Tre Ford parte per Ticats contro Argonauti

Tre Ford will make his first start for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in their upcoming matchup against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday night. The decision comes after air-quality concerns limited the team's ability to conduct full outdoor practices this week. Ford, a Canadian backup quarterback, has been preparing mentally for the opportunity, which marks his 24th career start in the Canadian Football League (CFL). This will be his first appearance as a starter with the Tiger-Cats, having previously made 23 starts with the Edmonton Elks since entering the league in 2022. Ford, 28, hails from Niagara Falls, Ontario, and stands six feet tall, weighing 192 pounds. His experience includes playing college football and winning the Hec Crighton Trophy, awarded annually to the top player in U Sports. In his role with the Tiger-Cats this season, Ford has completed eight of 13 passes for 59 yards with an interception in limited action. He served as the backup to starting quarterback Jake Dolegala during the team's recent 38-7 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, a game marked by the absence of star quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, who sustained an ankle injury earlier in the season requiring surgery. Mitchell, 36, suffered the injury during the Tiger-Cats' 14-13 home defeat to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 5. The six-foot-seven, 242-pound Dolegala stepped in for the remainder of the game, completing 17 of 30 passes for 122 yards and one interception, while also rushing eight times for 33 yards. Ford had limited action in that game, completing five of six passes for 47 yards and rushing twice for 24 yards. Hamilton head coach Scott Milanovich explained the decision to start Ford, emphasizing that it was not due to any shortcomings in Dolegala's performance. “Just looking for a spark,” Milanovich said. “It’s no blame on Jake. Obviously Tre has a different skill set that we’re looking forward to trying to utilize this week.” Ford has a record of 10-13 as a starting quarterback in the CFL, having completed 367 of 547 passes (67.1 percent) for 4,710 yards with 29 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Additionally, he has rushed 128 times for 1,176 yards (9.2-yard average) and four touchdowns. His mobility presents challenges for opposing defenses, often forcing the Tiger-Cats' receivers to adjust quickly on the field. “We’ve got to kind of join the party if we’re away from where he’s rotating or rolling,” Milanovich noted. Despite the potential difficulties, Ford expressed confidence in the team's ability to adapt. “There’s always a little bit more tempo, a little more energy on game day… it’s definitely a different feeling,” he said. “We have experienced guys who’ve played football so those timing things, I think, it’s going to take maybe a little bit to figure out but I think we’re going to figure it out pretty fast.” The air-quality conditions have affected both teams' preparations. While the Tiger-Cats conducted a walk-through session outdoors on Friday, their other practices were held indoors due to poor air quality. Similarly, the Argonauts held their walk-through indoors at Guelph, Ontario, because of the same issue. Ford downplayed the impact of not having full, traditional practices before the game. Meanwhile, veteran Hamilton linebacker Wynton McManis prepares to face his former team for the first time. McManis contributed to two Grey Cup victories with the Argonauts before joining the Tiger-Cats in the off-season. He has recorded 10 tackles and an interception in two games thus far. The CFL and the Canadian Football League Players Association (CFLPA) continue to monitor the air quality in Hamilton. If the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI+) reaches eight or higher during the warm-up or the actual game, both teams will retreat to their dressing rooms until conditions improve. With wind gusts reaching up to 53 kilometers per hour and a 90 percent chance of precipitation, the weather adds another layer of uncertainty to the game.