Fantuz won’t be ready for the Riders
Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones said Tuesday that Canadian receiver Andy Fantuz won’t be ready for this week’s matchup against the Saskatchewan Roughriders and is still awaiting final medical clearance-on his injured knee.
“I think after Sept. 18 is when they are going to clear him,” Jones said. “He still has to sign a contract, so that has to happen, too.”
Jones had indicated last week that Fantuz could return as early as Friday against the Riders.
The 33-year-old Fantuz has been serving as a Ticat assistant coach, while recovering from a torn ACL suffered last October. He had 101 receptions through 17 games in 2016 and had reached the 1,000-yard mark (1,059) for just the second time in his 11-year career.
The Ticats could use the help. The team is down to just two healthy Canadian receivers, including Mitchell Baines who signed last week. But with Felix Flaubert-Lussier going down with a lower body injury in last Saturday’s win over Ottawa — not to mention the loss of several other Canadians — Baines may be forced into a starting role against the Riders. Flaubert-Lussier didn’t practice on Tuesday, though Jones said he could still suit up.
“The players are playing through injuries, a lot of guys are beat up and it’s a short week,” Jones said.
The Tiger-Cats finally have their first Shaw CFL Performer of the Week.
Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who led the Tiger-Cats to their second straight win in Ottawa last week, completing 17 passes for 231 yards and adding another 73 yards running, was named the third star of the week. Winnipeg’s Maurice Leggett and Edmonton’s Brandon Zylstra were Nos. 1 and 2. “It’s nice to be recognized for what you’ve done,” Masoli said, without discussing his award any further.
While the Ticats hadn’t had a performer of the week this season prior to Masoli, six of the 36 players (17 per cent) who’ve been named one of the three players of the week this year have done it when they’ve played against the Tiger-Cats.
In two starts since replacing Zach Collaros, Masoli has passed for 450 yards with one touchdown, and being intercepted just once. He has 84 rushing yards, which has helped loosen up the opposing defences.
Saskatchewan quarterback Kevin Glenn did not practise for the second straight day on Tuesday and remains day-to-day with a bruised hand.
The former Ticat suffered the injury in last Saturday’s Banjo Bowl and it forced him to leave the game in the third quarter.
Glenn has thrown for 3,057 yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, while completing 70 per cent of his passes in 10 games for the Riders this season. Those numbers put Glenn on pace for career-highs in yards and TD passes.
The 38-year-old played three seasons with Ticats from 2009 to 2011, leading Hamilton to the playoffs every year.
If Glenn can’t go, Canadian Brandon Bridge is expected to get the nod.
Now in his third CFL season, Bridge has 11 games played, throwing for 648 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He has one career start.
It’s the first time he’s eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark since 2014 with B.C.
Glenn has more than 20 major strikes for the first time since 2012 when he was in Calgary.
This Friday’s game against Saskatchewan is the Hall of Fame Game, and the six new members of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame will be inducted at Tim Hortons Field Thursday night.
There are tickets available to the induction and dinner, which will be held in the Champions’ Club on the fourth floor of the stadium, allowing ticket holders to meet and greet the class of 2017.
Tickets to the induction only are $28 while a dinner/ceremony package costs $98.
You can purchase tickets at CFL.ca/HOF2017.
Former Ticats Anthony Calvillo and Mike O’Shea, who both went on to bigger things with, respectively, the Alouettes and Argos, are being inducted along with all-time passing yardage leader Geroy Simon, multiple 1,000-yard rusher Kelvin Anderson and builders Stan Schwartz and Brian Towriss. n With expanded practice rosters
in effect, the Tiger-Cats have brought back two players they’d released in mid-June.
Runner Alex Green played in 29 NFL games, including four starts, with the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets.
He played at the University of Hawaii in 2009-10, two years after current Tiger-Cats head coach June Jones left there for SMU.
Defensive back Mariel Cooper, who played college at South Carolina State and the Citadel, went to NFL camps after spending a short time with the Ticats in June and was recently released by Tampa Bay.
dedwards@thespec.com 905-526-2481 | @scratchingpost With files from Steve Milton