THESE ’CATS HAVE BITE
Hamilton class of the CFL
It is difficult to stop the Hamilton Tiger-Cats from scoring, even when their powerful offence is on the sideline.
The Kent Austin-coached Tiger-Cats are the rare team that is eminently capable of exploding for a touchdown on offence, defence or special teams. Consider the fact that one-third of Hamilton’s CFL-best 33 touchdowns this season has been produced by the defensive or special-teams units.
Along with reaching pay dirt on five runs and 17 passes, the Tiger-Cats have reached the end zone to punctuate six interception returns, two fumble returns and three Brandon Banks punt returns. With eight defensive touchdowns, Hamilton is averaging one per game.
The all-around excellence has helped Hamilton win five consecutive games. With a 6-2 record, the Tiger-Cats are deadlocked for first in the league’s overall standings with the Toronto Argonauts and Calgary Stampeders.
Despite the three-way tie, it does not appear that anyone is playing at Hamilton’s level. On Saturday, the defending champions from Calgary barely got past the winless Saskatchewan Roughriders, prevailing 34-31 in Regina. Toronto has won three in a row, with its most-recent setback a 34-18 loss to Hamilton on Aug. 3.
And the Tiger-Cats are coming off Friday’s 49-20 pummeling of the host Edmonton Eskimos, who have still allowed the second-fewest points in the league (148, two behind the Montreal Alouettes). Over the five-game winning streak, Hamilton has outscored the opposition 204-89.
So how does anyone stop Hamilton?
Sure, the Tiger-Cats could always encounter a spate of injuries, but would that even be news? After all, six starters — receivers Andy Fantuz and Bakari Grant, tailback C.J. Gable, offensive lineman Joel Figueroa, safety Craig Butler and defensive back Johnny Sears Jr. — have missed multiple games due to injuries. Further complicating matters, Butler and Fantuz are Canadians.
The above list of injuries does not account for two projected Canadian starters — defensive tackle Brian Bulcke and receiver Spencer Watt — or homebrew Linden Gaydosh, who was going to be a rotational player on the defensive line.
Given the importance of Canadian talent, a series of injuries could easily have dire consequences for a team. Yet, the Tiger-Cats are rolling, without any sign of let-up.
Depth and direction are the keys for the Tiger-Cats, who are adhering to a well-established blueprint for success.
As a head coach, Austin gets to Grey Cups. Period.
Austin guided Saskatchewan to the 2007 championship as a firstyear CFL field boss. He returned to the sideline north of the border in 2013 and has since led Hamilton to back-to-back Grey Cup appearances. Now he is calling the shots for the league’s hottest team.
From the outset of Austin’s first training camp as Saskatchewan’s head coach, he established winning the Grey Cup as a goal and sold it as being attainable. He is blessed with a remarkable ability to get the players to buy into the program and accept their roles.
The mere description of a player as a backup is likely to rankle Austin, who is of the opinion that everyone is on the team for a reason. When a starter is injured, Austin expects the next player in line to fill the void, and prepares him to seize that opportunity. Many of those players have been provided by Eric Tillman who, as Saskatchewan’s general manager, gave Austin his first head-coaching opportunity in December 2006.
When Austin resurfaced in Hamilton, he hired Tillman as a consultant. After one season in that role, Tillman was named the Tiger-Cats’ director of U.S. scouting and U.S. pro personnel. The presence of Tillman ensures the Tiger-Cats have a steady and reliable pipeline of talent and depth that few teams can imagine, let alone rival.
There is also depth off the field. Offensive co-ordinator Tommy Condell and defensive co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer are coaching at an elite level.
Condell works closely with quarterback Zach Collaros, who boasts a league-high 2,339 passing yards and 17 aerial scores. An emerging superstar, Collaros has an efficiency rating of 111.4 — which places him second only to Toronto’s Trevor Harris (115.7).
In every capacity, the Tiger-Cats are a machine. Collaros has a league-best 17 completions of 30 yards or more. Hamilton has amassed 118 points off turnovers, with Edmonton a distant second at 64.
The remainder of the season could very well unfold in similar fashion — with Hamilton clearly on top, and everyone else fighting over the consolation prizes.