Ticats.ca
Justin Dunk
Many more familiar faces will be in the lineup on Wednesday in the Ticats second and final tune-up before the regular season opens on Canada Day. Wednesday night’s game will be the first opportunity for fans to see the Black and Gold’s prized off-season acquisition, Avon Cobourne, in action with the Ticats.
“I need to be sharp, I need to be crisp, I need go out and make those plays that I was brought in here to make,” Cobourne said after the last training camp practice at McMaster University.
The West Virginia product will make his Ticats debut against Montreal, the team he won two Grey Cups with, after he left the Alouettes to sign with the Tiger-Cats during free agency in 2011. Cobourne does not have any negative feelings towards the organization where he began his CFL career than he would have against any other opponent in the league.
“It could be Calgary, I don’t like any team that I’m playing against,” he said. “Any team I’m playing against I’ll find a reason not to like.”
The diminutive back is having trouble putting the Ticats pre-season loss to the Argos out of his mind — you can tell Cobourne is used to winning — he wouldn’t even attend the Ticats annual training camp rookie show because he just cannot celebrate or feel good after a loss.
“I keep thinking about that game, I’m so upset that we didn’t win that game. I know it was a pre-season game, but I felt like we were supposed to win that game,” he said.
Come Wednesday night, Cobourne is concentrated on getting the scoreboard tilted in the Tiger-Cats favour.
“We’re coming with everybody, a fully loaded clip,” he said. “We just have to come out and be sharp. Run the offence to precision and put some points on the board and get the ball rolling for the opener.”
One of the big guys directing traffic in front of the 2009 Grey Cup MVP is looking to make sure his unit’s wheels are well lubricated when the regular season kickoffs against Winnipeg.
“We want to get the wheels greased up and rolling right away,” Ticats centre Marwan Hage said. “You can only get so much game simulation in practice. It’s about breaking the ice and the speed is way faster in the game then it is in practice.”
Like Cobourne, Hage was in street clothes for the Ticats first pre-season game, but both are ready to get suited up and go to work against players other than their teammates.
“We want to get in the game, see different fronts, different colours and different guys then what we’re used to,” Hage said.
“I’m already in the groove. I’m prepared, I was prepared for the game a week ago,” Cobourne said. “I just want to go out there and bang a little bit.”
As Hage enters his eighth season with the Ticats, he knows just how important it is for him and the rest of the offensive line to be on the same page each and every play.
“Communication is the most important thing on the offensive line,” he said. “First thing I have to do is read the defences, that’s what I have to work on and just manage the offensive line and manage the calls and be under control in there. When I sit back and look at tape of the game I will be looking at how our communication was.”
Pre-season game or not the two offensive veterans are approaching the game just like they would for one that counted in the standings.
“A game is a game. I prepare the way I prepare for any game. I go into it with the mindset of wanting to win,” Cobourne said. “We definitely want to come out and be prepared and be ready to make a play when the opportunity is there.”
“Gamedays have a different atmosphere,” Hage said. “Vets know the difference and when it’s time to play the game, we step it up. We want to establish Tiger-Cat football.”
