EDMONTON – Jason Maas is returning to Edmonton as the Eskimos’ new head coach.
“This is always where I wanted to end up.”
Maas spent nine seasons as a quarterback with the Green and Gold, when he was named the Eskimos Most Outstanding Player in 2001 and 2004 and was a member of two Grey Cup winning teams in 2003 and 2005.
Maas spent last season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach with the Ottawa RedBlacks. The RedBlacks’ offence led the league in total yards, passing yards and rushing touchdowns under Maas’ guidance.
He was also a receivers coach in 2011 and quarterbacks coach from 2012 to 2014 with the Toronto Argonauts.
When asked if he had any hesitations about taking the head coach position, Maas simply said no; it was always his goal to become a head coach.
“I expect fully that we will compete for next year’s Grey Cup.”
Watch below: Gord Steinke speaks to Maas on Tuesday’s Early News
General manager Ed Hervey said the process of finding a new head coach was very thorough, but knew Maas was the right fit for the organization both on and off the field.
“I’ve watched Jason mature over the years,” Hervey said. “When Henry Burris made the statement during Grey Cup week about his relationship with Jason, he solidified what I already knew about Jason and his ability to teach and be able to relate to a player.”
Having watched his career closely since leaving the Eskimos as a player in 2011, Hervey said he’s very confident in Maas as a head coach.
“Based on the guys that he is going to be able to bring and that we’ve talked about, I think he’s going to be surrounded by a good mixture of veteran coaches, as well as some first-year guys that are going to do a really good job,” Hervey said.
The Eskimos expect to announce the remaining coaching staff in January.
Watch below: Eskimos’ GM Ed Hervey address the media
The Eskimos head coaching position became vacant after Chris Jones left the job to take over as head coach general manager, and vice-president of football operations of the Saskatchewan Roughriders following Edmonton’s Grey Cup victory in late November.
READ MORE: Roughriders hire Grey Cup-winning coach Chris Jones
Maas becomes the 21st head coach in Eskimos history.
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