Calvillo remains on board as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after returning to the organization in 2022. He previously coached with Montreal from 2015 to 2017 after wrapping up a 16-year stint as a quarterback for the franchise which saw him become the CFL’s all-time passing leader.

Thorpe is back for a third season with the team on his third separate stint with the organization. He was the architect of the Alouettes’ dominant defence in 2023, allowing the second-fewest points per game of any team in the league at 21.8.

Archambault has been the team’s assistant head coach and special teams coordinator since 2021, while also serving as director of player personnel. In 2023, he was responsible for the best punt coverage unit in the CFL while also facilitating the development of returner James Letcher Jr.

Also returning are offensive line coach Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, receivers coach and pass game coordinator Michael Lionello, linebackers coach Greg Quick, defensive line coach Corey Irvin, and assistant defensive backs coach Chandler Jones. Running backs coach Tyrell Sutton is not returning, with fullbacks coach Dave Jackson taking over both responsibilities.

New to the staff next season is offensive line assistant David Brown, who has spent the past three seasons as a player with the team. The Western product played 28 games and made nine starts in his first two years in Montreal but spent the entirety of 2023 on the six-game injured list assisting Brodeur-Jordain. He previously spent three years with the Calgary Stampeders after being selected in the fourth round of the 2018 CFL Draft.

The Alouettes announced that head coach Jason Maas and general manager Danny Maciocia had both been signed to multi-year contract extensions on Wednesday. The team will begin the defence of their Grey Cup title when they visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Thursday, June 6.

[metabet_core_side_odds_tile query=”fbb/montreal_alouettes” size=”100%x50″ site_id=”3downnation”]

The 25-year-old Domagala previously attended training camp with the Tiger-Cats in 2019.

Prior to turning pro, he played eight games for Carleton University in 2018, converting 16-of-21 field goal attempts, all 26 extra point attempts, and recording 63 punts for an average of 40.1 yards per punt for the Ravens.

In 42 career games at Carleton from 2013-2018, the five-foot-nine, 202-pound native of St. Catharines, Ontario converted 73-of-96 field goal attempts and all 132 extra point attempts, and registered 347 punts for an average of 38.8 yards per punt.

The Tiger-Cats’ roster is now set at 100 players for the opening of 2021 training camp.

Assessing any draft fairly takes time. The number of factors in determining the quality of a draft class — player development, playing time, coaching, trades, free agency, roster depth, injuries — is huge. Still, given that the 2015 CFL draft is now four seasons in the past, I feel it is fair to assign each selection a grade.

This is the fifth annual installment of my CFL re-draft series. Click here for the 2011 edition, here for the 2012 edition, here for the 2013 edition, and here for the 2014 edition.

Keeping with the grading scheme of previous re-drafts, the following scale will be used to rate player selections.

5 — perennial all-star
4 — consistent starter
3 — situational starter, strong depth player
2 — special teamer and/or distant depth player
1 — minimal contributor, has been released or has retired
0 — never appeared in a CFL regular season game

It should also be noted that grades only reflect the impact a player has with the team that drafted him. If John Doe is drafted and released by Team A, it doesn’t matter if he later becomes a perennial all-star with Team B; Team A would still receive a grade of 0 for their selection.

Feel free to follow along with the whole draft here.

B.C. Lions

[table id=24 /]

Mrabure-Ajufo was an off-the-board pick, recording two tackles and a sack in six games as a rookie. He returned to the club in 2016 but was offered a spot on the practice roster coming out of training camp. He chose instead to sign a contract with the Riders where he played for two seasons. Mrabure-Ajufo joined the Stampeders as a free agent in February of 2018 and still remains with the club, albeit on the one-game injured list. He has recorded 45 tackles and six sacks in 49 career games.

Boyko recently signed with the Lions after a four-year stint in the NFL (Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Chargers) and AAF (San Diego Fleet). He started the season at right tackle in B.C., though he now finds himself on injured reserve.

Covington has yet to sign a CFL contract, recently inking a one-year, $1.75 million USD contract with the Dallas Cowboys following a four-year stint with the Houston Texans.

Murray-Lawrence played 39 games with the Lions, contributing mostly as a return specialist. The Scarborough native recorded 47 carries for 148 yards and three touchdowns as a ball carrier, 13 receptions for 73 yards, and 60 kick returns for 1,288 yards. He signed with Montreal and Saskatchewan in 2018, though he never saw the field. He remains a free agent.

Clarke played 52 games over three seasons with the Lions, recording 26 special teams tackles and one defensive tackle. The Bishop’s product signed with the Riders in 2018, though he failed to record a statistic with the club. He is now a free agent.

