'Try not to listen to it': Bombers' coach Hogan blocks out critics

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Published Aug 18, 2025 • 3 minute read

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Winnipeg Blue Bombers offensive coordinator Jason Hogan. Photo by Kevin King /Winnipeg SunArticle content

If Jason Hogan hears the sideline critics, he’s not letting on.

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The first-year play-caller for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers has been under the public microscope as his offence lurched its way through the first half of the CFL season.

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“Try not to listen to it,” Hogan said on Monday. “If you listen to it, you just get lost and you don’t focus on what’s ahead of you.”

Hogan’s game plans and play calls have produced the league’s seventh-rated passing attack and an overall offence that’s turned the ball over more than anyone.

Recently, it’s come out of the gate strong only to struggle to move the ball in the second half of the last two games.

Hogan credits opposing defences, while acknowledging his unit hasn’t always clicked.

“I learned a lot about ourselves,” Hogan said. “Every week you learn a lot about yourself, what you did right, what you did wrong. Then go ahead and correct the mistakes and move on.”

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A 3-0 start went sideways for the Bombers when they lost four of their next five.

Last week’s last-play win over Ottawa left them with a 5-4 mark at the midpoint of the season. They face the Alouettes in Montreal on Thursday.

Hogan sees progress with an offence ranked fifth in overall yardage, fourth in scoring.

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“We’ve had some tremendous growth,” he said. “As long as we’re not repeating mistakes and we’re getting better, that’s all that matters. At the end of the day, we’ve got to get to where we to need to be when it’s crunch time and playoffs.”

To date, the Winnipeg attack has been hot and cold, just good enough much of the time.

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The goal is to be dominant in October and November.

“I definitely think we have the tools to do that,” the coordinator said.

Formerly the Bombers’ running backs coach, Hogan got his current gig when Buck Pierce became head coach of the B.C. Lions this year.

It’s the second straight year Winnipeg has named new coordinators, both Mike Miller (special teams) and Jordan Younger (defence) making their debuts last season.

Hogan’s transition has been less smooth than the others.

Unlike Miller, he doesn’t have a longtime guru like Mike O’Shea to lean on.

“It’s collaborative work,” Hogan said, crediting quarterbacks coach Jarious Jackson, new running backs coach Andre Bolduc and offensive line coach Marty Costello for their support. “Jarious has his input, Andre has his input, Marty has his input. I bring my input. The way it should be.”

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‘One more play’

For a coach, there’s nothing quite like seeing players come together at a critical time in a game.

Younger had one of those moments — a goal-line stand by the defence — early in last week’s 30-27 win over Ottawa.

“Like everything that you’re telling them, ‘All you need is one more play to make a difference’ — that’s one of those examples, where they see that’s what coach is talking about,” he said. “We can really do it, on the doorstep of the one-yard line. If we all lock into what we’re supposed to do, we can make those type of plays.”

Younger sees his unit making progress, too.

It’s only ranked seventh in yards given up, but sits third in offensive touchdowns allowed, with just 20 through nine games.

Big plays have been killers, though.

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Younger says keeping things simple for a defence that’s breaking in a handful of new players is critical.

“There’s so many variables to that. Like remembering the information, being able to manage your emotion, the way you feel. Sometimes you’re really up, sometimes you may be really down. So all of those things take experience, wisdom, and yeah, I think we’re trending upward.”

Ouch update

Both the offence and defence should have a player returning from injury this week.

Running back/kick returner Peyton Logan has the green light, along with defensive tackle Cam Lawson.

Receiver Dalton Schoen practised on Monday, but O’Shea said as good as he looked, he’s likely another week away.

Schoen has missed another five games with a knee injury, after seeing nearly all of his 2024 campaign wiped out by the same.

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‘Try not to listen to it’: Bombers’ coach Hogan blocks out critics

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