MontrealAlouettes.com
The Alouettes’ coaching roulette is certainly proof what goes around comes around in the CFL.
For the second time in 8 years, GM Jim Popp returns to the dual role as Head Coach, taking over from a man who suffers the job axe despite winning his last game.
Dan Hawkins beat the Eskimos before the bye week break but there were clear signs all was not right with an offence that still put up 32 points.
Back in 2006, Popp had stepped in for the ailing Don Mathews, who bolted out of the gate to a 7-0 start despite an “aging” quarterback turning 36. The Als went in the tank for 6 straight, pulled it out of the ditch, and The Don stunned his players by bolting for personal health reasons.
This is in fact the third time Popp jumps in with the season already in progress, each time with Grey Cup aspirations and expectations high.
Back in 2001, defensive co-ordinator Rod Rust was promoted from within, to minimize the regime change on a veteran club that had at long last gone to Grey Cup in 2000, but had yet to fulfil its destiny.
I sat on the flight out to Edmonton near Coach Popp. His Als had jumped out to a 9-2 start experiencing a 6-game skid, though many forget both Mike Pringle and Anthony Calvillo were injured for significant stretches.
On the eve of his CFL head coaching debut, Popp slid a dvd into his laptop. I wondered if I’d spy some insights into the Als’ gameplan for the Eskimos.
On came “The Longest Yard.” The Burt Reynolds 1974 classic may have been a fitting choice. If Rust had indeed “lost the room”, Popp might be well served by studying film on what happens when the inmates run the prison yard.
Ironically, the most infamous play of the Popp coaching stints is a 3rd-and-1 play in Winnipeg during the Eastern Semi-final of 2007. Calvillo had left the club to be with his wife Alexia for her fight against cancer. Marcus Brady had only to gain a yard on a quarterback “sneak” and Montreal would be a win away from Grey Cup.
The longest yard, indeed.
Flash forward to 2013. Dan Hawkins, a self-described “think outside the box kind of guy”, is anxious to steal back momentum in a game that will make history for all the wrong reasons. It’s 3rd-and-1 deep in the Als’ zone, but AC is not a sneak kind of guy and his handoff from shotgun to Jerome Messam is stuffed for a loss.
The Stampeders rally from down 24-0 after 15 minutes and the noose surely tightened.
Hawkins was an unusual choice by Popp. Hawkins was supposed to be, if not the passing guru that Trestman was, at least a reasonable facsimile. Someone Popp had exposed to the Als before getting the job.
In fact, the Popp-Hawkins curious connection went all the way back to Jim’s CFL debut with Saskatchewan as an assistant coach. He’d get personnel reports from NFL-Europe and US college players. They had never met face-to-face.
One year, the Popp family travelled through the American Rockies and Popp decided it was time to meet. Coach Hawkins happily welcomed Jim to his office, they talked football, and then The Hawk had to fly.
He had an appointment to go sky-diving.
I’ll say this about Dan Hawkins. He was a loyal trooper to the end. Despite the obvious backfiring of an offence that had to settle for 6 field goals, 2 at or inside the 10-yard line, he defended his offensive coordinator, the man who could just as easily have scapegoated.
The Hawk was not going to pounce on one of at least 3 men on his staff who had hopes of being Head Coach.
Hindsight may be 20-20, but Jim Popp has a third opportunity stepping in and making his mark once again.
At least the Als are only 5 weeks in. At least the club is only 2 points out of first place in the East. It’s a long season.
That makes this 3rd-and-long for Jim Popp, not 3rd-and-1. Not “The Longest Yard”, but certainly no guarantee of a Hollywood ending.