Forde appeared in 27 games with B.C. over three seasons, recording 15 tackles, two forced fumbles, and one sack. He was traded to the Redblacks in September of 2018, though the deal was voided after Forde failed his physical. The Seattle native was in Winnipeg’s training camp in 2019 but did not make the team.

Allison and Brinkworth never dressed for a regular season game with the Lions.

Edmonton Eskimos

[table id=25 /]

Groulx was drafted as a pro-ready prospect — he was already 25 on draft day — who never panned out. The Laval product appeared in just 17 games over three seasons with Edmonton and missed lots of time due to injury. He’s yet to sign another CFL contract following his release from the Eskimos in January of 2018.

Beard has grown into a starter after filling a depth role in Edmonton during his first two seasons. The Sherwood Park native has appeared in 56 games with the Eskimos and is signed through the 2019 season.

Konar was a steal in the third round, though his career has been limited by injuries. The Calgary product’s best season came in 2017 when he recorded 59 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one sack in 12 games. Konar was released in May due to salary cap constraints, signing with his hometown Lions the following day.

Smith was an excellent late-round pick, recording 52 special teams tackles in 52 career games. He has also proven a valuable depth piece at weak-side linebacker, recording 16 defensive tackles, one forced fumble, and one sack.

Johnson never appeared in a CFL regular season game.

Calgary Stampeders

[table id=26 /]

Lavoie played in just one regular season game as a rookie, suffering a serious knee injury. The Laval product would later announce his retirement after missing the entire 2016 season due to lingering health issues. It’s a shame we never got to see more from the big man who was developing into a starter at the tackle position.

Durant was limited during his tenure with Calgary — not only did the club boast strong depth at national receiver, he also suffered a torn ACL in 2017. The SFU product still produced respectable numbers, however, with 102 receptions for 1,280 yards and eight touchdowns in 51 career games. Durant signed with B.C. as a free agent this past February and could be poised to become the league’s leading national receiver in 2019.

Varga signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent and made the club’s 53-man roster following a strong training camp. The Yale product recorded a carry and a reception in three games before suffering a career-ending concussion.

Campbell appeared in just five games with Calgary before he was traded to Saskatchewan, recording seven tackles. He has since played for the Riders (2016-2017), Alouettes (2017-2018), and is now a member of the New York Jets.

Langlais has appeared in 67 of a possible 72 career CFL games and is one of the league’s most consistent special teams players. He has just nine career receptions, but his 53 special teams tackles are among the most of the 2015 draft class.

Janke, a university running back, appeared in 16 games with the Stampeders from 2015-2017 and recorded 13 tackles on special teams. Released in May of 2018, Janke signed with the Blue Bombers in February of 2019. He is currently on the team’s six-game injured list.

Buckley made the Stampeders’ roster in 2016 as the club’s third-string quarterback and later earned the back-up job in 2017. The Dinos star recorded 33 completions on 44 pass attempts for 326 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in his career prior to his retirement.

Picton was cut out of training camp in 2015 and his rights were later traded to the Riders. He never appeared in a CFL regular season game.

Saskatchewan Roughriders

[table id=27 /]

Demski appeared in 40 games for Saskatchewan from 2015-2017, starting a number of games at field-side wideout. He recorded 69 receptions for 725 yards and three touchdowns with the Riders along with with 1,060 return yards and one touchdown. The Winnipeg native signed with the Blue Bombers in free agency in February of 2018 and enjoyed a solid season, re-upping with the club through 2020.

Connop played just one season in the CFL before announcing his retirement. He was thrust into the starting line-up prematurely, recording seven tackles in 16 games.

Rea didn’t play much at Michigan State but leapt up draft boards after he performed 31 reps on the bench press at the national combine. He played in Saskatchewan (2015) and Edmonton (2016), recording one career catch. Rea is most remembered for colliding with offensive lineman Corey Watman in the end zone on a would-be touchdown pass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mTYpD7Leuk

Tennant played eight games as a rookie with the Riders, recording three tackles and one sack. Released after the 2015 season, Tennant appeared in four games for the Canadian-needy Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2016.

Adjei and Langlais never dressed for a CFL regular season game.

Abankwah showed elite quickness and surprising route-running ability at the combine but tested positive for PEDs after the event was over. He never got another look in the CFL.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

[table id=28 /]

Chungh started 69 of a possible 72 games with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, the most starts of any player drafted in 2015. A West Division all-star for the first time in 2018, Chungh signed a big-money free agent contract with the B.C. Lions this past February.

Richards appeared in seventeen games with the Bombers over the 2015 and 2016 seasons, recording one reception for 12 yards. Plagued by injury, Richards retired in August of 2017 after he was demoted to the practice roster.

