For the first time since 2015, three members of the Bisons football team have earned Canada West major awards. Quarterback
Jackson Tachinski was named Player of the Year, while left guard
Giordano Vaccaro was selected as Lineman of the Year. Meanwhile,
Brian Dobie was selected as Coach of the Year.
A unanimous all-star selection, quarterback Jackson Tachinski becomes the first Bison since 2002 and third overall to be named Canada West Player of the Year.
Tachinski was second in efficiency in Canada West at 150.6, while setting career highs in passing yards (1662), passing touchdowns (11) and rushing yards (570). In his career as starting quarterback, he's won 15 games, leading the Bisons to a home playoff game in two of his three seasons as QB1. He has 4,553 career passing yards and 1519 rushing yards as a Bison, with 28 passing scores and 21 rushing majors.
Vaccaro was named Lineman of the Year for the first time in his career, becoming the ninth Bison overall to earn the recognition, and first since 2016.
A 2023 All-Canadian and three-year starter who's played at left tackle and guard, Vaccaro – also a unanimous Canada West All-Star selection – is also the first Bisons offensive lineman since Chris Bochen in 2001 and 2002 to earn back-to-back Canada West All-Star selections. Vaccaro, alongside fellow offensive line all-stars Sean Rowe and Mark Rauhaus helped the Herd set a school record, with 2,016 rushing yards in 2024, which also led the nation.
In his final year as bench boss after 29 seasons, Dobie has been named Canada West Coach of the Year. It's his sixth time earning the honour in his career, the second-most in conference history, and his first nod since 2006, after leading the Bisons to their best regular season record (7-1) in 17 years.
Dobie is the winningest coach on Bisons program history, retiring with 129 career victories, fourth all-time in Canada West history. The 2024 season was his 50th as a head coach in the sport of football, spending the first 21 years of his career as head coach of Churchill High School
