Tom Higgins (Canadian football)

Thomas Joseph John Higgins Jr. (born July 13, 1954) is the defensive coordinator for the Alberta Golden Bears football team in U Sports. He has previously served as the Director of Officiating for the Canadian Football League and is a former Canadian and American football player, head coach, and general manager.

Tom Higgins
Alberta Golden Bears
Born: (1954-07-13) July 13, 1954
Woodbridge, New Jersey
Career information
CFL statusAmerican
Position(s)DC
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight235 lb (107 kg)
CollegeNorth Carolina State
High schoolColonia
Career history
As administrator
1994–1996Edmonton Eskimos (Asst. GM)
1997–2001Edmonton Eskimos (GM/COO)
2001–2004Edmonton Eskimos (GM)
2008–2013CFL Director of Officiating
As coach
1982–1984Calgary Dinos (DC)
1985–1987Calgary Stampeders (DL coach)
1988Calgary Stampeders (OL coach)
1989–1990Calgary Stampeders (OC)
1991–1992Calgary Stampeders (DL coach)
1993Calgary Stampeders (Asst. HC)
2001–2004Edmonton Eskimos (HC)
2005–2007Calgary Stampeders (HC)
2014–2015Montreal Alouettes (HC)
2016Calgary Dinos (DC)
2020–presentAlberta Golden Bears (DC)
As player
1976–1978Calgary Stampeders
1979Buffalo Bills
1980Saskatchewan Roughriders
Career highlights and awards
  • Grey Cup champion As HC 2003; as AC 1992
  • Vanier Cup champion 1983
Awards2003 Annis Stukus Trophy
2005 Annis Stukus Trophy
Career stats

Early years

Higgins, the son of a former Philadelphia Eagles tackle, Tom Higgins Sr., was a high school football standout at Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.[1] He played nose guard at North Carolina State University. He was an All-American and was a starter in four consecutive bowl games. He was also an All-American wrestler at NC State.

Professional playing career

After graduating from college in 1976, Higgins attempted to enter the National Football League, but was not selected in the 1976 NFL Draft. He instead played in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders for three years. In 1979, Higgins was signed by the Buffalo Bills and played one year in the United States, before returning to Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player, Higgins began coaching at the University of Calgary, winning the 1983 CIS title in the second of his three years as an assistant coach under Canadian Football Hall of Fame coach Peter Connellan.[2] In 1985, Higgins joined the Stampeders coaching staff, serving in many different capacities until becoming a head coach in 2001.

Higgins became head coach of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos later that year, leading the team to the playoffs in each of his four seasons. In 2002 and 2003, he won division titles, and he won a single Grey Cup as a head coach, with the Eskimos in 2003.

In 2005, he returned to the Calgary Stampeders as head coach. He held this position for three years, making the playoffs in each. He was fired after a first round loss during the 2007 playoffs.

Higgins served as the Director of Officiating from April 2008 to December 2013.[3]

Higgins was hired as the new head coach of the Montreal Alouettes on February 24, 2014. Tom coached a historic 2014 football season starting 1–7, turning the team around to a 9-9 second-place finish, hosting a play off game and defeating the BC Lions. [4] On August 21, 2015, Alouettes ownership relieved Tom of his coaching duties.[5]

Higgins was hired in early 2020 as the defensive coordinator of the University of Alberta Golden Bears.[6]

CFL head coaching record
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWonLostResult
EDM2001 990.5001st in West Division01Lost in Division Finals
EDM2002 1350.7221st in West Division11Lost in Grey Cup
EDM2003 1350.7221st in West Division20Won Grey Cup
EDM2004 990.5002nd in West Division01Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY2005 1170.6112nd in West Division01Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY2006 1080.5562nd in West Division01Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY2007 7101.4173rd in West Division01Lost in Division Semi-Finals
MTL2014 990.5002nd in East Division11Lost in Division Finals
MTL2015 350.3754th in East Division00Relieved of duties
Total 81621.5663 Division
Championships		471 Grey Cup

Personal

Tom and his wife Sharon have three grown children, Holly, Hillary and Thomas.

References
  1. Tom Higgins Archived 2008-02-13 at the Wayback Machine, database Football. Accessed November 14, 2007.
  2. "Peter Connellan". cfhof.ca. Canadian Football Hall of Fame. 2012.
  3. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cfl/tom-higgins-resigning-as-cfl-director-of-officiating-1.2452564
  4. https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=444578
  5. "Alouettes fire Higgins as Head Coach; GM Popp to take over". TSN. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
  6. "Former CFL head coach Tom Higgins hired by the University of Alberta". 3DownNation. February 12, 2020.
Preceded by
Don Matthews		 Grey Cup-winning head coach
91st Grey Cup, 2003		 Succeeded by
Pinball Clemons
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