Bombers hire Queens DC Pat Tracey as Special Teams Coordinator

[gbill2004]

Per Madani...

His bio from Queens website:

Pat Tracey joined Queen?s in 2000 as Special Teams Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, and moved to his current post in 2001, becoming a full-time assistant to Coach Sheahan in 2008. Tracey is recognized nationally and internationally as a defensive specialist, and is the dean of current OUA defensive coordinators. In 2011, the Gaels defence did not concede a single rushing touchdown in the regular season. He enters the season with 105 career wins as a CIS defensive coordinator and the CIS leader with 14 career shut-out victories.

Tracey has mentored many exceptional defensive players during his time at Queen?s, including four CIS award winners, eight OUA award winners, 39 conference All-Stars and 16 CIS All-Canadians. The Gaels defence has lead the OUA in several categories under his guidance including number one ranking against the Run 5-times, Pass 2-times, Overall 5-times and Scoring 4-times). He has coached the East team in recent CIS East-West Bowl games, serving as DB coac in 2003, Defensive Coordinator in 2004, and Special Teams coordinator in 2005, 2007 and 2008. Tracey was the Special Teams Coach for Canada at the 2007 Global Football Championship, held during the week of Super Bowl XLI, which the Canadians won for the third straight year. In 2009, he guided the Gaels defence to a Vanier Cup championship, as they finished as the top defence within the OUA.

Tracey has also been deeply involved in coaching at the national level, as he was the Defensive Coordinator for the Eastern Ontario U-17 team at the Football Canada Cup, winning bronze medals in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and capturing a gold medal in 2009.

Prior to joining Queen?s, Tracey coached with the Guelph Gryphons from 1987-97 and 1999.

At Guelph, he held numerous positions including Defensive Backs and Return Units (1987-88), Inside Linebackers and Return Units (1989-90), Defensive Coordinator (1988-94), and Special Teams Coordinator (1996-97). He was the team?s recruiting coordinator from 1995 until leaving for Hamilton in early 1998. He coached in three Yates Cup finals with the Gryphons, winning two.

Tracey spent the 1998 season on a leave of absence from Guelph, and joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as Special Teams Coach, on a staff led by CFL legend Ron Lancaster. Hamilton advanced to the Grey Cup with his assistance, losing the championship on a heart-breaking, last-second field goal by the Calgary Stampeders.

Tracey started at defensive back from 1982 through 1986 with the Guelph Gryphons, winning the team?s most improved player award in 1982, and a Vanier Cup in 1984. He saw action as a punt returner, leading the team in 1983. In 1986, he was the football nominee for the Mitchell award as the Male Sportsman of the Year. Tracey was a team captain in 1986, and was named to the Gryphon Team of the Decade in 1989 at cornerback. He holds the school?s record for the longest fumble return (61 yards, set in 1983), and most games played in a career (51). Tracey is also ranked second in Guelph?s history for games started, with 49.

Tracey is a native of Foxboro, Ontario, and resides in Kingston with his wife Denise, and daughters Devon and Darby.

[gbill2004]

An article from 2011 outlining the relationship between O'Shea and Tracey:

Mike O'Shea pays Pat Tracey the ultimate compliment when discussing his former defensive co-ordinator.

"He set me up for my CFL career," O'Shea, a member of the all-time Toronto Argonauts team, said of the man in charge of the defence during his University of Guelph days.

"Everyone on defence had to know the defence extremely well and you had to know what everyone around you was doing. He made you go up to the board and tested you (on concepts and plays). He set me up for success. He set me up with great habits to go on to the CFL."

An endorsement from one of the great Canadian CFLers in recent memory gives you an idea of just how respected the Queen's Golden Gaels defensive co-ordinator is in football circles.

Tracey, who played defensive back at Guelph and won a Vanier Cup as a player in 1984, started running the Gryphons' defence in 1989 - the same year O'Shea arrived on campus.

O'Shea - now the special teams co-ordinator for the Argos and a man whose name has been mentioned as a strong head coaching candidate - went on to play 16 CFL seasons and 271 games as a linebacker, the most ever by a defensive player in professional three-down football.

