Saturday's Dominant Effort A 'Step In The Right Direction' For Defence
Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
The Ticats reached a new defensive peak on Saturday, and they believe that chemistry is the reason why.
In the wake of their blowout win against the Eskimos – the 43-point spread was the largest margin of victory Hamilton has enjoyed since 1999 – Ticat linebacker Rey Williams suggested that his defenders were no longer playing like “robots”.
Williams’ argument was that the growing understanding between the members of Hamilton’s defence allowed them to play with more complexity and deception on the weekend.
His statement is drawing widespread agreement as the Ticats gear up for yet another crucial game on Friday.
Defensive Coordinator Casey Creehan points out that the Edmonton tilt was one of the first in which Hamilton was able to field an identical defence to that of a week before.
“One of the nice things was that we had the same group playing together for two weeks in a row, which we haven’t had the luxury to have more than a couple times this year,” says Creehan.
“I think the last time we did it was when we beat Toronto and Montreal here.”
Creehan echoes Williams as he argues that a defence requires cohesion if it is to execute plays in such a way that complements a scheme and masks its inherent weaknesses.
“When you learn how one call complements the next, you start playing better,” remarked the coordinator. “Because every defence has a weakness in it, but if you can disguise and give the illusion that you aren’t going to have that particular weakness, it helps you defensively.”
“When we’re playing a new lineup every week, you don’t get that continuity.”
The results on Saturday spoke for themselves.
The Ticats allowed a paltry 56 rushing yards and forced 48 lost yards on the Eskimos while accumulating five sacks – a single-game high for the Tabbies this season.
Rookie strong-side linebacker Brock Campbell led the way with seven tackles, and was rewarded for his efforts on Tuesday with recognition as the CFL’s Defensive Player of the Week.
Campbell is recognized for his excellence after only his fifth game – and fourth start – as a Tiger-Cat, and the linebacker quickly credits his veteran teammates and coaches for their roles in readying him to play.
“It’s a pretty big blessing,” says Campbell of his weekly award.
“Like I’ve said in the past, the veteran leadership that has helped me since I got here, they’ve been awesome. The coaches have been awesome and they’ve really helped me out.”
His performance against Edmonton – and the subsequent honour – suggests that Campbell is adjusting well to the demands of starting consistently on the strong side.
But the rookie is adamant that he still has much to learn and improve upon as the season rolls on.
“I’ve got a long way to go,” insists Campbell. “I know that I’m not even close to where I need to be. I know that I’ve got a lot of things left to work on.”
Hamilton’s established lineup delivered a powerful message on Saturday, but a pair of new faces made their presence felt in the process.
Defensive linemen Brandon Peguese and Torrey Davis each featured prominently against the Eskimos after only a week spent in Black and Gold.
Peguese – who accounted for one of the five sacks notched by Hamilton against Edmonton – indicates that his teammates and coaches made his transition to the team easy by rolling out the welcome mat.
“The guys have done a good job of making me feel welcome,” said the former BC Lion. “I feel like I fit in really well with these guys.”
“The coaches are happy to see me and it feels great.”
It certainly seemed on Saturday that the Ticats were ready to make use of the lineman’s speed off the edge, and Peguese confirms that his new coaches have found a perfect niche for him.
“I feel like they had a place set where they knew what they wanted for me,” says the lineman. “It just so happened that I feel like I do those things well.”
Peguese is a new piece in a puzzle that is rapidly coming together.
The Ticats simply hope that the fit is enough to push them past the Blue Bombers on Friday and continue their journey on the comeback trail and a push for the post season.
