Alouettes Make Jeff Reinebold Their Next Defensive Coordinator

The Montreal Alouettes have filled up one of their coaching vacancies by naming Jeff Reinebold as their new defensive coordinator.

Without question, this caught my attention, that the organization would hire Reinebold, whose only defensive experience was coaching the defensive line at the University of Hawaii in 2006 and 2007 under then head coach June Jones. In his second year, he was a part of the Warriors team that went to their first ever Sugar Bowl. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Jones staff at SMU.

For the last two years, the CBS sports channel had done a reality show on the SMU Mustangs. Reinebold was an important figure for the school’s ascending football program.

SMU was best known for receiving the death penalty in the 80’s and going through a dark period from the 90’s into the mid 2000’s. He, along with Jones, was able to go in and revitalize the school’s tarnished image.

Furthermore, they made great competitive strides by winning their first bowl game in 25 years in defeating Nevada for the 2009 Hawaii Bowl. But, they gained more notoriety in the state of Texas and nationally by going on the road and beating their city rival and 2010 Rose Bowl champion Texas Christian University.

With the school eventually moving to the Big East, his salary would have certainly increased due to bigger television revenue they would have received, and the ability to recruit a bigger area of the country to attract kids to the Mustangs program.

What could he bring to the Alouettes organization? For the diehard CFL fans that followed Reinebold, in the early 90’s, he coached the receivers with the B.C. Lions that had the likes of Ray Alexander, Darren Flutie, and Mike Trevathan.

But in the late 90’s, during his two years as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach, many fans know very well it ranked as low point in franchise history. In fact, it could very well be on the same level as the short-lived Mike Kelly era.

During his stay in the Manitoba capital, in 1997, Reinebold was best known for his near postgame boxing match with then B.C. Lions head coach Adam Rita. Otherwise, he accumulated an abysmal record of 7-29. Moreover, his defense wasn’t anything great, as they gave up an astounding 31.5 points per game.

This will not bode well for psyche of the Alouettes fans, to believe that he will come in and rectify this group that had an anemic pass rush towards the end of the season. However, if there was one good thing he did in Winnipeg, he helped former linebacker Shonte Peoples become one of the premier defensive players who became a league all-star, and finished as a runner up for the defensive player of the year award in 1997.

For now, the jury will be keeping a close eye on the Reinebold hiring and what he brings to the table. For those who followed the reality show, one thing is for certain - just like in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, there will be plenty lakes for him to use his wave board and paddle to clear his mind on a Sunday afternoon.

You can follow me on Twitter @MoeKhan19

You can listen to me every Friday morning from midnight-2am, every Tuesday night on Gamepoints, and various shows on TSN990.

Photo credit: smu.scout.com