- Don Matthews
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Don Matthews Sport(s) Canadian football Current position Title Head Coach Biographical details Born June 22, 1939 Place of birth Amesbury, Massachusetts, U.S. Playing career 1960-63 Idaho Position(s) Linebacker Coaching career (HC unless noted) 1964
1965
1966-1968
1969-1970
1971-1973
1974-1976
1977
1978–1982
1983–1987
1989
1990
1991
1991–1993
1994–1995
1996–1998
1999–2000
2002–2006
2008Idaho (NCAA) - (GA)
Ely HS - (ass't)
Ely HS
Ferris HS
Idaho (NCAA) - (OL/OC)
Sunset HS
Edmonton Eskimos – (LB)
Edmonton Eskimos – (DC)
BC Lions
Edmonton Eskimos – (DC)
Toronto Argonauts
Orlando Thunder - (WLAF)
Sask. Roughriders
Baltimore Stallions
Toronto Argonauts
Edmonton Eskimos
Montreal Alouettes
Toronto ArgonautsHead coaching record Overall 231–132–1 Accomplishments and honors Championships 73rd Grey Cup, 83rd Grey Cup, 84th Grey Cup, 85th Grey Cup, 90th Grey Cup Awards Records 2nd Winningest Coach in CFL history Don Matthews, a.k.a. "The Don", (born June 22, 1939, Amesbury, Massachusetts) is a former head coach of several teams in the Canadian Football League and is the second winningest head coach in CFL history with 231 wins. He will be inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in September 2011.
Contents
College
From a large family of limited means and education, Matthews quit high school in Amesbury after his senior season of football in 1956 and served three years in the U.S. Marine Corps.[1] He returned home and earned his high school diploma and then ventured west as a 21 year-old freshman and walked-on at Idaho as a linebacker; he was awarded a scholarship by head coach Skip Stahley after his first semester. He earned four letters and was a team captain in his senior season of 1963 when the Vandals achieved their first winning season in a quarter century. Matthews graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in education in 1964. [1][2]
Early career
Matthews was a graduate assistant for the Vandals in Moscow for the 1964 season under head coach Dee Andros and secondary coach Bud Riley. He then coached high school football in Ely, Nevada for four years and won a state title. He relocated to Spokane, Washington in 1969 as head coach at Ferris, where he led the Saxons to the city title in his second and final year. [3] Matthews became a collegiate assistant coach back at his alma mater in 1971 as offensive line coach (later as offensive coordinator), under second-year head coach Don Robbins.[2] After an 0-2 start in 1971, the Vandals finished at 8-3, which included an eight game winning streak, and won the Big Sky title. At the time it was the best record in school history. Two years later. Robbins and his assistants were relieved of their duties following the 1973 season and Matthews moved to the Portland area. He took over a winless program at Sunset High School in Beaverton, Oregon, and won consecutive state championships in 1975 and 1976, going undefeated in his third and final year.[1] He left Sunset after the 1976 season to become a CFL assistant coach in Edmonton, Alberta.
CFL coaching career
Matthews was formerly head coach of the CFL's BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Baltimore Stallions, Toronto Argonauts, Edmonton Eskimos, and Montreal Alouettes. He was also head coach of the Orlando Thunder of the World League of American Football.
In October 2006, Matthews stepped down as head coach of the Alouettes expressing undisclosed health issues that were "affecting his ability to perform".[4]
In May, 2008, Matthews was announced as an advisor to the Jeff Hunt-led group's conditional Ottawa franchise.[5]
Don Matthews returned to Toronto on September 9, 2008 as the interim coach for the Argonauts, after they started the season with a 4–6 record.[6] In that press conference, Matthews revealed that the major health reason that caused him to step down as head coach of the Alouettes was an anxiety disorder. He also went further to say that he had been prescribed to some medication and the anxiety attacks are now under control.[7][8]
Matthews' mother, Ida, was a francophone from Tracadie, New Brunswick, while his father, Fred, was from Prince Edward Island. Matthews has 3 sons and 6 grandchildren. In 2004, Matthews became a Canadian citizen.[9]
On October 31, 2008, he resigned from the Argonauts a day after the conclusion of the Argonauts 2008 regular season, which saw the Argos fail to win a game in the eight games under his leadership and finishing out of the playoffs for the first time since the 2001 CFL season.[10]
Matthews resides in Oregon[1] and was selected for induction in the Builder category into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame on February 10, 2011.[11]
Coaching records
Don Matthews currently holds several coaching records:
- Most Grey Cup appearances (9)
- Most Grey Cup wins (5 – tied)
He also has an additional 5 Grey Cup titles as defensive co-ordinator of the Edmonton Eskimos.
