Joe Paopao
Joe Paopao (born June 30, 1955) is a former professional Canadian football quarterback and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Paopao played 11 seasons in the CFL and was a member of the BC Lions, Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Ottawa Rough Riders. He began his coaching career with the BC Lions and has coached with five CFL organizations, including stints as head coach with the BC Lions in 1996 and the Ottawa Renegades from 2002–2005. He most recently served as the quarterbacks coach for the Ottawa Redblacks.
 Paopao before a Redblacks game in 2019. | |
| Born: | June 30, 1955 Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | QB |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| College | Long Beach State |
| Career history | |
| As coach | |
| 1989 | BC Lions (OBC) |
| 1991 | BC Lions (QC) |
| 1992–1993 | BC Lions (OC) |
| 1994–1995 | Edmonton Eskimos (OC) |
| 1996 | BC Lions (HC) |
| 1997–1998 | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (OC) |
| 1999–2000 | BC Lions (OC) |
| 2001 | San Francisco Demons (OC) |
| 2002–2005 | Ottawa Renegades (HC) |
| 2006 | Hamilton Tiger-Cats (OC) |
| 2007–2011 | Waterloo Warriors (OC) |
| 2012–2013 | Waterloo Warriors (HC) |
| 2014 | BC Lions (RC) |
| 2015–2018 | Simon Fraser Clan football (OC) |
| 2019 | Ottawa Redblacks (RB, QB) |
| As player | |
| 1978–1983 | BC Lions |
| 1984–1986 | Saskatchewan Roughriders |
| 1987 | Ottawa Rough Riders |
| 1990 | BC Lions |
Professional playing career
Paopao began his CFL career as a quarterback for the BC Lions in 1978. He was nicknamed the "Throwin' Samoan" for his great ability to pass, as he led the Lions in passing for the next three seasons and set a CFL record in 1979 for pass completions in a single game. By 1983, he had lost the starting job to Roy Dewalt. In 1984 he signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and again led that team in passing. He was traded to the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1987, and the following year to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. That year, he was named the offensive backfield coach of the BC Lions, thus beginning his CFL coaching career. The next year however, he went back to his old position of quarterback for the Lions, backing up Doug Flutie, in his last season.
Coaching career
Early CFL coaching career
In 1991, Paopao was made the quarterback coach of the Lions. In 1992 he was promoted to offensive coordinator. Paopao was with the Lions for four seasons to begin his coaching career. Paopao then left to be the offensive coordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1994. In 1996 Paopao returned to BC to be the head coach, but he only managed to win 5 games and lost 13 during his only season as the Lions head coach. Following his first stint as a head coach Paopao was hired by the Blue Bombers as the team's offensive coordinator, a position which he held for two seasons. He once again returned to the Lions in 1999 and as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
San Francisco Demons
Paopao was hired as the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco Demons of the XFL. The league was operational for only one season, and thus Paopao was once again looking for work.
Ontario
In 2001 Paopao was hired as the head coach of the new Ottawa Renegades franchise where he coached for four seasons from 2002-2005. However, the Renegades struggled, winning only 23 games and losing 49, the team folded following the 2005 season. Paopao was then hired by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and named offensive coordinator for the 2006 season. He was later relieved of his duties with the Tiger-Cats on August 28, 2006.
University of Waterloo
Paopao joined the University of Waterloo Warriors as the team's offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2007, a position he would hold for five years. He was named the team's interim head coach for the 2012 season after Dennis McPhee's resignation,[1][2] and then full-time head coach in February 2013.[3] In two seasons with the Warriors, Paopao had a 3-13 record.
Return to BC
On February 6, 2014, the BC Lions announced Paopao would be re-joining the organization as its receivers coach.[4]
Simon Fraser University
On March 27, 2015 Joe Paopao was named offensive coordinator of the Simon Fraser University Clan football team in the NCAA's Division II Great Northwest Athletic Conference.[5]
Return to Ottawa
On April 15, 2019 Paopao was hired by the Ottawa Redblacks as a running backs coach.[6] Midway through the 2019 season, with the offense sputtering and the team having lost six of their last seven matches, head coach Rick Campbell turned over the role of offensive play-calling to Paopao: His responsibilities with the team also changed from running backs coach to quarterbacks coach.[7] Following a head coaching change, Paopao was not retained by the Redblacks for the 2020 season.[8]
Personal life
Paopao is a longtime resident of Oceanside, California. He was added to the BC Lions Wall of Fame in 2007.[9]
CFL coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| BC | 1996 | 5 | 13 | 0 | .278 | 5th in West Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| BC Total | 5 | 13 | 0 | .278 | 0 West Division Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 Grey Cups | ||
| OTT | 2002 | 4 | 14 | 0 | .222 | 4th in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| OTT | 2003 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .389 | 3rd in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| OTT | 2004 | 5 | 13 | 0 | .278 | 4th in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| OTT | 2005 | 7 | 11 | 0 | .389 | 3rd in East Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| OTT Total | 23 | 49 | 0 | .319 | 0 East Division Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 Grey Cups | ||
| Total | 28 | 62 | 0 | .311 | 0 Division Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 Grey Cups | ||
CIS coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Result | |||
| Waterloo | 2012 | 2 | 6 | 0 | .250 | 7th in OUA Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| Waterloo | 2013 | 1 | 7 | 0 | .125 | 9th in OUA Division | – | – | Missed Playoffs | |
| Waterloo Total | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 0 OUA Division Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 Vanier Cups | ||
| Total | 3 | 13 | 0 | .188 | 0 OUA Division Championships | 0 | 0 | 0 Vanier Cups | ||
References
- "Paopao to serve as interim head coach of Waterloo Warriors". Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2017. Paopao to serve as interim head coach of Waterloo Warriors
- "Waterloo announces Joe Paopao as interim head coach of Warrior football - University of Waterloo". University of Waterloo Warriors - #goblackgogold. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- "Joe Paopao announced as full-time head coach - University of Waterloo". University of Waterloo Warriors - #goblackgogold. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
- "Receiving help: Paopao joins Lions coaching staff | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
- Conference.https://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stories/2015/cfl-great-joe-paopao-is-new-offensive-coordinator-for-sfu-clan.html
- TSN ca Staff (April 15, 2019). "Paopao joins Redblacks as RBs coach - TSN.ca". TSN. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
- Staff, 3Down (August 20, 2019). "Redblacks hand play-calling duties to Joe Paopao | 3DownNation". Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- "REDBLACKS unveil 2020 coaching staff". Ottawa Redblacks. February 26, 2020.
- "BC Lions - Official site". BC Lions. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved April 24, 2018.