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INDEPTH: 2005 CFL PREVIEW
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
CBC Sports Online | Last updated June 21, 2005
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats hope Danny McManus can cut down on his league-high 30 interceptions of 2004.
(CP File Photo)
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2004 RECORD: 9-8-1, third in the Eastern
Division (lost to Toronto in the division semifinals)
ARRIVALS: WR Chris Brazzell, DE Roger Dunbrack, DE James
Cotton, OG Dan Comiskey
DEPARTURES: DE Joe Montford, OL Carl Coulter, WR Demitrius
Breedlove, WR Ibrahim Tounkara
OFFENCE: The Tiger-Cats return 10 of 12 regulars from last
year's group that finished fifth in the nine-team league in points
(415) and touchdowns (45).
Gone is veteran offensive lineman Carl Coulter, who retired in May
after 15 CFL seasons, and receiver Demetrius Breedlove. In his only
season in Hamilton, Breedlove caught 25 passes for 380 yards and
two touchdowns in seven games.
Hamilton's success with the ball will depend largely on tailback
Troy Davis. The five-foot-eight-inch, 183-pound rusher set club
records in 2004 for yards in a single game (233), career yardage
(4,270) and yards in a season (1,628). He also caught 40 passes
for 250 yards. Joining him in the backfield is fullback Julian Radlein
(33 carries for 69 yards, five TDs last season).
Former guard Tim Bakker takes over from Coulter at centre. Guard
Wayne Smith, second-year tackle Jonta Woodard, tackle Dave Hack,
Coulter and Bakker allowed the fewest quarterback sacks in the league
last season with 10.
Their strong play was a huge reason veteran pivot Danny McManus
was able to become just the third CFL quarterback to surpass the
50,000-yard mark in career passing.
McManus, 39, threw for 5,034 yards, completing 56.1 per cent of
his passes, but tossed a league-high 30 interceptions in 18 contests.
Four starting receivers are back – Archie Amerson, Mike Morreale,
Craig Yeast and D.J. Flick. Newcomer Chris Brazzell had 49 receptions
for 906 yards and eight TDs in 15 games last year with the British
Columbia Lions.
DEFENCE: Losing the top two pass rushers in the league normally
would be cause for concern, but Hamilton believes it has sufficient
replacements in Roger Dunbrack and James Cotton.
Dunbrack, a seven-year CFL veteran, joins a Hamilton pass rush that
tied Saskatchewan for the league lead with 49 quarterback sacks
in 2004. The 29-year-old posted five sacks, 12 tackles and one interception
in 14 games with Ottawa last year.
Cotton, 28, recorded 73 tackles and 10 sacks in 23 games over the
2001 and 2002 seasons with the Calgary Stampeders. He returns to
the CFL after being released by the National Football League's Atlanta
Falcons in March. Defensive tackle DeVonte Peterson also will be
relied on heavily.
Adriano Belli is the only returning starter from last year's front
four after Tim Cheatwood jumped to the NFL's New Orleans Saints,
Joe Montford was traded to Edmonton and Johnny Scott was released.
The secondary, which shone down the stretch last season, is led
by free safety Wayne Shaw.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Despite Jamie Boreham's league-worst 35.6-yard
punting average and 59.5-per-cent field goal success rate, the Ticats
will give the sophomore a second chance.
Import Chuck Tack, who spent two seasons at Nebraska University
in the late 1990s, was invited to training camp to provide competition.
The speedy Yeast finished seventh and fourth, respectively, in punt
return and kickoff return yardage last season.
COACHING: In his first season with Hamilton, Greg Marshall
guided the Tiger-Cats to their first winning season in three years
after a league-worst 1-17-0 campaign in 2003. He then topped B.C.'s
Wally Buono and Toronto's Michael (Pinball) Clemons for CFL coach-of-the-year
honours.
GAME BREAKER: TROY DAVIS
Davis is the heart and soul of Hamilton's offence. He rushed for
100-plus yards in eight of 18 games and bested Winnipeg's Charles
Roberts for the league rushing title (1,628 yards on 324 carries).
EXPERT OPINION: "Hamilton is a pretty big question mark
this season," said CFL on CBC analyst Darren Flutie. "They're
solid up front (on the offensive line) and have one of the best
running backs in the league [in Troy Davis], but [quarterback] Danny
McManus is getting up in age.
"The defensive line is a huge question mark [with the loss of pass
rushers Tim Cheatwood and Joe Montford]. The secondary isn't experienced
and will face a little more pressure because they probably won't
get the same pass rush.
"However, they (Tiger-Cats) are experienced enough to win the big
games. And coach Greg Marshall is a big reason they will have success.
For Hamilton to go 9-8-1 again would be a great season."
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