Tracey, a Belleville-area native, hasn't been nearly as visible as O'Shea in the public eye, but he's been instrumental in the success of two university football programs. After leaving Guelph in 2000 to move closer to home, Tracey has spent most of his work hours at the helm of a consistent Gaels defence.

This year might be Tracey's best season yet. Tracey's D, remarkably, has not allowed a rushing touchdown all season (nine games). Heck, the defence hasn't given up a single touchdown in the past three games.

On Saturday, the best defence in Ontario University Athletics matches up against the McMaster Marauders' top-ranked offence in a semifinal. This game simply never happens without the outstanding play of Tracey's charges.

"I think what makes his defence so successful year after year is his ability to adjust it to the team he is playing," said T.J. Leeper, the underrated, undersized middle linebacker on the 2009 Vanier Cup team. He's now studying medicine at Western.

"He's not afraid to completely retool his defence in a week. He knows that if he coaches it right, his players will run it right. There is never a lack of preparation in a coach T game plan."

Dan McNally, the rookie head coach at Guelph when Tracey joined the staff in 1987, learned quickly that work ethic would be a great strength of his young assistant.

Tracey, after his playing eligibility had expired, asked McNally if he could help the staff.

"We didn't have a paid position at the time. He got a small honorarium. That's how he got started," McNally said from Nova Scotia, where he served as athletic director of Acadia University for a half-dozen years after leaving Guelph in 2001.

"He was in the office like he was full time. It was clear right off the bat it was something he really took to. Football, in general, was a big, big part of his life. That doesn't always translate to coaching. Just because football has been fun (as a player), coaching is a different animal. But he just seemed to have a good feel for it."

Within two years, Tracey was McNally's defensive co-ordinator. Together, they won a pair of Yates Cups before Tracey took a sabbatical to work under CFL legend Ron Lancaster on the Hamilton Tiger-Cats' staff in 1998 (they lost in the Grey Cup).

After one more year at Guelph, Tracey got an unexpected job offer.

"I met him a few times, but I didn't know him," said Gaels head coach Pat Sheahan, who made Tracey one of his first hires after landing the top Queen's football job in 2000.

"He had a very good football resume and he wanted to come back to the area (to be closer to his family). I had an immediate connection with him - he was from Belleville, I was from Brockville."

Brought aboard as special teams co-ordinator, Tracey was promoted to defensive boss in 2001.

The results have been superb. Players like Dee Sterling, Matt Kirk, Chris Smith and Shomari Williams have graduated to the pros. The team is in the OUA final four for the third time in four years.

"I think the thing that makes him so successful is that he thinks outside the box," said Williams, the No. 1 overall pick of the Saskatchewan Roughriders after starring on the 2009 national championship team.

Williams said former Roughriders defensive boss Gary Etcheverry, highly-regarded for his scheming ability, reminded him of Tracey. He said Tracey, like Etcheverry, tries to stop what the opposing offence does best.

"The biggest thing he taught me was how to prepare and always stay the course," Williams said. "The season I was there, we won a lot of really close games and we were losing in some of those games at points. He never lost his composure and always just encouraged us to keep plugging along.

"He always challenged you individually and the challenge was so specific, you felt like you had to do everything in your power to meet the challenge to make the team successful."

Williams says Tracey is quiet. Sheahan says his fellow Pat is a private guy. Yet don't mistake this for a lack of intensity.

"He's like a dad who never has to yell at his children," Williams said. "He just has to give that look and they know they better shape up. A lot of the players were intimidated by him because they knew once that look came on his face, it was all business and you better step your game up."

Adds Leeper, "If I were to describe him, I would have to say coach Tracey is like Sun Tzu (an ancient Chinese military strategist) in Bruce Willis' body."

Sadly, both of Tracey's parents died during his years at Queen's. But while they were alive, the father of two spent most Sundays cherishing more family time.

Saturdays, game days, seem to be a different sort of family time when Tracey is involved.

"I really enjoyed his personality," O'Shea said. "We were his guys and he was our coach. He looked after us and he fought for us."

Tracey's players will be going punch for punch with the Big Mac attack this afternoon and early evening. Win or lose, it's a safe bet that Tracey's crew won't go down without a fight.

