HAMILTON - The quarterback shuffle continues for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
asserted
shuffle → continue → Cats
American Harrison Frost will start Friday night when Hamilton hosts the Montreal Alouettes in the annual Hall of Fame game.
asserted
Hamilton → start → game
Harrison replaces Canadian Tre Ford, who was injured in the Ticats’ 37-22 Labour Day loss to the Toronto Argonauts.
asserted
who → replace → Argonauts
Ford, who was out with a head injury, practised this week and is available to play.
asserted
who → practise → injury
The ‘26 Canadian Football Hall of Fame class will be honoured Friday night.
asserted
Hall → honour → class
It includes former players Brandon Banks, Jim Evenson (posthumously), Charleston Hughes, Sean Millington and Calvin Tiggle and former Edmonton head coach Frank (Pop) Ivy (also posthumously) as a builder.
asserted
It → include → builder
It’s been a revolving door under centre for Hamilton (4-9) since veteran Bo Levi Mitchell suffered a serious ankle injury in a 14-13 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 5.
asserted
Mitchell → revolve → July
Jake Dolegala, Ford and Frost have all started contests since Mitchell’s departure.
asserted
Dolegala → start → departure
Mitchell was the East Division’s outstanding player the last two seasons and this year really appeared in sync with Scott Milanovich, the Ticats’ head coach and offensive playcaller.
asserted
Mitchell → appear → Milanovich
Before being hurt, Mitchell completed 86-of-110 passes (78.2 per cent) for 1,107 yards with nine touchdowns and just one interception.
asserted
Mitchell → hurt → touchdowns
After losing its season opener 30-27 to Montreal, Hamilton won two straight before facing Winnipeg.
asserted
Hamilton → lose → Winnipeg
The Ticats trail the Bombers (7-6), B.C. Lions (7-6) and Calgary Stampeders (5-8) in the battle for the third and final East Division playoff spot.
asserted
Ticats → trail → spot
Continuity is paramount in football and Milanovich admits the constant change at quarterback has created challenges for Hamilton’s offence.
asserted
change → admit → offence
“It makes it difficult,” he said.
asserted
he → make → ?
“We have to win differently.
asserted
We → have → ?
“We have to protect the ball offensively, which we did anyway, but the defence has to play great …
asserted
defence → have → which
special teams have to give us field position.
asserted
teams → have → position
Until we get the continuity with one guy at quarterback, we’re just going to have to fight and scratch like heck to score points.”
asserted
we → get → points
Trouble is, neither Dolegala, Ford nor Frost has put his stamp on the job, be it for production or injury reasons.
asserted
it → put → production
Ford, from Niagara Falls, Ont., is Hamilton’s passing leader with 1,293 yards, just 186 ahead of Mitchell, whose total came in two less starts.
asserted
total → come → starts
“There’s a certain flow you get into when you’re with the same quarterback all of the time,” Milanovich said.
asserted
Milanovich → ’ → time
“He knows how you run your routes _ I’m talking specifically receivers/quarterbacks _ you know where he’s going to throw it, you know how hard it’s going to come, when it’s going to be there.
asserted
it → know → it
“But that (playing with backups) is not an excuse because guys have done it before.
asserted
guys → play → it
It can be done.”
asserted
It → do → ?
Hamilton’s receivers would seemingly have the toughest task of continually having to adjust to different quarterbacks.
asserted
receivers → have → quarterbacks
But veteran American Kenny Lawler downplayed that suggestion.
asserted
Lawler → downplay → suggestion
“It doesn’t impact us a lot, really, to be honest,” he said.
asserted
he → impact → us
“If the ball gets out and it hits your hands, catch it.
asserted
it → get → it
“For us, it’s run our route, be where we’ve got to be and if the quarterback sees us, he’s going to throw to you.”
asserted
he → run → you
Last season, Montreal (10-3) was 7-0 in games Davis Alexander started.
asserted
Alexander → start → games
Montreal’s 10-8 record last year still had it finish second in the East behind Hamilton (11-7), then the Alouettes defeated the Ticats 19-16 with Alexander in the division final.
asserted
Alouettes → have → final
But the Saskatchewan Roughriders downed the Alouettes 25-17 in the Grey Cup.
asserted
Roughriders → down → Cup
Alexander will make his 14th consecutive start for Montreal on Friday.
asserted
Alexander → make → Friday
He’s currently second overall in passing yards (4,196) and touchdowns (27) with only three interceptions.
asserted
He → ’ → interceptions
Montreal receivers Tyson Philpot (102 catches, 1,471 yards, 11 TDs) and Tyler Snead (75 catches, 1,242 yards, 11 TDs) are 1-2 in the CFL and tied for the league lead in touchdown grabs.
asserted
Philpot → tie → grabs
Receiver Charleston Rambo and Canadian defensive lineman Lwal Uguak will both start Friday.
asserted
Rambo → start → ?
Montreal has lost two of is last three games but is 6-0 versus East Division rivals.
asserted
Montreal → lose → rivals
The Ticats come off a bye week having lost three straight.
asserted
Ticats → come → three
They’re 1-4 within the East Division and 3-4 at home.
asserted
They → ’re → home
Veteran Liam Dobson will shift from centre to right guard, with rookie Brayden Szeman earning his first CFL start at centre.
asserted
Szeman → shift → centre
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
