Potential candidates for the head coach role at Wilfrid Laurier University football

Wilfrid Laurier University is searching for a new head coach after Michael Faulds left the Golden Hawks to return to his alma mater, Western University.

2024 Hec Crighton winner and quarterback Taylor Elgersma expressed his take on Faulds’ departure via X: “Beat them so badly they had to poach our coach.” Elgersma’s comment references Laurier’s dominant victories over Western last season, including a 43-28 regular-season win, a 51-31 triumph in the 116th Yates Cup, and a 60-13 win in the final OUA regular-season week.

With Faulds gone, the Golden Hawks now face the task of filling a head coaching vacancy. Laurier has had just six head coaches in its 65-year football history: Bob Celeri, David “Tuffy” Knight, Rich Newbrough, Rick Zmich, Gary Jeffries, and Faulds, so the university is expected to seek a long-term solution.

When Faulds was hired in 2013, he had only three years of experience as York University’s offensive coordinator. Despite limited experience, Laurier took a chance on him, and many in U Sports circles believed he had the potential to succeed, even without prior ties to the Golden Hawks beyond competing against them.

Alumni and supporters are reportedly hoping for someone with strong Laurier connections as the next head coach. Several candidates have already emerged:

1. VanMoerkerke – A former linebacker for the Golden Hawks in the late 1980s, VanMoerkerke won a Yates Cup in 1987, earned first-team OUA all-star honors in 1989, and was named team MVP.

2. Todd Galloway – Galloway, from Kitchener, Ont., played receiver at Laurier from 2000-2003 and started coaching with the Golden Hawks in 2004. He was part of the 2005 Vanier Cup-winning staff and has served as offensive coordinator, student-athlete development lead, and receivers coach since 2020. Galloway played a key role in developing Taylor Elgersma into a standout QB and helped Cal Wither transition quickly to Laurier’s offensive system. As interim head coach in 2018, he led Guelph to a 5-3 record and a Yates Cup appearance. A longtime Waterloo Region District School Board teacher, he has coached at Laurier for over 20 years, helping develop CFL talent including Kwaku Boateng, Robbie Smith, and Luke Brubacher. Galloway has four Yates Cups (2004, 2005, 2016, 2024) and a Vanier Cup (2005) to his name.

3. Stefan Ptaszek – A former Golden Hawks star receiver, Ptaszek held school records in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns until Ethan Jordan broke them in 2025. He won the 1991 Vanier Cup as a player and was offensive coordinator during Laurier’s 2005 national championship. Currently, Ptaszek has been head coach at McMaster University for 16 seasons, winning a Vanier Cup in 2011 and four Yates Cups, with an 81-45 regular season record.

4. Mark Surya – Surya won a Vanier Cup as a player at Queen’s in 2009, then finished his career with two seasons at Laurier. He was Laurier’s offensive coordinator from 2013-2016, calling plays for a Yates Cup win in 2016. In his first two seasons as Guelph’s head coach, he has a 9-7 regular season record.

5. Corey Grant – Grant was a standout receiver for Laurier from 1995-1998, drafted seventh overall in the 1999 CFL Draft, and won two Grey Cups with Hamilton and Saskatchewan. He has been Carleton University’s head coach since 2022, compiling a 14-18 record.

6. Kevin MacNeill – A former Laurier linebacker (1999-2003), MacNeill earned OUA all-star honors twice, was an All-Canadian once, and team MVP in 2001. He began coaching at Laurier in 2005, later led Guelph from 2016-2018 to an 11-11 record, and is now associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator at the University of Waterloo.

7. Dwayne Cameron – Cameron, from Guelph, has deep ties to Laurier, having served as defensive backs coach, strength and conditioning coordinator, and special teams/recruiting coordinator in various stints from 2004-2019. He is now director of Canadian scouting and a U.S. scout for the Calgary Stampeders. Cameron has also won three Yates Cups and a Vanier Cup during his time with the Golden Hawks.

Laurier’s search for a new head coach will likely focus on candidates with strong connections to the program, proven coaching experience, and the ability to provide stability for the Golden Hawks moving forward.