On Wednesday, the Montreal Alouettes fired head coach Khari Jones and defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Barron Miles. This comes after the Alouettes were blown out by the Saskatchewan Roughriders 41-20 last Saturday.
Khari Jones ends a four-year tenure with the Alouettes. He was Montreal’s offensive coordinator in 2018 and promoted to head coach in 2019. He leaves Montreal with an 18-18 record, including two playoff appearances. Jones began his coaching career in 2009 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a quarterback coach. He moved his way up and, in 2013, helped the Saskatchewan Roughriders win the 101st Grey Cup as an offensive coordinator.
Barron Miles ends a two-year stint with the Alouettes. Montreal’s defense has given up 255.8 yards per game (5th in the league), 106.8 rushing yards per game (8th in the league), and fourth in the league with 197 tackles, 13 sacks, five interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Replacing them are General Manager Danny Maciocia as the head coach, and Noel Thorpe replaces Barron Miles as the new defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the rest of the season.
“This kind of decision is always difficult to make, but we felt that we needed to make it early in the season while there is still time,” said Maciocia. “We want to thank Khari Jones and Barron Miles for their work, and wish them the best in the future.”
Danny Maciocia last coached in 2019 with the University of Montreal. Maciocia started his coaching career in 1994 with the St. Leonard Cougars (CJFL). He went to the CFL in 1996 as a quality control coach for the Alouettes.
He moved his way up and, in 2002, became the offensive coordinator for the Edmonton Eskimos, helping them win two Grey Cup championships in 2003 and as a head coach in 2005. He coached the Eskimos until 2008 and returned to U Sports with the André-Grasset Phénix in 2010 as an offensive coordinator before coaching the University of Montreal in 2011.
Noel Thorpe returns to the Alouettes for the third time. He was the special teams and defensive backs coach from 2002 to 2007 and the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 2013 to 2017. He also spent time coaching the Ottawa Redblacks, Edmonton Eskimos, and the University of Montreal. Thorpe recently helped the Birmingham Stallions win the USFL championship this past Sunday over the Philadelphia Stars 33-30.
