Ticats.ca
For the first time since playing university football back in 2012 Linden Gaydosh lined up in a real, live, game.
The University of Calgary product was selected No. 1 overall in the 2013 CFL Draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, but NFL interest took him south of the Canadian border.
Gaydosh received an invite to the Carolina Panthers rookie mini-camp. He impressed enough to earn a contract with the team. When Gaydosh returned to Carolina for training camp a season-ending back injury landed him on injured reserve for the year.
“The whole rehab and recovery process was an issue for me,” Gaydosh explained. “There were no problems with it, but it just took forever.”
Once his back healed Gaydosh went into off-season training mode to prepare for the 2014 NFL season.
“I went down to OTAs and was doing well again. Then, I got to training camp and tore a ligament in my foot — a two to four week injury — and that was the end of that,” Gaydosh said. “Nobody waits for you to be ready.”
Carolina released Gaydosh during the first round of cuts.
“I missed the opportunity to be on the field and show myself. I missed all four pre-season games last year and missed the first three this year,” Gaydosh said. “And without being able to put yourself on film to show them what you’re able to do, it gives them no reason to hold onto you.”
After the Panthers let him go, Gaydosh spoke with his agent and decided to wait until final rosters were finalized and see if an NFL practice squad spot popped up anywhere. No opportunities presented themselves and Gaydosh just wanted to get back to playing football.
| Adding some bite |
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Taylor Reed has quietly made a major impact on the Ticats’ defence this season, sitting third on the unit in tackles with 32 and leading in sacks with five — despite being a CFL rookie. |
“I knew if the NFL thing wasn’t going to work out I was going to be here in Hamilton,” Gaydosh said.
The arrival of the 6-foot-4, 305-pound linemen is even more important with the loss of interior defensive linemen Brian Bulcke for the season with torn biceps. Ready or not Gaydosh is going to play a lot more than he otherwise might have anticipated.
And it didn’t take him long to hit the field after signing with the Ticats. On Sunday, September 14 Gaydosh suited up and played in a game for the first time since November 17, 2012, his final game with the Calgary Dinos.
“It lit a fire in me again because it’s something that I hadn’t felt in two years – that competitiveness and desire to play and beat the other guy across from you,” Gaydosh said. “Practicing against guys on your own team for the last two years you kind of lose that edge.”
Gaydosh’s arrival bolsters an already impressive group of Canadian defensive linemen in Hamilton.
“The best part about us being so deep is that it gives us a chance to rotate in and keep all of us fresh,” Gaydosh said. “So whenever we do get in we’re able to perform at the highest level we can.”
Gaydosh provides another big-bodied athlete for Hamilton’s seemingly always-scheming defensive coordinator, Orlondo Steinauer.
“Linden’s willingness to work hard with an open mind has me excited to watch his career grow,” Steinauer said. “He wants to be great and not to live up to the standards of everybody else or what he is supposed to be. He would be like this even if he was the last pick in the last round of the draft.”
Reed-ing and reacting
By all accounts linebacker Taylor Reed is a quiet man and he lets his play speak for itself.
In Week 12 against Saskatchewan Reed was all over the field making a loud impact on the game. Reed racked up seven tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack to earn CFL Defensive Player of the Week honours. Overall Reed has started seven games this season for Hamilton and produced 32 defensive tackles and one interception.
“I think Taylor brings tenacity, some quiet leadership – he’s a tough sucker,” Steinauer said.
Also, Reed has helped the Ticats pass rush, recording a team-leading five sacks.
“He’s a strong kid and he’s not going to get knocked off. He’s a tough matchup for running backs and there are a few things we like to scheme up for him,” Steinauer said of Reed’s penchant for getting to the quarterback. “He’s got a little knack for it.”
Hamilton’s humble first-year linebacker won’t take much of the credit, though.
“Coach O has put me in great situations and I’ve been able to capitalize,” Reed said. “It’s all scheme – he’s playing chess with offensive coordinators.”
It’s been a rather quick assimilation to the CFL game for Reed. He spent some time on the Bombers practice squad at the end of the 2013 season before signing with the Ticats in late June prior to the kickoff of the 2014 season.
“Other credit needs to go to Simoni Lawrence and Brian Bulcke and the guys that have been in the system to help him mature at the rate that he has,” Steinauer said.
“The veterans have helped me along the way to get caught up to speed,” Reed said. “It took me a while, but the defensive coaches believed in me.”
And because Hamilton put faith in Reed it seems the Ticats have found a young linebacker to anchor their defence.
