 |
Ray Jauch coached the Edmonton Eskimos, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL. Source: Facebook/Shaw Media's Illinois Valley Sports Hall of Fame (May be subject to copyright) |
Ray Jauch was the coach of the Blue Bombers that day, and I can still picture him on the sideline gazing at the action on the field with that big headset on, communicating with the rest of his staff.
Jauch was recently inducted into the Canadian Football Hall Of Fame.
Seeing him looking good and healthy, and like he could still coach, reminded me of a coach who accomplished a lot before I started watching football, some more when I started, then had a final act when many thought his coaching days were long behind him.
Back to the beginning
Ray Jauch played his college football at Iowa, was a running back on the Hawkeyes’ 1958 national championship team, and played with Iowa in the 1959 Rose Bowl against California. He came north to play for Winnipeg, but had his career ended by injury in the 1961 Grey Cup.
Ray Jauch played his college football at Iowa, was a running back on the Hawkeyes’ 1958 national championship team, and played with Iowa in the 1959 Rose Bowl against California. He came north to play for Winnipeg, but had his career ended by injury in the 1961 Grey Cup.
He entered coaching in 1962 and got his first professional coaching job in 1966. Neill Armstrong was coaching Edmonton and he hired Jauch to be running backs coach for the Eskimos. Jauch remained in that role until 1970. That year Armstrong left the Eskimos to join his friend Bud Grant who was going to coach the Minnesota Vikings.
When Edmonton opened training camp to start the 1970 CFL season, Ray Jauch was their head coach.
Edmonton epic
The Eskimos had finished with a record of five wins and 11 losses in 1969, finishing fourth in the CFL West Division and out of the playoffs. There was really no place to go but up.
The Eskimos had finished with a record of five wins and 11 losses in 1969, finishing fourth in the CFL West Division and out of the playoffs. There was really no place to go but up.
When Ray Jauch took over, Edmonton climbed to second in the West Division with a record of nine wins and seven losses. However, they lost in the West Semi-Final to the Calgary Stampeders to end their season. For his efforts, Jauch won the Annis Stukus Trophy as the CFL Coach of the Year.
In 1971, the Eskimos took a step back, finishing with a record of six wins and 10 losses, finishing last in the West Division and out of the playoffs.
They rebounded in 1972, finishing second in the West with a record of 10 wins and six losses, but again lost in the West Semi-Final, this time to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The following year, Edmonton began an incredible run that saw them appear in nine Grey Cups in 10 years. They won the West Division in 1973 with a record of nine wins, five losses and two ties. They defeated Saskatchewan in the West Final but lost to Ottawa in the Grey Cup.
In 1974, the Eskimos again finished first in the West with a record of 10 wins, five losses and one tie. They again defeated Saskatchewan in the West Final but this time lost to Montreal in the Grey Cup.
Jauch took the Eskimos to their third straight Grey Cup in 1975. They finished first in the West with a record of 12 wins and four losses. They went on to beat Saskatchewan in the West Final then exacted some revenge on Montreal, beating the Alouettes to win the Grey Cup.
The Eskimos could not repeat as Grey Cup champions in 1976. They dropped to third in the West with a record of nine wins, six losses and one tie. They defeated Winnipeg in the West Semi-Final but lost to Saskatchewan in the West Final.
After the 1976 season, Jauch would move into the Edmonton front office as director of football operations. His record as coach of the Eskimos was 64 wins, 43 losses, and four ties.
After doing that for the 1977 season, Ray Jauch would be back on the sidelines at the start of the 1978 season.
Turning blue
Ray Jauch became the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting in the 1978 season. He took over a team that finished third in the West in 1977 with a record of 10 wins and six losses, and lost to the B.C. Lions by a single point in the West Semi-Final.
Ray Jauch became the head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers starting in the 1978 season. He took over a team that finished third in the West in 1977 with a record of 10 wins and six losses, and lost to the B.C. Lions by a single point in the West Semi-Final.
In 1978, the Blue Bombers won nine games and lost seven good enough for third place in the CFL West. They went on to play the Calgary Stampeders in the West Semi-Final but lost.
I pick up the story in 1979. The Calgary Stampeders opened their season against Winnipeg, winning by a score of 35-7. That was the first time I saw Ray Jauch.
The 1979 season was not a good one for Winnipeg. They plummeted to fourth in the West with a record of four wins and 12 losses, and out of the playoffs.
I recall hearing a lot about Jauch that year and his success in Edmonton. However, every time I saw his Bombers play, they seemed to lose.
They would turn it around in a big way the next year.
