WINNIPEG 鈥� Brady Oliveira wants to extinguish any spark the Hamilton Tiger-Cats might get from a coaching change.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers running back is well aware Hamilton鈥檚 new senior defensive assistant Chris Jones might inspire the visiting club鈥檚 defence in Friday鈥檚 game.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a bit of a defensive mastermind when it comes to that side of the ball,鈥� Oliveira said of Jones after Winnipeg鈥檚 walk-through practice on Thursday.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter even though he鈥檚 been there for a short amount of time, there鈥檚 a good chance he鈥檚 going to put in his playbook.鈥�
After its third consecutive loss last week, Hamilton (2-8) parted ways with assistant head coach and defensive co-ordinator Mark Washington and hired Jones, who was fired as the Edmonton Elks鈥� head coach/general manager and defensive co-ordinator in mid-July.
Jones will do the defensive play calling.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see what the flavour of the week is going to be,鈥� Oliveira said. 鈥淵ou never really know what you鈥檙e going to get with Jones, but he does bring some funky looks so we鈥檙e ready for it.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been studying it all, every single look, even from years ago Jones鈥檚 defences. We鈥檙e ready. This is a smart offence so we鈥檒l be all right.鈥�
Oliveira leads the league in rushing yards with 689. Seven of his 117 carries have gone for more than 20 yards.
The Blue Bombers (4-6) are on a bit of a heater, winning their last two games.
Winnipeg鈥檚 eight points is tied for third in the West Division with the Calgary Stampeders, who are on a bye week. Hamilton is at the bottom of the CFL standings.
Tiger-Cats linebacker Kyle Wilson said Jones is 鈥渋ntentional鈥� about what he wants to bring to the defence. He鈥檚 simplifying what they do already and making players move faster.
鈥淚 feel like guys are buying into that,鈥� Wilson told reporters after practice earlier this week.
There鈥檚 optimism the change will bring a positive outcome.
鈥淎ny change is always a spark,鈥� said Wilson, who is second in the league for defensive tackles (59). 鈥淕uys see it as a spark and just another opportunity to go out and do what we love.鈥�
Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich said this week he hopes his team鈥檚 offence takes some pressure off its defence as they adapt to Jones.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to hold the ball. We鈥檝e got to put points on the board,鈥� Milanovich said. 鈥淲e can鈥檛 turn it over and give them short fields.鈥�
Both teams have struggled with turnovers. Hamilton鈥檚 turnover ratio is a league-worst minus-12, while Winnipeg鈥檚 is next at minus-six.
The Bombers鈥� defence is moving toward its longtime reputation as an elite force.
It鈥檚 only allowed one touchdown over the past three games (42 opponent possessions). It鈥檚 also the stingiest, allowing a league-low 197 points.
However, Winnipeg鈥檚 defence will be without star middle linebacker Adam Bighill, who was put on the six-game injured list (hamstring). Veteran Shayne Gauthier takes his spot.
Quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell gets the start for Hamilton after new starter Taylor Powell suffered a concussion in last week鈥檚 loss and was put on the six-game injured list.
While Mitchell is tops in the league with 2,816 passing yards and 19 touchdowns, he also has a dozen interceptions.
Bombers cornerback Tyrell Ford has an interception in each of his team鈥檚 past two games, giving him four this season. He and teammate Evan Holm have also knocked down six passes apiece.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 care how many yards he鈥檚 thrown for or touchdowns, it doesn鈥檛 really matter to me,鈥� Ford said of Mitchell. 鈥淏ut I do care about interceptions, so you know I like to get those when I can.鈥�
Winnipeg head coach Mike O鈥橲hea said he thinks Hamilton鈥檚 defence will be 鈥渇ired up鈥� under Jones. He doesn鈥檛 view the Ticats as easy pickings.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e put up a ton of yards offensively, it just hasn鈥檛 amounted to wins,鈥� O鈥橲hea said. "So they鈥檙e not a team you can afford to take lightly. We wouldn鈥檛. Our record is not good, either. I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 any danger in that.鈥�
HAMILTON TIGER-CATS (2-8) AT WINNIPEG BLUE BOMBERS (4-6)
Friday, Princess Auto Stadium
HOME ADVANTAGE: The last time Hamilton won in Winnipeg was Sept. 27, 2019.
SLOW STARTS: The Ticats are on a three-game run of being held scoreless in the first quarter.
CLOSE CALLS: Prior to Thursday鈥檚 league action, 19 games this season have been decided by four or fewer points. Last year, a total of 19 games ended in the same scenario.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 22, 2024.
Judy Owen, The Canadian Press
