Steve Buratto named Interim Head Coach

CALGARY – Veteran Canadian FootballLeague coach Steve Buratto has been pegged as the interim leader ofthe Dinos football program, the University of Calgary announcedFriday.

Buratto, who has spent the last two seasons as offensive linecoach for the Dinos, will serve as Interim Head Coach while theprogram searches for a successor to Blake Nill, who resigned Mondayafter nine seasons.

“We are fortunate to have had a coach with such animpressive resume and history in the game as part of our programfor the last two seasons, and Steve was the logical choice to servein this interim capacity for us,” said Ron Wuotila, directorof athletics. “He knows our players and our program, and hewill provide the continuity and stability the team needs as weconduct our search for the next head coach.”

Widely respected throughout the game, Buratto has more thanthree decades of experience in the CFL. He was head coach of theCalgary Stampeders in the mid-1980s and went on to win the 88thGrey Cup as head coach of the B.C. Lions in 2000 among severalother stops around the league. His most recent professionalappointment was as offensive line coach with the SaskatchewanRoughriders.

Buratto joined the Dinos prior to the 2013 season in the sameposition. In 2014, he served as acting head coach for one game, a66-5 win over UBC.

Working alongside Buratto to work through administrative,recruiting, and other duties will be Greg Vavra. The 1983 HecCrighton Trophy winner who led the Dinos to their first Vanier Cuptitle that season, Vavra has been associated with the Dinos for 35years and serves as president of the Fifth Quarter, theprogram’s alumni association.

A national search for the team’s next head coach isunderway.

-UC-