Popp Stays on as Head Coach

Montreal Alouettes’ President and Chief Executive Officer Mr. Larry Smith announced today that Jim Popp has been appointed as the Alouettes’ Head Coach.

The Alouettes’ Vice-President and General Manager for the last 11 seasons, Popp will keep the head coaching duties he inherited after Don Matthews left the organization on Oct. 4. In those responsibilities, he will continue to oversee the football operations’ side of the business in addition to being directly in charge of the on-field product. 

Popp has had previous coaching experience at the University of North Carolina, The Citadel and with Raleigh-Durham in the WLAF (known today as NFL Europe). He started in the CFL in 1992 as Receivers Coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, where he was also responsible for player personnel. His first management duties were with the Baltimore Stallions in 1994 and he won his first Grey Cup with them in 1995. He joined the Montreal Alouettes in 1996 and led the organization to five Grey Cup games in the last seven years. His teams never had a losing record, played in 10 division championships in the last 11 years and won the Grey Cup in 2002.

“Jim Popp is the architect of our football team,” said Mr. Smith. “This will be a great opportunity for him to put his stamp on the entire product. We know he’s a winner, we know he excels in his role and believe he is the best person to bring us closer to our ultimate objective of winning the Grey Cup.”

One of the youngest general managers and brightest minds in professional sports, Jim Popp is known for abilities to both build expansion teams and rebuild established franchises into winning organizations. Popp signed a five-year contract with the organization in October 2003. He took over the head coaching duties from Don Matthews on Oct. 4, 2006.

Still a young GM, his accomplishments are nonetheless already impressive - he has the best overall record of any CFL general manager over the last 11 years. He led the Alouettes to five consecutive seasons of 12 or more victories (1996-2000), one of only three teams in CFL history to accomplish such a feat. Of the just three CFL coaches ever to win back-to-back Coach of the Year honours, two did so working with Popp (Don Matthews 1994-1995; Charlie Taaffe 1999-2000).

In 15 years in the CFL (two years with Saskatchewan, two with Baltimore, and 11 with Montreal), Popp's teams have never had a losing record. His teams have appeared in the playoffs every year, have been in 11 division championships, six Grey Cup games and have won two championships. Under Popp, the team has won at least 12 games and reached the East Division Championship in every season except 2001. The team reached the Grey Cup game in 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006 winning in 2002.

Before joining the Alouettes, Popp was Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel with the Baltimore Stallions in 1994 and 1995. In 1995, the Stallions established an all-time CFL record for wins in a season with an 18-3 record (including playoffs and the Grey Cup). The Stallions won their last 13 games and remain the only American team to have won the Grey Cup. The 1995 Stallions team had a total of 14 players go on to sign NFL contracts and surprised no one by winning the Grey Cup. The 1994 Baltimore Stallions have the distinction of being the "most successful expansion franchise in the history of professional team sports." The first-year squad went 12-6, won the East Championship, and appeared in the Grey Cup.

Popp was the Saskatchewan Roughriders' Director of Player Personnel and Wide Receivers Coach in 1992-93. The Roughriders had two successful seasons while Popp was in Saskatchewan, appearing in the playoffs both years.

Before coming to the CFL, Popp helped in 1992 to form the Professional Spring Football League where he held the title of league Director of Player Personnel. He served as the wide receivers and special teams coach for the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks of the World Football League (now known as NFL Europe) in 1991.

Popp coached at the collegiate level for five seasons:  The Citadel (1988-90), North Carolina (1987), Michigan State (1986).  He played college football for three seasons at Michigan State (1983-85) as a wide receiver and defensive back.

Born Dec. 21, 1964 in Elkin, NC, Jim feels the best acquisition he ever made was his wife, Kimberly Hamilton Popp, from Glen Burnie, MD. They have four children - twin girls Hannah Nicole and Hayley Payton were born in June of 1998, and two boys, Preston Joseph, born in December 1999 and Hudson Blake, born in December 2001. The Popps make their homes in Montreal (Dollard-des-Ormeaux) and in Mooresville, NC.