Steve Milton: Getting more kicks for the ’Cats

So, there's the kicking situation sorted out. At least for now. In modern pro football the trap door under punters and kickers is usually equipped with a hair trigger.

When the Hamilton Tiger-Cats made their cuts Saturday to get down to regular-season roster size after Friday's last-second 18-17 exhibition loss to the Toronto Argonauts, the incumbents - Canadian kicker Michael Domagala and Australian punter Joel Whitford - were the survivors. Australian punter Blake Hayes showed enough to land a spot on the practice roster and Irish punter Tadhg Leader and American kicker Seth Small of Texas A&M were released. Small's departure was a small (sorry) surprise, but at the moment the Ticats can't really afford using a Designated Import spot at kicker.

Those extra American uniforms are required elsewhere: probably in the secondary, where rookie Lawrence Woods made the 46-man roster after returning a punt 99 yards against Toronto; in the offensive backfield where Hamilton will start Don Jackson, so will need big downhill runner Wes Hills to back him up; and on the defensive line as returnees Malik Carney and Lee Autry II are both on the active roster. Backup linebacking and wide receiver combinations will also figure into the weekly roster-ratio configuration.

Orlondo Steinauer said throughout training camp that he and his staff were trying a few new concepts to expand their organizational thinking and experience and one of those seemed to be to sit out a number of veterans on the offence in the final pre-season game in order to get longer looks at several players on the bubble."

So, neither No. 1 quarterback Dane Evans nor backup Matthew Shiltz dressed against the Argos, and neither did Jackson, some starting linemen, including Chris Van Zeyl and Brandon Revenberg, and established receivers like Bralon Addison.

Evans played only the first quarter of the pre-season, which could potentially have an effect on the offence's rhythm and fluidity in the season opener in Regina against potential Grey Cup contender Saskatchewan on Saturday night. That raised some eyebrows but, it says here, that although it could show in the first few series it won't be a huge issue.

The reduced Ticats' offence mounted only nine first downs in Guelph. Jamie Newman, the newcomer from Wake Forest, used the opportunity to edge out Jalen Morton for the No. 3 quarterback spot, showing confidence and completing all eight of his passes, including a 34-yard touchdown strike to University of Buffalo alum Andrew Johnson. Morton goes on the practice roster.

Some training camp battles that were not obvious resulted in Johnson and 2022 Canadian draft choice Kiondre Smith joining the receiving corps, and the backup linebacker jobs going to veteran special teams leader Curtis Newton, young returnees, Nic Cross, Bailey Feltmate, Patrick Nelson and Kyle Wilson, plus CFL sophomore Canadian Grant McDonald, who came from Edmonton in a May trade.

The Ticats had too many experienced candidates for too few spots, so among the 23 men released were offensive lineman and McMaster grad Joe Bencze, and Canadian linebackers Myles Manalo and Jarek Richards, both of whom played last year.

The Ticats have left themselves lots of flexibility and depth in the Canadian/American ratio.

They will likely go with five Canadian starters on offence, four on the offensive line and one or more at hybrid backfielder/end with Jake Burt, or Felix Garand-Gauthier, and at receiver. Canadian Lemar Durant is on the six-game injury list, but talented Sean Thomas Erlington can play running back or short-slot receiver, and there are also receivers David Ungerer III and rookie Smith.

The signing of 2021 draft choice Mohamed Diallo fortifies the Canadian brigade on defence, where the Ticats could confidently start two or three homebrews: Tunde Adeleke at safety; Ted Laurent and/or Mason Bennett on the line; plus defensive lineman Diallo when he gets up to speed or sophomore safety Stavros Katsantonis.

Once Canadian offensive lineman Coulter Woodmansey and receivers Durant and Tyler Ternowski return from the six-game injury list there will be some reassessments and reshuffling.

The Ticats know from recent experience that injuries to Canadians have an unwanted impact on the starting ratio, with a major trickle-down effect on special teams, so prioritized increasing the depth and breadth of their Canuck content. Because of ratio problems elsewhere, they frequently had trouble getting Jackson into the starting lineup last season and don't want a repeat of that headache. The new compressed hash marks could create personnel mismatches which favour quick-hitting backs who are also dangerous in the open field. And Jackson is both.

Steve Milton is a Hamilton-based sports columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: smilton@thespec.com