Canadian Football has a long history of great football coaches. Within U SPORTS specifically, there is an endless list of names that could fill the definition of greatness. Although many may deserve the moniker of 'great', in the Vanier Cup era specifically (1965-present) there are definitely a few noteworthy names that stand above the rest. Below are the top five winningest coaches in the Vanier era.
1. Glen Constantin (Active)
W-L Record: 220-39
Conference Championships: 16
Vanier Cups: 11 (2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024)
Coach of the Year: 2 (2005, 2010)
Glen Constantin is legendary across the U SPORTS landscape and deserves to be at the top of this list. At 220 wins all time (regular season and playoffs) he is the winningest U SPORTS football coach of all time.
Since taking the Laval head coaching job in 2001, he has led the Rouge et Or to 16 conference and 11 national titles. He has also won the Frank Tindall (U SPORTS Coach of the Year) twice.
Constantin will turn 61 after the 2025 season concludes, but with his most recent Vanier Cup championship coming last year (2024) it is safe to say he is not slowing down.
It is more likely than not that Constantin will add to all three of these aforementioned categories before he retires. It’s safe to say we are witnessing a level of greatness that may never be matched.
Photo: Mathieu Bélanger/Rouge et Or
2. Brian Towriss
W-L Record: 196-118-1
Conference Championships: 11
Vanier Cups: 3 (1990, 1996, 1998)
Coach of the Year: 1 (1994)
Brian Towriss coached the University of Saskatchewan Huskies from 1984-2016. He was the all-time winningest U SPORTS football coach at the time of his retirement and would hold the record until Constantin broke it in 2022.
Longevity was one of the things that made Towriss great. During his 33-year head coaching career he brought the Huskies to nine Vanier Cups, helping claim the trophy three times.
Towriss also helped Saskatchewan claim 11 conference championships during his tenure. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Photo: Canadian Football Hall of Fame
3. Larry Haylor
W-L Record: 178-43-4
Conference Championships: 8
Vanier Cups: 2 (1989, 1994)
Coach of the Year: 2 (1990, 1998)
It seems odd that the winninest Western Mustang Coach of all time isn’t Greg Marshall, at least not yet. Larry Haylor began his coaching career with the Saskatchewan Huskies, where he led the dogs from 1971-1973.
The bulk of his career was spent in London where he coached the Mustangs from 1984-2006. During this time, Haylor led teams to eight Yates Cup and two Vanier Cup championships. Until Trowiss broke his record, Haylor was the winningest U SPORTS football coach of all time. Haylor was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.
the OUA renamed their Most Valuable Player award in honour of Haylor.
Photo: Western Mustangs
4. Greg Marshall (Active)
W-L Record: 170-35-2
Conference Championships: 13
Vanier Cups: 2 (2017, 2021)
Coach of the Year: 3 (2000, 2018, 2019)
Immediately after the Larry Haylor era, the Western Mustangs began the Greg Marshall era. With eerily similar coaching stats and accolades as his predecessor, Marshall has definitely cemented himself as one of the greats.
He began his head coaching career at McMaster, where he would lead the Marauders to four straight Yates Cup championships (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003). This stint would garner him a professional opportunity with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
After leaving the CFL in 2006, Marshall returned to Western as the offensive coordinator. Upon Haylor’s retirement in 2007, Marshall was hired as the Mustangs' head football coach. Nine Yates Cups and two Vanier Cups later and Marshall is still climbing this list of all time greats.
Photo: Western Mustangs
5. Blake Nill (Active)
W-L record: 170-80
Conference Championships: 14
Vanier Cups: 3 (2001, 2002, 2015)
Coach of the Year: 1 (1999)
Blake Nill has championship pedigree across this nation. He began his head coaching career in the AUS with the Saint Mary’s Huskies. From 1998-2005 Nill coached the Huskies to 63 wins, four conference titles, and back to back Vanier Cups championships (2001-2002).
This was also the last time that an AUS team won the Vanier Cup. After the 2005 season Nill moved west and took control of his alma mater, the University of Calgary Dinos. This was a dominant era for the Dinos, as they won six straight Hardy Trophies from 2008-2013.
Despite dominance over the Canada West conference during this time, the Dinos would not capture a Vanier title. Calgary went 0-3 in the national championship during the Nill era.
In 2015, Nill continued his journey west with the UBC Thunderbirds. In his first year, the Thunderbirds won the Vanier Cup for the first time since 1997. Nill has secured two conference championships during his time in Vancouver and remains the head football coach to this day.
Photo: Bob Frid/Thunderbirds