Johany Jutras/CFL.ca
HAMILTON — There is always a level of uncertainty for a team when any member of their coaching staff moves on to a new opportunity.
For the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, this off-season housed a mass amount of change to their front office staff.
It started with June Jones stepping down from head coach to offensive coordinator, allowing for Orlondo Steinauer to assume the HC role.
Then just last week, the Ticats announced Jones was leaving the organization to take a job in the XFL and that Tommy Condell was to be appointed as the Tabbies new offensive coordinator.
The Waggle, Ep. 158: Take a bow, Ricky Ray
Another CFL coach departs for the XFL, Ricky Ray calls it a career on his own terms, Solomon Elimimianlands in Riderville, Winnipeg snags Chris Matthews, and Davis recounts a Raptors win for the ages.
EPISODE RUNDOWN: June Jones departs for the XFL (0:00); Ricky Ray calls it a career (7:16); What does Elimimian bring to the Riders? (17:11); Matthews touches down in Winnipeg (22:16); Davis recounts an iconic moment in sports (26:20).
Despite all of the changed that has occurred, there may be no need to panic just yet for the Ticats, according to Davis Sanchez of The Waggle presented by Sport Clips.
“They had a built in successor,” said Sanchez. “That if you’re going to take steps back it might only be a step and not plural, having Tommy Condell in house.”
Condell was named the Ticats receivers coach in January, rejoining the black and gold after spending the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and winning a Grey Cup, with the Toronto Argonauts.
When Condell was with the Ticats from 2013-2015, he served as the team’s OC and receivers coach. During that time, Hamilton’s offence ranked at or near the top of the league in a number of offensive categories.
In 2015 under Condell, the Ticats boasted the CFL’s top-ranked passing offence and scored the second-most points on offence – despite rolling with four different quarterbacks due to injuries.
“It’s not that he’s (Condell) incapable, it’s different,” Donnovan Bennett said on the podcast. “The one word I would describe Jeremiah Masoli last year was comfortable. He just seemed calm, cool, collected. He knew where he was going with the ball, where his reads were going to take him and any disruption to that, I think I’m a little bit concerned if I’m a Tiger-Cat fan.”
Only time will tell for the Ticats if their offence will flourish and once again be near the top of the league as they still head into the 2019 season as the favourite to win the East Division.