Morgan appeared in 27 games with Winnipeg over the 2015 and 2016 seasons, recording four defensive tackles and 13 special teams tackles. Released prior to the 2017 season due to injury, Morgan eventually signed onto Edmonton’s practice roster at the end of that year. The Queen’s product rejoined the Bombers in 2018, appearing in 15 regular season games.

Normand played in 42 games from 2015 to 2017 and recorded 11 carries for 86 yards, 10 receptions for 53 yards, and nine special teams tackles. He joined the Eskimos as a free agent in February of 2018 and is now a member of the Alouettes.

Lattanzio was released following a failed attempt to convert the six-foot, 250-pound defensive lineman to fullback. Signed quickly by his hometown Redblacks, Lattanzio has recorded 45 tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles in 46 games with Ottawa.

Warden appeared in one game with the Bombers in 2016, recording one special teams tackle. Though he got a brief look from the Eskimos, Warden’s career was effectively ended by injuries.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

[table id=29 /]

Archambault played just 10 games as a pro, suffering a torn ACL in his rookie season. He recorded eight career special teams tackles prior to his retirement in January of 2017 to pursue further education and a coaching role at the University of Montreal.

Langa has recorded 56 special teams tackles in 58 games with the Ticats, making him arguably the top special teamer from the 2015 draft class. He has never started a CFL game.

Omara played 25 games with the Ticats over two season with the club (2015-2016), recording eight special teams tackles. He has since seen spot duty with the Redblacks (2017) and Lions (2018).

Ellefsen, English and Huggins were all released prior to appearing in a regular season game.

Toronto Argonauts

[table id=30 /]

McEwen has become a top end starter with the Argos after returning to the University of Calgary in 2015 to complete his USports eligibility. He was named the East Division’s Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in 2017 and is a force to be reckoned with at centre. He is arguably the best player in the entire 2015 draft class.

Waud enjoyed a productive rookie season, recording 12 tackles and three sacks in 17 games. The next two seasons were plagued by injuries — he appeared in just eight games — and those injury issues followed him to Ottawa in 2018. Waud is currently a free agent.

Walker has appeared in 53 games over four seasons with Toronto, recording three defensive tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack, and 25 special teams tackles. He is now on the Tiger-Cats’ practice roster.

Bradfield was briefly on Toronto’s roster in 2016 following an injury to slotback Andre Durie. He saw the field sparingly on special teams.

Norzil, Campbell, and MacDonald were released after training camp but all ended up in Saskatchewan. Norzil also spent time with Calgary, while Campbell was briefly a member of the Alouettes.

Ottawa Redblacks

[table id=31 /]

Mateas took a little longer than expected to enter the starting line-up but the local product has been solid at centre since the 2017 season. He’s missed just two games in four seasons and learned patiently behind veteran offensive lineman Jon Gott. The UConn product now anchors the CFL’s only all-Canadian offensive line.

Harty went surprisingly early on draft day and contributed little as a rookie. He eventually got into the starting line-up in his third year, finishing his tenure with the Redblacks with 36 receptions for 307 yards, one touchdown, and 13 special teams tackles. The Calgary product signed with the Riders as a free agent in February of 2018 but has yet to dress due to a torn ACL.

Doll appeared in 22 games with Ottawa, notching two special teams tackles and a forced fumble. He dressed for four games with Hamilton in 2018 and is now a member of the B.C. Lions.

LaFrance appeared in 32 games with the Redblacks over two seasons (2015-2016) predominantly on special teams. The former Bison’s tenure in Ottawa will forever be defined by his 157-yard performance in the 2016 East Final, a game that helped launch the Redblacks to a Grey Cup title. LaFrance has since split time between the Riders (2017, 2019) and Bombers (2018).

Court and Leganiere never appeared in a CFL regular season game.

Montreal Alouettes

[table id=32 /]

Ackie contributed predominantly on special teams until the 2018 season when he recorded 81 tackles, two interceptions, one sack, and one forced fumble. Traded to Ottawa this past October as a pre-deadline salary dump, Ackie just signed back in Montreal.

Ruby appeared in 20 games with the Alouettes over two seasons (2015-2016) and eventually became the club’s starting left tackle. Released following a string of poor performances, Ruby has spent the past two seasons in Edmonton predominantly as a back-up guard.

Shortill recorded 29 special teams tackles and 22 defensive tackles in 35 games over two seasons with Montreal (2015-2016). Traded to Hamilton in February of 2017, Shortill has since played 17 games for the Tiger-Cats.

