Curtis Modkins
Offensive Coordinator, Buffalo Bills
Subject: “Offensive Systems”
Modkins enters his third season with the Buffalo Bills in 2012 and 5th as an NFL coach. During his first season as offensive coordinator, the Bills were only one of five AFC teams with a 3,000-yard passer and two players (Stevie Johnson and Fred Jackson) with 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
In 2008, he broke into the NFL as a running backs coach with the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Greg Knox
Offensive Coordinator, McMaster University
Subject: "Zone Blitz and 7+ man pressure schemes"
Presenting on defensive systems at this year’s FCCA Convention, McMaster University’s defensive coordinator is fresh off a 2012 Vanier Cup victory, becoming the first team to defeat Laval in the championship game.
Prior to entering into coaching, Knox played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Calgary Stampeders for eight seasons (1992-1999) where he was a member of 2 Grey Cup Championship winning teams (1992, 1998).
Neil Lumsden
Head Coach - Burlington Braves, CFL & CIS player alumni
Topic: "Running Backs"
Neil Lumsden, Head Coach of the Burlington Braves (CJFL), has found success during his CIS as well as CFL playing career and will present on “Running Backs”.
Lumsden enjoyed a stellar four year university playing career as Ottawa Gee-Gees running back and kicker. He was a three time OUA All-Star, three time All-Canadian, helping the undefeated Gee-Gees capture the 1975 Vanier Cup, winning the Ted Morris trophy as Vanier Cup MVP in the process.
Jim Barker
General Manager, Toronto Argonauts
Topic: “Developing the CFL pass offense, x’s and o’s”
Jim Barker returned to the Toronto Argonauts as Head Coach in 2010, transforming a team that had won seven games in two years and led them back to the playoffs with 10 wins, including a berth in the 2010 Eastern Division Final. Following his successful season, Barker was promoted to General Manager & Head Coach and took home the Annus Stukus trophy as the 2010 CFL Coach of the Year.
2010 marked Barker’s second time in Double Blue. In 1997, he helped mastermind an offence that has since been regarded as one of the greatest in CFL history. At the time, he was named Head Coach of the Double Blue in 1999, he was the youngest coach in the CFL. He has held coaching positions in the NCAA, CFL and XFL and is a three-time Grey Cup champion (1997, 2002, 2008) as both a coach and a football executive.
Barker has coached football for more than 30 years. He began coaching 10- and 11-year-olds in Arcadia, CA, and is now recognized throughout North America as one of pre-eminent experts in his field. He is one of the few individuals in U.S. college football history with experience at every level of the NCAA. In seven seasons of professional football, he has coached three championship clubs – two Grey Cups and one XFL championship. He has worked with some of the finest coaches in the history of the Canadian Football League including Don Matthews and Ray Jauch, the former Head Coach of the Edmonton Eskimos and Saskatchewan Roughriders.
George Cortez
Head Coach, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Topic: "Quarterback development"
Cortez joins the Ticats after two seasons coaching in the NFL as Buffalo Bills’ Quarterbacks Coach. He has 18 seasons of CFL coaching experience with four teams, winning four Grey Cups and four years in the NCAA as Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach with the University of California.
During his time at Cal, Cortez helped mentor first round NFL draft picks Aaron Rogers and Kyle Boller. Rogers has had tremendous success in the NFL, winning Super Bowl XLV with Green Bay and being named Super Bowl MVP. During Cortez’s tenure, Cal’s offense registered three of their four highest scoring seasons in school history and Pac-10 rushing titles in ’03 an ’04. In 2004, Cal’s offense finished with the fifth-most offensive yards per game (492.4) in the nation and seventh in points scored (36.8).
Cortez’s most recent CFL stint came from 2007 – 09 with the Calgary Stampeders, serving as Offensive Coordinator and Associate Head Coach. During three seasons, the Stamps finished near the top of most offensive categories. Under Cortez’s direction, the Stamps won the 2008 Grey Cup over Montreal where West Division Most Outstanding Player, Henry Burris threw for 443 in the game and registered 5,094 yards and 39 TDs during the season.
Stefan Ptaszek
Head Coach, McMaster University
Topic: “Receiver skills & drills”
Ptaszek became McMaster's Head Coach in 2006 and won the school's first Vanier Cup championship in 2011. As a professional player, he played four seasons in the Canadian Football League with the B.C. Lions, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, and Toronto Argonauts.
Granville Eastman
Defensive Coordinator - Austin Peay (FCS - 1AA)
Topic: “Defensive Back - skills, drills & philosophy”
Granville, originally from Toronto, ON has been on a steady rise through the NCAA coaching ranks since his move south in 1995. Eastman has interned with the Detroit Lions (2002), Arizona Cardinals (2004), Tennessee Titans (2006) and this season with the Indianapolis Colts (2008-11).
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Mike Circelli
Retired Catholic Central HS (CCH) Head Coach, current GM London Beefeaters
Topic: "Developing a football program"
As CCH football coach, Circelli guided the Crusaders to 14 city, 3 provincial and 2 (unofficial) national championships, 4 WOSSA titles and 2 OFSAA titles. From 1987 to 2005, Circelli led the Crusaders to 19 straight city championships and posted a career win-loss record (including playoffs) of 189 and 34
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Burke Erwin
Barrie North High School
Topic: "Simplify your high school defense"
In 2012, Coach Erwin led his team to a Simcoe County AAAA Championship and eventually to the semi-finals of the National Capital Bowl. In 10 regular season and playoff games last season his defense gave up on average 9.3 points per game. His team has participated in the last 4 out of 5 Simcoe County Championship games.
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Tom Annett
Top ranked FCCA presenter in 2011, Korah Collegiate (Sault Ste. Marie), Varsity Sault Sabercats (OVFL)
Topic: "4-1 formation Offense"
Tom 'wowed' the crowd with his 'no-huddle' offense presentation in 2011 and was ranked as the #1 speaker at the convention (based on attendees’ post-convention evaluations). He also impressed Montreal Alouette’s Head Coach Marc Trestman so much so that Trestman requested a copy of Annett’s presentation and referred to Tom multiple times during his own presentation.
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Sonny Wolfe
CIS coach alumni (former Head Coach at both Acadia and McGill)
Topic: "Role of Coach"
Chris Bertoia
Offensive Line Coach, The University of Western Ontario
Topic: "Offensive Line skills & drills"
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Glen Mills
Head Coach, Essex Ravens (OVFL)
Topic: "Linebacker skills & drills"
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Larry Haylor
Retired Western Head Coach, Head Coach 2011 Senior Men’s National Team
Topic: "Canadian Senior men's national team"
Jerry Philip
CIS / CFL player alumni, Nelson High School
Topic: “How to achieve Defensive Excellence in High School / Minor Football”
Dana Segin
Special Teams coach, McMaster University / CIS & CFL player alumni
Larry Guarascia
Running Backs and Special Teams coach, McMaster University
Topic: “Long Snapping / Kicking & Punting skills”
Brian Guebert
Football Saskatchewan High Performance Director, CIS / CFL player alumni, 2011 Sr. Men’s National Team player
Topics: “What is age appropriate in Developmental Football Skills” & “6 A Side football”