Kyle Myers
Ticats.ca
The Tiger-Cats return to Guelph this weekend for the second half of a back-to-back with the CFL leading Saskatchewan Roughriders, and look to bounce back from a disappointing shutout loss out West in week four.
Quarterback Henry Burris admitted that while athletes are taught to have short-term memory, there is some extra fire in the dressing room for this weeks’ rematch.
“Because we just played them it’s good to get back out on the gridiron and go against the same opponent because the wound is still fresh, and some of the things they did are still fresh on our mind” he said. “It’s time for us to bounce back.”
Burris was held without a touchdown for the first time this season last week in Regina, and the Ticats offence is hungry to put some points on the board this weekend, something they were unable to do last week.
“For us (this week) is all about redeeming ourselves and getting back out there and being the offence we know we can be” Burris said after the Ticats final practice on Thursday. “We know we’re better than the team that stepped out on the field against the Riders in Saskatchewan.”
The Tiger-Cats offence will receive a bit of a boost this weekend, as week one starting tailback C.J. Gable is back practicing after missing two games due to injury. Austin and the Ticats coaching staff will hope that Gable’s addition to the lineup will be an injection of adrenaline to a running attack which has struggled so far this season.
“We feel like (C.J.) is a complete back: in protection, in running, and also being a receiver on our offence” said Austin. “He does some things pretty well.”
Also back at practice this week was 11 year CFL veteran Dave Stala, who was placed on the nine-game injured list after knee surgery at the beginning of the season. However, with the Ticats receiving corps as banged up as it is, and with Stala making a quick recovery, Austin felt it necessary to insert him into the line-up early.
“He’s played a lot of football and he’s kind of a calming influence on some young guys who haven’t played a lot of football” Austin said.
“He gives us some swagger” said Burris. “He’s a guy who can make plays, and he’s a guy that I trust and I’ve been out there with in the battles and the dogfights. To have a face and a number that (you) recognize out there… just gives you that confident feeling that he’s going to make the play any time you need it.”
Stala has made his name being one of the better possession receivers in the CFL throughout his career, and is known by fans as “Sticky” Stala due to his trustworthy hands. He’s a solid addition to a Ticats offence lacking in veteran talent due to injuries, though Burris has expressed his complete trust in the entire receiving corps.
“I trust in all these guys that they’re going to make plays” he said. “At the end of the day, I’m going to throw the ball wherever the read takes me, and I trust in those guys to make the play. They wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case.”
On the defensive side of the ball, the Ticats will also have to deal with some injuries at key positions. Evan McCollough and Erik Harris both left Sunday’s game against the Riders due to injury, opening the door for some young defensive backs to step up in their absence.
One of those DBs is Courtney Stephen, a CFL rookie who made his first defensive start last weekend. Stephen started at corner, but was moved to safety (the position he played in college) after Harris was forced to leave with an injury. The 2012 draft pick has bounced around the secondary so far with the Ticats, but he isn’t worried about being nailed down to one position.
“One of the first things I bring to the table is versatility, more so than any other characteristic I feel I’m comfortable playing at many different positions” Stephen said on Thursday.
But he wasn’t shy when asked about his feelings towards the move to his native position, where he will get the start on Saturday.
“I was kind of licking my chops back there, I’m not going to lie” Stephen laughed. “It felt good to be out there, good to get my feet wet. For me personally it was a good place to start and I’m looking to build off that this week.”
Joining Stephen on defence for the first time will be Nate Bussey and Brandon Isaac at the WILL and SAM linebacker positions, respectively, while newly signed Emmanuel Davis will get the start at corner opposite Delvin Breaux, who returns from injury. It is another week of changes in the Ticats lineup, and they’re hoping that some new additions to the roster will help bolster their defence against the top-ranked Riders.
While back-to-backs can be frustrating for a team like the Ticats, who are forced to face the CFL’s top team two weeks in a row, players will be eager this week to get revenge for an embarrassing loss last week in Saskatchewan. The Tiger-Cats offence is bolstered this week by the return of some key playmakers, and they’ll hope that the friendly confines of Alumni Stadium will give them a boost when they take on the undefeated Riders in on Saturday.
