Steve Milton: QB Dane Evans takes key reps as Ticats get in gear for Labour Day

The unique blend of Fall Fair and mid-term exam that is the Labour Day Classic creeps closer and closer. Here are some scattered observations as both the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts returned to full practice Wednesday.

• Dane Evans, who went the distance in Hamilton's 27-10 win in Montreal, took the A reps all practice. There are still three more days of full workouts and neither Evans nor head coach Orlondo Steinauer said who'd start Monday but it appears to be, and should, be Evans. Masoli, whom Evans relieved in Game 2 and also nursed a rib injury last week, would be the backup. I haven't been told yet," Evans said. But that doesn't change anything. I prepare every week as if I am starting."

• David Watford, who was the Ticats' short yardage quarterback in 2019 and scored six touchdowns in 12 games, returned to the field from quarantine after re-signing with the team two weeks ago. He'd been released in late June in favour of J'Mar Smith, released 10 days ago. The Ticats only dress two quarterbacks on game day, but Watford is not only good insurance depth, he is experienced at running scout" offences - which simulate opponents' offensive tendencies - against the Ticat defence. David is just a great person and the players love him," Steinauer said.

• Brandon Speedy" Banks has yet to make his usual dramatic impact on the Hamilton offence, but Evans feels the CFL's reigning Most Outstanding Player is on the verge of a breakout. It's been all of us," Evans said of the explosive Banks being heavily covered and restricted to just 7.5 yards average for his 15 receptions. I completely missed him on one in Montreal that would have been a walk-in touchdown. I think we'll get him going. A lot of people don't see all of the things (besides receptions) he does for this offence."

• Ticat defensive end Ja'Gared Davis, who led the team in sacks in 2019, was back on the field after missing the Montreal game under suspension for a COVID-19 protocol violation and will play Monday. Defensive tackle Dylan Wynn was also in uniform and may be ready for Labour Day. Safety Tunde Adeleke, who was injured in Montreal, dressed Wednesday and Steinauer says he'll be ready for the Argos, which means the Ticats will have their starting secondary together for a second straight game.

• Powerful running back Wes Hills made his debut in Montreal but has been placed on the six-game injured list, as has backup linebacker Myles Manalo, from Burlington.

• The 2-1 Argos may actually be 3-1. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Argos still hadn't been informed when and if last Thursday's home game against the Edmonton Elks would be rescheduled. It was postponed after the Elks had more than a dozen positive COVID tests. It's tough to fit another game into the busy BMO Field schedule and CFL policy says that if it can't be played, it's a 1-0 Argo win. There had been some talk of the game being held in Edmonton but rewarding the team at fault would be a travesty. It says here that within the next four or five days the CFL needs to either reschedule the game for Toronto, or award the Argos the win, in order to show that there are teeth in its protocol penalty policies.

• DaVaris Daniels, the former Calgary and Edmonton receiver, had seven catches for 100 yards in the Argos' last game, a 30-23 win over Winnipeg at BMO Field two weeks ago, but was hurt in that game. However, he dressed for Wednesday's practice at Toronto's Lamport Stadium.

• The revamped Toronto offence is guided by quarterback Nick Arbuckle, the former Calgary Stampeder who threw for 310 yards and a touchdown in the win over the Bombers. Besides one-time NFL running back D.J. Foster, who rushed for 101 yards, Arbuckle can also lean on accomplished veteran receivers Eric Rogers, Ricky Collins Jr. and Daniels. It's a rivalry game, it'll be a game of inches," says Ticats' cornerback and returner Frankie Williams who was named last week's CFL player of the week. So in the secondary we'll have to play with great feet, and rely on our technique."

• Defensive lineman Christian Covington, son of all-time Ticat Grover Covington, has made the active roster of the NFL's Los Angeles Chargers.

• Hamilton native Bobby Krouse, the hard-nosed linebacker for the Ticats from 1963-75 and winner of four Grey Cups, recently had hip replacement surgery, and we wish him a healthy recovery.

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