Richie Hall Richie Hall ( born October 4 , 1960 ) is the defensive coordinator for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League . He was formerly the head coach of the Edmonton Eskimos from 2009 – 2010 . Early years . Hall was born October 4 , 1960 , in San Antonio , Texas . He was in a car accident as a child that catapulted him through the windshield of the car and nearly killed him , leaving him with permanent scars above his right eye . He was a star two - way American football player in high school despite his height of just . Playing career . Hall was a walk on college football player at Colorado State University , where he majored in social work . Hall originally signed with the Stampeders in May 1983 and , in his rookie season , was a CFL All - Star defensive back playing in 16 games recording four interception s and two fumble recoveries . He also returned 50 punts on special teams for 561 yards including one touchdown and one kickoff return for 12 yards . He earned West Division All - Star honours in the 1986 CFL season for his defensive work recording 4 sacks , 8 interceptions for 116 yards , and 1 fumble recovery for 50 yards . He also returned 16 punts that year for 260 yards . He was traded to the Roughriders in May 1988 for a fourth - round pick in the 1989 CFL Draft and returned as a 1988 CFL season and 1990 CFL season West Division All - Star . In all , he appeared in 153 career regular - season games between 1983 and 1991 playing both defensive back and punt returner , was a four - time West Division all - star , a League All - Star in 1983 , a 77th Grey Cup champion , and was selected for the Tom Pate Memorial Award in 1990 . After being released by the Roughriders , Hall used his social work degree and got a job at Regina ’ s Cornwall Alternative School for high - risk kids and joined Regina ' s Archbishop M . C . O ' Neill High School football coaching staff in 1993 before embarking on his professional coaching career . Coaching career . In 1994 , Hall was hired by the Roughriders to coach their defensive back field and worked his way up to defensive coordinator by 2000 . He gained a reputation as one of the top minds for defensive schemes in the CFL and served as Saskatchewan ' s defensive coordinator for eight years including the 95th Grey Cup victory for Saskatchewan in 2007 . His 2008 Saskatchewan Roughriders defence finished the season with the best in fewest yards allowed ( 354 per game ) , second in pass defence ( 266 yards per game ) and fewest passing TDs allowed ( 28 ) and third in fewest TDs ( 44 ) and points allowed ( 25 . 1 per game ) . Hall interviewed for at least seven head coaching positions beginning after the 2004 CFL season and , on December 17 , 2008 , Hall was hired as the head coach for the Edmonton Eskimos , the first black head coach in the Edmonton Eskimos history . When looking for a new coach , Eskimos General Manager Danny Maciocia said he asked his quarterbacks to name the toughest defensive co - ordinator they ' ve played against and was given the unanimous response of Richie Hall . Hall has said that he wants his players to enjoy the game , work hard , appreciate everything , and take nothing for granted . " I want our players to have a selfless attitude . I want them to be there for each other , " Hall said . " I like to think football is a way for them to live their lives . " During his first training camp as head coach , arguably the most competitive battle was between Tumbo Abanikanda and Mark Restelli for the starting weakside linebacker spot . Hall stated that he hoped the battle would end when , " one player outperforms the other player " . Eventually , Abanikanda was released with Restelli winning the job . On November 12 , 2010 , Hall was fired as the Eskimos head coach after two seasons coaching the team . On February 1 , 2011 , it was announced that Hall had rejoined the Roughriders as their defensive coordinator .