1997 Montreal Alouettes season

{{Infobox NFL season

| logo =

| team = Montreal Alouettes

| year = 1997

| record = 13–5

| division_place = 2nd, East

| coach = Dave Ritchie

| stadium = Olympic Stadium

| playoffs = Lost East Final

| uniform = Image:CFL MTL Jersey 1996.png

| shortnavlink = Alouettes seasons

}}

The 1997 Montreal Alouettes finished in second place in the East Division with a 13–5 record. Their season came to a close as the Doug Flutie-led Toronto Argonauts defeated the Alouettes in the Eastern Final. The 1997 team saw major head office changes as Jim Speros sold the team to Bob Wetenhall and Larry Smith assumed the role of president and chief executive officer after resigning as CFL commissioner.

Offseason

=CFL draft=

class="wikitable sortable sortable" ! style="background:#072764;color:#c6011f;" width="15%"\| Round ! style="background:#072764;color:#c6011f;" width="15%"\| Pick ! style="background:#072764;color:#c6011f;" width="20%"\| Player ! style="background:#072764;color:#c6011f;" width="15%"\| Position ! style="background:#072764;color:#c6011f;" width="20%"\| School/Club Team
align=center\| 1	6	Steve Charbonneau	DL	New Hampshire
align=center\| 2	11	Jerome Pathon	WR	Washington
align=center\| 2	14	Ryan Coughlin	OL	McGill
align=center\| 3	21	Bruno Heppell	RB	Western Michigan
align=center\| 4	29	Derek Krete	LB	Western Ontario
align=center\| 4	30	Ryan Carruthers	SB	Calgary
align=center\| 5	38	Andy Brereton	SB	Western Michigan
align=center\| 6	45	Francis Bellefroid	LB	Bishop's

https://www.cfl.ca/canadian_draft/list?year=1997 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829151725/http://www.cfl.ca/canadian_draft/list?year=1997 |date=2012-08-29 }} 1997 CFL Canadian Draft

= Ottawa Rough Riders Dispersal Draft =

class="wikitable"

!Round

!Pick

!Name

!Pos

|Uzooma Okeke

|14

|Swift Burch

|DT

|22

|Michael Hendricks

|LB

|29

|Robert Stevenson

|32

|David Harper

|LB

Preseason

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" \| Score ! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ddffdd" ! A \| June 8 \| Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 30–14 \| 1–0 \| Ivor Wynne Stadium \| 9,311
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! C \| June 18 \| Toronto Argonauts \| L 0–40 \| 1–1 \| Olympic Stadium \| 6,394

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" | Score

! scope="col" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ddffdd"

! A

| June 8

| Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 30–14

| 1–0

| Ivor Wynne Stadium

| 9,311

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! C

| June 18

| Toronto Argonauts

| L 0–40

| 1–1

| Olympic Stadium

| 6,394

Regular season

= Season Standings=

class="wikitable" \|+ East Division ! Team !! GP !! W !! L !! T !! PF !! PA !! Pts
align="center" \| align="left" \| Toronto Argonauts	18	15	3	0	660	327	30
align="center" \| align="left" \| Montreal Alouettes	18	13	5	0	509	532	26
align="center" \| align="left" \| Winnipeg Blue Bombers	18	4	14	0	443	548	8
align="center" \| align="left" \| Hamilton Tiger-Cats	18	2	16	0	362	549	4

{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/standings/1997/reg |title=CFL.ca - Official Site of the Canadian Football League 2 |access-date=2017-08-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090715074133/http://www.cfl.ca/standings/1995/reg |archive-date=2009-07-15 |url-status=dead }}

