(Photo Credit: Gregory Campbell)
Isaac Owusu
Ticats.ca
The start of the Hamilton Tiger Cats 2014 season is underway with the open of training camp.
Veterans, rookies and newcomers assembled at McMaster University’s Ron Joyce Stadium on Sunday morning before a few hundred fans in the stands.
Head Coach and General Manager Kent Austin was pleased with the results of the first day of camp.
“We’ve got a close group. It’s always good to get back on the field. The coaches have got cabin fever, they’re ready to get out here and coach,” he said.
“I thought it was a pretty good practice with pretty good energy,” Austin added.
The team took part in a “power practice,” stacking two practice sessions back-to-back with a short break in between. The first session was ended by a few friendly games of tug-o-war.
“You’ll see different team competitions. That’s just one of them. You always need that and the team needs to have fun,” Austin stated.
“Its good to have that, as long as they buy in.”
Quarterback Zach Collaros led the first team in parts of his first training camp as member of the Ticats. He took advantage of his opportunity to get acquainted with all of his new teammates.
“It was exciting. I thought we got a lot of good work in. I got a lot of reps, a lot of plays,” he said.
“It was moving kind of fast at first but once you’re out there for a little bit it’s just football again. And we’re going to keep getting better every day.”
Acquired as a free agent in the offseason, Collaros spent his two-year career previously as a member of the Toronto Argonauts. He looks to complete camp as the team’s starting pivot as he competes with returning quarterbacks Dan LeFevour, Jeremiah Masoli, and Stephen McGee as well as newly aquired Corey Robinson.
Even on day one, Collaros was able to spot differences in the Ticats’ offense compared to Toronto’s.
“The quarterback gets more freedom. Not that its any freelance stuff at all, but there’s different ways we can do things, whereas in Toronto it was more just straight progression reads,” he said.
“Its exciting having the ball in your hands and being able to make those decisions that Coach Austin requires us to make.”
On the defensive end of the ball, a trimmer Eric Norwood, the defensive end who came into camp 20 pounds lighter than last season, now tipping the scales at 250 pounds, gave away the secrets to his change in appearance.
“I ran,” he said with a bright smile.
“I really tried to balance out the amount of days that I ran and the amount of days that I’d lift. I just ran, lift, little stuff like breathing right, some yoga stuff. I was doing yoga in college but it was the first time since I turned pro.”
Norwood spotted other players that came into camp with changes made, including offensive tackle Joel Figueroa.
“Figs came back ready. In terms of technique, strength, fundamentals. It’s good because that’s one of our dogs on the o-line and he sets the tempo for the rest of the guys. He came back ready to dominate. It’s going to be a good season.”
Coach Austin ended the day on a lighthearted note, joking that nothing surprised him on the field, but things could always change for the second year Ticats head coach.
“I might have a different opinion after I watch the film,” He quipped.
