VANCOUVER – The BC Lions have announced they will be resigning their Offensive and Defensive Coaches for the 2022 season. Along with these coaches, several assistant coaches will return to the sidelines with their head coach Rick Campbell. By securing these coaches they hope to get a jump start on the 2022 season.
Those coaches include Defensive Coordinator Ryan Phillips, Special Teams Coordinator Dan Yanowsky, Linebacker Coach Travis Brown, Offensive Coordinator Jordan Maksymic, Offensive Line Coach Kelly Bates, Wide Reciever Coach Jason Tucker, and Offensive Assistant Coach Trysten Dyce.
Coach Rick Campbell said, “Having the chance to get this number of great coaches back on our staff is significant and gives us the continuity we need in order to help get us to the next level,” he continued “Given Ryan’s impact on the defensive backs and entire unit in general, his transition to defensive coordinator will be seamless.”
“It has been a thrill to transition into coaching with the organization that gave me a chance to play the game I love professionally,” said Phillips “We have some great pieces already in place and I can’t wait to continue to help build a defense that will be good for a long time.”
Coach Phillips has spent the past two seasons as the defensive back coach. The defensive backs were responsible for 12 of the 17 interceptions this season which tied for the league’s record. He will continue to lead the defensive backs in the season as well as lead the defense. Phillips was a four-time CFL All-Star and used his veteran experience to help develop rookie talents and help TJ Lee earn his second All-Star nomination for the 2022 season.
Offensive Coordinator Maksymic’s offensive play calling lead the league in passing yards with 3,283 and finished second in completions with 276. Receivers Bryan Burnham finished with 965 receiving yards, second-most in the league, and Lucky Whitehead finished with 932 receiving yards, fourth-most in the league. The high-powered offense averaged 346.1 yards per game, third overall in league production on the season.
Special Teams Coordinator Don Yanowsky has spent forty years coaching at every level. Yanowsky will return for his second consecutive season with the BC lions after a strong performance in 2021. He previously coached for the Calgary Stampeders and the Ottawa Redblacks. Under his leadership Stephan Flintoft averaged 47.8 yards per punt, leading the CFL in the 2021 season.
The announcement of these contracts has brought excitement and a bit of faith back to Lion’s locker room. With more off-season signings and trades to come the 2022 season should be something for the fans to look forward to with excitement. The 2021 season was something that the franchise needs to put behind them with a stellar 2022 season. Under the steady leadership of a veteran coaching staff, and motivated front office, they should see massive improvements in the years to come.