=Season Schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Week ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Game ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Date ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Opponent ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" colspan=2 \| Results ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Venue ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" rowspan=2 \| Attendance
style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" \| Score ! style="{{Gridiron primary style\|Montreal Alouettes\|year=1997\|border=2}};" \| Record
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 1 ! 1 \| June 27 \| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 27–17 \| 1–0 \| Olympic Stadium \| 7,380
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 2 ! 2 \| July 3 \| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 27–24 \| 2–0 \| Winnipeg Stadium \| 20,497
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 3 ! 3 \| July 9 \| vs. Calgary Stampeders \| W 34–28 \| 3–0 \| Olympic Stadium \| 7,669
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 4 ! 4 \| July 17 \| at Edmonton Eskimos \| L 0–32 \| 3–1 \| Commonwealth Stadium \| 27,811
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 5 ! 5 \| July 24 \| Edmonton Eskimos \| L 24–34 \| 3–2 \| Olympic Stadium \| 10,025
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 6 ! 6 \| July 31 \| at Toronto Argonauts \| L 8–46 \| 3–3 \| SkyDome \| 16,218
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 7 ! 7 \| Aug 9 \| at BC Lions \| W 45–31 \| 4–3 \| BC Place Stadium \| 19,106
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 8 ! 8 \| Aug 16 \| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 36–26 \| 5–3 \| Olympic Stadium \| 10,039
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 9 ! 9 \| Aug 22 \| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 26–21 \| 6–3 \| Winnipeg Stadium \| 19,930
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 10 ! 10 \| Aug 30 \| vs. BC Lions \| W 34–33 \| 7–3 \| Olympic Stadium \| 11,050
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 11 ! 11 \| Sept 6 \| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats \| W 38–18 \| 8–3 \| Ivor Wynne Stadium \| 9,253
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 12 ! 12 \| Sept 12 \| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 29–28 \| 9–3 \| Olympic Stadium \| 10,259
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 13 ! 13 \| Sept 21 \| at Saskatchewan Roughriders \| W 24–22 \| 10–3 \| Taylor Field \| 25,570
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 14 ! 14 \| Sept 28 \| at Calgary Stampeders \| L 22–43 \| 10–4 \| McMahon Stadium \| 27,153
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 15 ! 15 \| Oct 3 \| vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders \| W 30–29 \| 11–4 \| Olympic Stadium \| 12,322
style="background:#ffbbbb" ! 16 ! 16 \| Oct 11 \| at Toronto Argonauts \| L 21–28 \| 11–5 \| SkyDome \| 17,355
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 17 ! 17 \| Oct 19 \| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers \| W 41–34 \| 12–5 \| Olympic Stadium \| 6,721
style="background:#ddffdd" ! 18 ! 18 \| Oct 26 \| at Toronto Argonauts \| W 43–38 \| 13–5 \| Olympic Stadium \| 10,801

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Week

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Game

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Date

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Opponent

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" colspan=2 | Results

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Venue

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" rowspan=2 | Attendance

style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" | Score

! style="{{Gridiron primary style|Montreal Alouettes|year=1997|border=2}};" | Record

