HAMILTON, ON - MAY 20, 2018: 2018 Hamilton Tiger Cats training camp,, (Photo by Ryan McCullough / Hamilton Tiger Cats)
To the sight of a doubled fan attendance, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats took the field at Ron Joyce Stadium yesterday to mark the start of Training Camp. Though the weather looked somewhat grim earlier in the day, the product on the field was a beaming ray of light.
Plug and Play:
Some of the major takeaways from the day were the many dynamic spark plugs of last year’s offence. Led by starting quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. From wideouts to running backs, this team is looking to shatter records and win some games along the way. Brandon “Speedy B” Banks is looking better than ever. In numerous drills, he blasted off the line with explosive speed as Masoli floated pass after pass 40+ yards to Banks. Banks and Masoli connected for some big plays late in last years season after Masoli took over for then quarterback Zach Collaros. The offseason seemed to have done wonders for Masoli as his passes seemed to have a little extra “zip” on them. After being named the starter, there are expectations Masoli will have to live up to last season, but it doesn’t seem like that will be a problem for him.
No-Fly Zone:
On the defensive side of the ball, the Ticats secondary will be issuing a strict “no-fly zone” warning to all of the CFL. In the scrimmage portion of the practice, their strength stood out. What seemed like every other play ended in an interception-not because the ball was thrown inaccurately- but because just like a true Tiger, this defence hunts its prey and pounces at the perfect opportunity. Returning players such as Courtney Stephen and Richard Leonard have a new wave of DB’s including 2018 draft pick Jackson Bennett to groom for stardom.
Day one was deemed a roaring success as June Jones was impressed with the determination and hustle of this year’s squad, “a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of hustle…believe it or not we got a lot of stuff in”. The “stuff” Jones notes is a revamped playbook to help showcase the high-octane potential of this offensive and defensive teams. With this alteration to the playbook, Jones notes it as “the same but different”. There are positives to stay within the same frame of the last one. Most players can make micro adjustments that will ultimately, cause macro results.
Today’s practice at Ron Joyce Stadium will be the first look of the team in full pads. The early morning 8:30 a.m. start will be full of highlights and a chance for players to stand out, and for the team to get better.
