Tom Higgins (Canadian football) explained

Tom Higgins
Birth Date:July 13, 1954
Birth Place:Woodbridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Team:Calgary Colts
Import:yes
Position1:Defensive coordinator
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:235
College:North Carolina State
High School:Colonia
Administrating Years1:
Administrating Team1:Edmonton Eskimos (Asst. GM)
Administrating Years2:
Administrating Team2:Edmonton Eskimos (GM/COO)
Administrating Years3:
Administrating Team3:Edmonton Eskimos (GM)
Administrating Years4:
Administrating Team4:CFL Director of Officiating
Coaching Years1:1982–1984
Coaching Team1:Calgary Dinos (DC)
Coaching Years2:
Coaching Team2:Calgary Stampeders (DL coach)
Coaching Team3:Calgary Stampeders (OL coach)
Coaching Years4:
Coaching Team4:Calgary Stampeders (OC)
Coaching Years5:
Coaching Team5:Calgary Stampeders (DL coach)
Coaching Team6:Calgary Stampeders (Asst. HC)
Coaching Years7:
Coaching Team7:Edmonton Eskimos (HC)
Coaching Years8:
Coaching Team8:Calgary Stampeders (HC)
Coaching Years9:
Coaching Team9:Montreal Alouettes (HC)
Coaching Years10:2016
Coaching Team10:Calgary Dinos (DC)
Coaching Years11:20202022
Coaching Team11:Alberta Golden Bears (DC)
Coaching Years12:2023–present
Coaching Team12:Calgary Colts (DC)
Playing Years1:
Playing Team1:Calgary Stampeders
Playing Years2:1979
Playing Team2:Buffalo Bills
Playing Team3:Saskatchewan Roughriders
Career Highlights:
Awards: Annis Stukus Trophy
Annis Stukus Trophy
Nfl:HIG443351
Databasefootball-Archive:https://web.archive.org/web/20160112175825/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HIGGITOM02

Thomas Joseph John Higgins Jr. (born July 13, 1954) is the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Colts of the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL). He has previously served as the Director of Officiating for the Canadian Football League (CFL) and is a former Canadian and American football player, head coach, and general manager.

Early life

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. He 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 Higgins of his coaching duties.[5]

Higgins was hired in early 2020 as the defensive coordinator of the University of Alberta Golden Bears.[6] After the 2020 season was cancelled, he coached for two seasons with the Golden Bears.

On April 1, 2023, it was announced that Higgins had been hired as the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Colts.[7]

CFL head coaching record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
WonLostTiesWin %FinishWon Lost Result
EDM2001990.5001st in West Division0 1 Lost in Division Finals
EDM20021350.7221st in West Division1 1 Lost 90th Grey Cup
EDM20031350.7221st in West Division2 0 Won 91st Grey Cup
EDM2004990.5002nd in West Division0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY20051170.6112nd in West Division0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY20061080.5562nd in West Division0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
CGY20077101.4173rd in West Division0 1 Lost in Division Semi-Finals
MTL2014990.5002nd in East Division1 1 Lost in Division Finals
MTL2015350.3754th in East Division0 0 Relieved of duties
Total84671.5563 Division
Championships
471 Grey Cup

Personal

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

Notes and References

  1. http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HIGGITOM02 Tom Higgins
  2. Web site: Peter Connellan. Canadian Football Hall of Fame. cfhof.ca. 2012.
  3. Web site: Tom Higgins resigning as CFL director of officiating CBC Sports.
  4. Web site: Higgins hired as new head coach of Alouettes . www.tsn.ca . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140302210617/http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=444578 . 2014-03-02.
  5. Web site: Alouettes fire Higgins as Head Coach; GM Popp to take over. 21 August 2015. TSN. August 21, 2015.
  6. Web site: Former CFL head coach Tom Higgins hired by the University of Alberta. 3DownNation. February 12, 2020.
  7. Web site: Former CFL Coach Joins Colts . . April 1, 2023.