Fraser Caldwell
Ticats.ca
The Ticats high-octane offence expects a response from the Lions when BC rolls into Ivor Wynne Stadium on Friday night.
The credentials of Hamilton’s multi-faceted receiving corps have been proven time and time again this season, and those pass-catchers will likely be the primary targets of BC’s defence.
“We always take what the defence gives us,” says Ticat quarterback Henry Burris of his offensive approach. “That’s rule number one.”
“But of course, we’re going to see what sort of adjustments BC is going to make to try to take away some of our weapons, whether it’s (Andy) Fantuz or Bakari (Grant) and Chris Williams on the boundary – which opens things up for guys to the field side.”
Burris relishes his role as a game manager, and believes that he will have to use every tool in his repertoire to keep the Lions vaunted front seven off balance.
“They have a great front, so I’ll have to use my feet to help out the guys up front and control their rush and make sure that they’re contained,” says the quarterback.
The men in the trenches who keep the Ticats offence churning will see more change to their lineup on Friday.
Nick Hennessey made his CFL debut in Edmonton a week ago, filling in for the injured Peter Dyakowski at left guard. The tinkering looks to continue as the Ticats search for the right mix on the line.
Right tackle Marc Dile believes that Offensive Line Coach Doug Malone has done an admirable job of mentally preparing the Ticats linemen for action, and for the inevitable changes that a football season makes necessary.
“Coach Malone does a great job of preparing us as a group as far as mentally, on the board, going through each position with each player and making sure that we know our assignments,” says Dile. “That’s half the battle for the game.”
“Physically, you’re here for a reason. If you weren’t physical enough, you wouldn’t be playing.”
The offensive line is a place where cohesiveness is especially important, with blocking schemes reliant on every player’s contribution to make them work.
Dile confirms that every change is a challenge on the line, but believes that the players stepping into the breach are more than capable of stepping up.
“If one tire comes off, the car won’t work,” says the tackle. “Of course, a little bug or injury here or there on the line can hinder you a little.”
“But as with every car that breaks down, you’ve got to have a spare tire. That’s what we’ve got here with Nick, and he did a fabulous job filling in for Peter.”
That unit will have to be at its best on Friday, as the Ticats size up a formidable Lions defensive front.
Dile suggests that the strength of BC’s front lies in its recognition and use of its speed and size to their fullest advantage.
“They’ve got size and speed,” says the Ticat tackle of his next opponents. “From the interior to the exterior, they move around pretty well.”
“The thing is, most players don’t know how to use their size and speed. But BC uses it very well, leverage-wise and strength-wise, knowing when to move and when to slide – they get there in a hurry.”
The Ticats are attempting to recapture their winning form on Friday, and Dile believes that the key to bottling that explosive formula is maintaining focus.
“It all comes back to being mentally tough and mentally focused,” says the lineman of the means to finding consistent form. “You have to focus day-in and day-out – which is tough for the grind of a long 18-game season – for that day, that snap and that rep.”
“It’s an old cliché but it’s true. You can’t look forward to the next rep or the next game if you don’t get that one down. If you fail to focus, the end result tends to be a loss or a misstep here or missed catch there.”
Hamilton hopes that with a return to their home field – where the Ticats have been successful this season – that winning formula can return to them as well.
