EDMONTON – The next era for Golden Bears Football began on Thursday, as Stevenson Bone was named the program's 29th head coach.

Selected from an extremely deep candidate pool, Bone joins the Golden Bears as one of the most successful and highly regarded young coaches in Canada. 

"Stevenson brings a unique combination of intellect, strategy, and passion to this program," said Athletic Director Leah Pezer. "As one of the most talented young coaches in the game, he embodies everything we strive for at the UofA — excellence in performance, a commitment to academics, and building strong, unified teams." 

A former-Vanier Cup winning quarterback with the Western Mustangs, Bone brings a blend of competitive and coaching experience to the UofA. First joining the University coaching ranks in 2019, Bone led one of the most explosive offences in U SPORTS over the last three seasons as the UBC Thunderbirds Offensive Coordinator.

"The Golden Bears are not just a team, but a 115-year legacy. I'm here to ignite the passion in every player, to turn potential into triumphs and to inspire our players to surpass their own expectations," said Bone. "Taking the helm of this program is an honour, and my strategy is clear; emphasize the value of discipline, foster teamwork, and cultivate a culture of relentless improvement. We're going to hit the ground running, blending tradition with innovation to make Alberta one of the top programs in the country."

Bone helped lead the Thunderbirds to Canada West playoff berths in all three seasons he was on the sideline, highlighted by a Hardy Cup win and Vanier Cup appearance in 2023. The Thunderbirds offence ranked first or second in Canada West in each of the past three seasons, with their offence ranked sixth in Canada in 2024. 

Prior to joining UBC in 2022, Bone spent three years as the running back coach and manager of football operations with the Guelph Gryphons. 

"We're extremely excited to welcome Stevenson to the program. Throughout the interview process he was incredibly well-spoken and clearly demonstrated his vision for the future of Golden Bears Football," said Bears Football Alumni President Dylan Niedermaier. "He possesses a strong understanding of how a football program needs to be built to win in today's day and age, and I can't wait to see what he's able to accomplish in the years ahead." 

Highly regarded as a QB coach and offensive play-caller, Bone is the only Canadian to coach quarterbacks at the prestigious Manning Passing Academy in Thibodeaux, Louisiana. 

A two time Academic All-Canadian during his playing career with the Western University Mustangs, Bone won the Vanier Cup in 2017 and OUA Championships in 2013 & 2017. Bone graduated from Western with an honours B.A. and a master's degree in Kinesiology. 

Before attending Western, Bone played CEGEP Football with the John Abbott College Islanders and the Vanier College Cheetahs. Hailing from Darien Connecticut, Bone appeared in the 2008 state championship as a QB with Darien High School.

"His vision for long-term success, paired with his dedication to maintaining the academic standards and culture that define the Golden Bears, makes him the perfect leader to guide us into an exciting new chapter," said Pezer. 

Bone will begin his tenure on January 20th.