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 1

| June 27

| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 27–17

| 1–0

| Olympic Stadium

| 7,380

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 2

| July 3

| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 27–24

| 2–0

| Winnipeg Stadium

| 20,497

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 3

| July 9

| vs. Calgary Stampeders

| W 34–28

| 3–0

| Olympic Stadium

| 7,669

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 4

| July 17

| at Edmonton Eskimos

| L 0–32

| 3–1

| Commonwealth Stadium

| 27,811

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 5

| July 24

| Edmonton Eskimos

| L 24–34

| 3–2

| Olympic Stadium

| 10,025

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 6

| July 31

| at Toronto Argonauts

| L 8–46

| 3–3

| SkyDome

| 16,218

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 7

| Aug 9

| at BC Lions

| W 45–31

| 4–3

| BC Place Stadium

| 19,106

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 8

| Aug 16

| vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 36–26

| 5–3

| Olympic Stadium

| 10,039

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 9

| Aug 22

| at Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 26–21

| 6–3

| Winnipeg Stadium

| 19,930

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 10

| Aug 30

| vs. BC Lions

| W 34–33

| 7–3

| Olympic Stadium

| 11,050

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 11

| Sept 6

| at Hamilton Tiger-Cats

| W 38–18

| 8–3

| Ivor Wynne Stadium

| 9,253

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 12

| Sept 12

| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 29–28

| 9–3

| Olympic Stadium

| 10,259

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 13

| Sept 21

| at Saskatchewan Roughriders

| W 24–22

| 10–3

| Taylor Field

| 25,570

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 14

| Sept 28

| at Calgary Stampeders

| L 22–43

| 10–4

| McMahon Stadium

| 27,153

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 15

| Oct 3

| vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders

| W 30–29

| 11–4

| Olympic Stadium

| 12,322

style="background:#ffbbbb"

! 16

| Oct 11

| at Toronto Argonauts

| L 21–28

| 11–5

| SkyDome

| 17,355

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 17

| Oct 19

| vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers

| W 41–34

| 12–5

| Olympic Stadium

| 6,721

style="background:#ddffdd"

! 18

| Oct 26

| at Toronto Argonauts

| W 43–38

| 13–5

| Olympic Stadium

| 10,801

{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballarchives.com/1997cflmtl.html|title = 1997 Montreal Alouettes (CFL) - Pro Football Archives}}

=Roster=

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="7" style="background-color: #003E77; color:#B1B9BC; text-align:center" \| Montreal Alouettes roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Quarterbacks {{CFL player\|13\|I\|Marvin Graves}} {{CFL player\| 8\|I\|Tracy Ham}} Running backs {{CFL player\|30\|N\|Bruno Heppell}} {{CFL player\|27\|I\|Mike Pringle}} {{CFL player\|22\|N\|Michael Soles}} Receivers \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Offensive linemen Defensive linemen Defensive backs Special teams {{CFL player\|10\|N\|Terry Baker}} P/K Practice Roster

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"

colspan="7" style="background-color: #003E77; color:#B1B9BC; text-align:center" | Montreal Alouettes roster

style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

{{CFL player|13|I|Marvin Graves}}
{{CFL player| 8|I|Tracy Ham}}

Running backs

{{CFL player|30|N|Bruno Heppell}}
{{CFL player|27|I|Mike Pringle}}
{{CFL player|22|N|Michael Soles}}

Receivers

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Defensive backs

Special teams

{{CFL player|10|N|Terry Baker}} P/K

Practice Roster

Playoffs

=East Semi-Final=

class="wikitable"

! Team !! Q1 !! Q2 !! Q3 !! Q4 !! Total

BC Lions

style="background-color:#DDFFDD"

|Montreal Alouettes

{{Cite web|url=http://stats.cfldb.ca/league/cfl/schedule/1997/11/02/bc-at-mtl/|title=CFL Results Nov. 2, 1997 BC Lions 35 @ Montreal Alouettes 45 on CFLDB Statistics}}

=East Final=

class="wikitable"

! Team !! Q1 !! Q2 !! Q3 !! Q4 !! Total

Montreal Alouettes

style="background-color:#DDFFDD"

|Toronto Argonauts

{{Cite web|url=http://stats.cfldb.ca/league/cfl/schedule/1997/11/09/mtl-at-tor/|title = CFL Results Nov. 9, 1997 Montreal Alouettes 30 @ Toronto Argonauts 37 on CFLDB Statistics}}

Awards

=1997 CFL All-Star Selections=

Neal Fort – Offensive Tackle
Uzooma Okeke – Offensive Tackle
Elfrid Payton – Defensive End
Doug petersen – Defensive Tackle
Mike Pringle – Running Back
Pierre Vercheval – Offensive Guard

{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/uploads/assets/CFL/PDF_Docs/2011/CFL_All-Stars.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdate=2014-08-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150724180612/http://www.cfl.ca/uploads/assets/CFL/PDF_Docs/2011/CFL_All-Stars.pdf |archivedate=2015-07-24 }}

References

Category:1997 Canadian Football League season by team

Category:Montreal Alouettes seasons

Category:1997 in Montreal

Category:1997 in sports in Quebec