CFL Calgary Stampeders

Hufnagel named Coach of the Year

Published on March 3, 2009 under Canadian Football League (CFL)
Calgary Stampeders News Release


Calgary Stampeders head coach/general manager John Hufnagel Tuesday was named the winner of the Annis Stukus Trophy, which is presented annually to the top head coach in the Canadian Football League. The announcement was made in Hamilton at the Coach of the Year Luncheon as part of the CFL's annual meetings.

Marc Trestman of the Montreal Alouettes and Ken Miller of the Saskatchewan Roughriders were the other finalists for the honour. Voting was conducted by the Football Reporters of Canada.

Coach Hufnagel will be available via conference call today at noon (Calgary time). Please call 866-226-1792 and ask for the CFL Coach of the Year Teleconference.

"It's an honour to receive this award but it doesn't just belong to me; it belongs to our entire organization," said Hufnagel. "From our ownership group to our coaching staff to our support staff to our players to our fans, everyone had a hand in our individual and team successes in 2008. I'm proud to represent all those people here today."

In a new twist to the Coach of the Year Luncheon, the league secretly flew Stamps quarterback Henry Burris to Hamilton in order to introduce and present the award to his coach.

"It has been a pleasure to work with Coach Huff and learn from him this past year," said Burris. "He raised the level of expectation and accountability within our team and guys obviously responded well. From the first day of camp, he earned respect and led us to the championship."

Hufnagel is the fifth Stampeders head coach to win the Annis Stukus Trophy, joining a group that includes Jerry Williams (1967), Jack Gotta (1978), Wally Buono (1992 and 1993) and Tom Higgins (2005).

In his first season as a CFL head coach, Hufnagel led the Stamps to the sixth Grey Cup title in franchise history with a 22-14 win over the Alouettes in Montreal. He guided the Stamps to a 13-5 regular-season record and a first-place finish in the West Division before defeating the BC Lions in the West Final.

After posting a 5-4 record through the first half of the season, the Stamps won 10 of their last 11

games, including the last six in a row. In doing so, the Stamps earned their first West Division title since 2000, won their first playoff game since 2001 and their first Grey Cup since 2001.

Hufnagel was an assistant coach with the Stampeders from 1990-96 before he took a head-coaching job in the Arena League for two years and then went to the National Football League for eight seasons. He rejoined the Stamps on Dec. 3, 2007.

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