Source: Ticats hire Austin to be head coach, head up football operations

HAMILTON – Kent Austin is returning to the CFL.

A league source requesting anonymity says the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have hired Austin to be the club’s head coach and head of the CFL team’s football operations.

The Ticats are expected to make the announcement official at a news conference later Monday.

Austin takes over as head coach from George Cortez, who was fired last week after compiling a 6-12 record in his first season with Hamilton.

The Ticats are also in need of a GM with incumbent Bob O’Billovich mulling over an offer to remain with the Hamilton franchise as a consultant.

Austin won a Grey Cup as the Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach in 2007 and spent last season as the head coach at Cornell.

The 49-year-old Austin also won a Grey Cup in 2004 as the Toronto Argonauts offensive co-ordinator.

Austin also earned championship rings as a player with Saskatchewan in 1989 and B.C. in ’94.

He is one of only four CFL quarterbacks to pass for more than 6,000 yards in a single season, throwing for 6,225 yards in ’92 with Saskatchewan.