EDMONTON

It appears the Edmonton Eskimos have found their new offensive line coach for the 2015 CFL season.

Word out of Winnipeg this week has the gig being offered to former Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders defensive line coach Mike Scheper.

And while none of Scheper’s previous duties in the CFL included the O-line title, it’s a position he’s well versed in.

A native of southern California, the 34-year-old both coached and played on the offensive line, assisting at Fresno State as well as at the junior college level.

Before spending the past 12 years coaching the game, Scheper put on the pads at Utah State University as he graduated with a sociology degree in 2002.

While nothing has been made official, it’s an interesting decision by Eskimos head coach Chris Jones, who isn’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to his coaching staff.

Nor is Scheper hesitant to set foot in uncharted territory on his CFL resume, as he previously stated on riderville.com.

“I love the fact that I learn something new and fascinating almost every single day,” Scheper stated in his old bio on the Roughriders team web site. “The game constantly stays fresh, and the learning experience never gets old.”

And whatever experience he may lack coaching CFL O-lines, Scheper has certainly seen his share of them from the other side of the northern league’s line of scrimmage, which has no doubt given him plenty of insight into what the Eskimos will face this season.

In his first two years in the CFL with the Roughriders in 2009-10, Scheper helped the team to a pair of Grey Cup appearances coaching the likes of 2009 CFL defensive player of the year John Chick and that year’s sack leader Stevie Baggs — both of whom went on to earn NFL opportunities.

And those results didn’t go unnoticed by Portland State Vikings head coach Nigel Burton, who brought Scheper onto his coaching staff for three seasons before being picked up by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers last year.

“Mike has done everything from Division I at Fresno to the CFL, junior college and high school,” Burton stated on the school’s website, goviks.com. “He has coached offensive and defensive line. His ability to know offensive protections and run-game rules, the little things, make him a valuable coach.

“And the things he was able to do at a high level in the CFL; they had one of the best seasons for defensive line play in the history of the Saskatchewan organization.”

You don’t have to look very hard to see the level of effort Scheper brings to the practice field, either.

“It’s official: Defensive line coach Mike Scheper is nuts,” wrote Winnipeg Sun reporter Kirk Penton at the beginning of 2014 training camp. “He sprints towards the line of scrimmage and runs along with the play nearly every time in practice. It looks like it’s all in an effort to get his players to hustle to the ball.

“Sadly, we’ll never be able to ask Mike Scheper why he does what he does during practice, as (Bombers head coach Mike) O’Shea has banned his assistants from doing interviews.”

Perhaps that will be Question No. 1, but equally as curious is whether or not the rumours are true that Scheper has a brother who played high school football with the great John Elway.

Either way, the Eskimos have found their guy.

gerry.moddejonge@sunmedia.ca

twitter.com/SunModdejonge

MIKE SCHEPER

Hometown: Pasadena, CA

Alma Mater: Utah State, 2002, Sociology

Playing Career: Utah State, centre, 2000-02; Willamette, 1998-99

Date of Birth: July 18, 1980

Family: Wife, Manoah, daughter, Elia

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2014– Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Defensive Line

2012-14- Portland State, Defensive Line

2011- College of the Canyons, Cornerbacks

2009-10- Saskatchewan (CFL), Defensive Line

2008- Fresno State, Assistant Offensive Line

2006-07- Glendale CC, Offensive Line

2003-05- St. Francis (CA) HS, Offensive Line