Bridge completed 26 of 40 pass attempts with the Alouettes for 282 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Cut partway into the 2016 season, Bridge spent three seasons in Saskatchewan (2016-2018) before signing with Toronto (February 2019) and Montreal (June 2019).

Charette caught 24 passes for 208 yards as a rookie, also chipping in seven special teams tackles. Released following the 2016 season, Charette has appeared in 23 games over two season with the Argos contributing solely on special teams.

Coady appeared in 18 games with Montreal over two seasons (2015-2016) and recorded 12 total tackles. He spent a portion of the 2017 season on Toronto’s practice roster. He also apparently wears his old jersey to Alouettes games.

2018 Awkward Sports Moment winner: @joeyalfieri and I are on the field after an #AlsMTL game. We both notice an Anthony Coady, authentic Alouettes jersey being worn by who?!?

Anthony Coady, himself.

That, is you most awkward sports moment of the year. Only in the CFL

— Moe Khan (@MoeKhan19) December 24, 2018

Bodanis, Davidson, and Lawlor never appeared in a CFL regular season game.

Final Grades

[table id=23 /]

This year’s draft scores are pretty spread out. I’ve made each column sortable so you can view the data by a number of different criteria.

Overall, I’d suggest the Eskimos had the strongest draft in 2015. The club made the best selections and kept more of their draft picks than any other team. I’ve got Ottawa at second, though Toronto kept more players.

I’ve got Saskatchewan on the bottom because, while they scored slightly higher than Hamilton on a per pick basis, they didn’t keep any of their selections long-term. A case could be made to put the Ticats (or even the Lions) on the bottom as well.

Re-Draft

Knowing what we know now about player development, NFL opportunities, and injuries, here are how the first three rounds of the 2015 CFL draft may have looked.

Round 1, Pick 1: OL Sean McEwen, Calgary – Ottawa Redblacks

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 3 – Toronto Argonauts

The Redblacks have to wait a year for McEwen to report, but they end up with the best centre in the CFL. It’s hard to argue with taking the best player in the draft at first overall.

Round 1, Pick 2: OL Sukh Chungh, Calgary – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 2 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

There’s no reason to change a pick that worked out well for the Bombers. Chungh may have left via free agency, but he was still a four-year starter who fit the club’s offensive scheme perfectly.

Round 1, Pick 3: OL Alex Mateas, Connecticut – Toronto Argonauts

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 1 – Ottawa Redblacks

The Argos still need a centre and Mateas is the best available option with McEwen off the board. The UConn product gets a couple of seasons to develop before taking over the starting job in Toronto.

Round 1, Pick 4: LB Chris Ackie, Wilfrid Laurier – Montreal Alouettes

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 4 – Montreal Alouettes

Another pick that doesn’t need to be changed. Montreal still gets the best defensive play-maker in the draft — though they probably shouldn’t trade him away this time around, although he did return to the Als.

Round 1, Pick 5: REC Lemar Durant, Simon Fraser – B.C. Lions

Original draft: Round 2, Pick 18 – Calgary Stampeders

The Lions get the draft’s best receiver (and a player they recently signed as a free agent) in Durant. He’s also a local product, which is an added bonus.

Round 1, Pick 6: LB Adam Konar, Calgary – Saskatchewan Roughriders

Original draft: Round 3, Pick 25 – Edmonton Eskimos

The Riders get a fleet-footed linebacker who can start on the weak-side while also contributing on special teams. He’s had health issues, but Konar is excellent when healthy.

Round 1, Pick 7: REC Nic Demski, Manitoba – Edmonton Eskimos

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 6 – Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Eskimos get a versatile weapon in Demski — a receiver, ball carrier, and return specialist. He contributes early and often as the team waits on 2016 draftee Tevaun Smith.

Round 1, Pick 8: OL David Beard, Alberta – Montreal Alouettes

Original draft: Round 2, Pick 16 – Edmonton Eskimos

Beard lacked polish coming out of the University of Alberta but his athleticism has helped him become a major contributor at centre and guard. He would project as a starter in Montreal.

Round 1, Pick 9: LB Blair Smith, Angelo State – Calgary Stampeders

Original draft: Round 7, Pick 60 – Edmonton Eskimos

Smith becomes the highest riser in our re-draft, leaping 51 spots into the first round. Without any sure-fire starters available, Calgary adds the draft’s best special teams player.

Round 2, Pick 10: FB William Langlais, Sherbrooke – Ottawa Redblacks

Original draft: Round 3, Pick 27 – Calgary Stampeders

The Redblacks grab a French-Canadian fullback with the ability to help out on both offence and special teams.

