The McMaster Marauders have rounded out their 2019 football staff with the assignment of a pair of accomplished coaches.
Head coach Stef Ptasek is adding former Guelph Gryphons head coach Todd Galloway and former Hamilton Tiger-Cats assistant offensive coordinator Corey Grant.
Galloway will assume the role of recruiting coordinator and offensive assistant, while Grant takes over as offensive coordinator.
Previously held jointly by Tom Flaxman and Kyle Quinlan, the coordinator’s position was vacated when Flaxman accepted a role at Queen’s University; while Quinlan departed the program in the offseason to pursue new opportunities.
Scott Brady will continue as the defensive coordinator in 2019.
Galloway joined the Marauders after eight seasons of progressive experience on the sidelines of the Guelph Gryphons which culminated in the role of interim head coach with the program in 2018. In that capacity, he led the Gryphons to a 5-3 regular season record and an appearance in the 111th Yates Cup, where his team fell to the eventual Vanier Cup runner up Western Mustangs.
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“Todd’s a great person and family man first and foremost, and one who has infinite knowledge in the game,” said Ptaszek in a media release. “He’s been a coach and coordinator in this league for a long time and done some great things. He’s had the titles of recruiting coordinator, offensive coordinator and head coach with one of the premier programs in the country.”
“I’m so excited to work with him, and he’s going to bring a lot of different things to the table.”
Prior to assuming head coaching duties, Galloway spent six seasons as Guelph’s offensive coordinator beginning in 2011, and was named as the program’s director of recruiting in 2017. During his tenure as offensive coordinator, the Gryphons compiled a 31-8 regular season record and made three appearances in the Yates Cup, including the program’s fourth championship title in 2015.
Playing university football at Wilfrid Laurier, Galloway was coached by Ptaszek, then the Golden Hawks offensive coordinator, in his senior season in 2003, before joining him on the staff and helping the team to a Vanier Cup championship in 2005.
“It’s a fresh start for me,” said Galloway in a media release. “I’ve been a huge supporter of Coach Ptaszek through the years and he has been a great mentor to me, so I’m happy to come over and work with him. I’m proud of the work that I’ve done at the University of Guelph, but I saw this as an opportunity to keep growing as a coach.”
“I’ve always been a student-athlete-first coach. I hope that the student-athletes know that as I get to know them I’m going to care about them and I’m going to love them. We’re going to work collaboratively as a group to do what we think is best on gameday.”
Ending a six-year coaching tenure with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Stoney Creek, Ont., native Grant returned to the organization that gave him his first opportunity on the sideline.
A veteran of 11 seasons in the Canadian Football League, Grant won two Grey Cup titles and was named as the East Division Outstanding Rookie in 1999. He completed his career with 326 receptions for 4,479 yards and 17 touchdowns.
“Hamilton is home,” said Grant of his decision to join McMaster’s staff. “My kids go to school here, and I was fortunate enough to be coaching with the Ticats here in the city. The move to McMaster was the next logical step that keeps me here at home in a city I love, so it was an easy decision when Coach Ptaszek called.”
“My time with the Ticats has grown my understanding of the game, but also how to manage people with different skill sets and relate to them. It also taught me how important it was to be out and active in the community, and I think that’s the case even more so at this level.”
Also a former Golden Hawk as a student-athlete, Grant spent two seasons on McMaster’s staff in 2010 and 2011 as a receivers coach, before joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats staff in 2013.
“Corey is one of the greatest receivers that U SPORTS has ever developed, and had a great CFL career and even better coaching career since,” Ptaszek said. “This is a grounded family man and a fantastic human being.”
“He’s going to bring an energy and an enthusiasm to everything he does, and I can’t wait to see him work with our student-athletes.”
Beginning his CFL coaching career as the running backs and quality control coach with the Ticats, Grant was elevated to the position of assistant offensive coordinator and running backs coach in 2018.
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