Mike Roach returns for his fifth season coaching the Lions’ defensive line. Led by CFL All-Stars Brent Johnson, Aaron Hunt, and Cameron Wake, Mike’s D-line was a key ingredient in the team’s dominating play on defence. As a unit, the defensive line rang-up 48 of the club’s league-leading 68 quarterback sacks.

Roach’s ongoing work with Cam Wake resulted in a second consecutive Outstanding Defensive Player award for the second-year Leo as he terrorized opposing offences racking up a whopping 23 sacks along the way.

Roach joined the Lions from the Calgary Stampeders, where he served as secondary coach (1998-2001). His work was an integral part of the Stamp’s two Grey Cup victories in 1998 and 2001.

Mike’s CFL coaching career began 26 years ago in Calgary where he spent four seasons (1982-’85). He moved to Edmonton after the 1985 season and spent the next three seasons with the Eskimos (’85-’87) which included a Grey Cup championship in 1987.

From 1989 to 1991, Mike served as linebackers coach for the Ottawa Rough Riders. In 1992, Mike joined the BC Lions as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under then head coach, Bob O’Billovich. After a season in Vancouver, Mike returned to Ottawa as their defensive coordinator.

In 1994, Mike joined the staff of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as was eventually promoted to coordinator in 1996. He remained in Winnipeg for two more seasons before moving to the Calgary Stampeders in 1998 under head coach Wally Buono.

After five seasons in Calgary (’98-’02) Mike took a short hiatus from the CFL in 2003 to coach linebackers at the University of Texas, El Paso. Mike returned to Calgary in 2004 coaching the secondary under head coach Matt Dunigan.

In 2005, Mike returned to the Lions and has been the team’s defensive line coach for the past four seasons.

Roach, who hails from Rapid City, South Dakota, and his wife Kaye share five children, Pat, Tim, Greg, Laura and Moi. Mike and Kaye make their off season home in Calgary.