New Gryphon head football coach Mark Surya has filled out his coaching staff with some very experienced people.
Matt Berry joins the Gryphons as the team's new defensive coordinator, while Joe Cappiello joins as the team's director of player personnel and defensive line coach.
Berry brings 20 years of coaching experience, including 12 seasons as a member of the Calgary Dinos coaching staff. Cappiello has 15 years of experience, including 12 seasons of U SPORTS coaching experience at his alma mater, the University of Toronto.
Berry spent the past two seasons serving as the Dinos assistant head coach and defensive coordinator, and over his decade-plus in Calgary, helped lead the Dinos to a sensational seven Canada West titles. Berry was also the defensive coordinator for the Dinos during the 2019 season, where the University of Calgary captured their fifth Vanier Cup in program history.
A U of G news release says Berry has also taken on a number of additional coaching roles over his career, including serving as a defensive line coach during the annual U SPORTS East-West Bowl on five occasions, most recently in 2023.
"Matt brings a wealth of experience at the position," said Surya, who took over as head coach in December. "He has won a Vanier Cup as a defensive coordinator and I'm excited to see him bring new ideas to the conference. The defence is in good hands, as Matt will fit seamlessly with our new associate head coach, Donnavan Carter, and our new director of player personnel, Joe Cappiello."
Berry also garnered attention from the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Calgary Stampeders of the CFL, where he has served as a guest defensive line coach in training camp during the 2022 and 2017 seasons.
In addition to his time at the University of Calgary, Berry has served as the defensive coordinator of the Calgary Falcons of the Calgary Spring Football Association and assistant head coach/offensive coordinator of the U18 Nova Scotia provincial team during the 2012-13 season. Berry also brings international experience to Guelph after representing the AFC Bielefeld Bulldogs as defensive coordinator in the second tier of the German Football League.
As a student-athlete, Berry played four season for the Ottawa Gee-Gees where he was a Dunsmore Cup and Vanier Cup champion as a rookie during the 2000 season.
Cappiello joins the Gryphons with 12 years of coaching and recruiting experience within the OUA, having served as the recruiting coordinator and defensive line coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues football program. As recruiting coordinator, Cappiello has helped produce 17 OUA All-Stars and 7 U SPORTS All-Canadians in addition to coaching a defensive line which has seen three All-Stars and one All-Canadian go through the Varsity Blues program.
"Joe has been a staple, recruiting all of Canada for the better part of the last decade," said Surya. "His warm personality will be a huge asset to the next generation of Gryphons. We are very lucky to have him lead the charge on our national recruiting strategy."
Capiello has been a long-time volunteer coach and has coached with Football Ontario, holding a variety of positions such as head coach, defensive coordinator, and defensive line coach. Cappiello also served as a program board member for the Toronto Junior Argonauts from 2008-2022. As a student-athlete, Cappiello played five seasons and started four as a defensive lineman with the Varsity Blues, which included a career-best season in 2010 as senior where he recorded a team-high 5 sacks and 16 solo tackles.
