Ryan Karhut was named the program’s special teams coordinator ahead of the 2015 season. He brings to York more than 26 years of experience in football as a player and a coach.
In addition to his work with the Lions he is also the head coach of the York Region Lions in the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL), a role in took over in 2016 before leading them to a 6-2 record. Immediately prior to coming to York, he was the head coach of the Winnipeg Rifles in the Canadian Junior Football League (CJFL) for two seasons.
Karhut was a varsity player himself, spending one season at the University of Central Florida in 2004 before an impressive three-year career on the offensive line with the University of Manitoba from 2005-07. While with the Bisons, he was a Canada West all-star in 2005 and, as a team captain, won the Hardy Cup and Vanier Cup in 2007. He was selected by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the fifth round (39th overall) in the 2007 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft, and spent one season with the Montreal Alouettes in 2008 before retiring as a player.
After being hired by York, he was immediately named to the coaching staff for the 2015 East West Bowl, where he worked with the defensive line for the West team.