[Mr Dee]

I like the reasoning behind this hiring….very much so.

[gbill2004]

Another good article...this from 2013:

Pat Tracey is the defensive mastermind behind the historic Gaels defence. What makes him such a legendary coach? What does he love most about coaching? Find out here!

In the freezing cold of Quebec City, Pat Tracey stood on the podium in PEPS stadium with the Vanier Cup in his hands -- a look of gratification and accomplishment on his face. This moment would last only a short while for the Defensive Coordinator of the Queen’s Gaels and then it would be back to work. “Winning that Vanier cup was a great achievement, the culmination of a lot of hard work and preparation over many years.” Despite the success Tracey is never satisfied, “Winning one makes you that much hungrier for another”. Tracey won as a player for Guelph in 1984, but the 2009 victory with Queen’s was his first as a coach.

How did Queen’s find their way to the top of the CIS Mountain? They had a roster filled with All-Stars sure… but then again so did Western, Laval, and Calgary -- the three teams they beat on their way to the Vanier. The difference between winning and losing the big games can be the smallest of margins, and as the old saying goes: “Defence wins championships.” Queen’s has had plenty of that since Pat Tracey joined the coaching staff in 2000.

Tracey, the Defensive Coordinator at Queen’s University since 2001, is regarded as one of the best defensive minds in the CIS. Since coming to Queen’s, the defence has led the OUA 5 times, and 2009 was no different. The Gaels also led in 2002, 2003, 2008, and 2011. 2011 was a particularly good year for the Queen’s defence, as it did not surrender a single rushing touchdown throughout the regular season. That year was highlighted by a 37-0 shutout of the then #1 Western Mustangs in the final week. The shutout at home was the 14th of his career as a DC, the current leader in the CIS.

Not only has Tracey led great team defences he has also produced numerous exceptional individual players. One of those players, Chris Smith who was an OUA All-Star and CFL Alum had nothing but praise when discussing his former coach. “Coach T played a huge role in my development, he changed me from an athlete to a football player. He gave me the tools to understand the game at a very high level, which enabled me to react to plays faster. This definitely helped when I was in the CFL where the game moves so much faster. I was able to keep up because I was able to anticipate.”

Player development is crucial in the CIS and Tracey has had his hand in generating 31 OUA All-Stars and 11 All-Canadians in his 30 years of coaching. Current Queen’s captain and All-Canadian defensive lineman John Luigi Miniaci credits Tracy’s ability to get the most out of a player for the success of his career. “He has allowed us to be technically sound players but also letting our football instincts still flourish. I mean he converted a 260-pound linebacker into a second-team All-Canadian nose tackle. He's a legend.” It is clear that Tracey is a successful defensive coordinator but what is it exactly about his coaching style that allows him to get so much out of all his players?

Coach Tracey is a master of breaking down film and uncovering what opposing offenses are trying to do, a skill he admits he did not always possess. As a defensive back for Guelph from 1982-86 Tracey enjoyed the physical aspect of football the most. “I played football like a hockey player, I enjoyed coming up near the line of scrimmage and hitting someone”. Tracey credits two coaches during his time at Guelph for teaching him the finer points of football and how to appreciate the process of breaking down film. Tom Dimitroff Sr. was the head coach of the Guelph Gryphons while Tracey played football there. Leadership and an emphasis on practicing the right way helped to develop Tracey into the player he was. **** Brown who was a defensive assistant during Tracey’s career and taught him how to watch film intellectually and analyze how offenses operate. “The game is like physical chess, if you don’t understand your opponents’ tendencies you will lose.”

Tracey has the ability to break down film and understand it in his own mind, but the true test of a coach’s ability is translating that information so his athletes can excel on the field. “ It takes a long time to truly understand offenses and breaking down film, I have been doing this for 30 years now. Most players only get 4-5 years at the CIS level, so it’s crucial to melt it down, simplify the reads for the players.”

Tracey’s approach to defence is to take away an offense’s best plays. Smith, whose last season with the Gaels was during the 2009 Vanier Cup run, lived the results of Tracey’s hard work. “Coach T's best trait as a coach is his dedication. Every season Coach T put's in the longest hours at the stadium getting the schemes ready. It's this dedication that allows him to develop such great defences; he spends hours breaking down film and charting plays to develop the best defence. The outcome of this dedication is an extremely intellectual approach, but without his hard work and dedication he wouldn't be able to develop these defences.”

