TSN: ALOUETTES FIRE CHAPDELAINE, THORPE

Photo: Pedersen Media Inc.

The Montreal Alouettes have fired head coach Jacques Chapdelaine and defensive coordinator Noel Thorpe after a 3-8 start to the season, TSN CFL Insider Dave Naylor confirmed Wednesday. GM Kavis Reed will take over as interim HC.

Chapdelaine took over as head coach from Jim Popp last season on an interim basis, posting a 4-2 record over the final six games. He had the interim label removed in December when Kavis Reed was hired as general manager. Popp, who had also been serving as general manager, left the Alouettes in November once the season was over.

The Alouettes were blown out 41-18 by the B.C. Lions in their fourth straight loss on Friday and TSN Montreal 690’s Rick Moffat reports the team held a players-only meeting on Monday. Moffat openly wondered in Alouettes offensive coordinator Anthony Calvillo would be named interim head coach.

Montreal sits third in the CFL East, behind the Ottawa Redblacks and Toronto Argonauts.
The Alouettes’ next coach will be their sixth to assume the role since Marc Trestman left in 2012 after five seasons, a streak that started when Dan Hawkins was fired in August, 2013. Hawkins was replaced by Popp, who then was replaced by Tom Higgins, who Popp once again took over before Chapdelaine got the role season ago.

Chapdelaine leaves the team with a 7-10 head coaching record. Thorpe was in his fifth season with the Alouettes as defensive coordinator. He had the title of assistant head coach added to his role in 2014.

http://www.tsn.ca/alouettes-fire-head-coach-chapdelaine-dc-thorpe-1.855094