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Ready to take the next step in his coaching journey, legendary pivot will be responsible for Montreal's offensive attack this season.
Published Mar 05, 2026 • 4 minute read
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Anthony Calvillo signals a formation during Montreal Alouettes training camp practice in Saint-Jerome, Qc., Thursday May 23, 2024.
"You're only going to be calling stuff that you're comfortable with, even though we all come up with the game plan," Alouettes offensive coordinator Anthony Calvillo says. Photo by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
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There was a time in professional football when it was standard practice for quarterbacks to call their own plays.
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Anthony Calvillo, in the midst of becoming the greatest in Alouettes history to play that position, did so reluctantly under legendary head coach Don Matthews. And it worked for the most part. The Als won the Grey Cup in 2002 and reached the CFL’s championship game in 2003, ’05 and ’06.
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“When I was playing, after doing it for four or five years, I just felt when the game (got down) to crunch time, there were times I didn’t go to the best play, based off my knowledge,” Calvillo told The Gazette on Thursday during a media availability with head coach Jason Maas’s offensive assistants at Olympic Stadium.
“The coaches, they were seeing everything. They were talking about everything,” Calvillo continued. “They could see this is the best play and this is the reason why. After doing it for five years, I just felt (the time was right) to transfer that responsibility onto them. They could see things differently, even though I was still on the field.”
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After a transitional 2007 season under general manager and head coach Jim Popp, Marc Trestman, who had an offensive background and is considered a quarterback guru, was hired to lead the Als. Calvillo was happy to acquiesce to Trestman. The Als reached the Cup again in 2008 before winning consecutive titles in 2009 and ’10. Calvillo suffered a concussion in 2013 and retired at season’s end before launching his coaching career in 2015 as Montreal’s receivers coach.
After stops in Toronto under Trestman, a stint at Université de Montréal and a return to the Als in 2022 as QB coach, Calvillo was named the offensive coordinator the following season. And now, Maas has decided Calvillo, 53, is ready to take the next step in his coaching journey and will be the offensive play caller this season, assuming the responsibility he was loath to take as a player.
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“It was always with the mindset of giving (the play-calling responsibility) back,” said Maas, who arrived in Montreal in 2023. “You have to have faith in that. The only way you get that is by working with a guy every single day. As much as I know of A.C. and have been around him a lot, when you work with him, it all opens up — about why he was so successful as a quarterback. Watching how prepared our offence is. He has put a lot of work into that and he’s very consistent.
“The mindset always was to give it up. It was just a question of when.”
Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo carries the Grey Cup through Trudeau airport in Montreal on Nov. 29, 2010.
Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo carries the Grey Cup through Trudeau airport in Montreal on Nov. 29, 2010. Photo by John Mahoney /Postmedia News Service
What wasn’t as well known is the torch was actually passed early last September when the Als returned from their second bye week in the schedule. Maas approached GM Danny Maciocia and, with his approval, the transition was made. After a loss at Hamilton, the Als won five straight, finished with a 10-8 record and advanced to the Grey Cup before losing to Saskatchewan.
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“It was the right time,” Maas said. “I was spending way too much time (with Maciocia) upstairs, going over personnel. It takes my mind away from tasks on offence. That’s (Calvillo’s) job. He’s in it all day. He’s the one preparing the quarterbacks, doing the things every day to be ready. Trust me, he’s ready.”
There remains a hierarchy within the organization. As the head coach, Maas can overrule Calvillo on a particular play. And starting quarterback Davis Alexander, based on the defence he sees, can always call an audible. But the offence now becomes Calvillo’s baby, and his immediate task will be finding ways to score more touchdowns.
Of 45 red-zone opportunities — ahead of only Edmonton — the Als produced 25 touchdowns, tied with Winnipeg for the CFL low. Montreal scored a league-low 34 offensive touchdowns, but led the CFL in field goals, with 58. That’s not a recipe for success and that ratio must change.
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Calvillo will call those plays from the coaches’ booth, high above the field.
“You’re only going to be calling stuff that you’re comfortable with, even though we all come up with the game plan,” Calvillo explained. “We identify what we want to go with, but it’s constant communication between all of us.
“We’re looking at what was successful last year. Then we see what we want to continue on with. The stuff that wasn’t as great … do we want to eliminate it or do we want to improve on it? Then we come up with new ideas. We’re all communicating on what fits best with this offence going forward.”
Meanwhile, the Als signed QB Dustin Crum from Ottawa as a free agent to back up Alexander. Crum replaces McLeod Bethel-Thompson. Short-yardage pivot Shea Patterson, whose critical late-game fumble killed the Als’ Grey Cup aspirations, is a free agent and isn’t expected to return.
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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