Corey Chamblin returns to Sask. for first time since firing

Corey Chamblin prefers to look forward instead of back.

For the first time since his axing as the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2015, Chamblin has returned to Saskatchewan but this time he’s here as the defensive coordinator of the Toronto Argonauts.

He said it’s a nice feeling to be back in the city where he won the Grey Cup at home with the 2013 Rider team, but more so he was thinking about his family and the people he connected with during his time here.

“This was where my youngest son was born … and we won a Grey Cup here and just all the family members that we had outside the family that worked with the Riders organization and people that we met in the community, those are the biggest feelings. Just being able to remember those fond memories that we have,” Chamblin said.

Chamblin said the impact that he’s had on Roughrider history hasn’t really sunk in yet, but he knows he was part of something special.

“That sense of family and doing something special and something great, is something that transcends just coaching,” he explained.

After being fired by the Riders, Chamblin took some time off, spent time with his young family and coached little league football.

“The biggest part was just relaxing and stepping away from coaching and just finding myself again and being Corey, not just coach,” he said.

“Being a head coach, it’s a stressful gig without a doubt,” he added.

Chamblin said there were opportunities for him to come back to football sooner, but he was looking for the right fit.

He found it with Marc Trestman who had just returned to the CFL himself as the head coach of the Argos.

“Marc’s not only a classy human being but he’s guru of sorts in terms of offensive coaching and he’s a great leader as a head coach,” Chamblin said. “It was a great fit for me to learn from someone like him about being a leader and also just as the game of football especially on the offensive side.”

In the end, Chamblin said he had a lot of memories and a lot of lessons learned from being in Saskatchewan but it’s all in the rear view mirror.

“I love everything from the past but it’s really about taking those learning lessons and moving forward.”