THORPE TO REMAIN IN MONTREAL, BELLEFEUILLE TO B.C.

MONTREAL – Noel Thorpe will stay on as defensive co-ordinator and assistant head coach of the Montreal Alouettes.

The CFL club confirmed Monday that Thorpe will be back for the 2016 campaign.

Thorpe said in a statement that, after talks with Alouettes management, he is “confident moving forward that we addressed any miscommunication that we may have had. I am proud to be a part of the Alouettes organization and look forward to focusing our efforts on the 2016 season.”

Reports last week said Thorpe, who had two years left on his contract, had resigned and was looking to sign with the Edmonton Eskimos.

That prompted league commissioner Jeffrey Orridge to ban coaches moving from one team another without his written approval. The Alouettes gave Thorpe the choice to remain in his job or not coach anywhere in the CFL, but insisted he would be welcome to stay.

“We can now put all of this behind us and move forward,” said general manager Jim Popp. “We never wavered and have always believed that we could come to this conclusion.

“We can all agree that if we keep a better line of communication open, then we can avoid situations like this one.”

Thorpe is entering his fourth year as defensive co-ordinator. He was the Alouettes special teams co-ordinator from 2002 to 2007.

He is believed to be seeking a head coaching job and was miffed when it was announced that Popp would remain in that job for 2016, while special teams co-ordinator Kavis Reed was also promoted to assistant head coach.

The CFL has had a rash of controversial coaching movement this off-season, including Chris Jones leaving the Grey Cup champion Eskimos and taking most of his staff with him to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

(Canadian Press)

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Meanwhile Sportsnet/CFL Insider Arash Madani reports Marcel Bellefeuille will be joining the offensive staff of Wally Buono’s B.C. Lions.

Bellefeuille was the Offensive Coordinator with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2015 however he was let go following the club’s 5-13 season.