Round 2, Pick 11: DB Jonathan Langa, Saint Mary’s – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Original draft: Round 3, Pick 20 – Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Bombers select a defensive back who is a beast on special teams. He fills a critical depth role.

Round 2, Pick 12: QB Brandon Bridge, South Alabama – Toronto Argonauts

Original draft: Round 4, Pick 31 – Montreal Alouettes

The Argos draft a local product they eventually signed in free agency. Bridge provides the Boatmen with an athletic back-up pivot who can start in a pinch.

Round 2, Pick 13: DB Tevaughn Campbell, Regina – Montreal Alouettes

Original draft: Round 3, Pick 22 – Calgary Stampeders

The Als pick-up a lightning-fast cover cornerback who can help out on special teams. Campbell can also return kicks if needed.

Round 2, Pick 14: OL Jacob Ruby, Richmond – B.C. Lions

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 8 – Montreal Alouettes

The Leos pick-up a big-bodied offensive lineman (6’7, 315) with the size the club covets. Ruby can contribute at both guard and tackle.

Round 2, Pick 15: RB Kienan LaFrance, Manitoba – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Original draft: Round 6, Pick 45 – Ottawa Redblacks

The Bombers go local, grabbing a ball carrier to back-up Andrew Harris. LaFrance brings some special teams prowess along with his ability to contribute on offence.

Round 2, Pick 16: LB Nick Shortill, McMaster – Edmonton Eskimos

Original draft: Round 2, Pick 13 – Montreal Alouettes

The Esks grab a special teams contributor with the ability to play a little defence as well. Good athlete with some intangibles.

Round 2, Pick 17: DL Ese Mrabure-Ajufo, Wilfrid Laurier – Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Original draft: Round 1, Pick 5 – B.C. Lions

Mrabure-Ajufo brings the ability to contribute at both defensive end and defensive tackle, helping the Tabbies round out their depth in the trenches.

Round 2, Pick 18: FB Christophe Normand, Laval – Calgary Stampeders

Original draft: Round 4, Pick 33 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers

With Langlais off the board, Calgary grabs the best available fullback. Normand uses his underrated athleticism to contribute on both offence and special teams.

Councillors signed off Wednesday on a city recommendation to study possible costs and opportunities associated with bringing a Grey Cup game to Hamilton for the first time since 1996.

The report was light on details, but noted multi-day Grey Cup events have had an estimated $80-million-plus economic impact in other cities in recent years.

Rob Gatto, manager of sports and entertainment facilities, told Hamilton’s general issues committee Dec. 12 the city will need to conduct an architectural and structural assessment of the 24,000-seat stadium to determine if additional temporary seating can be installed for a Grey Cup game. It is a requirement for a Grey Cup game that a stadium accommodate at least 40,000 seats.

Ancaster Coun. Lloyd Ferguson said he was surprised to discover the city didn’t already have design plans in place to install the additional seating. There was an expectation that when Hamilton decided to replace Ivor Wynn Stadium with Tim Hortons Field for the 2015 Pan Am Games, it would host a Grey Cup.

“We did see conceptual plans (for the expanded stadium) to go up to 40,000 (seats)” said Ferguson, who helped to oversee the construction of the facility. “Did I dream that?”

But Gatto said the only plans or designs the province or Infrastructure Ontario provided the city were conceptual photos.

“There were no real specs from the CFL,” said Gatto. “There were no stamped plans.”

He said when visiting Ottawa, which hosted the Grey Cup in 2017, the city installed temporary seating at both end zones to accommodate the fans. Any temporary seating for a Grey Cup to be held at Tim Hortons Field would be at the north and south end zones.

Ferguson said one of the reasons the stadium’s forecourt is so large was to accommodate the temporary seating.

“It was to hold the scaffolding,” he said.

Gatto, though, said it is “doable” to install the temporary seating if Hamilton gets the nod to host a Grey Cup.

“That makes me feel better,” said Ferguson.

Hamilton has hosted the Grey Cup 10 times, most recently in 1996 at the former Ivor Wynne Stadium.

Calgary is hosting the 2019 Grey Cup, while Regina, Sask. and Montreal, have indicated interest in hosting the 2020 game.

Hamilton finally settled a number of lawsuits in 2018 over the construction of Tim Hortons with the Tiger-Cats, Infrastructure Ontario and the consortium that build the $145-million stadium. Hamilton contributed $40 million to the project.

The facility was scheduled to be completed on June 30, 2014, but was not delivered to the city until almost a year later. And even after the city took control of the facility there were continuing deficiencies with the stadium, including flooding, a falling speaker, various mechanical system breakdowns, lighting and floor drains.

