Bill Diedrick is headed back to the CFL.
The Calgary Stampeder Football Club of the Canadian Football League named the former Notre Dame offensive coordinator its new quarterbacks and running backs coach on Wednesday.
Diedrick, who lost his job after Irish coach Tyrone Willingham was fired but coached Notre Dame's offense in the Insight Bowl, has over 30 years of coaching experience, including a two-year stint with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos (1991-92).
"Bill's background speaks for itself," senior vice-president of football operations and head coach Tom Higgins said in a Wednesday press release. "He brings an enormous amount of knowledge, as well as his CFL experience, to the Stampeders and will be a huge asset to the coaching staff."
Diedrick most recently spent three years as Notre Dame's offensive coordinator from 2002-04, guiding the team to a 21-16 record under the West Coast offense.
Before coming to Notre Dame, Diedrick was the offensive coordinator for four years at Stanford, where he built one of the nation's most productive offenses.
Cardinal receiver Troy Walters - now of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts - was Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year and the Biletnikoff Award winner under Diedrick, and quarterback Todd Husak was first-team all-Pac-10.
Diedrick could not match that success with the Irish, but the statistical production of a few of his position players - in addition to past experience - encouraged the Stampeders staff.
"I'm extremely pleased to have Bill join our staff, as he has a remarkable resume holding some great positions," Calgary offensive coordinator Steve Buratto said in Wednesday's press release. "I've tracked his coaching since his days with the Eskimos, and we are very fortunate to have him join the Stampeder organization."
Diedrick will coach the two offensive positions that performed best in an inconsistent final season with Notre Dame.
In 2004, Irish quarterback Brady Quinn threw for 2,586 yards and 17 touchdowns. Freshman running back Darius Walker played in 11 games, rushing for 786 yards.
In 2003, Diedrick was one of the coaches responsible for developing Quinn as a freshman. Quinn set freshman school records for passing yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts that season.
Diedrick has coached at four Division-I schools - Notre Dame, Stanford (1998-2001), Washington (1994-97) and Washington State (1989-90) - in his 34-year career. He has also been the offensive coordinator at Division-II schools Montana State (1984-85) and Idaho (1986-88), as well as a high school head coach and a graduate assistant at Hawaii (1970).
Diedrick has coached NFL quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe and John Friesz and top college football quarterbacks Damon and Brock Huard and Marques Tuiasosopo.
He graduated from Eastern Washington University in 1970 with bachelor's degrees in physical therapy and physical education. He earned a master's degree in education from Hawaii in 1971.
