that the Lions would have an advantage come game time.

“He knows where we throw out the trash, he knows where we throw out the paperwork,” O’Shea quipped.

“No, we’re good. It’ll be good to see him.”

One thing players and coaches on the Bombers’ staff did not downplay was their appreciation for their former colleague.

“Love him. Happy for him,” said offensive co-ordinator Jason Hogan, who Pierce recruited to Winnipeg in 2022.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Buck. I’m really happy he won the first one. Obviously, I don’t want him to win this next one. Looking forward to it. Looking forward to seeing him out there and sharing that experience together. It will be exciting.”

Pierce was the quarterbacks coach for Chris Streveler’s first two seasons in the league (2018-19) and was the offensive co-ordinator when he returned from an NFL stint in 2024. Streveler, who will start this week in place of Zach Collaros, called Pierce a “great dude” but said his return is, “not really something that I’m thinking about.”

Streveler didn’t hesitate when talking about whether he felt the Lions’ defence had any advantage over him this week, due to Pierce knowing his strengths and weaknesses.

“Not necessarily. Because I think I’m always going to continue to improve as a player. And I think I said it last week, too — I thought I had one of my best camps I’ve ever had. I think I’m continuing to get better each day. And so I don’t look at that as a disadvantage at all,” he said.

“I mean, there’s nine teams in the CFL. Everyone knows everyone. So there’s no secrets in this league. So I’m just excited to go out there and play again. That’s just not really something I’m thinking about.”

The true chess match on Thursday will be between Pierce and Bombers defensive co-ordinator Jordan Younger, who called plays against each other in practice for seven years.

Younger wasn’t shy about the challenge in front of both coaches.

“We’ll see, man. I spent a lot of time around Buck. I know him well. He knows me well. I’m excited to do it. Some of it will be players versus players, personnel versus personnel, some of it will surely be him versus me, me versus him,” Younger said, adding he will look back at some of Pierce’s tendencies, something he expects Pierce will also do.

“I mean, he should. And, we do. All the resources we have, the people that have been here, the people that know him, the people that played with him, played for him — you pick their brains and try to get information from them, but I think ultimately it comes down to the flow of the game,” he said. “It’s nothing personal that way.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam