The Canadian Press
In a season where the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are facing plenty of questions, first-year receivers Jalen Saunders and Damarr Aultman might be providing a couple of answers.
Saunders, who has played six CFL games, leads all Hamilton receivers with 391 yards and a pair of touchdowns from 26 catches. Aultman has six catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns after dressing in the last two games. He’s also returned kickoffs.
Both men believe they have more to contribute.
“There are still more greater things to come,” said the 24-year-old Saunders, a native of Stockton, Calif.
Aultman is more focused on Hamilton’s 0-7 record than his personal statistics.
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Jalen Saunders has emerged as the leading pass-catcher on the Tiger-Cats so far this season (Johany Jutras/CFL.ca)
“Overall I’m not satisfied with what I’ve done because of what I’m doing isn’t getting us the wins,” said the 25-year-old who was born in Seattle but grew up Wheatley Heights, N.Y.
“If I had less catches and less touchdowns, and we had a win, I would be more satisfied with that. At this point I’m trying to find ways to improve myself to help this team get its first win of the season.”
Saunders signed with the Ticats as a free agent in May and started the season on the practice roster. He moved into the lineup after Terrence Toliver suffered a torn ACL during Hamilton’s opening game.
Besides leading the Tiger-Cats with three catches over 30 yards, Saunders is second on the team with nine catches for second-down conversions. His play might be a pleasant surprise for everyone but him.
“Honestly, the way I have been training and knowing how I play, it doesn’t surprise me,” Saunders said after practice this week. “I kind of expect it of myself.
“I push myself to that limit to do great. I know it’s progressing and building on everything I have already. There’s been some good things, there’s been some bad things. There’s peaks and valleys to everything.”
Aultman, who signed in April, has made the most of his chance to impress the coaching staff.
“I have heard other stories about guys waiting even longer to get their opportunity,” he said. “Overall I view it as a blessing.
“Anyone in my position, just walking on making a team, the key thing is having patience and some consistency. You have to show up every single day and hope for the best.”
Neither man is huge. Aultman is five-foot-11 and 192 pounds, while Saunders stands five-foot-nine and weighs 171 pounds. What the pair lack in size they compensate for with speed. Both agree the CFL game fits their style.
“It’s a quick game, a lot of passing,” said Saunders, who also has been used returning punts and kickoffs. “As far as the game over all, I feel like my body and skill plays suits the CFL.
“I’m a very versatile guy.”
Aultman said being allowed to move before the snap and the size of the field plays into both their wheelhouses.
“We most definitely take advantage of the waggle and every little aspect of the game,” he said, “Even the field is bigger which is built for speed.”
Saunders attended Fresno State on a scholarship and in 2011 was a first-team All WAC after making 50 catches for 1,065 yards. In 2012 he transferred to the University of Oklahoma. In 2013 he started 13 games and was named second-team All-Big 12.
Saunders was taken in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL draft by the New York Jets. He played three games with the Jets before being released in September of 2014. Over the next few years he had stints with Arizona, Seattle, New Orleans, New England and Chicago.
Saunders was suspended for the first 10 games of the 2016 NFL season for violating the substance abuse policy.
“It was a little something to deal with,” he said. “You can look at it as a learning experience.”
Coming to Hamilton has given Saunders a chance to showcase his talents.
“If feels good to be back out,” he said. “It’s been a while since I played, for whatever the reason. I was hungry prior to coming back.
“Now we haven’t got win, I’ve got even more drive to push myself and my teammates to get a win.”
Aultman played 42 games at the University of Maine where he had 162 catches for 2,061 yards and 18 touchdowns.
He went undrafted in 2015 but signed with the Miami Dolphins, who tried to convert him to a defensive back. He also spent time with the New York Giants who tried him at cornerback.
Aultman said being a receiver “is where my heart is” but thinks his time working with the defence has helped his game.
“It completely changed how I view the receiver’s position,” he said. “It’s kind of like I stepped into the dark side.
“I was once the enemy. I saw how he thinks. Now that I’m back at receiver, when I get lined up, I know what the DB is thinking, what he’s feeling. I know what movements are going to get him to turn his hips a little bit more. It all works in my favor.”
Both Aultman’s parents served in the army. He laughs he asked about growing up in a military family.
“It’s funny,” he said. “Everyone says ‘did you grow up with strict parents?’ Honestly, I think I have the coolest, goofiest parents in the world.
“With that being said, I believe my parents did a very good job of instilling basic morals, basics like ‘yes sir, no sir.’ Things like that take you a long ways.”
The Tiger-Cats will be looking for their first win of the season when they host the Ottawa REDBLACKS (1-6-1) Friday at Tim Hortons Field. With four of Hamilton’s loses by seven points or less the mood in the locker room remains positive.
“The spirit is high,” said Saunders. “There is no one down. There are a lot of hungry guys. The whole team is famished for a win.
“Everyone has that drive to get a W and continue on winning from there. There is nothing wrong with the locker room. It’s just putting four full quarters together and getting a W. I know it will come. I hope and pray it will be this weekend. We are going to put out our best effort.”
