Two months after firing Ted Goveia, UBC still does not have a permanent head coach for its football team. But this will soon change.

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to hold a press conference on January 19 or 20 to announce the hiring of a head coach that they hope will, in the words of Associate Athletic Director Theresa Hanson, “turn the program around.” With only one playoff win this decade, and three consecutive losing seasons, the task might be harder than eliminating UBC’s $25 million deficit. Changing the culture, engaging alumni and recruiting new players all takes time.

“Any prospective coach that takes a look at the campus, and the facilities UBC has…will realize that this will take at least three years,” said Jim Mullin, CKNW Sports Director. “The UBC football program has a great brand, and it’s got a good engine block, but the cylinders are flooded right now.”

It’s a common charge—minus the metaphors—levied at the Thunderbirds program, and it’s one that Athletics seems to understand has at least a kernel of truth to it.

“We realize that we need a successful program, not just a team. And there’s a difference,” said Hanson.

“It takes time to build this up, and we’re looking at this in a three-, five-year time period, and we’re prepared to give the new coach that amount of time,” she continued—though skeptics will note that the last three UBC football coaches were all fired after four years on the job.

But enough with the small talk. Who is going to be the new head coach?

Well, it depends on who you talk to—and with it being the most buzzed-about question so far during the CIS offseason, there’s plenty of people to talk to. Athletics has received applications from around 25 different candidates from across the country. But the three most talked about candidates are all currently coaching for UBC or SFU. Their names?

Dino Geremia

The interim head coach, Geremia was the defensive coordinator for UBC under Goveia. He’s very well-liked by players, has been a steady hand as interim coach, and wouldn’t rock the boat.

However, UBC had the worst defence in the league last year (though that was partly due to injuries), and if the T-Birds are really going to change their culture, it would reason that they need to have a coach who isn’t connected with the previous program.

Shawn Olson

Called “a leading candidate for the position” by The Province’s Howard Tsumura after Goveia was fired, 12 years ago Olson was UBC’s star quarterback as the T-Birds won the 1997 Vanier Cup.

After a number of years playing and coaching in Europe, he returned to the Lower Mainland three years ago to be offensive coordinator at SFU. He has head coaching experience, alumni support, and if you had to pick a safe choice to get the job, it’s probably him.

Dave Johnson

The current head coach at SFU, former head coach at UBC, and longtime favourite of Athletic Director Bob Philip, Johnson led SFU to the Canada West finals in 2008 after two straight winless seasons, which is nothing to sneeze at.

However, it’s unclear whether he’s quietly applied for the job. Rumours have circulated for weeks on the internet—which, as we all know, is the source of absolute truthiness—that Johnson is a shoe-in for the job, while others have claimed that he’s already signed a new five-year contract with the Clan.

SFU has declined to directly comment, but have said that they “don’t foresee a head coaching change at SFU.” Whatever the case, Johnson is definitely the wild card right now.

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Of course, with the dozens of names floating out there, a surprise candidate could be chosen by the selection committee, comprised of Hanson, Athletic Director Bob Philip, a current player, and three alumni (including Doug Mitchell, namesake of the UBC Winter Sports Centre).

In less than two weeks, they’ll be choosing who will be the next coach to try and bring UBC back to success in the most popular university sport in Canada, and the one sport that UBC has struggled at this past decade.

“We know it will take a lot of work over many years, but we feel this program can return to prominence,” said Hanson.

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