Quick Facts
Biography
Robert "Bob" O'Billovich, nicknamed "Bobby O" or "Obie", (born June 30, 1940) is a former Canadian Football League player, coach and administrator. Bob was born and raised in Butte, Montana where he was an outstanding football and basketball player at Butte High School. At Butte HS he lettered three years in basketball and two years in football; making All State in both sports. He also lettered in track and played shortstop on the Butte American Legion baseball team.
A former NCAA college football, basketball and baseball player at Montana State University (later renamed the University of Montana) where he started in all three sports for three years. Obie started three years in football for Montana as a quarterback and defensive back (1959-1961). In addition, Obie was a starting guard in basketball and the starting shortstop in baseball for Montana (1960-1962). He was an all-Skyline Conference selection in all three sports. Obie also lettered at least one year in track for Montana. Obie has been involved with the CFL since 1963 in the roles of player, coach, general manager, scout, and several front-office positions. He has a wife, Judy; and three children: Tracy, Jodi, and Coy. His younger brother, Jack "Mad Dog" O'Billovich, who died in 1995 of a heart condition, was an All-American at Oregon State who helped OSU get to the Rose Bowl in 1965.
NCAA college basketball
After graduating from high school in Butte, Montana, O'Billovich went to Missoula, Montana to attend college. O'Billovich is a former NCAA college basketball player for the University of Montana, playing from 1960 to 1962. He was named University of Montana Athlete of the Decade for 1960–1970, and inducted to the University of Montana Grizzly Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.
Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union
Bob O'Billovich was coach of the Carleton University Ravens CIAU men's basketball team from 1971 to 1973. From 1973 to 1974, O'Billovich served as head coach for the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees men's basketball team.
Canadian Football League
O'Billovich began his CFL career as a player in 1963 with the Ottawa Rough Riders. He played both defensive back and quarterback.
In 1974, O'Billovich launched his CFL coaching career with the Rough Riders, first as a guest coach, and then assistant coach.
O'Billovich was named head coach of the Toronto Argonauts in 1982, a position he held until 1989. During his tenure at Toronto, the Argonauts appeared in the Grey Cup three times (1982, 1983, 1987), winning the Cup in 1983. He was honoured as CFL Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1987.
Bob O'Billovich joined the BC Lions in midseason on September 14, 1990 as general manager and interim coach. The Lions had been off to a dismal 2–8-1 start that season; they finished the season with an improved 6–11-1 record. O'Billovich remained as head coach of the Lions through the end of the 1992 season, a year in which the Lions finished at 3–15.
In 1993, O'Billovich returned to the Argonauts as general manager. The Argos began that season poorly, and O'Billovich took over as head coach on September 10, 1993. He coached for the remainder of the 1993 season and for the entirety of the 1994 season. At the end of the 1994 season, O'Billovich relinquished the head coach position to concentrate on his general manager duties. The Argos again had a poor start for the 1995 season and O'Billovich took over as head coach for the final nine games after firing Mike Faragalli; the team finished the season with a lackluster 4–14 record.
O'Billovich was director of player personnel with the BC Lions from 2003 to 2007. In December 2007, O'Billovich was hired as general manager by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. On January 12, 2012, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats announced his promotion to Vice President of football operations. On December 17, 2012, Kent Austin replaced O'Billovich as the Tiger-Cats' GM when he was also hired as the team's new head coach.
He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
CFL coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| TOR | 1982 | 9 | 6 | 1 | .600 | 1st in East Division | 1 | 1 | Lost in Grey Cup | |
| TOR | 1983 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 1st in East Division | 2 | 0 | Won Grey Cup | |
| TOR | 1984 | 9 | 6 | 1 | .600 | 1st in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Final | |
| TOR | 1985 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| TOR | 1986 | 10 | 8 | 0 | .555 | 1st in East Division | 1 | 1 | Lost in East Final | |
| TOR | 1987 | 11 | 6 | 1 | .647 | 2nd in East Division | 2 | 1 | Lost in Grey Cup | |
| TOR | 1988 | 14 | 4 | 0 | .777 | 1st in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Final | |
| TOR | 1989 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .388 | 2nd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Semi-Final | |
| BC | 1990 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| BC | 1991 | 11 | 7 | 0 | .611 | 3rd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in West Semi-Final | |
| BC | 1992 | 3 | 15 | 0 | .166 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| TOR | 1993 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| TOR | 1994 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .388 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Semi-Final | |
| TOR | 1995 | 2 | 7 | 0 | .222 | 7th in North Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| Total | 107 | 104 | 3 | .507 | 5 Division Championships | 6 | 8 | 1 Grey Cup | ||
CFL GM record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| BC | 1990 | 4 | 3 | 0 | .571 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| BC | 1991 | 11 | 7 | 0 | .611 | 3rd in West Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in West Semi-Final | |
| BC | 1992 | 3 | 15 | 0 | .166 | 4th in West Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| TOR | 1993 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 4th in East Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| TOR | 1994 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .388 | 3rd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost in East Semi-Final | |
| TOR | 1995 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 7th in North Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| HAM | 2008 | 3 | 15 | 0 | .166 | 4th in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| HAM | 2009 | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost East Semi-Final | |
| HAM | 2010 | 9 | 9 | 0 | .500 | 2nd in East Division | 0 | 1 | Lost East Semi-Final | |
| HAM | 2011 | 8 | 10 | 0 | .444 | 3rd in East Division | 1 | 1 | Lost East Final | |
| HAM | 2012 | 6 | 12 | 0 | .333 | 3rd in East Division | - | - | Failed to Qualify | |
| Total | 66 | 111 | 0 | .372 | 0 Division Championships | 1 | 5 | 0 Grey Cups | ||
Achievements
- University of Montana Athlete of the Decade (1960–1970)
- Inducted to the University of Montana Grizzly Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993
- CFL Coach of the Year (1982, 1987)
- Grey Cup champion coach (1983)
- All-time winningest coach for the Argonauts (89–79–3 in 11 seasons)
Personal
O'Billovich lives in Oakville, Ontario, married to wife Judy from Ottawa where their children were born.