Justin Dunk
CFL.ca
After earning their first playoff triumph in a decade in a thrilling, back-and-forth 52-44 overtime win over Montreal in the 2011 East Division Semi-Final, the Tiger-Cats have continued to build momentum during the off-season.
Yes, Hamilton fell short in the East Final against Winnipeg, but the victory over the Alouettes provided the Steel City fans with an assurance that their beloved Tabbies are headed in the right direction.
At the same time, wiping out the memories of four-straight seasons of futility — from 2005-2008 Hamilton owned the worst record in the Canadian Football League.
Riding the same momentum, the Tiger-Cats have refused to stand pat in 2012, reloading their coaching staff and roster in order to make a legitimate run at the 100th Grey Cup, starting with the most important position in football.
Hamilton brought in a proven winner, acquiring veteran quarterback Henry ‘Hank’ Burris in a trade with Calgary on Jan. 3.
Four days later, George Cortez was hired to take over the head coaching reins and replace Marcel Bellefeuille who was let go shortly after the 2011 season. Cortez and Burris – two major high profile additions to the Ticats organization – have been reunited after winning a Grey Cup together with the Calgary Stampeders in 2008.
Major moves, both in terms of addition and subtraction from the Ticats roster, have been somewhat of a theme during the off-season to date.
First, it was versatile returner and offensive threat, Marcus Thigpen signing with the Miami Dolphins.
Next, defensive end Justin Hickman, who tied for the CFL lead with 13 sacks in 2011, inked a deal with the Indianapolis Colts.
Then, kicker Justin Medlock signed a deal with the Carolina Panthers. Also, not to be forgotten was the loss of Canadian offensive lineman, Simeon Rottier.
The former first overall draft pick in 2009 had become an entrenched starter up front for Hamilton, but he wanted to play back in his home province of Alberta, where he signed on with the Edmonton Eskimos.
Just like that, four major contributors from the 2011 roster, gone.
Yet, Cortez and Vice President of Football Operations, Bob O’Billovich remained unfazed and went out to bring in some major pieces to reload the Black and Gold roster, starting on offence.
Martell Mallet, the CFL’s 2009 Most Outstanding Rookie, was brought in to upgrade the running game, at the expense of Avon Cobourne who was released on Feb. 1.
Mallet, the soon to be 26-year-old, rushed for 1,280 yards during his only CFL season in 2009 with the B. C. Lions, averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per rush.
A full yard more than what Cobourne averaged (4.8) per rush attempt in 2011, not to mention Mallet is seven years younger and has much less wear and tear on his body.
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| Mallett rushed for 1,280 yards during his only CFL season in 2009 with the BC Lions, averaging an impressive 5.8 yards per rush. |
Mallet’s signing seems to have flown a little bit under the radar, but it should not be understated, he should have a major role in the offence this year and beyond.
Hamilton kept two of their young pass catchers in the fold as well. Re-signing Terrance Jeffers-Harris – showing they weren’t just looking for inside information on the Blue Bombers when they signed him prior to the East Final last year – and Bakari Grant.
However, the crown jewel of the 2012 CFL free agency class was receiver Andy Fantuz.
As many now know, the Tiger-Cats convinced him to come and continue his CFL career close to his hometown of Chatham, Ont.
Fantuz’s signing made major headlines around the league and was easily the Ticats’ biggest splash in free agency, but other solid signings were made.
For instance, non-import offensive lineman Tim O’Neill, who won a Grey Cup in Calgary with Cortez and Burris in 2008, was picked up to help fill the hole left by Rottier up front.
Veteran non-import linebacker Kevin Eiben, who won a Grey Cup of his own with Toronto in 2004, should help offset the loss of recently retired specials teams ace Agustin Barrenechea.
Eiben, O’Neill and young pass rusher Greg Peach all had their signings officially announced on the same day.
Peach will be charged with the tall task of trying to fill the void left by Hickman’s jumping to the NFL.
Also, with the recent release of fan favourite Stevie Baggs – after Baggs didn’t play up to his salary in 2011 which was reported to be among the highest of all defensive players in the league – Peach is left as Hamilton’s most proven defensive end at the moment.
The 25-year-old has shown flashes of his major potential, last season with the Eskimos, recording three sacks in the first four games, before tearing the meniscus in his right knee while sacking new teammate Henry Burris on July 23.
He underwent surgery, missing six games in the middle of the season and did not record a sack upon returning over the final eight games.
Going back to 2010, Peach suffered an ankle injury in the season opener, missed nine games before returning to notch four sacks in Edmonton’s final eight games.
In 2009 Peach’s rookie year, he had six sacks, missing just two contests in 16 games.
It’s pretty clear that Peach has shown, when healthy, he can be an elite pass rusher in the CFL. Hamilton took a calculated risk, and if Peach can keep himself out of the trainer’s room, the move will pay dividends.
Speaking of injuries, the Ticats latest signing, kicker Luca Congi is coming off an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which cost him his job in Saskatchewan.
Congi was attempting a 43-yard field goal in Week 16 of the 2010 season when, Calgary Stampeder, Dwight Anderson blocked the kick and landed on Congi’s right knee tearing his ACL.
The five-year CFL veteran has worked his way back to full health and should step in to fill a major kicking need after the departure of Medlock to the NFL.
Medlock was almost automatic for Hamilton in 2011, converting 49 of 55 field goal attempts, good for just over an 89 per cent success rate. Although, despite Medlock’s stellar campaign a year ago, it could be argued Congi is an upgrade for a couple reasons.
First of all, Congi is a non-import and will count towards the ratio, allowing another American position player to be used in the lineup, if desired.
Second, he has made big kicks in a number of playoff games, including two Grey Cups, one a win with Saskatchewan in 2007.
Also, the Simon Fraser grad has a pretty good success rate converting field goals. Congi has made over 79 per cent of the three-pointers he has attempted in his career.
With the importance of the kickers in the Canadian game, to be able to secure the services of a proven and now healthy commodity like Congi is certainly a major coup for the Tiger-Cats.
There will be more signings before training camp gets underway, as the Ticats continue to tinker with the roster.
Nevertheless, the moves that have been made up to this point have infused the team with two majorly important ingredients: proven ability and championship experience — Cortez, Burris, Fantuz, O’Neill, Eiben and Congi all own Grey Cup rings.
