Bombers brass not surprised LaPolice grabbed Ottawa offer

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This article was published 09/12/2019 (2103 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IT didn’t take long for Paul LaPolice to find a new football home.

After spending the past four years in Winnipeg as the Blue Bombers offensive co-ordinator, capped off with a Grey Cup championship last month, LaPolice has reached a three-year agreement with the Ottawa Redblacks to be their newest head coach. Though the move has already been confirmed, a formal announcement of the deal is scheduled for this morning.

LaPolice’s departure comes as no surprise to Bombers brass. Head coach Mike O’Shea could see the writing on the wall after the Bombers’ impressive playoff run, which included creative play calling from his OC.

“He’s been excellent,” O’Shea told reporters in his season-ending press conference Nov. 29. “He’s managed to move game plans around and use talent of the roster to the best of his abilities, put guys in great positions to allow us to win games and be very successful through the playoff run and Grey Cup.”

LaPolice, quite frankly, made the best of what appeared to be an awful situation. After losing No. 1 pivot Matt Nichols to a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 10, he was able to tread water with backup Chris Streveler at the controls.

When the Bombers acquired Zach Collaros in a trade with the Toronto Argonauts on Oct. 9, it was LaPolice who designed a game plan using both him and Streveler as a two-headed monster, exploiting each player’s strengths in what evolved into a formidable situation behind centre.

Simply put, LaPolice had reached his ceiling in Winnipeg and his success on the prairies had plenty of teams vying for his services. The B.C. Lions and Edmonton Eskimos had also interviewed the 49-year-old New Hampshire native.

For me, LaPolice’s decision to pick Ottawa seems like an obvious one. While the Eskimos are arguably a more talented team and Vancouver has much better weather to offer prospective hires, the nation’s capital is as ideal a place to raise a young family as anywhere.

After all, Winnipeg was home for the LaPolice family. Paul’s wife, Tina, is from Selkirk, so there was a special bond with the community and leaving that likely required a lot of consideration. With two young children still in school, Ottawa will provide a change of scenery, but not necessarily a big change in pace. It’s a lot like Winnipeg, only the streets are cleaned quicker.

What will be interesting to find out from today’s announcement is if LaPolice will also be named the team’s OC. Having him run the offence, a job he knows best, makes the most sense. I expect he will be.

Many head coaches wear multiple hats. Jason Maas, before being fired by the Eskimos, was both the head coach and ran the offence. Khari Jones, who just signed a three-year extension with the Montreal Alouettes, is the head coach, OC and quarterback’s coach.

How might LaPolice’s exit affect the Bombers?

What should soften the blow is the promotion of Buck Pierce from quarterback’s coach. While it hasn’t been confirmed, all signs point to Pierce being named the Bombers offensive co-ordinator. If that’s indeed the case, it likely won’t be announced until O’Shea finalizes his extension. That seems like only a matter of time.

Pierce played four seasons with the Bombers and has spent the past six as a coach, with his first stint as the team’s running back’s boss for two years. Perhaps most telling about his commitment to the River City is the fact he’s turned down multiple offers to be an OC elsewhere in the CFL.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton