Isaac Owusu
Ticats.ca
The Tiger-Cats head to Vancouver to take on the BC Lions in Friday night football action.
Much of the talk during their game’s preparation has been about how the Ticats plan to slow the league’s most productive offensive player, running back Andrew Harris, who has been a dual threat for the Lions.
Harris leads the league in rushing with 381 yards and sitting at second in receiving with 341.
The Lions’ backfield is also shared with former Ticats’ quarterback Kevin Glenn, who has started the Lions’ previous six games. He has thrown for 1,390 yards with six touchdowns. Stefan Logan has been a good change of pace runner for the team, capable of running and catching the ball effectively. He has totaled 269 yards on offence this season.
“Every good defense starts by stopping the run, that’s just something you have to do first and foremost,” defensive back Courtney Stephen said.
“When you face a wily vet like Kevin Glenn you know he will keep you on your toes and he can make something happen. He can extend the play to give his receivers a few seconds to get open.”
“We’re going to have to stop that run, and when they get their star players out there, we have to lock them down too,” Stephen added.
Starting safety Craig Butler, who missed the last game with a leg injury, will return to the lineup. His return will be good for the secondary that faces the league’s third ranked passing offence, which averages 250 yards per game through the air.
Receivers Courtney Taylor, Emmanuel Arceneaux and Ernest Jackson have been a strong set of weapons for Glenn, coming into Friday’s game with a respective 305, 288 and 248 yards for the season.
“We’re not scared, none of us are scared,” Stephen said.
“We definitely need to know who can go up and get the ball, who’s fast, andwe have to account for all their weapons and make sure we have them locked up at all times,” he added.
It will be a tough matchup for Hamilton on the other side of the ball, as they take on the league’s second ranked total defense, which only gives up 303 yards per game this season.
The BC defence boasts a number of big names such as Adam Bighill, Solomon Elimimian and Khalif Mitchell.
Quarterback Dan LeFevour nets his third start of 2014 and expects a great challenge in taking in that defence.
“They’re a very talented a lot of veteran guys, a lot of savvy. They’ve played a lot of football together, so they’re a good group. We have to be able to match that somehow,” he said.
LeFevour will be tested as he takes on the league’s number one ranked pass defense, which averages just 192 yards per game. He knows that in his previous two starts he has been brilliant and shaky at times, but looks to put it all together on Friday night.
“I’m just looking for more consistency. I think we bounced back well in the second half (of last game) but we didn’t start fast. That’s what we need to do to be successful especially playing on the road,” LeFevour said.
Head coach Kent Austin has nothing but respect for his upcoming opponents.
“They’re a good football team,” he said.
“They’re talented, have experience and well coached. They play really well at home too, so it’s a great challenge for us and we have to be ready to play,” he added.
The flight from east to west, and vice versa, can be a challenge for teams but Austin won’t let it be an issue.
“We look at it as the next game up on the schedule. We play every game to win. We prepare to win. It doesn’t matter if we’re at home or away, east or west, it doesn’t matter. We approach the game the same.”
