ARGONAUTS.CA STAFF
TORONTO – The Toronto Argonauts will make their return to Varsity Stadium on Thursday as they wrap up the 2014 pre-season against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. This years’ game will be the second time in as many years the boatmen finish up the preseason at Varsity, a stadium that served as the home to the Double Blue for over 40 years.
The last time this rivalry hit the gridiron, the Ticats were victorious during last year’s Eastern Final. Despite the loss, there were a couple of bright spots that did not go unnoticed. Starting QB Ricky Ray made good on 22 of 32 of his pass attempts, finishing with over 300 yards and two touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, LB Shane Horton led the team with seven tackles, while now second-year veteran, DB Jermaine Gabriel got a hold of his first interception of his career.
There have been a couple of major changes between the teams since the last matchup. QB Zach Collaros was on the sideline, studying as the backup quarterback for the Argos. This year, Collaros returns to Varsity to wrap up his preseason yet again, but this time it is in black and gold as he looks to prove himself capable of being the starting pivot for Hamilton. New to the Double Blue is LB Shea Emry. Emry – a two-time Grey Cup champion with the Montreal Alouettes – will be looking to fill the void left by departed linebackers Robert McCune and Marcus Ball. Shea finished his tenure in Montreal the same way the Argos finished their season last year, a playoff loss to the Ticats. This will be his first shot at revenge after finishing the game with three tackles while starting at the middle linebacker spot for the Als.
WHAT TO WATCH
The Running Backs
There is no doubt that the running back position this year during training camp has been one of the most exciting battles we’ve seen in recent memory after 2012 Grey Cup MVP Chad Kackert elected to retire this offseason. Following last week’s preseason game in Winnipeg, the battle was even more muddled after stellar performances by all of the running backs fighting for the starting spot. Rookie Steve Slaton didn’t show any fear in his first taste of CFL ball, finishing the game with two touchdowns while Curtis Steele punched one through for the first touchdown of the game. Last year, Steele appeared in seven games for the injured Kackert, finishing with three touchdowns on the season. Also in the mix are Jeremiah Johnson and 2014 draft pick Anthony Coombs who looked good during their snaps in Winnipeg. Should you choose to keep a close eye on the backfield, don’t be too quick to judge based off yards and touchdowns. Head coach Scott Milanovich has reiterated that to him, blocking the quarterback is the most important skill a running back can bring to the table.
Quarterbacks
While Ricky Ray will start Thursday’s pre-season game. Expect to see all the other quarterbacks see action for the Argos. Trevor Harris will look to lock down and solidify his number two position, while Mitchell Gale, Josh Portis and Casey Pachall battle for the number three spot.
Defensive Backs
With only Matt Black and Jalil Carter left from the 2012 Grey Cup team, the Argos secondary has seen a bit of a makeover. While Alonzo Lawrence returns and appears to have a roster spot for himself, there will be a battle amongst the rest of the defensive backs group for who will land a roster spot come the weekend. Players to watch include Matt Ware, Branden Smith, Andre Martin Jr., Kent Richardson, LeQuan Lewis, Brandon Underwood and Vincent Agnew.
Rookie Receivers
Thursday’s game will feature seven rookie receivers who have yet to play a down of regular season CFL football. Canadian and 2013 Argos Draft pick, WR Natey Adjei left the biggest mark last week in Winnipeg, leading all receivers with 62 yards on four catches. Rookie WR Terell Sinkfield made an impression but not on the offensive end. Sinkfield showcased his quickness and agility when he returned a punt 57 yards. In an effort to lighten the load on SB Chad Owens, the return game will be something the coaching staff will keep a close eye on this Thursday. Other rookie receivers include Jarred Fayson, KJ Stroud, JD Falslev, Evan Pszczonak and Torre Corrado.
Linebackers
With Shea Emry, Shane Horton, Jamie Robinson and James Yurichuk already in place for the Double Blue, the linebacker battle comes down to how players can make an impact on special teams. After missing pre-season game one, Herve Tonye-Tonye will return to action, while CFL Draft pick Thomas Miles and rookies Antwaun Molden, Greg Jones, Nicholas Williams and Eddie Lackey will look to impress and earn a spot on the Argos roster come cut down day.
Defensive Line
Perhaps the most wide-open position on the Argos has been the defensive line. With only Cleyon Laing and Ivan Brown returning from 2013, there are many players looking to impress coach Plemons on Thursday. While Aston Whiteside looked good in his CFL debut against Winnipeg (one tackle, one sack), Thaddues Gibson and Greg Romeus also performed well in their pre-season action. Other players to note are Logan Harrell (missed game one with an injury) as well as Delano Johnson, Dexter Davis, Kyle Moore and Padric Scott.