The Calgary Stampeders unveiled their 2026 football operations and coaching staff on Monday, including the hiring of Jarius Jackson as defensive backs coach.
In 2025, Jackson was the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' defensive backs coach. He also held the same role with the Edmonton Elks (2014-15, 2022-24), Saskatchewan Roughriders (2016-17), BC Lions (2013, 2018-19) and Toronto Argonauts (2021). Notable players he has worked with include Travis Luley, Michael Reilly, Darian Durant, Kevin Glenn and Zach Collaros.
In 2024, Jackson served as the Elks' interim head coach and posted a 7–6 record after taking over the team midway through the season, while also averaging a league-best 27.6 offensive points per game as the team's playcaller. He has served as offensive coordinator at BC (2018-19), Toronto (2021) and Edmonton (2023-24).
Before becoming a coach, the Tupelo, Mississippi native played 108 games in eight CFL seasons, including seven years with the Lions and one season with the Argos. He is a four-time Gray Cup champion – three times as a player for BC (2006 and 2011) and Toronto (2012) and once as a coach with Edmonton in 2015.
Dakota Prukop, the team's defensive backs coach last season, is not returning.
“We feel very good about our coaching staff as we look to build on the work we did last season, and we are excited to add Jarius as our new quarterbacks coach,” head coach and general manager Dave Dickenson said in a statement. “He has done it all in this league, including being a head coach and offensive coordinator, and we look forward to watching him make our QB room the best in the league.”
The rest of the Stampeders' coaching staff returns, although two will have their job titles changed. Ucambre Williams will become the new offensive line coach after serving as running backs coach in 2025, and Pat DelMonaco will add the role of running backs coach to his duties as offensive coordinator.
A complete list of coaches and staff can be found below.
Coaching staff
• Dave Dickenson: General Manager and Head Coach
• Pat DelMonaco: Offensive coordinator and running backs coach.
• Bob Slowik: Defensive coordinator
• Craig Dickenson: Special teams coordinator.
• Jarius Jackson: Quarterbacks coach
• Marcus Howell: wide receivers coach
• Ucambre Williams: Offensive line coach
• John Bowman: defensive line coach
• Markus Klund: linebackers coach and game coordinator
• Barron Miles: Quarterbacks Coach
• Colton Hunchak: special teams and offensive assistant.
Football Operations Staff
• Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel: Brendan Mahoney.
• USA Scouting Director: Cole Hufnagel.
• Director of Scouting Canada and US Scout: Dwayne Cameron.
• Director of Football Administration: Molly Campbell.
• Director of Football Operations and Communications: Jean Lefebvre.
• Chief Sports Therapist: Stephen Wadey.
• Sports Therapist Assistant: Kaylee Dowd.
• Strength and Conditioning Coach: Daryl Chambers.
• Equipment Manager: George Hopkins
• Assistant Equipment Manager: Gord Taillefer
• Equipment Assistant: Kevin Brady
• Director of Video Operations: Ross Folan.
• Video assistant: Bruce McCabe.
• Video assistant: Nick Friedrichson.
The Calgary Stampeders finished third in the West Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record, but lost in the Western semi-finals to the BC Lions. Vernon Adams Jr. threw for 4,247 yards, 21 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 17 regular season starts, posting an 11-6 record.
The Stampeders ranked fourth in net offense, seventh in net defense and second with a plus-nine turnover margin. Dedrick Mills won the CFL title with 1,409 yards, while the team's leading receiver was Dominic Rhymes with 886 yards and the leading tackler was Jacob Roberts with 102 tackles. Calgary ranked fifth in attendance with an average attendance of 22,295, up 3.5 per cent from the previous year.
