Entering the 2012 season, the Manitoba Bisons football team is pleased to announce the addition of former CFL (Canadian Football League) offensive lineman player Obby Khan to the coaching staff for the 2012 season. Khan will work with the offensive line and assist long-serving Bison offensive line coach Terry Watson.

“Bison Football is certainly excited to have this opportunity to bring Obby onto the coaching staff,” commented Bison football head coach Brian Dobie in his 17th season. “As we begin the 2012 season, Obby has been a long time friend of mine and our coaching staff and has also been a mentor to our Bison players. His commitment to our community has been exceptional and true to his character that he adds knowledge and experience from his lengthy CFL career by joining our program at University of Manitoba.”

Khan, 31, announced his retirement from playing professional football on April 25, 2012 after eight seasons in the CFL with the last six seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Khan started playing High School Football at Sir Wilfrid Laurier High School in Orleans, Ontario and then received an Academic and Athletic Scholarship to SImon Fraser University (SFU) in 1999 and won the 2003 J.P. Metras Trophy – presented to the outstanding lineman in CIS – while playing with SFU. He graduated SFU in 2004 with a BSC in Kinesiology and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004 plus was drafted second overall in the 2004 CFL draft by his hometown Ottawa Renegades.

After playing in Ottawa for two years before they folded in 2005, Khan was drafted second overall in the Dispersal Draft by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and played with Winnipeg until he retired. In his eight year CFL career, Khan played in 118 games as well as two playoff games and the 99th Grey Cup. In addition, he was a three-time recipient of the Cal Murphy 'Heart of a Legend' Award, an honour that is voted on by his teammates and goes to the Blue Bomber player who best demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship and dedication to the CFL and community.

Khan stated, “I am very excited to be part of the Bison Football coaching staff. I think this is going to be a great challenge, adventure and experience. I have been involved with the University of Manitoba for the past couple years and I have forged a relationship with many people around the school including coach Dobie and the other coaches. I think this is the next natural progression in my life from being a football player to now being a coach. I think I can give a lot back to the kids on the team and I look forward to just sharing my knowledge and experience with them.”


Bison Football Notes: For the 2012 Canada West regular season, the Bisons will play all four home games at University Stadium at University of Manitoba campus. For now 45 years (spanning 1967-2012 – with one year away in 1973), the Bisons home has been University Stadium where during that period, three Bison teams has captured the Vanier Cup (CIS National Championship) and six Hardy Cup (Canada West conference championship).
The 2012 Bison Football Training Camp will commence on Saturday, August 18 and be held at the University of Manitoba Turf Fields (beside University Stadium) on the U of Manitoba campus and runs from August 18 until the start of the Canada West regular season on Saturday, September 1 at UBC. In addition, the Bisons will play one pre-season game at Regina on Friday, August 31 at 8 p.m. CT.