The departure of University of Saskatchewan Huskies head coach Brian Towriss has left some with questions unanswered. In a press conference Monday, Towriss read a prepared statement and announced he was stepping down as the head of the team.
It came as a surprise to many in university football circles, including Huskies’ defensive coordinator Ed Carleton.
“It was very shocking the way the whole thing rolled out, for myself and some of the veteran coaches. We found out Sunday there was a press conference Monday, and that’s all we knew,” Carleton said.
“I wouldn’t have been there if I had found out Sunday that he was leaving the next day.”
READ MORE: Brian Towriss steps down as head coach of Saskatchewan Huskies football team
Carleton, who has been with the Huskies for 29 years as a volunteer coach, said he was shocked by Towriss’s sudden departure.
“This is a gentleman that’s been there 33 years, and even before that he did some position work, so almost four decades of his life to that program, and you know, how many of us really can say in our life that we’ve built something,” Carleton said of the winningest football coach in Canadian university football.
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“He built that program from very substandard roots and not a successful program to one of the most successful programs in Canadian college football. He did great things.”
As for the rest of the staff, many are assuming that their role will come to an end when the new coach is selected to lead the Huskies. There are 11 volunteer coaches on staff, including Carleton.
“I’m assuming that the new head coach will want their own staff,” said Carleton.
“That’s what happens in football, and I’m assuming the new staff will not include me.”
As for the press conference, Carleton said it was a major disappointment to him, considering the three-decades plus committed to the program.
“I don’t know if that’s how you handle your employees, be it volunteer or not,” he stated.
“The press conference was a real black eye on the university.”
The school said the search for Towriss’s replacement will begin immediately. An interim coach is expected to be named early next year.
READ MORE: Hughton calling it a career after nine years as Sask. Huskies athletic director
When asked what qualities to look for in the new coach, Carleton said that including Towriss in the search would be the wisest route.
As for what’s next for the two coaches, time will tell. Only a month ago, there were discussions between Towriss and Carleton, planning out the next two seasons with the Huskies together.
“I knew in a year or two I was going to have something at the university come to an end. I told coach Towriss I would coach with him as long as he stayed there,” said Carleton.
“This came a bit sooner. I’m involved with Football Saskatchewan, my son coaches at Evan Hardy so maybe they’ll need some help there … I’ll stay involved with football of course.”
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