Courtesy Canada.com:

He was the first, but Noel Thorpe won’t likely be the last assistant coach to leave the Alouettes following their underachieving Canadian Football League season.

The Edmonton Eskimos announced the hiring of Thorpe yesterday. He signed a one-year contract to coach their special teams and defensive backs - the same positions he held in Montreal five of his six seasons with the organization. The Gazette reported two weeks ago this move was likely to occur. Indeed, Eskimos head coach Danny Maciocia attempted unsuccessfully to hire Thorpe before the 2007 season, while he was still under contract to the Alouettes.

“The time is right for me personally,” said Thorpe, a Vancouver native. “It’s an opportunity for me to come west and to come to an organization everyone in the league emulates.”

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats also were interested in Thorpe and were believed to have contacted him Wednesday night, when he was already in Edmonton.

“I think he’s one of the premier special-teams coaches out there,” Maciocia said. “He’s done a great job the last six years, and he learned from one of the greats in Don Matthews. We’ve faced-off so many times over the last six years, I have a true appreciation of his work.”

This week, upon announcing Jim Popp was out as Als head coach but would remain the team’s general manager, president Larry Smith said Thorpe, offensive coordinator Marcel Bellefeuille and defensive coordinator Chris Jones were encouraged to apply to become Montreal’s coach.

However, the wheels probably were already in motion at that time for Thorpe to go to Edmonton. “I had let Jim know I wasn’t going to re-sign. Even if he had stayed as coach, I was prepared to come out here,” said Thorpe, whose contract with the Als was set to expire Dec. 31.

“Jim and I get along very well. We have no problems working together.”

Smith said he wasn’t surprised by Thorpe’s departure, given the Eskimos’ long-standing interest in him, although Smith sounded stunned the move was made when Thorpe technically was still under contract.

Smith refused to disclose many details, but claimed progress is being made in finding Popp’s successor. “We’ve spoken to a few people. We’re where we want to be,” he said. “We’ve got some meetings scheduled.

“I’m not going to tell you anything,” he added. “We probably won’t identify when someone’s being interviewed. We’ll control the flow (of information) so we don’t create any expectations.”

It’s believed the Als are beginning to reduce their list of potential candidates. Both Bellefeuille and Jones remain on that list, of course. Others expected to be interviewed are Jacques Chapdelaine, Edmonton’s former offensive coordinator; Winnipeg defensive coordinator Greg Marshall and perhaps Richie Hall, Saskatchewan’s defensive coordinator.

More than one source has told The Gazette Chapdelaine will receive serious consideration, should the Als decide to hire someone outside the organization. It would also be considered a public-relations boon to hire a francophone. And the Als, more than at any time in history, need some positive publicity.