Popp moves out as coach, Chapdelaine moves up
Chapdelaine taking over for Popp, who will remain as GM
The coaching change people have been clamouring for has finally occurred, but it’s unlikely many of us had the name of Jacques Chapdelaine in the office pool.
But this is the way the Alouettes conduct business. Jim Popp has been a wonderful general manager for two decades, but never has enjoyed particular success as a head coach, going 23-39 overall dating back to 2001. Chapdelaine, meanwhile, was hired last winter as the receivers coach and special assistant to offensive co-ordinator Anthony Calvillo, himself entering his first full year in that position, when their roles, clearly, should have been reversed.
So at least the Als have corrected that oversight, Chapdelaine now becoming Calvillo’s boss, teacher and mentor. That Chapdelaine goes from a position coach to the man in charge matters little at this point, just as it doesn’t matter the Als’ two assistant head coaches — Kavis Reed (special teams co-ordinator) and Noel Thorpe (defensive co-ordinator) — were passed over in the selection process. Thorpe, for his part, should be getting accustomed to this lack of respect from the organization, so often has he been overlooked.
Chapdelaine, a 55-year-old native of Sherbrooke, becomes the first francophone head coach in team history. As much as his promotion is based on him improving an offence that has been held to under 20 points in eight of 12 games, this is more of a public-relations move for a franchise that has a limited public profile and a dwindling fan base — as it should. The Als went 6-12 last season and are now 3-9. They missed the playoffs last season and, unless Chapdelaine can get blood from a stone, will do so again.
“Although the title interim head coach has been placed on my position, I don’t see myself as an interim coach. If I see myself as an interim coach ... we would probably end up with interim results,” Chapdelaine said during a late-afternoon conference call on Monday.
It was the most cogent statement Chapdelaine said and probably reminded many of the erudite comments that used to emanate from the mouth of Marc Trestman back in the good old days when the Als won frequently and made regular Grey Cup appearances.
But Chapdelaine is experienced if nothing else — he has been an offensive co-ordinator for four different Canadian Football League franchises dating back to 2002 — and deserves an opportunity. Rest assured the francophone media who participated in the conference call are applauding the move. But they’ll be just as quick to assail the organization this winter should the interim title not be dropped from Chapdelaine’s job description.
He has six games to turn things around. Andrew Wetenhall, the Als’ lead governor and the son of the team’s owner, said making Chapdelaine anything but interim coach would be unfair to him and other potential candidates, limiting the organization’s ability to secure the best head coach available next winter. And, as unrealistic as it appears, Wetenhall said the organization still hasn’t lost hope of making the playoffs.
“Making an in-season change to the coaching staff is a very difficult transition. We’ve approached this with some hesitancy,” Wetenhall said. “Can this work? We don’t know, we hope. We’re not walking into this blind with an anticipation that it’ll be 6-0 or bust.
“It’s very easy to look backwards and point to mistakes,” Wetenhall added. “It’s easy to be a Monday Morning quarterback with respect to decisions we’ve made in the past. We are where we are. It’s unfortunate.”
As much as this organization spoke about stability and harmony last winter, when it announced Popp would remain in his dual portfolio, it has now changed coaches for the third time in four seasons — a staggering and ignominious footnote. And not once has the move worked, so Chapdelaine better make sure he secures one of the life preservers before they disappear, one already likely destined for Calvillo’s neck.
As much as this was a story for today, it truthfully revolves around the future — both for the organization and Popp. While the general manager said he endorsed the hiring of Chapdelaine and was involved in the process, Popp also remained strangely mute for nearly an hour, which speaks volumes for a guy who talks in paragraphs. Indeed, it appeared for some time he wasn’t even a participant on the call.
Wetenhall did his best to give Popp an endorsement, while never disclosing whether he resigned, or was fired, as the head coach. “It’s hard not to have confidence in a person who’s arguably the most successful general manager in the history of this league,” he said.
“I don’t think we have to have an extensive discussion of Jim’s credentials as general manager.”
No doubt. But the Als haven’t been to the Grey Cup since 2010. Each of the remaining eight CFL franchises have reached the championship game at least once during that interval. And 2017 will be the final season of Popp’s contract as GM, potentially putting him into the lame-duck neighbourhood come training camp.
Wetenhall, coincidentally, refused to guarantee Popp would return next season. “We have to be careful on a public conference call,” he said. “I’m hesitant to answer your question in a direct format. Jim’s track record provides us with competence in his capabilities in that role.”
Popp, almost certainly, will never coach the Als again. The question now becomes should anything be read from his prolonged silence on Monday? And has he been embarrassed enough to believe the time has come for a divorce from the organization?
I don’t see myself as an interim coach. If I see myself as an interim coach ... we would probably end up with interim results.