Wildcatters Sign Ron Estay as Lineman Coach

Posted on October 16, 2009 by Lexie Iskander

Ron Estay, member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, LSU Sports Hall of Fame and many others, signed with the Lafayette Wildcatters to coach the defensive and offensive line. 

Estay grew up in Larose, La. and was on the South Laforche High School Hall of Fame.  After high school, Estay attended LSU from 1968-1971.  During his time at LSU, the Tigers were two-time SEC Champions (1970 and 1971).  He was a member of the First Team All-American.  He was an eighth round pick with the Denver Broncos, but decided to head north to play in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Estay played in the CFL from 1972-1982.  In 1972, Estay played for the British Columbia Lions and from 1973-1982 he played with the Edmonton Eskimos.  From 1983-1984, he played with the Washington Federals in the USFL. 

Estay is a six-time CFL Grey Cup Champion (1975, 1978-1982) and a nine-time Grey Cup Starter (1973-1975, 1977-1982).  He played for the first professional team in world history to win four championships in a row.  The team went beyond that and won five championships in a row. 

Estay has two records in the CFL:  five sacks in one game and 23 sacks in one season with the Edmonton Eskimos.

After retiring from playing the sport, Estay decided to move back to the U.S. and coach.  From 1983-1888 and then again from 1992-1999, he was the defensive coordinator for Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. and coached his son while he attended Evangel.  From 1988-1990, he was the head coach at Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge.  He was the Jackson State High School Coach, which is North of Baton Rouge, La., in 1984.  He then moved to Virginia for a year (2000) to be the defensive line coach for Liberty University.  His final move was to Regina, to coach the defensive line for the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2001-2008. 

Estay spent eight years with the Roughriders, coaching them to the CFL Grey Cup Championship in 2007.

Estay is a common household name in Canada. He now resides in Thibodeaux, La. with his wife Debbie.  He is very excited to be joining the Wildcatter coaching staff.