The BC Lions announced Thursday that Wally Buono will serve one final year as head coach, while Ed Hervey will take over the role of general manager.
Buono, 67, held both titles in 2017 and appointed Hervey as the GM ahead of the 2018 CFL season.
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“This is a significant day for our organization and I am very pleased to welcome Ed Hervey to the BC Lions as our new GM,” Buono said in a club statement. “I’ve had a great deal of respect for Ed since his days as a player. His extensive work as a scout and his proven ability to build competitive and exciting teams make him a natural fit for this position and I am confident that the BC Lions will thrive under his leadership.”
"The main factor was Wally Buono sticking around"
— BC Lions (@BCLions) November 30, 2017
New GM Ed Hervey talks about the decision to join the #BCLions pic.twitter.com/MlmVvQgCf9
Hervey joins the Lions after three years as the Edmonton Eskimos' VP of football operations and general manager. He has been with the Eskimos since playing as a wide receiver for the club from 1999 until his final professional season in 2006. Hervey moved into the front office, serving in the team's scouting department before becoming an executive in 2013.
The 44-year-old takes over from Buono, who said he plans on giving up his head coaching post after the 2018 season. Until then, however, Hervey and Buono will work together to try to improve a team that finished last in a competitive West division in 2017.
“Wally was very clear during our discussions that I would be working from a clean slate as it relates to player personnel and football operations staff, but my first request of him was that he remain on as head coach for the 2018 season," Hervey said. "He is unquestionably, the best person to lead our team on the field next year and I am very pleased he has agreed to do so. We will work together in coming days to assemble the rest of our coaching staff.”