Tag Archives: montreal alouettes

CFL, NFL, XFL

Trestman, Marc

CARDS: Topps XFL 2020
ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home
SENT: 5/4 RECEIVED: 7/12 (69 days)

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Marc Trestman is considered one of football’s great minds when it comes to QB whispering as he has played a hand in many a great QB’s ascensions or been on the coaching staff as of their rise.
  • After being unable to wrest the starting QB job at Minnesota, Marc Trestman transferred to Minnesota State University-Moorhead.
  • Unsigned, he spent camp with the Vikings in ’79 and ’80 as a defensive back but didn’t crack the lineup.
  • He began his college coaching career at Miami (FL) in 1981, and by ’83 was serving as the team’s QB coach.
  • Then in 1985, Trestman embarked on a series of stops as a positional coach and offensive coordinator in the NFL (Vikings, Browns, 49ers, Lions, Cardinals, Raiders, and Dolphins).
  • After a brief stop at NC State in 2005-’06, Trestman returned to the NFL as a consultant with the New Orleans Saints in 2007.
  • It’d be in late 2007 that Marc really carved out a name for himself as he was hired as HC of the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL.
  • Paired with GM Jim Popp, Marc’s Alouette teams won back to back CFL Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010.
  • By 2012, Trestman was garnering NFL attention, and in 2013 he was hired as the Chicago Bears head coach.
  • Trestman was the first coach since Bud Grant to jump from the CFL to the NFL.
  • He’d finish his rookie head coaching season 8-8 as the Bears would break multiple offensive team records.
  • Unfortunately he’d not see the same success in 2014, as the team slid to 5-11.
  • After a stop in Baltimore as their OC in 205/’16, Marc returned to the CFL where he had the most success.
  • Reunited with Jim Popp – this time in Toronto, where the Argos pulled off a worst to first, winning the Great Cup in 2017.
  • He’d be fired after the 2018 season.
  • Marc hopped on over to the XFL 2020, where he coached the Tampa Bay Vipers to a 1-4 record before COVID took down the league.
  • After a long hiatus, Trestman was hired by Jim Harbaugh to be an assistant with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024.

ACCOLADES:

  • CFL Coach of the Year 2009, ’17

NOTES:

I was interested in learning more about Marc and I thought the best way to do so was to see his offensive mind at work, so I asked him to diagram up a play with his autograph. He. Did. Not. Instead I got a note, which I thought was a bit snarky, wishing me luck with whatever I do with the autograph, or something like that. Okay dude.

CFL, ufl, usfl, WLAF

Popp, Jim

CARD: Pro Set 1991 World League Helmet Insert
ACQUIRED: IP 2025, San Antonio Brahmas v Houston Roughnecks

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Jim Popp played DB at Michigan State from 1983-’86.
  • A knee injury ended his pro playing career before it started, so he transitioned into the front office as a graduate assistant at MSU.
  • After a year at NC in ’87, Jim spent the next three years working with The Citadel.
  • He then got a taste for the spring league circuit as a man of many hats working for the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks of the WLAF in 1991.
  • This led to the PSFL, where Jim was the Director of Player Personnel from ’91-’92.
  • Jim joined the CFL in 1992, working for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the same capacity through ’93.
  • With the CFLUSA in full swing, Jim got his first taste of the GM job with the Baltimore Colts winning the Grey Cup in 1995.
  • After the Ravens moved into town, the team was relocated to Montreal where they became the second incarnation of the Alouettes.
  • Popp again assumed a lion’s share of roles for the franchise and rebuilt the team from scratch.
  • The Alouettes made 8 Grey Cup appearances under his management, winning 3 times.
  • In 2019, was lured to be GM of the Toronto Argonauts.
  • It immediately paid dividends as the Argos pulled off a stunning Grey Cup win.
  • Jim worked at Alabama State in 2020 as an assistant coach, before resigning in 2021 to join the USFL.
  • He was retained in his position as Vice President of Player Personnel during the merger between the XFL and USFL in 2024.

NOTES:

I knew about Jim years ago when I was researching the success of former members of the WLAF. I got it in my brain that at some point he played QB for the Skyhawks but once I refreshed my memory I learned I was completely wrong. I did remember correctly that he has been a man of many, many hats. He’s had no qualms in doing anything and everything to absorb football knowledge. He even has taken over as head coach when he had to relieve them of their duties. He’s posted a 22-36 record, and led the Alouettes to the Grey Cup in 2006.

When the Brahmas played the Defenders in 2024, I saw him wandering up and down the sidelines. I immediately kicked myself because I had nothing for him to sign. Still I stopped him and struck up a conversation about the ‘good ol’ days’ of Spring football. It was at that moment he and I stopped in unison to take in the game, and Brad Wing faked a punt, throwing a TD to long snapper Alex Mollette. As the building shook with stunned excitement, we agreed this was a seminal moment for the team.

I was prepared this time for him in 2025- and after a long wait the Brahmas had their first home game. I caught him doing his laps, making notes during the pregame and doing his thing. He came over and signed this card for me. I don’t think he’d ever seen it before as he flipped it over in shock of something from the Raleigh-Durham Skyhawks. It was a nice short visit and he was on his way. A great, under the radar WLAF find.

NFL, NFLE

Kresser, Eric

CARD: Playoff Contenders 2000
ACQUIRED: 2023, Private Acquisition

CAREER SNAPSHOT:

  • Eric Kresser played QB for Florida, where he played from 1992-’95.
  • During his Junior season he threw 12 TDs to just 2 picks.
  • He transferred to Marshall for his Senior campaign in 1996.
  • Armed with prolific Randy Moss at WR, Kresser threw for over 3,400 yards and 35 TDs.
  • Undrafted, Eric signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 1997.
  • He saw action in 2 games in 1998, throwing for 164 yards and a TD.
  • Allocated to the NFLE to play for the Berlin Thunder in 2000.
  • Started 4 contests, but suffered a throwing shoulder injury ending his European trip.
  • Played for the CFL Montreal Alouettes in 2002.
  • Went into coaching where was most well known as the head coach for high profile The Benjamin High School in FL for 7 seasons.

NOTES:

Eric had climbed up from offensive coordinator into the HC job at TBS. He resigned at the end of 2024, and had a 45-28 record.

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