CFL Notebook: Jones Is Back
JONES NAMED DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR IN HAMILTON
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hired Chris Jones as a senior defensive assistant and cut ties with assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Mark Washington on Monday.
The club said in a release that Jones will take over defensive play-calling duties after it “mutually agreed to part ways” with Washington.
The announcement comes after the Ticats (2-8) were defeated 47-22 by the Edmonton Elks (3-7) on Saturday at Tim Hortons Field.
“It’s exciting to add someone of Coach Jones’s calibre to our staff, given his extensive experience and proven effectiveness on the defensive side of the ball,” Milanovich said in the release. “We look forward to the positive impact his knowledge and leadership will bring to the team.”
Jones led Edmonton to a Grey Cup in 2015 as head coach, and was the CFL’s coach of the year in 2018 with the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The 57-year-old also won a Grey Cup ring as a defensive line coach with the 2002 Montreal Alouettes and as defensive coordinator with the Calgary Stampeders in 2008.
RIDERS SIGN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TATE
American offensive lineman Trevon Tate has signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the CFL club announced Monday.
The six-foot-four, 295-pound Tate joins the Roughriders after playing four games at right tackle for the Calgary Stampeders this year.
Tate spent two seasons (2022-23) with the Toronto Argonauts, suiting up for 18 games including eight starts at right tackle and two at left tackle in 2023 as part of an offensive line that allowed a league-low 19 sacks.
He won a Grey Cup with Toronto in 2022.
Tate started his career with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, playing in eight games over the 2019 and 2021 seasons and appeared in one game for Ottawa in 2021.
Collegiately, Tate spent five seasons at Memphis (2014-2018) where he played in 51 games and made 48 starts, primarily at left tackle. He was named First Team All-American Athletic Conference in 2017 and Second Team All-American Athletic Conference as a senior in 2018.
In a corresponding move the Roughriders released American quarterback Eric Barriere.
AUSTIN MACK RETURNS TO MONTREAL
All-star receiver Austin Mack is back with the Montreal Alouettes after a stint with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
The CFL club announced Mack’s return in a release on Monday.
Mack played one pre-season game with the Falcons after signing with the team in January.
He was released on Aug. 12.
The 26-year-old American was named a CFL all-star in 2023, his first season in the league, when he caught 78 passes for 1,154 yards and four touchdowns.
He added six receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown in the Alouettes’ 28-24 win over Winnipeg in the Grey Cup game.
“We just added a star receiver to our roster, and we are very happy about it,” Alouettes general manager Danny Maciocia said in a statement. “Mack was a key part of our success in 2023.
“He knows our coaches, our players, and is familiar with our systems. Plus, he’s someone who brings a lot with his positive attitude.”
The Alouettes (9-1) return to action Sunday when they host Edmonton.
(Canadian Press)
Evidence based thinkers can change their mind. My apology but Scott Milanovich is pure slime. It’s no shock that Huff got up and walked out when this guy won a coach of the year award. He screwed Edmonton during the pandemic. He gets this Hamilton job and has now fired his 2 Coordinators. The only reason Chris Jones is here. His contract stipulates they must seek employment to minimize the payout to his former employer. Bottom line it’s the old e.i rule of needing to show a list of places he’s applied before they give welfare out. When this season… Read more »
And we almost had Milanovich here. YIKES!
….and I was endorsing that move. Proof positive “when wrong promptly admit it” When he was in Indianapolis and some changes were made. He was never given play calling duties – now that’s telling. The other telling thing was Cleveland essentially had Chris Jones sitting off to the side charting plays like a joe-boy. Down there what ends up happening is these guys can get greased through with a Bill Parcells stamp of approval considering he’s about 102 years old now. Eventually when the rubber meets the road people will say “oh….you two don’t have a singular f’in clue do… Read more »
You predicted Chris Jones would return. He turned off a lot of people in Saskatchewan, fans that have never returned and we all know what he did to Edmonton, I can hardly believe how many chances the franchise-wrecker gets.
Same losers that didnt’ return when Jim Daley cut Bobby Jurasin.
We’re at the point now either buy a ticket or shut your mouth.
This proves it! ” Birds of a feather flock together.”
yep, the two biggest con-artists in the CFL are on the team.
Scary thought! If Malanovich had been hired by the Riders would he now be looking at Jones to be his defensive coordinator?