Ticats.ca
Justin Dunk
For 12 days of training camp (plus two days of rookie camp) for some Ticats hopefuls, the only colours the Black and Gold have seen are their own. Adding to the anxiety that comes from continously lining up against familiar colours is the fact that defenders have been held on a short leash in the contact department.
Obviously, defensive players love to lay a lick whenever possible, but they have held up during training camp in an effort to keep their teammates — and themselves — healthy for the regular season.
Saturday’s pre-season contest in Toronto (1pm; AM 900 CHML) will see the Ticats defenders have the leash taken off and be let loose for the first time against enemy colours.
“All I can say is stay tuned, it should be fun,” defensive tackle Ventrell Jenkins said after a Ticats workout at McMaster University.
“It’ll probably be the second best feeling you can ever have, just going out there and running 100 miles an hour and just running through somebody. Not hitting somebody… running through somebody,” Ticats rookie linebacker Brandon Denson said.
“I’m geeked for it.”
Even without the added benefit of full-contact, the defensive hopefuls know how important the pre-season games can be in their attempt to crack roster.
“This is a big evaluation,” Denson said. “I can only control the things that I can control.”
“I just want to show my athleticism, play fast, run to the ball and just leave it all out on the field,” Jenkins said.
“They don’t have to tell me how big the game is, I know it’s big for me trying to be a part of this team,” said Ticats rookie defensive back Marcell Young.
A year ago Young was sitting at home, hoping for the chance to catch on with a pro team. The Tiger-Cats have given the Jackson State alum a chance to compete and earn his way off the couch.
“It’s something I’ve been waiting on,” Young said about the opportunity that lies in front of him. “Last football season I was just wishing I could play against somebody and make plays, so I’m just going to take it and run with it.”
The former Tiger has been working at two different positions in the secondary and is looking to improve each day regardless of where he may be on the depth chart.
“Weakside corner and weakside half, that’s where I’ve been practicing. I need to show that I am consistent in my technique at those spots,” Young said. “I know there’s a chance [to start], but I’m focusing on getting my technique right so I can be a part of the Ticats organization.”
Meanwhile, the 285-pound Jenkins, who spent time with two different NFL teams before joining the Ticats, has learned two positions as well, but he has a preference on where he feels his style of play fits best.
“I learned both defensive tackle spots, but predominantly I’m a three-technique,” he said. “I like to get up the field, stop the run and get after the quarterback, that’s just what I do best.”
All Ticats rookies have quickly learned just how important specials teams are in the Canadian game and being defensive players they know their best way onto the team, initially, will be to show productivity on the special units in the pre-season.
“Up here the ball game is different, special teams is huge in any league, but up here special teams really can turn a game around immediately,” said Denson.
“Anytime as a rookie coming into any situation if I can get on special teams and contribute I’m all for it,” Jenkins said. “When final cuts come I hope special teams plays an important factor in me being here and I hope the dominoes fall in all the right places.”
For rookies trying to acquaint themselves quickly to the pace of their first CFL game it should be somewhat easier due to the way Ticats head coach Marcel Bellefeuille runs practice.
“I feel like we’ve been practicing at a real fast tempo, so when we get in the game it will actually feel slower,” Young said.
“What we do out here on the practice field is hard, so the game is easy,” Denson said.
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