new contracts as soon as possible

Without making any noise, Khari Jones has already attended several university and college games in Quebec this season. In their own way, Jones and Andre Bolduc continue to revive the Alouettes' image by visiting various teams in the province.

Miguel Bujold
The Press

It is not so easy to find time when leading a professional football team. Nothing forces Jones to meet teams, but he does it in a good mood and with a smile, we are told. As a real gentleman he is.

This is further evidence that the Alouettes are fortunate to have a special head coach. As soon as the Alouettes have new owners and a new general manager, the "interim" label will have to be removed from Jones' title and a new long-term contract will have to be signed.

His current contract will expire in a few months. In an interview with the author of these lines yesterday, Jones was very clear about his plans for the future.

Jones is young and dynamic, but well experienced in three-way football. He is smiling and friendly, but has more grip than one might think at first sight. He is thoughtful, relaxed and attentive to his surroundings, which is a virtual anomaly in the ultra-conditioned world of professional football.

But the odd thing about Jones is that he also has an excellent football head. He is a good talent evaluator, who seems to constantly improve in his selection of games. And he is still far from having reached his full potential as a coach, which is noticeable.

If for some reason the Alouettes chose not to keep Jones, we can be sure of one thing: another CFL team will wave to him very quickly. The work he has done with the Alouettes this season has been a great feat, no matter what the next month brings. He completely transformed a team that seemed rotten to the core.

The logical order

In an interview with The Press a few weeks ago, the club's president, Patrick Boivin, essentially said that the new owners of the Alouettes would be free to make their own decisions, which goes without saying. Boivin spoke of the importance of doing things in the right order.

It is true that the Alouettes have too often done things upside down, hiring the coach before the DG, or the CEO before the president. This is certainly not the ideal. The organization should however make an exception in the case of Jones.

"It's unanimous from the beginning, all players like and appreciate Khari. But what is remarkable is that we love it more and more, "said veteran Martin Bedard yesterday.

In the eyes of Andre Bolduc, at the base, the success of Jones is attributable to his personality.

"We all love Khari because he is authentic. There are no hiding places with him. "

"In a football team, there will always be small problems internally. It's not easy to deal with 65 players and 12 coaches. But Khari always fixes problems quickly and it always ends with handshakes. It's always positive, there is never a door slam, "said Bolduc.

"After our last game in Winnipeg, Khari told us that we played badly. He is never afraid to tell us our four truths. But he does it the right way. He has the right words to get the better of everyone and he really cares about the well-being of his players. That's why we always want to improve, "Bedard said.

With Jones, Bolduc, defensive coordinator Bob Slowik and Special Unit Coordinator Mickey Donovan, the Alouettes can count on a good core of coaches, who have the right mix of spirit, youth and experience. If it turns out their future CEO did not agree, the new club owners may have to ask questions.

"Everything is positive, so I do not see how we could make a major change," summarized Bolduc.

Adams too

Unlike Jones, Adams son is under contract for the upcoming season. Nothing, however, will prevent the club's next CEO from signing a long-term agreement with the quarterback.

If he could, would Adams son agree to spend the next decade with the Alouettes? Provided the salary is right, he would not hesitate at all.

"Absolutely that I would accept. It's in Montreal that I want to be. I want to continue to win games so that there is no longer any doubt that I am the right quarterback for this team. "

"Vernon is showing this season that he can play well in this league and he will continue to improve, he is only 26 years old. And Khari does a lot of work. The coach-quarterback duo is in place. And if it does not stay in place, things could quickly change, "recalled Bolduc.

Next game: Toronto Argonauts c. Alouettes tonight (7 pm) at Percival Molson Stadium