Resurgence
As a new decade dawned, a new era of football was coming in Winnipeg. Jauch led the Bombers to a 10-6 record in 1980, good enough for second place in the West. They defeated the Stampeders in the West Semi-Final, but ran into that Edmonton Eskimo juggernaut in the West Final. The Eskimos were on their way to winning their third of five straight Grey Cups.
As a new decade dawned, a new era of football was coming in Winnipeg. Jauch led the Bombers to a 10-6 record in 1980, good enough for second place in the West. They defeated the Stampeders in the West Semi-Final, but ran into that Edmonton Eskimo juggernaut in the West Final. The Eskimos were on their way to winning their third of five straight Grey Cups.
Ten years after winning his first Annis Stukus Trophy as CFL Coach of the Year, Ray Jauch won his second one at the end of the 1980 season.
The Bombers were again second in the West in 1981 with a record of 11 wins and five losses. They hosted the West Semi-Final but lost to the B.C. Lions.
Jauch’s final year in Winnipeg was 1982 when the Bombers once more finished second in the West with a record of 11 wins and five losses. They again hosted the West Semi-Final, defeating the Calgary Stampeders but lost to Edmonton in the West Final by a score of 24-21.
Jauch finished his time in Winnipeg with a record of 45 wins and 35 losses.
New league
Ray Jauch headed back south after the 1982 season. The United States Football League was set to start an 18-game schedule in the Spring of 1983, and Jauch would be the coach of the Washington Federals. Interestingly, his old West Division rival Hugh Campbell, who coached Edmonton to five straight Grey Cup championships, also joined the USFL as coach of the Los Angeles Express.
Ray Jauch headed back south after the 1982 season. The United States Football League was set to start an 18-game schedule in the Spring of 1983, and Jauch would be the coach of the Washington Federals. Interestingly, his old West Division rival Hugh Campbell, who coached Edmonton to five straight Grey Cup championships, also joined the USFL as coach of the Los Angeles Express.
The Federals won four games and lost 14 in their inaugural season, missing the playoffs. They lost their season opener in 1984, and Jauch was fired.
He coached some high school football in Virginia in 1986 and 1987, then was set to join another new professional league.
Indoor football
The United States Football League folded before it was set to start its 1986 season. In 1987, a new league launched – the four-team Arena Football League.
The United States Football League folded before it was set to start its 1986 season. In 1987, a new league launched – the four-team Arena Football League.
Four teams would play in ice arenas. I read about this in an issue of “TV Guide”. The teams were the Chicago Bruisers, Pittsburgh Gladiators, Washington Commandos and Denver Dynamite. The article only had illustrations, but no pictures, so as I started reading it, I was not sure if it was real.
Then I read that Ray Jauch was coaching the Chicago Bruisers. It had to be real.
The Bruisers went on to a record of two wins and four losses.
He again was fired after the season, and closed out the decade coaching some more high school football. He was also the Arena Football League’s director of operations in 1989.
The years after
Ray Jauch returned to the CFL in 1991. He was the offensive coordinator for the Saskatchewan Roughriders until 1994 when he became head coach. In his two seasons as head coach, the Riders won 18 games and lost 20.
Ray Jauch returned to the CFL in 1991. He was the offensive coordinator for the Saskatchewan Roughriders until 1994 when he became head coach. In his two seasons as head coach, the Riders won 18 games and lost 20.
In 1996, he coached the expansion Minnesota Fighting Pike of the Arena Football League, where they won four games and lost 10.
He would go on to be an offensive assistant for the Toronto Argonauts in 1999; an assistant coach for the Carolina Cobras of the Arena Football League in 2004; offensive coordinator of a football team in Germany; and currently Wikipedia reveals he coaches high school football in the United States.
Ray Jauch was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
Parting thoughts
Ray Jauch’s greatest coaching success, by far, came in the Canadian Football League. I never saw him in Edmonton where he restored the team to respectability and took them to their first Grey Cup in 19 years. However, it was interesting to see what he did in Winnipeg.
Ray Jauch’s greatest coaching success, by far, came in the Canadian Football League. I never saw him in Edmonton where he restored the team to respectability and took them to their first Grey Cup in 19 years. However, it was interesting to see what he did in Winnipeg.
When I started watching Canadian football in 1979, the Blue Bombers were just not very good. The first game I saw was the Calgary Stampeders against the Blue Bombers, and the Stamps blew them out. They didn’t have a good season at all. Through the course of the year, I heard about Jauch’s success in Edmonton, but I just didn’t see it when I saw Winnipeg play.
It all changed in 1980, when Jauch turned around the Bombers and took them to three straight playoff appearances under his leadership.
He also won two coach of the year awards, with two different teams 10 years apart.
Add that all up and it is obvious Ray Jauch is a hall of fame coach.
No comments:
Post a Comment