Blake Nill will be the next head coach of the UBC Thunderbirds football program, the university announced Tuesday.
“I made the move to UBC because I was ready for a new experience and I love to build programs,” said Nill, 52. “This was a difficult decision to make. I was able to work with an amazing group of people and players in Calgary, but I’m ready for a new challenge and a fresh start. I’m going to need some time, but the building blocks are in sight at UBC and I am very excited about the program’s future.”
Nill’s appointment wasn't the best kept secret in Canadian college football since TSN’s Farhan Lalji reported the pending hire on Monday. UBC, expected to announce the hire Thursday, shifted its press conference to Tuesday.
Nill coached his alma mater University of Calgary Dinos since 2006 and, on Monday, the Alberta university said he had resigned. Earlier that day, TSN’s Farhan Lalji broke the news Nill was expected as UBC’s new coach. Nill won the Vanier Cup in 2001 and ’02 with St. Mary’s Huskies in Halifax where, in 1999, he was named the CIS coach of the year. Nill was a CFL defensive linesman from 1983 to ’88.
Outgoing T-birds coach Shawn Olson was fired following a 2-6 season. He was hired in 2010.
In 17 seasons as a CIS head coach, Nill has a career record (including the regular season and playoffs) of 130-47. Over the last nine years, he led the Dinos to three Vanier Cup appearances in 2009, 2010 and 2013 and a record six straight Hardy Cup Championships from 2008 to ’13 as the top team in the Canada West.
Nill takes over a Thunderbirds program that turned 90 in January and has won three Vanier Cups, the last in 1997. Nill was persuaded to take the job by athletic director Ashley Howard and key university backers, he said.
“I can see their passion to bring the program back to where it’s been before, winning the Vanier Cup,” said Nill. “I am here to win, for me and for UBC. That means winning on the field and graduating student-athletes.”
