Dan Ralph, THE CANADIAN PRESS
It hasn’t taken linebacker Jamall Johnson long to settle into the Hamilton Tiger-Cats defence.
Despite signing with the CFL team July 4 and not having the benefit of training camp, the six-foot, 222-pound Johnson leads Hamilton in tackles with 40 and is second overall to Winnipeg’s Barrin Simpson (50).
With veterans such as Johnson and fellow linebackers Otis Floyd and Markeith Knowlton anchoring a stout defence ranked second in fewest points allowed (21.8 per game), the surprising Ticats (4-2) are the league’s feel-good story, possessing its second-best record following consecutive seasons with a 3-15 mark.
“I pride myself in working hard and having a nose for the football and I try to get to the ball on every play,” said Johnson, in his fifth CFL season. “Our defensive line, especially against the run, has created some really big gaps for me and allow the linebackers to flow and keep the offensive lineman off of us.
“The scheme is a great scheme for linebackers but without the defensive line, I don’t know if I’d be where I am in tackles right now. I have to take my hat off to those guys up front.”
Johnson, 26, also tips his cap to Greg Marshall, the veteran defensive co-ordinator in his first season with Hamilton. Johnson said while Marshall is like any other coach in that he has his favourite schemes and formations, Marshall won’t hesitate to tweak them to take better advantage of the players he has on the field.
“Coach Marshall knows everyone’s strengths and weaknesses,” Johnson said. “He tries to put us all in a position to make plays depending on what we’re facing.”
Under Marshall, the defence has seemingly adopted a bend-but-don’t-break mantra. Teams have been able to move the ball against the Ticats – they’re allowing a league-high 387 yards per game – but are finding it much tougher to get into the end zone.
O’Billovich also bolstered the linebacking corps by signing free-agent Floyd after he was released by the B.C. Lions before adding Johnson to join Markeith Knowlton, another former Lion.
Johnson said the presence of Floyd, Knowlton and defensive lineman Matt Kirk – all former Lions – made for a much easier transition once Johnson arrived in Hamilton.
“When I got the call to come here, it was helpful to have people in the locker-room who I knew and could also help me,” Johnson said. “All of those guys were helpful in getting me situated here in Hamilton and into the locker-room.”
Johnson, a native of Norco, La., spent his first four CFL seasons (2005-’08) with the B.C. Lions – earning a Grey Cup ring in 2006. He signed in the off-season with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being released and joining Hamilton as a free agent.
A solid compliment to Hamilton’s tough defence has been a patient offence. The Ticats are second in the CFL in rushing (121 yards per game) and third in time of possession (30 minutes 18 seconds).
So while the unit is ranked sixth in scoring (23.2 points per game), usually when the defence comes on to the field it usually has had the benefit of some rest.
“We try and feed off each other,” Johnson said. “If the offence makes a big play, we have to go out and match that and vice versa.
“We still have a long way to go, but we’re all coming together as a unit. We just have to keep working hard to clear up these last few wrinkles in our game.”
Johnson’s role in Hamilton isn’t just to stop ball carriers dead in their tracks. As a CFL veteran who has experienced winning, he and others like Floyd and former Toronto Argos slotback Arland Bruce III are being called upon to be leaders on a Ticats squad that’s relatively young.
“We do have a pretty young group here, there’s a lot of first-year guys playing in this defence so guys like Otis and I are able to bring experience,” Johnson said. “We try to help communicate with the guys and if they have a bad play we try and keep everybody in a positive mindset.”
And ensure the younger players don’t get too overwhelmed with winning and complacent. After all, no Grey Cup championship has ever been won in August.
“The quickest trip is from the penthouse to the outhouse so we’re staying level headed,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do.
“We’re aware of the mistakes we’ve made and improvements we have to make so we’re not at all getting complacent. We’re looking to keep everybody on an even keel.”