CFL Head Coaching record
Team Year Regular Season Post Season Won Lost Ties Win % Finish Won Lost Result BC 1983 11 5 0 .688 1st in West Division 1 1 Lost in Grey Cup BC 1984 12 3 1 .800 1st in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Finals BC 1985 13 3 0 .813 1st in West Division 2 0 Won Grey Cup BC 1986 12 6 0 .667 2nd in West Division 1 1 Lost in Division Finals BC 1987 8 6 0 .573 1st in West Division – – (fired) TOR 1990 10 8 0 .556 2nd in East Division 1 1 Lost in Division Finals SSK 1991 5 6 0 .455 4th in West Division – – Missed Playoffs SSK 1992 9 9 0 .500 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals SSK 1993 11 7 0 .611 3rd in West Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals BAL 1994 12 6 0 .667 2nd in East Division 2 1 Lost in Grey Cup BAL 1995 15 3 0 .833 1st in East Division 3 0 Won Grey Cup TOR 1996 15 3 0 .833 1st in East Division 2 0 Won Grey Cup TOR 1997 15 3 0 .833 1st in East Division 2 0 Won Grey Cup TOR 1998 9 9 0 .500 3rd in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals EDM 1999 6 12 0 .333 3rd in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals EDM 2000 10 8 0 .556 2nd in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals MTL 2002 13 5 0 .722 1st in East Division 2 0 Won Grey Cup MTL 2003 13 5 0 .722 1st in East Division 1 1 Lost in Grey Cup MTL 2004 14 4 0 .778 1st in East Division 0 1 Lost in Division Finals MTL 2005 10 8 0 .556 2nd in East Division 2 1 Lost in Grey Cup MTL 2006 8 6 0 .571 1st in East Division – – (stepped down) TOR 2008 0 8 0 .000 3rd in East Division – – missed playoffs BC 1983–1987 56 23 1 .700 4 West Division
Championships4 3 1 Grey Cup TOR 1990, 1996–
1998, 200849 31 0 .613 2 East Division
Championships5 2 2 Grey Cups SSK 1991–1993 25 22 0 .532 0 West Division
Championships0 2 0 Grey Cups BAL 1994–1995 27 9 0 .750 1 East Division
Championship5 1 1 Grey Cup EDM 1999–2000 16 20 0 .444 0 West Division
Championships0 2 0 Grey Cups MTL 2002–2006 58 28 0 .674 4 East Division
Championships5 2 1 Grey Cup Total 231 133 1 .633 11 Division
Championships19 13 5 Grey Cups References
- ^ a b c d Portland Tribune - A new game plan for famed coach - 2010-02-11
- ^ a b Go Vandals.com - lifetime achievement - Don Matthews - accessed 2011-10-22
- ^ Spokane Daily Chronicle - Ferris coach takes post as aide with Vandals - 1971-01-29 p.15
- ^ "Als coach Matthews resigns". CBC Sports. 2006-10-04. http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/10/04/matthews-conference.html. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
- ^ Brennan, Don (2008-09-12). "Hunt: Matthews inspired by Kilrea". Ottawa Sun. http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/Ottawa/2008/09/12/6745531-sun.html. Retrieved September 12, 2008.
- ^ "Argos fire Stubler, bring back Matthews". CBC Sports. 2008-09-09. http://www.cbc.ca/sportsnews/story/2008/09/09/matthews-argos.html. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
- ^ http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/432213
- ^ O’Connor, Joe (2008-10-29). "Argos' Matthews winning battle with anxiety". National Post (Canada). http://www.nationalpost.com/sports/story.html?id=917567. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
- ^ "Alouettes hammer Renegades at the Big O". CBC News. 2004-10-23. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2004/10/23/montreal-ottawa041023.html.
- ^ "Matthews quits as Argos coach". CBC Sports. 2008-10-31. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2008/10/31/argos-matthews.html. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
- ^ "Canadian Football Hall of Fame announces Class of 2011," Canadian Football Hall of Fame & Museum, Thursday, February 10, 2011.
External links
- Don Matthews profile on Argonauts.ca
- Video of Don Matthews' introduction as the Toronto Argonauts'new head coach
- Go Vandals.com - lifetime achievement - Don Matthews '64
Links to related articles Sporting positions Preceded by
first coachOrlando Thunder Head Coaches
1991Succeeded by
Galen HallPreceded by
first coachBaltimore Stallions Head Coaches
1994–1995Succeeded by
last coachAwards Preceded by
Wally Buono
Don Matthews
Don Matthews
Dave Ritchie
Cal MurphyGrey Cup winning Head Coach
90th Grey Cup, 2002
85th Grey Cup, 1997
84th Grey Cup, 1996
83rd Grey Cup, 1995
73rd Grey Cup, 1985Succeeded by
Tom Higgins
Wally Buono
Don Matthews
Don Matthews
Al BrunoCategories:- Saskatchewan Roughriders coaches
- Toronto Argonauts coaches
- Toronto Argonauts general managers
- 1939 births
- Living people
- American emigrants to Canada
- American people of Canadian descent
- Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Edmonton Eskimos coaches
- Grey Cup champions
- Naturalized citizens of Canada
- People from Essex County, Massachusetts
- World League of American Football coaches
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