Bombers beef up coaching staff with Plemons, Garber

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This article was published 23/02/2012 (5315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

IF change is good then the Winnipeg Blue Bombers coaching staff should be better than ever in 2012.

Head coach Paul LaPolice announced the final two pieces to his staff Wednesday, welcoming defensive line coach Will Plemons and linebackers coach Chip Garber to the Blue and Gold. The two join offensive co-ordinator Gary Crowton as the three new coaches for this year, while Markus Howell (formerly the linebackers coach) returns to guide the receivers.

Offensive line coach Pat DelMonaco and special teams coach Kyle Walters are also back.

Of the two newest additions, Garber is a name more recognizable to Bombers fans.

He spent the better part of the last two seasons as the defensive co-ordinator with the Toronto Argonauts, before being let go after the first six games of the 2011 season. The Argos defence was one of the CFL’s best in 2010, but struggles out of the gate last summer eventually led to Garber taking the fall.

Winnipeg will be Garber’s third CFL stop in four years. He has an extensive U.S. collegiate resume, working in football programs at North Texas, Minnesota, Texas Christian, Mississippi State, and Kentucky to name a few.

Plemons is making his first visit to the CFL after spending four seasons with Fresno State. He’ll be tasked with maintaining Winnipeg’s ferocious pass rush reputation (a CFL-best 55 sacks last season) and figuring out a way to make up for the experience lost with the retirement of non-import defensive tackle Doug Brown.

“I am very excited to have both coach Plemons and coach Garber join our staff for this upcoming season,” LaPolice said in a statement. “Both coaches have a ton of experience at either the collegiate level, or in Coach Garber’s case, the professional level and specifically the CFL. They will both be great teachers to our players and are great additions to our team.”

The club will formally introduce the coaching staff in March.

Despite retaining defensive co-ordinator Tim Burke, who fell short in his bid to land a head coaching job this off-season, Winnipeg has seen a fair amount of sideline turnover since the start of the 2011 campaign.

Gone are former linebackers coach Casey Creehan (Hamilton, defensive co-ordinator); former receivers coach Chris Wiesehan (University of Hawaii); former O.C. Jamie Barresi (fired); and former defensive line coach Richard Harris, who died last July.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca