Donovan announces Stingers coaching staff

Concordia Stingers Head Coach Mickey Donovan is pleased to announce his 2014 Concordia Stingers football staff.

“It’s an exciting time for the team and for me,” said Donovan. “I am really looking forward to building this program with my brother Patrick and all the coaches that have come on board. We have a young and energetic group that is going to accomplish great things with a lot of hard work.”

Three full-time coordinators have joined program: Patrick Donovan will run the defence, Matt Connell will co-ordinate the offence and Marc Calixte will oversee the special teams.

It’s a homecoming for Patrick Donovan who will also serve as assistant head coach. He played five seasons at linebacker for the Stingers, capping his career with back-to-back Presidents’ Trophy awards as the outstanding defensive player in Canadian university football (2005 and 2006). He was the 2007 Quebec nominee for the BLG award presented annually to the outstanding university athlete in CIS. Donovan returns to his alma mater after working as an assistant coach and recruiting co-ordinator with the McGill Redmen for five seasons.

Connell was one of the most accomplished quarterbacks in Quebec university football history. Suiting up for McGill from 2003 to 2008, he completed 816 of 1364 passes for 10,455 yards and 63 touchdowns. The two-time all-star still holds multiple conference records. In 2009 he was a player-coach in France and then returned to McGill to help guide the quarterbacks in 2009 and co-ordinate the Redmen offence in 2010. He has been teaching Physical Education and coaching football at Selwyn House School the last three years.

Calixte played 10 seasons with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders as a linebacker and on special teams. He was selected seventh overall in the 2003 CFL draft. He played college football at Tennessee-Martin. He also played for Vanier College. After retiring from professional football he joined the Montreal Alouettes staff as a quality control assistant. With the Stingers, he will co-ordinate the special teams and coach the defensive backs.

Also taking on multiple responsibilities as an assistant coach is Andrew Sutherland who will second Mickey and Patrick Donovan with program operations. In addition he will be responsible for kickers and assist with special teams. Sutherland suited up for the Stingers in 2003 and started his kicking career with the Bishop’s Gaiters.

Other members of the 2014 coaching staff include: Peter Regimbald, running backs coach and academic advisor; Mathieu Desbiens, linebacker coach; Nathan Taylor, defensive backs coach; Sean Dougherty, quarterback coach; Alex Oliveira, offensive line assistant; Hugo Girard, defensive line coach; Marcel Ethier, offensive line coach, and Guillaume Lacombe, defensive line assistant.