ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
Mississauga – With more than 80 players to evaluate at this year’s training camp, General Manager & Head Coach Jim Barker and his staff have called in reinforcements to help assess the roster. Former Argonauts players Cooper Harris (1996 Grey Cup champion) and Samir Chahine, as well as Scott Brady, George Dyer Jr., and Rich Mellado are all in Mississauga as guest coaches.
A two-time Grey Cup champion as a player in 1996 and 1999, Cooper Harris suited up for both the Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a linebacker and special teams threat from 1995 to 2000. Born in Calgary, Alberta, he attended Pittsburg State college in Kansas. There, he won a national title, a conference championship, was a two-time defensive M.V.P. and was twice named all-conference as a linebacker. His coaching experience dates back to 2000 when he served as defensive coordinator at William Aberhart High School in Calgary where he helped coach the team to a city championship. In 2001, he served at the University of North Dakota as a tight ends coach and helped the team win a national championship. Since 2002, he’s been the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at Washburn University. Harris is the son of CFL Hall of Fame player, Wayne Harris, and his wife is Summer. He lives in Topeka, Kansas year-round and has a Masters in Sports Psychology from the University of North Dakota and a bachelors degree in Science & Education from Pittsburg State.
Samir Chahine re-joins the Argonauts for 2011 training camp. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience after enjoying an 8-year career in the CFL. After being selected 11th overall in the 1998 CFL Draft, Chahine went on to play for the Edmonton Eskimos, Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Calgary Stampeders, and the Ottawa Renegades. Since retiring, the former offensive guard has built up an impressive coaching resume. He has been the offensive line coach for the Varsity Villanova College football team and was most recently the head coach of the Junior team, was the offensive line coach at the University of Toronto as well as the head coach and offensive coordinator for the Bergamo Lions football club of the Italian football league. Samir was a three-time CIS all-Canadian (1995-97) while playing at McGill University. He currently lives in Toronto and is a teacher at Villanova College.
Scott Brady will bring his youth and energy to Argos training camp in 2011. A former Mount Allison player, Scott has quickly risen through the coaching ranks and was recently promoted to defensive coordinator for the Mounties. At 23-years old, Scott’s passion for the game has earned him success and respect. A former starting running back and wide receiver, Brady served as the defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator during the 2010 season. Brady’s kicking unit led the AUS in field goals made last season. A bright young mind, Brady was an Academic-All Canadian during his playing years at Mount Allison. Scott was originally born in British Columbia but grew up in Oakville. He was a three-sport standout at Iroquois Ridge High School.
George Dyer Jr. is the son of current Argonauts defensive line coach George Dyer Sr. Dyer Jr. served as a graduate assistant for the University of California Golden Bears during the 1991-92 seasons under head coach Bruce Snyder. He also worked as an offensive assistant under Steve Mariucci and Dick Arbuckle. He coached the U.S. Naval Academy’s Sprint Football team serving as the linebackers coach (1997) and defensive backs coach (1998). As a player, George was a three-year starter on the Sprint football team at Navy.
Rich Mellado looks to share his knowledge during Argonauts training camp. Mellado has a history with head coach Jim Barker as he gave Barker his first coaching position in youth football in Arcadia, California back in 1975. Barker and Mellado teamed up again at Occidental College where Mellado was an assistant coach from 1982-89 and Barker was the offensive coordinator from 1982-84. Mellado finished his coaching career at Pomona College in 1990. After coaching, he worked as the Vice-President of Sales Development for Acklands Grainger, a machinery company in Chicago, Illinois. Rich and his wife Sue have five kids and nine grandchildren.
The Argos also continued their tradition of inviting university coaches from throughout the CIS. The following CIS coaches will visit Argonauts’ training camp in 2011: Joe D’Amore, Head Coach from University of Windsor, Harry Laflamme, Defensive Coordinator from York University, Kevin MacNeil, Defensive Coordinator from University of Guelph, Stefan Ptaszek, Head Coach from McMaster University, John Engel, Offensive Coordinator from the University of Toronto and former CFL player Donnavan Carter, Defensive Coordinator also from the University of Toronto.