The Tiger-Cats are interested in hosting a Grey Cup either in 2020 or 2021. The Canadian Football League changed how they awarded the hosting duties. Instead of rotating where the championship game is held, potential municipalities are now required to bid on the game.

A municipal contribution could include providing direct investment, infrastructure improvements, establish fan and community program events, marketing and promotion.

The CFL has said hosting a Grey Cup injects up to $120 million into the local municipal economy. The big game is only one part of what is a weeklong event that includes a festival kickoff, multiday fan experience, a Grey Cup concert series, a CFL Alumni Legends luncheon, a Grey Cup street festival and a gala dinner.

– Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News

Yet there’s one small hiccup. Nobody really knows if even the smaller number is possible.

“We don’t have a structural design for the bleachers,” says city facilities manager Rom D’Angelo. “That was one of our deficiencies.”

It seems when the stadium was being built, engineering studies for temporary bleachers were supposed to be included with the finished product. Yet D’Angelo says that never happened. All the city received was an artist’s rendering of what it could look like.

During recent negotiations between the city and builder to settle legal disputes, the city took on the task of getting this done. Which means that while the 24,000-plus-seat stadium may indeed be expandable to 35,000, knowing for certain won’t happen until the city brings in engineers to do a study.

D’Angelo says this work could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, though Mayor Fred Eisenberger says when the negotiations were ongoing, some money would have been held back from the builder to pay for this.

With bidding for the game about to ramp up, D’Angelo says a report that lays out what needs to be done to get the engineering reports will be landing in front of the new council sometime this month.

“If it’s the 2020 game, we have to act really, really quickly,” he says.

Council will have to sign off on the cost to get the structural engineering report done, which would require hiring outside engineers since the city doesn’t have people who can do this on staff.

Even if the maximum capacity turns out to be on the lower end, it wouldn’t preclude Hamilton from hosting a game. Three years ago at BMO Field in Toronto, the announced attendance was 33,421. (The last time the game was held here, back in 1996, the official number was 38,595.)

However, it’s a fair guess that fewer available seats might increase the average price of tickets. And might make the CFL lean toward Saskatchewan that’s also in the running for 2020 and has a stadium that’s reportedly expandable to 40,000.

After the team made a presentation to the CFL’s Grey Cup subcommittee a couple weeks ago — the first of several steps to ultimately winning the right to host the game — Ticats president of business Matt Afinec told The Spectator’s Steve Milton that the exact details of the bid hadn’t been worked out yet. Ticats CEO Scott Mitchell also declined to offer Milton any concrete details. So 35,000 has just been a reference point.

Bringing the stadium up to that capacity means adding nearly as many temporary seats as there are on each side of the facility. But doing it in smaller spaces.

The majority would be built on the south end plaza by the entry gates while some others would likely be constructed around the scoreboard at the opposite end. Working around the permanent brick entry gates would likely pose no real problem. But D’Angelo says the new stands might not be able to go the full width of the field because they can’t block the stairways fans use to get to their seats.

“We will not get a permit if we do not have proper egress,” he explains.

Once engineering work has been done, Coun. Lloyd Ferguson says putting in the bleachers shouldn’t be too difficult, even in these spots. It’s simply a case of spreading the weight-bearing load, even if that requires bolts to be drilled into the concrete.

“That can’t be too complicated to do that,” says the longtime builder.

The city does seem motivated to make this work. Eisenberger has already given the franchise a letter of support which he says offers no specifics for aid but general enthusiasm for the bid. He says Hamilton would be expected to contribute either with cash or in-kind services which could involve HSR buses, the use of public facilities or other things.

Whether the eventual cost of erecting the temporary seating is borne by the city or the Ticats or some combination, it’s not going to be cheap, D’Angelo says.

“Obviously, it’s going to be a hefty price,” he says.

The Tiger-Cats did not respond to emailed questions and a request for comment.

Orlando Steinauer says there was a time when he fought the urge to get into coaching after his playing career was done.

With those days clearly behind him and eight years of experience on the sidelines under his belt, Steinauer was introduced Monday as the 26th head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He takes over for June Jones, who stepped aside to give Steinauer the reins but will remain with the team as associate coach and offensive co-ordinator.

The Ticats had to make the unusual coaching shuffle in order to retain the sought-after coach, who was an assistant on Jones’s staff last season. Both the Toronto Argonauts and B.C. Lions asked Hamilton for permission to talk to Steinauer about their vacant head coach positions.

Steinauer said retaining Jones on the staff was a key reason for him to remain in Hamilton.

“For June to make the suggestion to step aside speaks volumes for him,” Steinauer said at a press conference. “To be able to retain him on this staff is an amazing thing for me.

