Former Ticats offensive coordinator and current Argos receivers coach Tommy Condell had his interview with the Alouettes on Thursday regarding the vacant head coach position.
Condell was hired as a special advisor by Toronto in January and when Marc Trestman came in he became the receivers coach. S.J. Green, Armanti Edwards and Grey Cup MVP DeVier Posey had career-best campaigns under Condell’s tutelage.
2016 saw Condell spend the season out of football after he resigned from the Ticats in April that year because it was in the “best interests of my family.” He kept his mind on football and learning by travelling to universities such as Western Kentucky, Arkansas State, Bowling Green, and Dallas and Baltimore to visit with the Cowboys and Ravens staffs.
But Condell maintained the family residence in Hamilton. He spent three seasons with the Ticats, joining the franchise when Kent Austin was hired as general manager and head coach in 2013. The two men knew each other well coaching together for three seasons at Cornell University in advance of coming to the Hammer.
In Condell’s final season with Hamilton, the Tiger-Cats had the CFL’s top-ranked passing offence and were second in points scored, despite starting four different quarterbacks – Zach Collaros, Jeff Mathews, Jacory Harris, and Jeremiah Masoli – due to injury.
Highly respected around the league, Condell is known for his innovative offensive schemes and ability to bring a family atmosphere to the team, which starts with candor.
“The first conversation we had he told me, ‘S.J. the worst and the best thing about me is I’m honest, and I’m honest,’” all-star receiver S.J. Green said. “I can appreciate that, I felt where he was coming from.”
Montreal’s offence could use an offensive guru like Condell, the Alouettes scored a league-low 314 points in 2017. That was 129 fewer than the next closest team (Hamilton: 443).
