Hamilton names Taaffe head coach

Dec 15, 2006, 19:35 GMT

Hamilton, Ontario - The Hamilton Tiger Cats introduced Charlie Taaffe as the team's new head coach Friday.

'Charlie has been our first choice since we began the search for our next head coach,' said general manager Marcel Desjardins. 'He has proven himself at every level he has coached at and his track record in the Canadian Football League speaks for itself.'

Taafe was last a head coach with the Montreal Alouettes in 1999 and 2000, where he went 24-12, led the Alouettes to the 2000 Grey Cup final, and won the Annus Stukus Trophy as CFL coach of the year in both seasons.

Taafe has coached in the NCAA since 2000, acting as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Maryland from 2001-2005, and as an offensive consultant with the University of Pittsburgh this season.

Taafe replaces Ron Lancaster, who led the Tiger Cats to a 4-14 finish as interim coach. Lancaster replaced Greg Marshall, who was fired after Hamilton's 0-4 start to the season. The 4-14 record was the worst in the CFL last season, and Hamilton has missed the CFL playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

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