BY PERRY LEFKO
sportsnet.ca
It now looks as if the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Edmonton Eskimos may try to name their new head coaches before Christmas, sources tell Sportsnet.ca.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders interviewed Hamilton defensive co-ordinator Greg Marshall, who played for the team during his career, on Wednesday.
Marshall is regarded as the third candidate behind Richie Hall and Doug Berry. Hall lasted only two years as head coach of the Eskimos, but his stock is huge in Saskatchewan because he has almost 20 years of service with the Roughriders as a player and later a position coach. He is close with Ken Miller, who has stepped down as head coach to concentrate solely on his vice-president of football operations role.
Berry is close with Brendan Taman , the Riders' general manager. Both were formerly with Winnipeg and made it to the Grey Cup in 2007.
A new name who may surface in the mix is Denver Broncos' assistant offensive line coach, Bob Wylie, who worked as the Riders' offensive line coach last year and worked for two years before that as offensive line coach in Winnipeg. The Broncos' recently fired their head coach and the staff is expected to be blown up after this season. Clearly, the Riders' would need permission from the Broncos' to talk to Wylie.
Wylie has tutored three of the five Riders' offensive linemen this year: Jeremy O'Day, Gene Makowsky, and Dan Goodspeed, who previously played in Winnipeg.
The Eskimos are courting Bombers' defensive co-ordinator Kavis Reed, who is considered the frontrunner for the Edmonton job because of his ties to GM Eric Tillman. There is, however, whispers in Calgary that Tillman may pull off a surprise and hire Stamps' defensive co-ordinator Chris Jones, who reportedly interviewed well. As GM of B.C. in 1993, Tillman took a flyer on Dave Ritchie, who was an unknown at the time. He coached the team to a Grey Cup win in '94.
And lastly, Ritchie, who has been spending quality time in Cincinnati with his family and grandchildren, is returning to coaching. He's been hired to coach a team in Switzerland.
Meanwhile the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have begun a search to hire as assistant general manager to GM Bob O'Billovich, sources told Sportsnet.ca.
Some names which have been rumoured to either have been interviewed are Greg Mohns, who had been with Toronto as assistant GM for several years before he was let go after last season, and Saskatchewan personnel director Joe Womack. The Ticats asked for and received permission to talk to Womack.
And there's a good possibility the Calgary Stampeders will hire Mike Gibson in some capacity. He had been Hamilton's offensive co-ordinator the last two years but left recently because he is engaged to a woman from Calgary.
