MONTREAL -- Mickey Donovan, a 30-year-old
native of Laconia, N.H., has been appointed assistant head coach
and defensive coordinator of the McGill University football team,
announced Clint Uttley, head coach of the Redmen,
on Friday.
Donovan, a former all-Canadian linebacker and team captain with
the Concordia Stingers who went on to play for Canadian Football
League's Hamilton Tiger Cats, joins his younger brother Patrick on
the McGill coaching staff and will be responsible for recruiting
across the country.
"Mickey is arguably among the top three recruiters in CIS
football," says Uttley. "He has tremendous energy and passion and
also puts an emphasis on the team as a family. His tough hard-nosed
approach to the game will be an asset to our program."
Donovan, who signed a three-year contract with McGill, began
coaching in 2006 as an intern at the University of New Hampshire
(NCAA Division 1 AA). He moved on to the University of
Western Ontario in 2007 to coach linebackers and over his four
years with the Mustangs, he handled special teams, was the
defensive front seven coordinator and served as the team's
recruiting coordinator. Among the key recruits he developed was
defensive tackle Vaughn Martin, who was drafted by
the NFL's San Diego Chargers in 2009 and linebacker John
Surla, who went on to play for the Montreal Alouettes.
Donovan, who was a guest coach at the Winnipeg Blue Bombers
training camp in 2011, has also served as a special teams
coordinator for the Canadian under-19 team at the 2009 world junior
championship in Columbus, Ohio, as well as the defensive
coordinator for Team Ontario West at the Canada Cup tournament in
2010 and 2011.
He played linebacker at the University of Maine (Division 1 AA)
before transferring to Concordia, where he graduated with a
bachelor's degree in leisure science in 2005. During his three
seasons with the Stingers, he was twice named as the most
outstanding defensive player in the Quebec conference and won the
President's trophy in 2004 as the top defensive player in the CIS.
He joined the Tiger-Cats in 2005, but suffered a knee injury that
ended his playing career the following year.
Uttley is expected to announce his complete coaching staff in
early December.
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
514-398-1956 (Fax)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile
website)
www.mcgill.ca/athletics
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca