HAMILTON – If you take a look at the Hamilton Tiger-Cats offence heading into 2017, you’ll see a group ready to clear the slate.
Ready to forget the injury-riddled season that was 2016 and ready to get back to the dominant club that saw back-to-back Grey Cup appearances in 2013 and 2014 and an Eastern Final showdown in 2015.
“I mean, it was an up and down season for us,” quarterback Zach Collaros said of the roller coaster that was 2016. “It obviously didn’t end the way we wanted it to or that I wanted it to for sure. It’s good to get away but six months (for an off-season) is a long time. We’re all very enthusiastic about getting back to Hamilton.”
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Zach Collaros is ready to hit reset after a disappointing, and injury filled, 2016 season (The Canadian press)
Last season, the injury bug didn’t just bite the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ offence, it latched on tight and wouldn’t let go. Collaros and receivers Luke Tasker, Andy Fantuz (currently a free agent) and Chad Owens (now with Saskatchewan) all missed time at some point last year.
Both Tasker and Owens were injured in the Week 13 contest against the Montreal Alouettes and did not return for the rest of the season and Fantuz tore his ACL against Edmonton in Week 19 after falling on a non-contact play. Collaros missed the beginning of the season recovering from knee surgery along with three games late in the season with a concussion.
The Ticats season came to a screeching halt with a 24-21 loss against the Edmonton Eskimos in the Eastern Semi-Final. That exit was the team’s worst since Kent Austin took over as head coach in 2013, when the Ticats went all the way to the Grey Cup and ultimately lost to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
2014 saw the Tabbies face, and lose to, the Calgary Stampeders in the championship late in November and in 2015, Hamilton was defeated in the Ottawa REDBLACKS in the Eastern Final.
But despite the disappointment of the season that was, Tasker, who is healthy and ready to start the season, says his team is heading into 2017 with a fresh attitude and the mindset they’ll make an appearance in the Grey Cup once again.
“It was a year with a lot of adversity, and especially having been injured for me personally it was a lot of adversity,” said Tasker. “Any year you don’t win the Grey Cup it’s good to have it behind you. We’re going to go in this year and I think the greatest teams always have the end in mind – they always start with a championship in mind and day one in camp we need to make sure everyone is on the same page of winning the Grey Cup.”
Two new faces that will carry that same attitude are pass-catchers Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms, who both signed with Hamilton this off-season. The duo were late additions to the Ticats lineup last season with Tasker, Fantuz and Owens all missing in action, but they impressed in the outings they suited up in.
Elliott played just three regular season games with the black and gold but caught 294 yards on 23 receptions and found the end zone once. Tyms played just two games last season, one in the regular season and one in the post-season where he had an excellent outing, catching 114 yards on eight catches. His first game was the Ticats’ season finale against Montreal where the receiver scored his first CFL touchdown – not bad for coming in late to a brand new team and offence.
Wideout Terrence Toliver, who signed a deal to stay with the Tabbies through 2018 this off-season, says he’s looking forward to the fresh start, especially with familiar faces – like Tasker – back in the lineup.
“He’s one of the top-five quarterbacks up there right now. He’s motivated, too.”
Terrence Toliver on Zach Collaros
Terrence Toliver had the best season of his CFL career in 2016 – catching 1036 yards and nine touchdowns (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
“The biggest leg up is getting Tasker back,” said Toliver admitted. “I love watching Tasker play. Hard worker, can catch the bell, good in the slot. That kind of opens it up for other guys. Likewise, if I’m doing my thing outside it opens it up for him. I’m excited for Kevin Elliott and Brian Tyms. You saw what he (Tyms) did in the Eastern Semi-Final last year. I’m excited about those guys.”
Having Tasker on the field this season gives back Collaros one of his most trusted targets. The 26-year-old Cornell graduate has collected 237 catches for 3057 yards and 17 major scores since joining Hamilton back in 2013. Last season, before his injury, he was on pace to nab his second-straight season with over 1000 yards. In the 12 games he played in, Tasker caught 76 passes for 852 yards and five touchdowns.
Toliver spoke highly of all of his teammates when he talked to CFL.ca at Mark’s CFL Week in Regina, Sask. back in March but his eyes lit up at the mention of Collaros’ name. And having another season to play with who he considers one of the best in the business is what Toliver is looking forward to most.
“I think he would have won MOP if he didn’t get hurt in 2015,” said Toliver. “He’s up there. He’s one of the top-five quarterbacks up there right now. He’s motivated, too. Zach is very motivated. I love his attitude. I just love his intensity. His intensity, like – he knows he’s the best. That’s just what it is.
“I believe this year he’s motivated from the injury, he wasn’t considered one of the top quarterbacks in the league last year. Who wouldn’t be motivated by that?”