Along with his ability to break down film, Tracey has the ability to put players in the right position to succeed each and every week. What is so unique about the defence at Queen’s is that it can be completely different from week to week. “The key is to put players in a position that they can succeed in. I’m only going to ask a player to do what they are good at”. It is this variation and adaptability that has allowed Queen’s to be so successful in the OUA since Tracey joined the team.

When asked where his work ethic and dedication comes from, Tracey is quick to answer. “My late parents raised us that way, I am Irish, and I grew up on a farm.” Tracey also credits his father with influencing his coaching style and ability to break opponents down to their core. “In a time when there was no film to watch my father was able to watch a game and figure out what a team was trying to do. It didn’t matter what sport it was, within minutes he would have the answer.”

Coach T has taken the influence of his parents and other coaches he’s worked with and played for to develop an approach to coaching that is second to none in the country. “During the long season we try to work them hard and emphasize technique and giving them all the looks they need so come game time its second nature. It’s important to find a balance between grinding them down and keeping them on their toes.” Tracey has extremely high expectations for himself and for his players and works hard to raise players’ expectations for themselves. It is this approach that has helped create a reputation around the OUA that Tracey is hard on his players and that they in return fear him. “If a player misses a tackle I will never get mad at them, that’s physical, but if a player makes a mental mistake that’s when I get after them.”

Tracey’s reputation precedes him and incoming players have an idea of what to expect when they first get to Queen’s. Even an All-Canadian like Miniaci was cautious when he first joined the Gaels. “When you first come in it is definitely fear. However, as the season progresses you start to understand that you don't fear him because he is a scary guy, it is purely out of respect. You start to see the amount of hours and time he invests into putting us in the exact perfect spot each and every single play and so you start realizing that you fear him because you don't want to let him down. It is because of that respect we fear him and it is because of that respect every single man on that defence would be the first to sign up to go to battle with him.”

Every player on the Queen’s defence respects Tracey for his influence on his career, and understands why sometimes he has to rip into them. Current CIS interceptions leader Yann Dika-Balotoken has felt the brunt of Tracey’s wrath but has become a better player for it. “Young players who do not know Coach Tracey yet are probably afraid of him, I was during my first 2 years. In a way, I think it builds mental toughness to be coached the hard way. You learn from him and respect him. Coach T has an uncanny ability to predict the offense’s play calls time and time again. It is proof of his abilities as a coach, and it is the main reason why each one of us on the defence trusts and respect him so much.”

As Tracey has grown as a coach he has learned to have a balance between coach and teacher, finding the best way to get his message across to his players. “You never know what’s going on in a player’s life outside of football and we make mistakes as coaches, there have been some things that I’ve said that maybe I shouldn’t have.” Every year as each edition of the Queen’s defence matures and develops, Tracey develops his coaching techniques and strategies. “When players first come in it’s more of a one-way street with me telling them what to do, but as they get older and more experienced they earn the ability to communicate. Everyone sees things differently, it’s about getting on the same page.”

Tracey’s professional approach to the game creates a relationship of mentor and student more than buddy buddy. “Our job as coaches is to impart our life experience to our players while they are with us. Peers can lead each other astray, we don’t do that. I want to show my players that there is a right way to do things, and that there are consequences when things are done incorrectly.” When a player needs something or someone to talk to he is there but he also tries to stay out of the way of players’ personal lives. “The student experience is only for a short time, so I don’t need to get involved with everything.”

While sitting down and talking about football with Coach Tracey, it is hard to not be impressed by his level of football knowledge and understanding of the game. He has achieved all there is to achieve at the CIS level, but don’t think he’s looking for a change any time soon. “I’ve been the head coach of defence and head coach of special teams before, I have been lucky with the teams I’ve been a part of that I have had full reign with my units.” Tracey has been asked many times whether he would like to be the head coach of his own team and his answer is always the same. “I enjoy purely coaching, there are a lot of other administration things that head coaches have to deal with. But if I was a head coach I imagine there are a lot of things I would do differently.”