“He’s still going to be a guy that I lean on a lot, and I just look forward to continuing to build the relationship with him and build a sustainable model here.”

The 45-year-old Steinauer started his coaching career with the Toronto Argonauts in 2010 and has had a steady rise since, but originally he wasn’t sure this was the path he wanted to take.

“I always saw myself as a coach, I kind of fought it,” he said. “I was really reluctant.”

He said the first time former Argos general manager Jim Barker called him with a job offer, he turned it down.

“I just told him I wasn’t ready to put my family through this coaching thing,” he said.

He eventually joined the Argos’ staff, getting promoted to defensive co-ordinator in 2011. He was retained as a defensive backs coach when Scott Milanovich took over as Argos head coach in 2012.

He moved to Hamilton in 2013 to become defensive co-ordinator under head coach Kent Austin before leaving to take the same job with NCAA Division 1 school Fresno State in 2017, helping the Bulldogs to a West Division title in the Mountain West Conference. His stay in U.S. college football was short-lived, however, as he returned to Hamilton as an assistant coach last season.

“My reason for coming back is I had an opportunity to learn from lifers,” Steinauer said. “To learn from Jerry (defensive co-ordinator Jerry Glanville) and June.

“It was tough, because sometimes you get caught up the power of a dollar and all these other things. I’m 45, not 35. So if it was about money I wouldn’t be here. This was about growth, this was about family, this was being a better person being a better man. This was the best spot for me.”

Jones guided the team to an 8-10 record in the regular season. The Tiger-Cats finished second in the East and reached the division final before falling to Ottawa.

“After working closely with Orlondo last season, it was obvious to me that he’s ready to take the next step in his career and become a head coach in the CFL,” Jones said. “He’s earned this opportunity and the time was now. I made a decision that in order to put our best foot forward and bring a Grey Cup championship back to Hamilton, we needed to keep him here and expand his role.

“Winning is the most important thing and I’m excited about our great opportunity for success in 2019 with Orlondo returning as head coach.”

Jones said he recently approached CEO Scott Mitchell with a suggestion to make the changes, adding he also talked to Steinauer about his options.

“I just felt that this was the best opportunity for him to be a Grey Cup champion here faster than anywhere else,” Jones said on a conference call.

Steinauer won two Grey Cups over his 13-year CFL playing career. He was named an all-star at three different positions (cornerback, halfback and safety) and his 1,178 interception return yards are the second-most in league history.

-CP

The club posted a Tweet late Friday night with the news.

You heard it here first…

Coach O (@Coach220) will return to the #Ticats in 2019! pic.twitter.com/Y2xzemsZN7

— Hamilton Tiger-Cats (@Ticats) November 30, 2018

The surprise announcement comes after reports that the B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts approached the Tiger-Cats about speaking to Steinauer regarding their vacant head-coaching positions.

Steinauer, 45, was Hamilton’s assistant head coach under June Jones last season. He returned to the Ticats after one season as the defensive co-ordinator at Fresno State University.

Steinauer was Hamilton’s defensive co-ordinator (2013-16) and had emerged as a leading CFL head-coaching candidate. But he headed to Fresno State last season as former CFL coach Jeff Tedford’s defensive co-ordinator.

The Tweet doesn’t specify what role Steinauer will hold with the club and there’s been no additional information provided by the club.

Ambrosie held his annual state of the league address as part of the Grey Cup festivities in Edmonton on Friday and said now that the litigation over Tim Hortons Field has been resolved, the league plans on hosting the event in Hamilton where it hasn’t been held since 1996.

“I think they are ready to host the Grey Cup and we want them to have a Grey Cup,” Ambrosie said.

In early November, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats made a presentation to the CFL’s Grey Cup subcommittee as part of a multi-step bid process to determine who will host 2020’s prestigious — and lucrative — championship. They are one of three teams in the running, including the Montreal Alouettes and the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

“We’ve had three presentations for the 2020 game and they were remarkable,” Ambrosie said. “We had hoped to have a decision on 2020 today but we couldn’t because the bids were so amazing that we had to go back and revisit them.”

Ambrosie team owner Bob Young and CEO Scott Mitchell have embraced the bid process, which replaced an ad-hoc system that featured little planning or oversight.

“The city of Hamilton is going through this amazing renaissance, the city is changing dramatically. In some ways it’s not the old Hamilton that people might have thought about, there’s this whole revitalization that’s happened there and that’s part of the story that Scott and Bob are telling,” Ambrosie said.

