For the Ticats’ Ex Argos, Saturday Has a Little More Urgency

When you need wins, you take them where you can get them, but in Hamilton –where wins are definitely needed, and then some—it’s always a little sweeter if the team on the losing end happens to be dressed in a couple of shades of blue.

As part of a busy month at Tim Horton’s Field, which celebrates civic pride the Ticats play host to the Toronto Argonauts Saturday night (7 p.m.). The Argos are 3-2, as are the Ottawa Redblacks, and the Ticats at 0-5 cannot let either of those Eastern foes move farther ahead of them in the standings.

Coming off a bye week and what Scott Milanovich called “maybe our best practice of the year” today, the Ticats are rested and should be motivated: both by the gravity—if not desperation—of their situation but also by the visit by the Argos; there are some lifelong fans who care as much about beating the Argos as they do about having a decent season overall. Some care even more about beating the Argos.

There are several Ticats—defensive linemen DeWayne Hendrix, Brandon Barlow and Deionte Knight, cornerback Jamal Peters and linebacker Trevor Hoyte —who were with Toronto last year and they’ll be pumped up, and rested, for this one.

“Honestly, there’s a lot of emotions in it,” says Hendrix, who’s had injury problems (hamstring) since being signed as a major off-season ‘get’ back in January and missed two games before returning to the lineup against B.C. before the bye week.

“Every game is a big game but this one feels a little different. They’re right up the street so you always want to take care of business. It always means a little bit more when you see that blue across the field.”

The 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive tackle played at Tennessee then the University of Pittsburgh before NFL trials with Miami, Chicago, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh (twice). He came to the Argos in 2021,  became a full-time starter in 2022 and made a sack in the Grey Cup victory over Winnipeg at Tim Hortons Field, then had a breakthrough season last year, with six sacks and a forced fumble. He says that he took the giant leap by watching film and absorbing the CFL game at his own pace. 

Hendrix agrees there’s a sense of urgency, at least for the Ticats, to Saturday night’s game.

“That’s a good word for it. Urgency from here on out. Taking care of business right now. Don’t wait on it.”

And by don’t wait, he also means a specific: getting to Toronto quarterback Cameron Dukes before he can scramble his way out of trouble, set up run-pass-option fluidity with dangerous running back Ka’Deem Carey or dump his “game management” short passes to receivers on crossing patterns.

“We want to get in his face right now,” Hendrix said. “We don’t want to give him any time to get comfortable back there. We want to get him moving and cause chaos the whole night, from the first jump. Stop the run and get them behind the chains. That’s the goal.”

Although the Argos lost a lot of players in the off-season—many to the Ticats—Hendrix respects what they can do. And, of course, the Boatmen won all four meetings with the Ticats last season, which doesn’t sit well locally. To say the least.

“When I look at them I see a good O line and a good D line, a quarterback who likes to scramble. Good receivers that get downfield and make plays. They’ve got a good football team over there.”

Hendrix, who has yet to make a sack, says he’s finally feeling healthy and, like just about everyone else, is surprised that the Ticats are still without a W.

“Absolutely,” he says.  “If you’d asked me at the beginning of the year if we’d be in this position, I wouldn’t have thought it. The great thing is, it’s not over. There’s still a lot of ball to play but there has to be urgency, day in and day out.”

That urgency will be multiplied for those Ticats who are only a few months distant from playing for the ‘other guys.’

“The rivalry is big,” says Scott Milanovich, who as a former Argo head coach has seen both sides of the historic Lake Ontario feud.

“But (even) when Jim Butler plays against the BC Lions there’s extra incentive. When these guys who were in Toronto play against their old team—especially when they’re only a year removed—there is going to be heavy extra incentive on top of that of the huge rivalry game. They’re fully focussed, let’s put it that way.”