Ticats bring in Lolley as DC

Winless in six games and having given up a CFL-worst 234 points, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats have pushed aside defensive coordinator Jeff Reinebold and promoted defensive run game coordinator/ linebackers coach Phillip Lolley.

“Phillip is a great football mind that has been around the game at all levels for a very long time,” said Ticats coach Kent Austin. “He has been an excellent addition to our coaching staff this season and we fully expect him to flourish in his expanded role with our team moving forward.”

The 63-year-old Lolley, 63, has more than three decades of coaching experience, most recently serving three seasons under Chris Jones as linebackers coach for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (2016) and Edmonton Eskimos (2014-15).

Reinebold has been offered an alternate position to stay with the Ticats.

REDBLACKS STILL COOL

You’d think a team with just one win and a tie to show for seven games might be at the breaking point, disjointed and frustrated.

Somehow, maybe because the rest of the East isn’t much better, the Ottawa Redblacks, who have fallen to eighth in the CFL’s Nissan Titan Power Ranks, are holding it together.

“We’re right there,” said receiver Diontae Spencer. “Mental mistakes, not completing games, it’s hurt us. It’s frustrating to lose, but we’re two games out of first place. You have to look at the bigger picture. Teams get rolling at the end of the season, those are the teams that get to the Grey Cup.”

GM Marcel Desjardins said the biggest disappointment has been “not being able to finish within games. We’ve been so close in all our losses. A big factor in those losses has been our own ineptitude in terms of turning the ball over and giving easy points away.”