“Nobody wants to short-circuit the bidding process because they believe it’s so important to the future of the Grey Cup. But I know from what I’ve observed there’s little or no doubt in my mind that Hamilton is going to get its turn at a Grey Cup and it is going to be the next greatest Grey Cup in the history of our league.”

In a joint press conference at the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, Peter Dyakowski and Marwan Hage announced Wednesday that they are seeking the Conservative Party nomination in different Hamilton ridings for the next federal election.

Dyakowski is seeking the nomination in Hamilton Mountain, and Hage is running in Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.

If the former offensive linemen secure their nominations, they will face an uphill battle in federal ridings that have traditionally not gone the Conservatives’ way.

Hamilton East-Stoney Creek has elected either a Liberal or New Democrat MP since its formation in 2003, while Hamilton Mountain hasn’t elected a representative from a conservative party since the Progressive Conservatives won the riding in 1979.

Scott Duvall of the NDP is the incumbent MP in Hamilton Mountain, while Liberal Bob Bratina represents Hamilton East-Stoney Creek.

The 34-year-old Dyakowski, who announced his retirement from the CFL on Nov. 1, appeared in 166 career regular-season games – 149 as a starter – with Hamilton (2007-16) and Saskatchewan (2017).

The Vancouver native was the winner of CBC’s Canada’s Smartest Person reality special in 2012 and appeared on an episode of “Jeopardy!” on June 3, 2014, finishing in third place.

“Playing for Hamilton and representing this city on the field has been one of the greatest experiences of my life,” Dyakowski said. “I have always believed in the necessity of public service; dedicating myself to the city which has given me everything is an absolute honour.  If I can use my voice for the good of the people of Hamilton Mountain, I will, and I will make sure the people of my riding are heard.”

Hage, who emigrated with his family from Beirut, Lebanon to Montreal in 1990, spent 10 seasons with the Ticats from 2004 to 2013. He was a CFL all-star in 2010. The 37-year-old owns multiple Tim Hortons franchises in the Toronto area.

-CP

“It’s a different bunch here, that’s why, ” he said.

Green isn’t the only one who feels this way. For the running back and his teammates, the 2018 Hamilton Tiger-Cats were more than a team. They were family. So, after going out in a lopsided beat-down by the Ottawa Redblacks in the CFL’s East final, none of them were ready to empty their lockers on Tuesday.

None of them were ready to say goodbye. “You’ve been through so much together and to come up short, it sucks, ” he added. “It just sucks. I don’t know what else to say. It’s a bad feeling and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.”

Green knows – they all know – this season was a missed opportunity. In football, there are some things you can control, like personnel and schemes, and others, like chemistry and camaraderie, you can’t. They grow organically and are important, necessary even, for success.

But they’re not sufficient, as the Tiger-Cats showed in Ottawa on Sunday. Not to mention in the 10 losses preceding that.

“I still believe we had the chemistry and the things we needed, ” coach June Jones said at the year-end news conference at Tim Hortons Field. “Some days you’ve got to outscore people and some days you’ve got to play defence, and we needed to score with them.”

If the Tiger-Cats had done that, he believes, what they had in the locker-room would have carried them to the win. “But we didn’t match them, ” he said. And the fact that he and his players had high expectations makes it hurt a little bit more.

“I’m not totally over it, ” said wide receiver Luke Tasker. “I don’t feel great right now. It’s just tough to say bye to this team today and have guys go home for the off-season and sort of turn the page on this year. … I’m not quite there yet. I’m just trying to enjoy my teammates and coaches for another day.”

Tasker, who agreed to a two-year deal with the Tiger-Cats in February, will be back in 2019, but that isn’t the case for at least some of his teammates. With 34 impending free agents, the Tiger-Cats have difficult decisions to make in the months ahead about who to fight for and who, potentially, to let go.

Keeping the team’s core together would be nice. “In a perfect world, we would love that, ” said linebacker Larry Dean. It’s not going to happen, though.

“It seems like you want to re-sign everybody, but contracts go up and guys have good years and you get paid more, so it will never be the same, ” said Tasker. “That’s just how it goes.”

Among the potential free agents Jones is eager to hold on to are Dean, recently named the top defensive player in the East, and fellow linebacker Simoni Lawrence. On Tuesday, both mentioned the camaraderie and unique bond shared by this year’s Tiger-Cats – in Lawrence’s words, there was a “certain type of culture here where it wasn’t just smoke and mirrors.”

“It was real. You could feel it, ” he added. “You know, it’s easy, like, to fake-like teammates, but I feel like everybody genuinely liked each other here.”

They did, Tasker agreed. They pulled together at the end and it felt like they had a chance. But winning, well, that’s tough. “And it’s not always the team who’s closest that comes out on top.”