Blake Nill was named the 18th head coach of the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds football program on Tuesday.
One of the most successful coaches in Canadian Interuniversity Sport football, Nill joins the Thunderbirds after nine years as head coach at the University of Calgary.
Prior to that, he spent eight seasons as head coach at Saint Mary’s University. In 17 seasons as a head coach in the CIS, Nill has a career regular season and playoff record of 130-47.
Nill takes over a Thunderbirds program that finished out of the playoffs in 2014.
“I made the move to UBC because I was ready for a new experience and I love to build programs,” said Nill in a T-Birds press release. “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.”
“Coach Nill has a proven track record at the CIS level, not only in his results on the field, but in his leadership skills and his ability to engage with staff, alumni, partners, and most importantly, the student-athletes,” said Ashley Howard, UBC’s managing director of athletics and recreation.
Over the last nine years, Nill led the Dinos to three Vanier Cup appearances in 2009, 2010 and 2013 and a record six straight Hardy Cup Championships from 2008 to 2013 as Canada West’s top team.
He takes over a Thunderbirds program that celebrated its 90th year this past January and has won three Vanier Cups.
However, the program hasn’t won a conference and Vanier Cup since 1997.
“After speaking with UBC’s managing director of athletics and recreation Ashley Howard and a number of key backers, 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.”
“Blake understands how to create the kind of performance culture that our team needs,” said Howard in the release. “UBC football can be the flagship program that captivates the interest of our students and community with a great fan experience, but we need a more exciting and successful product on the field.”
A native of Hanna, Alta., Nill’s first head coaching job in the CIS was with Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, N.S.
He led the Huskies to a record six-straight Atlantic University Sport championships from 1999 to 2004, four trips to the Vanier Cup, includng two championships in 2001 and 2002.
Nill was a CIS coach of the year in 1999 and a finalist on six other occasions. He has also been named Canada West coach of the year three times.
Nill began coaching at St. Francis Xavier as a defensive coordinator in 1992.
He spent six years with the X-Men, helping them to a Vanier Cup appearance in 1996.
He played collegiately for the Calgary Dinos from 1980 through 1982.
The then Montreal Concordes drafted him 19th overall in the 1983 CFL Draft.
Nill went on to play six seasons in the CFL, making stops in Montreal, Hamilton, and Winnipeg.
Nill graduated from Concordia in 1989 with a bachelor of arts and a masters of education from St. Francis Xavier.
He will take up the head coaching duties at UBC on Jan. 5.
