CFL training camps will get underway over the weekend, and the regular season kicks off in less then a month. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are pre-season favourites to come out of the East Division, but with changes to the roster and coaching personnel, it won’t come with ease. A potential major key to the Ticats success could come from McMaster Marauders alumni safety Mike Daly. LWOS had the chance to chat with Daly about his expectations for the upcoming season, among other subjects with the season around the corner.

Catching Up with Hamilton Tiger-Cats Safety Mike Daly

Daly was part of the 2011 Marauders squad that won the Vanier Cup over the Laval Rouge Et Or, which was dubbed “The Best Game Ever” by CFL and CIS supporters alike. In five seasons with McMaster, Daly was a Second Team All–Canadian in 2012, and was three times named an OUA All-Star. The Kitchener, Ontario native was drafted by the Tiger-Cats in the 6th round, 45th overall in the 2013 draft. Daly was a key piece of a fierce Ticats defence in 2015, recording three interceptions, two behind team leader Emanuel Davis, while filling in for starting safety Craig Butler.

It was recently announced that Butler could miss the entire 2016 season with a knee injury, meaning Daly could have more opportunity for playing time this season. But does this mean Daly will be changing his routine?

“I always approach with the same routine. I play the best I can and let the chips fall where they may. All that other stuff is the coaches’ decisions. My job is to show up and play the best I can. I’m happy Craig (Butler) will still be around to help out the guys. Losing him on our defence is quite the blow.”

That said, Daly is chomping at the bit to get back to playing football. “I can’t be more excited to get back to playing football. The off-season is nice to step away, rest up the body and get back to training, but after a while I get sick of training and miss playing football. It will be nice to put the pads back on and try for that Grey Cup.”

With the new season coming up, that always means changes from the previous year. With the sudden resignation of now-former offensive coordinator Tommy Condell, Kent Austin was left scrambling to find his replacement. In steps Stefan Ptaszek, who was Daly’s head coach at McMaster. “Coach P (Ptaszek) may be the biggest off-season pick-up and frankly most underrated. He will do extremely well being a coach and is a great football mind and an even better motivator. I’m being biased, of course, but he will be awesome to have around the team and amongst the family. He will teach the receiver position better than anyone in the country and will develop into a great offensive coordinator.” Pretty big compliment coming from a defensive player.

Like all players, the Kitchener product has personal goals he’d like to achieve, but team goals outweigh the needs of Daly needing to put up big numbers statistically. “Team goals always supersede the personal success but I think my personal goals are to build on what was last year. Not make the same mistakes I made the previous year, but also to learn more about the game and be a leader in any role which I’m given. Personal goals for me are always moving and changing. Each week it changes but in the end it’s just about helping the team win.”

The 2016 season is also the first since Tim Hortons Field was built that the Ticats won’t to start the season on a long road swing. They open the year in Toronto at the newly renovated BMO Field against the Toronto Argonauts, and then are back home Canada Day to host the B.C. Lions, something the Tiger-Cats safety said he had circled on his calendar. “I definitely have the home opener circled. THF (Tim Hortons Field) is electric most games but something about playing the home opener makes it that much better. Other than that, certainly the first Ottawa game because of last year. I am also excited for our first game of the year at BMO Field. I think what they’ve done with the stadium and the Argos this off-season is awesome for the league and will only make the CFL better.”

When asked what Ticats fans can expect from in 2016, Daly had a response that seems to be the general consensus around the organization. “Fans can expect to see a team compete and be the best in the league in all three phases of the game. Offence, defence, special teams, not one phase is taken for granted. They will also see the hardest working team in the CFL and I know not a single person in the Ticats organization is expecting anything less than a Grey Cup.”

The Tiger-Cats certainly has all the pieces to be successful in 2016, and if Mike Daly and his teammates have their way, they’ll end their season where they started it – at BMO Field, hosting the Grey Cup high above their heads.

Main Photo.