Courtesy Hamilton Spectator:

Lawrence Gordon, Zeke Moreno, Nautyn McKay-Loescher.

Those three Tiger-Cat veterans will likely start on the team’s defence this season.

After that, it’s a whole new ball game. Which it probably has to be. The Ticats were terrible on defence last season.

New defensive co-ordinator Denny Creehan aims to fix that.

Creehan said Hamilton will feature a base 4-3 defence. It will likely feature one Canuck starter on the defensive front four. McKay-Loescher and Clinton Wayne are both in the mix.

The Cats hope to start another Canadian in the linebacking corps, with Ray Mariuz, Sasha Glavic and Mike Botterill all possibilities.

Gordon looks to be a lock at one of the cornerback spots but will battle with import newcomers Bo Smith and Geoff Tisdale.

Ryan Glasper appears to be the favourite for free safety. But the club also has Dylan Barker and Sandy Beveridge. And Creehan has plans for them. Especially if Hamilton can start a Canadian at the one linebacking spot.

“I’m going to teach both Barker and Beveridge to play what I call a ‘dime’ back. If we put an offence in a second and long situation and we want to play another defensive back in, he would go in and replace the ‘Will’ linebacker.

“That gives them another position for them to compete for beside free safety,” Creehan said.

The “Will” (W, for weakside) linebacker plays on the side of the field closest to the sideline. The “Sam” (S, for strongside) linebacker plays on the side of the field furthest from the sideline.

The Cats expect former B.C. Lion Markeith Knowlton to start at the Sam linebacker spot. But he’ll face some competition from former Saskatchewan Roughrider Rontarius Robinson and Canadian Jason Nedd.

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