Tiger-Cats (0-0) vs Winnipeg Blue Bombers (0-0)
Game 1 | Friday, July 1 @ 6:00 p.m.
Ivor Wynne Stadium – Hamilton, Ontario
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV BROADCAST: TSN featuring Rod Black (play-by-play) and Duane Forde (analyst)
RADIO BROADCAST: AM 900 CHML featuring Rick Zamperin (play-by-play) and John Salavantis (analyst)
THE MATCH-UP
Tonight’s season/home opener will be the first of three regular season meetings between the Tiger-Cats and Blue Bombers this season. In 2010, the two teams met four times, with the Cats winning three out of the four contests. The Ticats and Bombers squared off last year on the Canada Day weekend as well, with the Bombers prevailing 49-29. The most recent game in the series was on August 13, 2010 in Winnipeg, where the Tiger-Cats defeated Winnipeg 39-28. This match-up will be the 100th meeting between the two teams since 1950. The Bombers hold a 54-45 edge in the series.
The Ticats, who went 9-9 in the 2010 regular season, with a playoff loss to Toronto, and 1-1 in the 2011 preseason, have new coordinators on both sides of the ball this year. Corey Chamblin, the team’s new defensive coordinator, brings an energetic attitude and aggressive coaching style to the Tiger-Cats defense. On the other side of the ball, Khari Jones was promoted from quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator in the off-season, with the hopes of improving the Tiger-Cats fourth ranked offence. With marquee free agent signings in the off-season, such as running back Avon Cobourne and linebacker Renauld Williams, the Tiger-Cats are looking to improve on last year’s .500 record.
The Blue Bombers, who went 0-2 in 2011 preseason action, finished a league worst 4-14 in 2010 under rookie head coach, Paul LaPolice. Last year marked LaPolice’s second stint in Winnipeg, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2002-2003. Interestingly enough, the Bombers starting quarterback at the time was none other than Khari Jones. The Bombers, who have experienced losing seasons the last three years, owned the first overall pick in the 2011 CFL Canadian Draft this past off-season and with it selected linebacker Henoc Muamba from St. Francis Xavier University. The Bombers have been labeled as a rebuilding team this year, but LaPolice and his young squad should not be taken lightly.
This will be the fifth meeting all-time between head coaches Marcel Bellefeuille and Paul LaPolice. Bellefeuille has a career record of 19-25 as a CFL head coach in the regular season and holds a 5-4 record against the Blue Bombers. LaPolice has a career record of 4-14 as a CFL head coach in the regular season and holds a 1-3 record against the Ticats.
2010 STATISTICAL RANKINGS
 |
 |
|
| Total Offence Per Game | 373.6 (4th) | 365.4 (5th) |
| Rushing Offence Per Game | 95.3 (8th) | 136.4 (2nd) |
| Passing Offence Per Game | 296.1 (4th) | 249.3 (6th) |
| Total Defence Per Game | 388.1 (7th) | 344.6 (2nd) |
| Rushing Defence Per Game | 108.2 (3rd) | 116.9 (5th) |
| Passing Defence Per Game | 302.4 (8th) | 254.4 (1st) |
| Points Per Game | 26.7 (4th) | 25.8 (6th) |
| Opponents Points Per Game | 25.0 (2nd) | 26.9 (6th) |
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Avon Cobourne #22 / RB / Hamilton
Cobourne will be making his much anticipated regular season debut with the Tiger-Cats tonight. The thirty-two year old running back signed a three-year contract with the Ticats this off-season, adding some much-needed consistency and veteran leadership to the Hamilton backfield. Cobourne arrives in Tigertown with an extensive resume, including two Grey Cup championships, a two-time CFL All-Star and the 2009 Grey Cup Most Valuable Player. This preseason, Cobourne posted 40 yards on six carries in one half of football against his former team, the Montreal Alouettes and showed flashes of his dangerous speed and agility all throughout training camp.
Renauld Williams #9 / LB / Hamilton
With the departure of middle linebacker Otis Floyd, black and gold faithful were left wondering who the new mike backer would be come July 1st. General Manager Bob O’Billovich didn’t keep fans guessing long when he signed highly sought after free agent Renauld Williams a month later. Williams, who most recently spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is an aggressive, downhill linebacker who has a nose for the ball and will be influential in disrupting Winnipeg’s running game tonight.
Markeith Knowlton #25 / LB / Hamilton
Three-time CFL All-Star and reigning Most Outstanding Defensive player Markeith Knowlton is coming off of an impressive 2010 season with the Ticats. One of the league’s premier strongside linebackers, Knowlton signed a three year contract extension this off-season, ensuring he remains in Hamilton through the 2013 campaign. Knowlton is a playmaker on defense and will be relied upon to hold Winnipeg’s offence in check during tonight’s game.
Terrence Edwards #82 / WR / Winnipeg
Edwards is coming off a career season with the Blue Bombers, posting personal bests in receiving yards and touchdowns in 2010. As a result, the six year CFL veteran and two-time CFL All-Star was rewarded with a two-year contract extension this off-season. Edwards can score from anywhere on the field and is an instant threat as soon as the ball gets in his hands. He will undoubtedly be the focal point of the Bombers passing attack tonight and the Ticats defensive backs will have to be up to the task, after he put up 423 yards on 22 receptions with five touchdowns in four games last season against Hamilton.
Buck Pierce #4 / QB / Winnipeg
The key to Buck Pierce and the Bombers offence having a productive season in 2011 will be his ability to stay healthy. Pierce is coming off of an injury plagued 2010 campaign in which he injured his knee and dislocated his elbow, the latter of which knocked him out for the remainder of the year. Before the injury troubles, Pierce was playing exceptionally well, throwing for 657 yards with three touchdowns in his first two games, earning an Offensive Player of the Week honour in the process. Pierce will look to prove he’s healthy and back on the right track tonight as this is his first regular season action since September 5, 2010.
Odell Willis #40 / DL/LB / Winnipeg
Third year defensive end Odell Willis has posted 21 sacks in his past two CFL seasons, a statistic that will have the Tiger-Cats offensive line on full alert coming into tonight’s contest. The Bombers switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 defensive scheme this off-season, which frees Willis up to play the fourth defensive end / linebacker hybrid position. The 6.02, 255 lbs Willis will look to use his size and athleticism to get to Kevin Glenn and disrupt the Ticats air attack.
KEY MATCH-UP
Arland Bruce III vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers secondary
Last season on August 7, Arland Bruce III had a field day against the Winnipeg secondary, exploding for 197 yards on 11 receptions with one touchdown. Bruce III, who came into the league with Winnipeg in 200
1, beat the Bombers defensive backs in man-to-man coverage and exploited their defensive zones all evening, en route to a Tiger-Cats 29-22 victory. In fact, in four games against Winnipeg last year, Bruce III caught 20 balls for 343 yards and two touchdowns, a performance that Winnipeg’s new defensive coordinator / defensive backs coach Tim Burke will be well aware of. Expect Winnipeg’s defensive backs, especially Alex Suber who was lined up on Bruce III last year, to make a conscious effort to keep Bruce III out of the end zone and off of the stat sheet tonight.
