Buck Pierce has returned to B.C.

Pierce broke into the CFL as a quarterback with the Lions in 2005 and spent five seasons with the organization before the Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed him as a free agent.

On Wednesday, he was introduced as the 28th head coach in the team鈥檚 70-year history at the Lions Surrey practice facility.

鈥淎bout 20 years ago, I jumped into a car with my dad in Crescent City, California and drove up to Portland, Oregon. There was a free agent camp for the B.C. Lions and Neil (McEvoy) and Wally Buono were there. I signed with the Lions about a week later. To think 20 years later for it to come full circle and for me to be sitting here today is truly an amazing and surreal experience. It feels like a dream come true for me,鈥� explained Pierce.

Pierce was known as a courageous quarterback who wasn鈥檛 afraid to take a hit if it meant picking up an extra couple of yards on a run or getting off a pass in the pocket. He expects his team to play with the same traits.

鈥淥ur vision for this club is an identity of toughness, grit, integrity and accountability. The standard will be set early and we will hold ourselves and our players to that standard,鈥� said Pierce.

Pierce should know a thing or two about what it takes to win. He returns to B.C. after spending the last ten years coaching with the Blue Bombers and has been part of that team鈥檚 run of five straight Grey Cup appearances with the last four being Winnipeg鈥檚 offensive coordinator.

Asked what he learned during his time in Winnipeg under head coach Mike O鈥橲hea, Pierce didn鈥檛 talk about x鈥檚 and o鈥檚 but rather the big picture.

鈥淭he importance of team and how we are going to build things. The way it should be built and what is truly important to winning. It鈥檚 about the people you surround yourself with. It鈥檚 the way you carry yourself and live your life. Mike taught me just as much about being a man as being a coach. We know what he鈥檚 done as a coach but he鈥檚 a great man, first and foremost,鈥� replied Pierce.

Pierce stated his first priority is to reach out to his players and immediately develop the lines of communication.

Another item that will be on the top of Pierce鈥檚 agenda will be choosing his coaching staff. Pierce indicated that he will be the play-caller on offense, so an offensive coordinator won鈥檛 be a priority but the rest of the staff still has to be put together. 

鈥�(I want them) to hold the standard. We are going to set a standard and hold people accountable. We all have to be on the same page in what we ask our guys to do and we are going to ask our guys to do more,鈥� said Pierce.

The only assistant still under contract is defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips but it is unclear whether or not he will return after not getting the head coaching position that he interviewed for with the Lions. Phillips has also been linked to the vacant Calgary defensive coordinator position where he might be reunited with former Lion and current Calgary head coach Dave Dickenson.

As for the rest of last year鈥檚 staff, Jordan Maksymic has been hired by Edmonton to be their new offensive coordinator while offensive line coach Kelly Bates will not be returning. The remaining assistants are all without contracts but some could be retained. That group includes defensive line coach John Bowman, linebackers coach Travis Brown, receivers coach Jason Tucker, offensive assistant Trysten Dyce, assistant defensive backs coach Tanya Henderson and special teams assistant Derek Oswalt.

Special teams鈥� coordinator Mike Benevides, who was one of the three finalists for the head coaching job, is another possibility to return.

As for on the field, there is some talent in place but the Lions do need to upgrade in several spots such as the offensive line and the defense.

More importantly, new general manager Ryan Rigmaiden and Pierce have to redefine the standard of what is expected from their players and hold them accountable to that standard.

There is a lot of work to be done but it seems that Pierce is up to the task.

OVERTIME

* Pierce becomes the third former Lions quarterback to become the team鈥檚 head coach. He joins Jackie Parker and Joe Paopao as the only other individuals to accomplish the feat. Parker played quarterback for the Leos in 1969 鈥� the last year of his Hall of Fame career 鈥� and was head coach in 1970 and 1971. Paopao had two stints with the Lions as a quarterback鈥� one from 1978 to 1983 and the other in 1990. He was the Lions head coach for a single season in 1996.

* Former UBC head football coach Ted Goveia has been named the general manager of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Goveia has been with the Blue Bombers organization since 2013 as the team鈥檚 Senior Assistant General Manager, Director of Player Personnel. Goveia was at UBC from 2007 to 2009 and went 10-16 during that time.

Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 鈥渢he Moj鈥� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media.