TORONTO — When the Toronto Argonauts finally decided to talk, what they announced was already old news.

At a news conference on Thursday at noon ET, the team introduced former Montreal Alouettes offensive co-ordinator Scott Milanovich as Toronto’s new head coach, a move scripted by rumours several days before.

Mike Cassese/Reuters

Jim Barker wants to focus solely on his general manager duties.

“This is a realization of a dream for me,” Milanovich said at the announcement.

During his five seasons in Montreal, Milanovich helped consistently make the Alouettes’ offence one of the CFL’s most potent, which helped the Alouettes’ win back-to-back Grey Cups in 2009 and 2010 and quarterback Anthony Calvillo win two outstanding player awards in 2008 and 2009. In 2011, Montreal was on top of nearly every offensive category and boasted the league’s best passer (Calvillo), receiver (slotback Jamel Richardson) and running back (Brandon Whitaker).

Jaime Elizondo was the Argos’ offensive co-ordinator this season and Toronto was last in first downs (322), last in average yards of offence per game (319.1) and seventh in points scored (397).

In the days leading up to Sunday’s Grey Cup, reports emerged Milanovich was on the verge of becoming the Argos’ offensive co-ordinator. The rumour escalated minutes after the Grey Cup when supposedly a member of the organization revealed Milanovich had agreed to take over as head coach so Jim Barker could focus solely on his general manager duties.

Milanovich is a former quarterback from the University of Maryland who went undrafted in 1996 but was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Butler, PA-native would play in south Florida until 1999, and over a seven-year playing career, made stops in NFL Europe, XFL, AFL and finally the CFL with Calgary in 2003, where he played under Barker. A few games into his CFL playing career, Milanovich became the Stampeders’ quarterbacks coach.

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