Mark Kilam having no trouble getting used to his new green-and-gold colours

Edmonton Elks new head coach Mark Kilam speaks during a press conference in Edmonton on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Mark Kilam is having no trouble getting used to his new duds.

Edmonton hired Kilam last month as its head coach. He joined the Elks shortly after being let go as Calgary’s special-teams co-ordinator/assistant head coach following 20 seasons with the Stampeders.

But after two decades of donning red and white, the transition back to green and gold has been seamless for Kilam, who grew up in Lethbridge, Alta., and played linebacker with the Alberta Golden Bears.

“The first football team I ever played on was green and gold (Lethbridge Collegiate Institute),” Kilam said during a CFL zoom call Monday. “I played for the Bears, we were green and gold.

“I remember it felt strange when I first put on red and white. Getting back into this felt natural for me, it wasn’t like I was in a foreign place.”

Kilam, 45, isn’t the Elks' only new face.

Owner Larry Thompson bought the franchise last August, becoming its first-ever private owner. Chris Morris — who won three Grey Cups as an offensive lineman with the club — was named president and chief executive officer in October, then Ed Hervey returned as general manager in November.

“I really felt like the universe did align with this job,” Kilam said. “When you’ve got new ownership, a new president in Chris Morris, a new general manager in Ed Hervey and then myself and we’re all vertically aligned on what we feel like winning football should be … it’s really a special thing.”

Edmonton (7-11) finished fourth in the West Division last season and hasn’t been to the CFL playoffs since 2019. But the seven victories are the most for the franchise since it last qualified for the post-season with an 8-10 mark.

In December, Edmonton made Canadian Tre Ford its staring quarterback, signing the former Waterloo star to a three-year extension. McLeod Bethel-Thompson — who made 13 starts last season — was traded to Montreal for veteran passer Cody Fajardo, the ’23 Grey Cup MVP.

Fajardo had a year remaining on his contract — reportedly worth $482,000 — but agreed to a restructured deal with Edmonton for 2025.

And Kilam couldn’t be happier.

“The guy is a really high-rate competitor, he’s been successful,” Kilam said. “The MOP (most outstanding player) of the Grey Cup two years prior, played in a similar offence that Jordan (Elks offensive co-ordinator Jordan Maksymic) is going to run and just has that veteran experience that’s going to help push Tre, help support Tre but (Fajardo) also is a very good football player.”

Kilam also kept Ford informed throughout the process of acquiring Fajardo.

“I’m an honest guy,” he said. “With my players, I’m going to communicate with them at all times.

“He knew where we were going, what the purpose was. It was all above board if you want to refer to it like that.”

Kilam had interviewed for various head-coaching jobs — including Edmonton — in the past but never doubted that one day he’d get a top job.

“Sometimes I felt like I was a fit somewhere else but the jobs are so hard to get,” he said. “You have to be literally exactly what that general manager or owner is looking for and sometimes that’s not going to be the fit (but) it doesn’t mean you’re a bad coach.

“Every time I went through that process and didn’t get it, I went through a period of self reflection where it’s like, ‘What can I do better? How can I evolve this? How can I change my approach the next time if I were to get another interview opportunity?’ It’s evolution not revolution, you can’t just keep doing the same thing over and over. If I look back at my career something I’m proud of is that I did evolve year to year.”

Kilam was emphatic he’s concentrating firmly on the future and not on having been let go by Calgary. But Kilam got a little animated when asked what made him the right person to lead Edmonton forward but not help the Stampeders (5-12-1 last year) reverse their fortunes.

“Well, you have to ask the people who made the decision in Calgary, that’s out of my control,” he said. “But what I can tell you is I’m going to (expletive) bring it in Edmonton … you can print that as well.

“You understand it’s professional sports and I understood I was not the norm being in one place for 20 years but you feel a lot of things. I felt I’m an optimist … I felt like there was good things that were going to come from that change, I just had to find them and I think I have.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2025.

Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press