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INDEPTH: 2006 CFL PREVIEW
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
CBC Sports Online | Last updated June 15, 2006
Jason Maas has gone from late-game replacement
to a starting QB expected to lift the Ticats to the post-season.
(Canadian Press file photo)
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2005 RECORD: 5-13, fourth
in the East. Missed playoffs.
ARRIVALS: QB Jason Maas, RB/WR Corey Holmes, RB
Josh Ranek, SB Terry Vaughn, SB Kwame Cavil, SB Brock Ralph OL George
Hudson, OL Pascal Cheron, OL Greg Randall, OL Damion Cook, LB Ray
Mariuz, S Scott Gordon, K Pat Fleming
DEPARTURES: QB Danny McManus, RB Jesse Lumsden,
OL Tim Bakker
OFFENCE: Second-year general manager Rob Katz
spent the off-season revamping an attack that scored a league-low
383 points in 2005.
The most notable acquisition is quarterback Jason Maas, who spent
the 2003 and 2005 seasons playing in the shadow of Ricky Ray in
Edmonton, but excelled in 2004 when Ray was making an unsuccessful
bid to join the National Football League. Maas threw for more than
5,000 yards that season.
Last fall, Maas replaced an ineffective Ray and drove the Eskimos
to game-winning touchdowns in the West semifinal against Calgary
and again in the final versus British Columbia.
The 30-year-old will have a bevy of receiving targets, including
D.J. Flick, who led Hamilton with 1,245 yards on 80 catches and
six touchdowns in 2005. He's joined by Craig Yeast, Canadian Brock
Ralph and proven CFL veterans Kwame Cavil, Mike Morreale, Kamau
Peterson and Terry Vaughn.
Returning fullback Julien Radlein, and Josh Ranek, who was acquired
in the Ottawa Renegades' dispersal draft, will start in the backfield.
The five-foot-eight, 205-pound Ranek ran for a career-best 1,157
yards a year ago, his third-straight season topping the 1,000-yard
mark.
Americans Damion Cook and Greg Randall are the newcomers on the
offensive line along with Hudson, a former Renegade. Returnee Marwan
Hage takes over from Tim Bakker at centre.
DEFENCE: The Tiger-Cats return eight of 12 starters,
including the front four of Adriano Belli, Tim Cheatwood, James
Cotton and DeVonte Peterson. Cotton led the way with 10 of the team's
44 quarterback sacks in 2005.
A pair of Canadians (Agustin Barrenechea and former Toronto Argonaut
Ray Mariuz) will start at linebacker, perhaps the most improved
area this season outside of receiver. Mariuz beat-out longtime Tiger-Cat
Rob Hitchcock for a regular job. Jojuan Armour, who spent the past
two seasons with B.C., rounds out the position and gets the nod
over veteran Renard Cox.
Safety Scott Gordon arrives from Saskatchewan in a reserve role
for a secondary that had its ups and downs last year. Defensive
back Jason Goss led the way with seven interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS: The kicking game remains a question
mark with third-year CFLer Jamie Boreham coming off a disappointing
campaign.
He was last in the league with a 39.6-yard punting average and
has lost that job to Pat Fleming, who was acquired in the Ottawa
dispersal draft. Fleming covered 4,025 yards on 97 punts for a 41.5-yard
average last year.
Boreham will concentrate on field goals and kickoffs, while Corey
Holmes will be the kick-return specialist.
COACHING: Greg Marshall, who captured CFL coach
of the year honours in 2004, has compiled a record of 14-21-1 in
his first two campaigns in Hamilton.
He should benefit from the addition of former Renegades head coach
Joe Paopao as offensive co-coordinator, and offensive line coach
Kani Kauahi, also from Ottawa.
GAME BREAKER: COREY HOLMES
He led the CFL in 2005 with 3,455 all-purpose yards, was named
the league's most outstanding special teams player and is the kick-return
specialist the Tiger-Cats have been missing for years.
Holmes can also make a difference running and catching the ball,
having finished last season with 899 rushing yards and 523 yards
receiving.
EXPERT OPINION: "Their potential for success
all depends on Maas," said CFL on CBC analyst Darren Flutie.
"Last year, all their concerns were about moving the football
and they've addressed that area, but it will take six, eight, 10
games for the [new-look] offence to get on the same page.
"Maas is a more mobile quarterback than Hamilton has had for
a number of years. He can run on second-and-six and get that first
down for you.
"[Receivers] Kwame Cavil and Terry Vaughn are very good players
and [running back] Ranek certainly can help them out. He's a very
good blocker.
"I would say they're a playoff team and could finish first
or second in the East."
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