HAMILTON, ON - MAY 21, 2018: 2018 Hamilton Tiger Cats training camp,, (Photo by Ryan McCullough / Hamilton Tiger Cats)
As day two of training camp commenced, more storylines and interesting notes about this year’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats came to the forefront. With today’s practice being the first full-padded one, contact and competition were the highlights.
Switched up:
With the CFL bringing in such a wide array of talent, some of these players are asked a little more of them. The notable case of this is 2018 draft pick, Joel Van-Pelt. Van-Pelt attended the University of Calgary where he played his collegiate career as a defensive tackle for the Dinos. Now, joining the Tiger-Cats, he is seeing a different side of the ball. The passing two days of training camp have seen Van-Pelt move to the offensive line and join the company of seasoned veterans in Mike Filer and Tony Washington.
Along with Van-Pelt, other notable players are making position changes as well. From defensive tackle to running back, Nikita Whitlock is now seeing the opposite side of the ball carrier-becoming one. On Tuesday’s practice, Whitlock was seen taking reps at running back. This comes as no surprise as the 5’10” 250-pound frame was previously a full-back with the NY Giants.
Guess who’s back:
Canadian receiver Felix Faubert-Lussier graced Ron Joyce Stadium’s field today as he was welcomed back after attending the teams mini-camp in April. Though Faubert-Lussier had few touches last season, his role has seemingly become larger this season. With the Tiger-Cats having to play seven Canadian starters, it has not yet been decided if Felix’s name will be one of those come game day, but his efforts and improvements have caught the attention of Coach June Jones.
Band-aids:
With first practices come first injuries. During an organized offence-defence scrimmage, defensive back Mariel Cooper left with what seemed to be a shoulder/elbow injury after falling on it awkwardly Monday afternoon. Though he left the remaining half hour of the scrimmage to receive medical attention, his injury is not serious as Cooper was seen catching, running, and stretching out for passes opposite of today’s practice.
