Five telling quotes from the Ticats locker room clean out

“We’re going to be very realistic about where we’re at, the job that we’ve done and we’re not going to hide behind anything. That’s not they way we’re wired. We’re going to take a real critical look and it’s going to start with me first.”

– head coach Kent Austin

“Hamilton gave me a great opportunity. I think anybody that comes through this facility, anybody who has actually met Bob Young or had a conversation with Scott Mitchell know what they’re committed to. They’ve done their part in giving us the best opportunity to win games. I’m not sure who wouldn’t want that opportunity. Your question was ‘would I be open to coming back?’ My answer is, ‘absolutely yes.’”

– defensive coordinator Orlondo Steinauer, who’s contract is set to expire, on whether he’ll consider returning if he doesn’t get a head coaching job.

“I feel like this season was a reality check to people who were either complacent or thought it was a walk in the park to get to the East Final or the Grey Cup. I don’t think some people realize just how hard it is to win football games, period.”

– linebacker Simoni Lawrence.

“Yes, I mean no. I can’t give a great answer without making a bunch of excuses. Physically, they say with the ACL that you don’t feel 100 per cent until about two years after. But, again, I’m not one to make excuses, our team isn’t one to make excuses. So that’s it.”

– quarterback Zach Collaros on whether he felt fully comfortable this season.

“The underlying characteristic that our team has had over the last four years are still there: a level of resiliency, the ability to dig in, to fight, to come back. That’s where you have to start to build something of significance. If you don’t have that, it doesn’t really matter. I think we have a good core group. Obviously we have to get better in some areas and some of the core guys need to play better and we need to coach them better.”

– Austin