Most coaches would agree with Tracey, the ability to put the phone down and just coach is the best part of the day. For now Pat Tracey remains in Kingston with the Queen’s Gaels as their defensive coordinator as they try to win another Vanier Cup. His defence continues to be one of the best in the entire league and as long as his players continue to preform, the only ones that need to be afraid of Coach T are opposing.

[MOBomberFan]

Thanks for the articles gbill2004

[Zontar]

Blimey, another off the radar hire by WPG.

[Noeller]

Not sure how much I love a guy going from CIS co-ordinator to CFL co-ordinator, tho this guy sounds pretty well respected. It's one thing to go from CIS HC to CFL co-ordinator, but this is a really big jump for this guy. Hopefully it works out!

[gbill2004]

He has one year in the CFL as the Ticats special teams coordinator. The year the Ticats went to the Grey Cup.

[Noeller]

ahh my bad...that's what I get for not skimming the articles. #AintNobodyGotTimeForThat

[kelownabomberfan]

He has one year in the CFL as the Ticats special teams coordinator. The year the Ticats went to the Grey Cup.

This year? I thought Reinebold was their ST co-ordinator. Or are you talking 1999? Oh 1998 - I see now. Worked with Ronny Lancaster. Cool.

[gbill2004]

He has one year in the CFL as the Ticats special teams coordinator. The year the Ticats went to the Grey Cup.

This year? I thought Reinebold was their ST co-ordinator. Or are you talking 1999? Oh 1998 - I see now. Worked with Ronny Lancaster. Cool.

1998.

[Noeller]

It's all very interesting, and as a huge "rah rah Canada!" guy, there's part of me that loves being All Canadian and giving a giant F*** You to the idea that NCAA/NFL experience is oh-so-important. Thing is, tho.....that is important. Nobody here is naive enough to think that CIS football is anywhere near NCAA, both in quality of players and in quality of coaching. So have we gone TOO FAR in terms of being All Canadian on the coaching staff?

[braddman19]

Very intriguing hire.  Happy to hear the Bombers making a hire.

[Captain Blue]

I don't know what to think.  Don't know enough about him.  Seems like a good candidate, but lots of people have nice bios that aren't great coaches.

 

Also we are really, really Canadian as an organization.

[Jpan85]

Impressive resume at the CIS level. This continues to add to the Canadian football knowledge which is higher than its been in a long time for the Bombers.

[Mr Dee]

It's not so much for me that he is so CIS, but more so, of his work ethic, and the fact that O'Shea-Wan-Kenobi endorses him so highly.

Just think, a guy we respect mightily (O'Shea), hires someone he respects mightily.

Gotta be good news.

[iso_55]

Well, other than the bio I know nothing about him. Hope he is a good hire. 

[Mike]

In other news ... O'Shea has requested league permission to wear these patches on our uniforms next year

 

[Noeller]

seriously, if we could....would be super awesome...

[TBURGESS]

Interesting hire.  At least he has 1 year as a CFL special teams coach, even though it was way back in '98.  We must have the most Canadians in our Management and coaching ranks in the entire league by now.  I don't know anything about him other than what I just read, so I'll save my thumbs up or thumbs down until I see what the special teams look like in the first few games.  All I can say at this point is I hope it's the right hire.

[iso_55]

I remember a time when Canadians couldn't coach or manage in the CFL because it was felt they didn't have the right pedigree to do it. Sort of how we treat CIS qbs now. Cal Murphy was one of the pioneers as a Canadian HC & GM even though he spent the majority of his playing & coaching career in the US before he came to the CFL. He paved the road for guys like O'Shea & Walters.

[kelownabomberfan]

after our experience on offense with an American guru, I for one applaud going Canadian on the coaching staff. Let's hope that it works out. I'll be cheering for him for sure, always good to see Canadians make good in our league.

[17to85]

special teams is probably the one area you're better off hiring a Canadian anyway just since the kicking game has so many different quirks. 

[rebusrankin]

I like this one. Experienced coach. Successful. Knows the Canadian game. Likely has good ties to the CIS (Helpful when it comes to building our nis).

[DR. CFL]

I guess Dickenson isn't coming back,