CFL.ca Staff

TORONTO -- The Toronto Argonauts named Bart Andrus as the 40th head coach in club history on Friday. Andrus has coached some members of the current Argonauts team in the past - they shared their thoughts on their new boss:

DE Jonathan Brown (Member of the 2003 Amsterdam Admirals)
“First of all, he is an outstanding coach who won a World Bowl in NFL Europe.  He is a great offensive mind known for his creative plays that make the fans stand in their seats.  He will give a new fresh face and take on the game.  He is clear with expectations and a good guy all around.  Seeing what both Montreal and Calgary did last year with new talent in our league, I am even more excited about Coach Andrus becoming an Argonaut.”

DE Claude Harriott (Member of the 2006 Amsterdam Admirals)
“Bart is a coach who understands the game and, even more than that, he understands the players. He knows how to treat players and certainly knows how to get best out of them. We made it all the way to the championship in Amsterdam mainly because he knew how to communicate with us. His football expertise on offence kept us together and very competitive. In training camp, we were the only team in NFLE to work two-a-day practices so some of the guys asked for a break.  Coach Andrus said no and we were better for it. Sure, he made us work hard but all of the other teams that took shortcuts were no match for us. He knows what it takes to win; he’s a winning coach.”

CB Jordan Younger (Member of the 2003 Amsterdam Admirals)
“More than I liked playing for Coach Andrus, I HATED playing against him.  He has such a great offensive mind, scheming against him was tough.  Welcome to the Argos!”

Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons (CEO, Toronto Argonauts)
“I am so proud of Adam Rita and his staff for their exhaustive and diligent search for the newest head coach of the oldest professional football franchise in North America. Adam has been an integral part of the resurgence of the Toronto Argonauts helping to return the Grey Cup to Toronto for a record 15th time in 2004. Now, as we enter a new era in Toronto Argonaut football, he has secured a coach with indisputable football DNA. Thank you to our committed, dedicated and passionate owners for their incomparable support as we embark on our latest quest for playoff glory. We are excited to support coach Andrus, a consummate X & O’s guy, in any way we can as he assimilates to the best football on earth - Canadian football.“

Jeff Fisher (Executive Vice President and Head Coach, Tennessee Titans)
“I have known Bart since we were young.  I have followed his success as we embarked on different career paths.  Bart helped contribute to our success during our Super Bowl run.  He also provided us with a great deal of valuable input this past season.  His commitment to his job in NFL Europe was extraordinary and I would expect that his commitment to the Toronto Argonauts organization and its fans will produce tremendous results.”