The Hamilton Tiger-Cats head up the QEW for a battle against the Ottawa REDBLACKS on Saturday night in a rematch of last year’s Eastern Final.
For the REDBLACKS, the team that won the final division game and headed to the Grey Cup in 2018 has changed quite a bit.
Their starting quarterback, running back and star receiver all headed out of the nation’s capital during free agency, leaving Ottawa scrambling for their replacements. General manager Marcel Desjardins signed free agent Jonathan Jennings in February, bringing in an option capable of taking on the starting role at quarterback.
HAMILTON’S STARTING QB JEREMIAH MASOLI WILL NOT PLAY IN SATURDAY’S CONTEST AGAINST THE REDBLACKS (TICATS.CA)
The starting spot isn’t Jennings’ for the taking, however, as the team has said it will be a competition between the former BC Lion and last year’s backup Dominique Davis for who will be under centre come the start of the season.
Both pivots, along with Danny Collins and William Ardnt will play on Saturday night at TD Place. While Mossis Madu, John Crockett, Dalton Crossan and Greg Morris will share duties in the backfield.
At receiver, All-Star Canadian Brad Sinopoli will sit this one out, leaving Dominique Rhymes, Seth Coate, Caleb Holley and R.J. Harris listed first on the team’s depth chart. Head coach Rick Campbell will give his younger pass-catchers a look at the field as well as they all fight for roster spots.
On defence, veteran safety Antoine Pruneau will not dress, along with starting DB Anthony Cioffi and DL Michael Klassen. Jonathan Rose and Chris Randle will play at field and boundary corner while Carleton grad Justin Howellgets the start at free safety. Sherrod Baltimore and Corey Tindal will get a look at half back as the REDBLACKS’ staff eyes playing quite a few of their starters in their first of two pre-season contests.
“We want to play a lot of people here at home,” Campbell told members of the media. “And then traditionally on the second game we have played a lot of newer guys that we want to make sure we get a really good look at.”
While Ottawa is planning to play quite a few of their starters, Hamilton is not.
Jeremiah Masoli and Brandon Banks are the most notable stars on offence that will not dress on Saturday. Instead, Dane Evans and Hayden Moore will get a shot to show what they’ve got under centre as they fight for the backup spot behind the projected starter Masoli.
At receiver, Josh Crockett, Marcus Tucker, Mike Jones, Bralon Addison and Jaelon Acklin are all listed first on the depth chart for the Tabbies.
With the release of Alex Green before training camp began, the running back position is up for the taking. Sean Thomas-Erlington, former DB Jackson Bennett, Ray Lawry and Luis Lopez will all have the chance to carry the rock out of the backfield this weekend as they hope to be the one that gets the call for opening day.
“It’s a chance to compete with the lights on, that’s the bottom line,” head coach Orlondo Steinauer said. “There’s a lot of great practice players that haven’t performed in a game and there’s people that will surprise us in the games.”
On defence, Ticats fans will have to wait at least another week before they get to see the team’s biggest off-season acquisition, Ja’Gared Davis, in action in the trenches. Defensive linemen Jamaal Westerman, Adrian Tracy, Dylan Wynn and Ted Laurent will not play either.
JONATHON JENNINGS WILL GET HIS FIRST LOOK OF GAME ACTION AS A MEMBER OF THE REDBLACKS THIS WEEKEND (OTTAWAREDBLACKS.COM)
In the secondary, the Tiger-Cats staff will get their first look at free-agent signing Tunde Adeleke at safety while starters Richard Leonard and Cariel Brooks will lineup at field and boundary half.
It’s also linebacker Justin Tuggle‘s first game in the black and gold as he hopes to take on the starting spot after the departure of middle linebacker Larry Dean this off-season.
“It feels good,” Tuggle said about looking forward to the game. “In practice, we are out here for the last 10, 11 days. We’ve been working hard. Now we get to see another colour. See another opponent that you get to game plan for. I think any time you hit someone else and actually get to go out there and play the game that you love, you’re excited.”
As with any pre-season game, the final score isn’t what counts for many coaches. What really matters for them is the evaluation process. Who can fit into their schemes on offence or defence? Who can play well in one-on-one situations?
It’s those questions that Campbell and Steinauer are looking to answer when their teams hit the turf on Saturday.
“Our priority is that we play everybody that we need to see,” Campbell said when asked about if the final score is important. “We want to play good football with everybody that’s available and then go from there.”
AFI, Yare Media and the CFL
American Football International is collaborating with Yare Media and the Canadian Football League to present 2019 CFL games live. This is more than a livestream. This is a stream of the top flight TSN network television broadcast.
LIVE STREAM: CFL – Hamilton Tiger-Cats @Ottawa REDBLACKS, Sat. June 1, 7p EDT (1a CEDT June 2)
