Scott Milanovich mum on Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ starting quarterback decision

Photo: Samantha Keen/3DownNation. All rights reserved.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats know who their starting quarterback will be on Saturday, but they aren’t telling anyone else.

Head coach Scott Milanovich played coy when asked who would be under centre this week, citing the team’s altered practice schedule due to poor air quality from recent fires in Ontario.

“We haven’t practiced yet. You’ve got to come back tomorrow,” he told the media. “We’re evaluating these walkthrough reps, but it’s not telling me much right now.”

However, when pressed on the unusual nature of a quarterback not knowing his starting assignment until the day before a game, Milanovich acknowledged that a decision had been shared internally.

“I didn’t say they don’t know,” he pushed back. “They do.”

The Ticats do not need to make the decision public before being mandated to do so as part of the team’s depth chart release on Friday morning.

Hamilton has faced a debate at the quarterback position since Bo Levi Mitchell suffered a possible season-ending ankle injury two weeks ago. Canadian backup Tre Ford was the first to step in following the injury, completing three of seven pass attempts for 12 yards and one interception in a 14-13 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. However, Jake Dolegala, who’d previously been listed as the third-string quarterback, was given the start last week.

The six-foot-seven, 242-pound passer completed 17-of-30 pass attempts for 122 yards and one interception while rushing eight times for 33 yards in a 38-7 loss against his former team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Ford took over late in the game, completing five of six passes for 47 yards and rushing twice for 24 more.

Milanovich indicated the decision to start Dolegala was made because he had more experience in the team’s offensive system. He also said Ford was signed with the intention that he would take over from Mitchell next season if the veteran elected to retire, using 2026 as a chance for the Niagara Falls, Ont., native to learn and develop. Following the loss to Saskatchewan, that dynamic could be reevaluated.

Dolegala is the less experienced of the two options, as the 29-year-old has started 12 career games and posted a 2-10 record. He has completed 61.9 percent of his passes for 3,075 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, while rushing for 217 yards and five touchdowns.

Ford has made 23 career starts, all with the Edmonton Elks, and owns a 10-13 record as a starter.  Over 65 regular-season games, the former first-round CFL Draft pick has completed 67.1 percent of his passes for 4,710 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions, and rushed for 1,176 yards with four scores.

Since Mitchell’s injury, the Ticats have signed two other quarterbacks: Jarret Doege and Harrison Frost. Doege has started four CFL games with Edmonton and Toronto, losing all of them while throwing for 1,498 yards, eight touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Frost was with Hamilton as a backup last season, but has since played for the St. Louis Battlehawks of the United Football League (UFL). He went 2-1 as a starter, completing 53.3 percent of his passes for 719 yards, seven touchdowns, and six interceptions.

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2-3) will host the Toronto Argonauts (2-3) at Hamilton Stadium on Saturday, July 18, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EDT. The Argonauts are coming off a 30-21 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while the Tiger-Cats lost 38-7 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

The weather forecast in Hamilton calls for a high of 28 degrees and a 40 chance of rain. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on TSN 1050 in Toronto or the Ticats Audio Network in Hamilton.