Popp staying in Montreal … for now
But coach Trestman may still be leaving
Questions
still remain, but the picture became slightly less murky Wednesday night, when the Alouettes learned they weren’t losing their general manager, Jim Popp, to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.
“If this means Jim’s staying put, we’re very happy that’s the case,” Mark Weightman, the Als’ chief operating officer, told The Gazette.
“Today’s like yesterday — Jim’s part of the organization,” Weightman added. “We’re very excited to have him remain a part of it.”
Popp, the only GM the Als have known since they returned to the Canadian Football League in 1996, was reportedly interviewed by the Panthers on Tuesday, along with New York Giants’ college scouting director, Marc Ross.
Instead, the Panthers moved quickly, hiring David Gettleman as their GM. Gettleman, 61, spent 13 seasons with the Giants as their director of pro personnel before becoming the team’s senior pro personnel analyst last year. Gettleman interviewed with Carolina on Wednesday,
“No coach is signed until Marc (Trestman) knows if he’s back.”
ALOUETTES GENERAL MANAGER JIM POPP
as did Tennessee Titans executive Lake Dawson, it was reported.
Popp, in the middle of organizational meetings in Charlotte, N.C., with assistant GM Marcel Desjardins, along with football operations assistant Uzooma Okeke and Joey Abrams, the co-ordinator of scouting and football administration, couldn’t be reached for comment.
Although the Als have seemingly dodged a bullet for now — as the director of player personnel and football operations, Popp’s the architect of this team — there’s no guarantee his name won’t be linked to another NFL team in some capacity. Weightman, however, will only cross that bridge if and when it becomes necessary.
If Popp’s staying put, there’s no guarantee Marc Trestman won’t soon be leaving. The Als’ head coach this week is reported to have interviewed on subsequent days with the Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. And Desjardins has had two interviews with Ottawa, scheduled to field a CFL expansion team in 2014.
If any of this is disconcerting to Als owner Robert Wetenhall, he’s playing coy. Through his assistant, Wetenhall sent an email to The Gazette saying: “Bob doesn’t want to waste your time letting you know that he’s not going to comment on speculation about his employees.”
Earlier Wednesday, RDS reported the Als were on the verge of hiring a new defensive-line coach. According to the network, Chris Hovan has agreed to join the team, but hasn’t signed a contract.
The optics of hiring an assistant — Hovan would potentially replace Mike Sinclair, who resigned last month and subsequently joined Saskatchewan — when Trestman’s future is uncertain, is nothing short of mind-boggling. Predictably, both Trestman and Popp denied the report.
In an email to The Gazette, Trestman wrote: “Cannot confirm.”
Popp, as the man responsible for signing any new assistant to a contract, was more vehement.
“There won’t be any contracts until we know whether Marc’s going to stay with the club or not,” Popp said. “Nothing’s going to happen. Even if Hovan has agreed, I’m the one who talks to the guy and does contracts and figures out if we’re going to (financially be able to) have him. I’ve not been spoken to or asked.
“No coach is signed (until) Marc knows if he’s back. If Marc’s not back then we have to find another head coach — and he’ll make the decision.”
Nonetheless, Popp admitted the Als have some interest in Hovan. Coincidentally, Hovan was registered at the Nashville hotel being used by the team this week during the American Football Coaches Association convention, which ended Wednesday.
“Hovan is a candidate, and maybe he has verbally said that he’s coming — if Marc’s back,” Popp said.
Hovan, 34, was a firstround draft choice (25th overall) of the Minnesota Vikings in 2000. He spent five seasons with the Vikings, playing in 77 games, recording 192 tackles and 17 quarterback sacks.
He signed with Tampa Bay in April 2005, spending five seasons with the Buccaneers before being released. Hovan then joined the St. Louis Rams in August 2010, but was placed on injured reserve, due to a back injury. That ended his season and NFL career.
He was the assistant strength and conditioning coach at South Florida in 2011. Note: The Als on Wednesday announced the signing of Sherbrooke kicker William Dion to a three-year contract. Dion spent five seasons with the Vert et Or, establishing a CIS record for most career field goals with 82. The 25-year-old is a Drummondville native.