Argos’ defence prepares for Ticats’ three-headed quarterback monster

So many words have been written about the difficulty of coping with Hamilton Tiger-Cats multiple-quarterback offence this week, it's almost a given that it won't even be factor in Sunday's CFL East final against the Toronto Argonauts.

That's usually the way it works in sports as reality seldom matches the hype. Hamilton head coach Kent Austin increased that possibility this week by closing Friday's practice to the media. What devious new attack was the Ticats boss planning for his three-headed quarterback monster? Was he secretly working in a fourth quarterback to run the Flying Wedge offence? Or was this secrecy just a clever ruse, a pigskin sleight of hand, with Austin actually planning to use only one quarterback on Sunday?

Either way, he's already achieved something: the Argos had to devote some of their precious practice time this week to dealing with one offence headed by pass-crazy Henry Burris, another by scrambling Dan LeFevour and possible a third with Jeremiah Masoli running the wildcat offence.

It's the kind of thing that drives defensive co-ordinators to consider careers in taxidermy.

"What it's done is give us less time to prepare for Burris, and with him you've got your hands full on every snap," Jones told reporters earlier this week. "So you wind up with more film work, more work on the field, more work for the walk-through."

CFL practice time is limited enough without that headache.

While the Argos were losing sleep over Hamilton's offence, the Ticats know they'll have to come up with a new wrinkle or two to fool Jones. Burris and Jones were part of Calgary's 2008 Grey Cup team and the quarterback knows to expect something different from the Argo defence to negate any multi-quarterback plans.

"Jonesy is a mad scientist," Burris told reporters this week. "He will stay up until 3 a.m., drawing up stuff, coming up with different packages as far as to get pressure on you, just to try to make you uncomfortable. He will study you down to your last tendency. He studies his butt off, and that's why he has been successful wherever he has been."

Although Toronto head coach Scott Milanovich admits Hamilton's unique quarterbacking situation has made life in Argoland a tad more complicated, he says he's confident his team is prepared.

"I expect to see more Henry, but there's no question Kent will use both of them, if not all three," he said on Friday. "We'll have a good plan, but it will come down to any other offensive play. The defence is going to have to execute."

Argos defensive tackle Khalif Mitchell echoed those statements.

"It's not just one guy that we focus on whenever we go out there," he said. "We focus on our assignments and do what we have to do first. It's finding out where the ball is, whether it's in LeFevour's hands, (running back C.J.) Gable's hands, (receiver Bakari Grant's) hands. We just have to find the ball and get to it, because they can do a lot of things with it. We have to make sure we're attentive."

But being attentive may not be enough, as the Montreal Alouettes discovered in last week's semifinal loss to Hamilton. When LeFevour came in, everyone on the field and every sober fan in the stands knew what was coming: a quarterback run. Yet they couldn't stop it.

Mitchell says that's simply a matter of preparation and focus.

"A lot of times when he comes in, people lose their assignments, lose their disciplines, probably a little tired and not as stout on the point of attack," he said. "There are a lot of different variables. But we'll understand our assignments and be disciplined. I know that."