Frost gets the start for Ticats versus Alouettes

HAMILTON – The quarterback shuffle continues for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

American Harrison Frost will start Friday night when Hamilton hosts the Montreal Alouettes in the annual Hall of Fame game. Harrison replaces Canadian Tre Ford, who was injured in the Ticats’ 37-22 Labour Day loss to the Toronto Argonauts.

Ford, who was out with a head injury, practised this week and is available to play.

The ’26 Canadian Football Hall of Fame class will be honoured Friday night. It includes former players Brandon Banks, Jim Evenson (posthumously), Charleston Hughes, Sean Millington and Calvin Tiggle and former Edmonton head coach Frank (Pop) Ivy (also posthumously) as a builder.

It’s been a revolving door under centre for Hamilton (4-9) since veteran Bo Levi Mitchell suffered a serious ankle injury in a 14-13 to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on July 5. Jake Dolegala, Ford and Frost have all started contests since Mitchell’s departure.

The loss of Mitchell was huge for Hamilton. Mitchell was the East Division’s outstanding player the last two seasons and this year really appeared in sync with Scott Milanovich, the Ticats’ head coach and offensive playcaller.

Before being hurt, Mitchell completed 86-of-110 passes (78.2 per cent) for 1,107 yards with nine touchdowns and just one interception. After losing its season opener 30-27 to Montreal, Hamilton won two straight before facing Winnipeg.

But since Mitchell’s departure, Hamilton is 2-7 (Ford is 1-5, Harrison is 1-1, Dolegala is 0-1). The Ticats trail the Bombers (7-6), B.C. Lions (7-6) and Calgary Stampeders (5-8) in the battle for the third and final East Division playoff spot.

Continuity is paramount in football and Milanovich admits the constant change at quarterback has created challenges for Hamilton’s offence.

“We have to protect the ball offensively, which we did anyway, but the defence has to play great … special teams have to give us field position. Until we get the continuity with one guy at quarterback, we’re just going to have to fight and scratch like heck to score points.”

Trouble is, neither Dolegala, Ford nor Frost has put his stamp on the job, be it for production or injury reasons. Ford, from Niagara Falls, Ont., is Hamilton’s passing leader with 1,293 yards, just 186 ahead of Mitchell, whose total came in two less starts.

“There’s a certain flow you get into when you’re with the same quarterback all of the time,” Milanovich said. “He knows how you run your routes _ I’m talking specifically receivers/quarterbacks _ you know where he’s going to throw it, you know how hard it’s going to come, when it’s going to be there.

“But that (playing with backups) is not an excuse because guys have done it before. It can be done.”

Hamilton’s receivers would seemingly have the toughest task of continually having to adjust to different quarterbacks. But veteran American Kenny Lawler downplayed that suggestion.