Ticats.ca
Justin Dunk
Slowing Down The Flyin’ Hawaiian
Ticat special team cover units will be tasked with stopping Chad Owens, the 2010 CFL Most Outstanding Specials team player, and current league leader in combined return yards this season.
“We look forward to facing Owens, it’s a good challenge for us,” Marc Beswick, Hamilton’s leader in special teams tackles with eight, said.
Owens often shortens the field for the Argo offence, so it will be crucial for the Tiger-Cats to limit his return yards on Saturday evening.
“We have to close up any holes because he’s a pretty elusive guy,” Beswick said. “They like to get him in space and let him do his thing. We have to come out and shut that down.”
With the Argos offence struggling through the first third of the season Owens will certainly be looking to provide his unit a spark through the return game.
O-Line So Fine
The road graters wearing Black and Gold have been kind to their quarterback of late. The Ticats offensive line has not allowed a sack in two-plus games, a 78-play streak.
“I attribute it to our position coach Doug Malone. He goes over defensive schemes with us every morning. I also attribute it to the other guys up front,” tackle Belton Johnson said.
Johnson and his linemen buddies have been preparing for one Argo defensive lineman in particular who has been wreaking havoc on opposing offences. Ricky Foley has 31 tackles, from his defensive end position, 12 more tackles than the next closest defensive lineman.
“We have to be on our P’s and Q’s, as soon as the ball is snapped,” Johnson said.
Foley has registered only one sack on the season, but don’t let that stat fool you, he has been a disruptive force who the Ticats must contain in order to have success versus the Argo defence.
Glenn Will Enter Exclusive Club
Sometime in the first half, most likely first quarter, Kevin Glenn will complete a pass that will put him over 30, 000 yards passing for his career. The veteran pivot sits just 29 yards away from the numerical milestone and he will become just the 14th player ever to go over the mark in CFL history.
“It’s one of those things that you don’t realize until after the fact,” he said.
Glenn will join current pivots Ricky Ray, Henry Burris and Anthony Calvillo who have hit the 30, 000 yard mark. He will also join quarterback greats like Damon Allen, Doug Flutie, Ron Lancaster and former Ticats pivot Danny McManus in the exclusive club.
“To be in that company and in the same sentence as those guys, I will pat myself on the back for it,” Glenn said.
Sending A Steeltown Message
After dropping the last two games against the Argos, last year’s Eastern Semi-Final and this seasons first pre-season game, the
Ticats want to lay claim and take back the title of best team in Ontario.
“I don’t try and live in the past, but you have to reflect on things sometimes. They put us out of the playoffs and left a bad taste in my mouth, and this communities’ mouth,” hard-hiting linebacker Jamall Johnson said.
“We have to come out and show those guys that they’re coming into the hammer and we are going to put the hammer down on them, we owe it to our fans.”
Avoiding The Bye Week Blues
With a week away from the field on deck after the Ticats face the Argos Saturday, both players and coaches would like to create some momentum and climb above the .500 mark before their bye week.
“We don’t want to go into the bye week with a sour taste in our mouth,” Johnson said. You want to go out on a high note and come back here with a positive record, above .500, and finish the season strong.”
Despite Toronto’s 1-5 win loss record, it is never easy to claim a victory when the provincial rivals tangle.
Further Investigation
Head coach Marcel Bellefueille on the Ticats-Argos rivalry:
“It’s the only opportunity for our fans to come and see us play Toronto in our stadium, so from that perspective I can see the allure to it. I did make mention of it to the players because we have so many new players and young players, free agents that don’t have any idea about it. You have to be in it and play in it and be around it enough to understand it. I’ve been fortunate enough to be around it for a few Labour Days and I get it.”
