Here are excerpts of head coach/general manager John Hufnagel’s pre-game comments as the Stampeders prepare to play host to the Toronto Argonauts:
It’s going to be a beautiful day tomorrow. Hot. Sunshine. I hope all our Stampeder fans show up and are very vocal. It should be an exciting game. It’s a big game for both teams and I’m looking forward to it.
On the challenges presented by the Argos:
Toronto’s a good football team. With Chris Jones there as the defensive coordinator, it’s always a challenge to play his style of defence. He’s an extra week to prepare (the Argos had a bye in Week 7) so I’m sure there’ll be some wrinkles in his game plan. We’ll just have to play with our eyes and adjust to it accordingly.
On the Stamps’ up-and-down season so far:
I’d like to win back-to-back games and get on a roll. We’re fighting through some adversity but we definitely have the ability to play consistent football.
On the Stamps’ string of injuries this season:
We don’t use excuses. It’s irrelevant. You have 42 guys who are professionals and they’re here for a reason — to prepare themselves to play no matter where they are on the roster. If they find themselves in a starting role, it’s their job to be prepared. If you allow for excuses, you’re opening up a can of worms.
On the Week 2 meeting with the Argos, won 39-36 by Toronto:
The reason why we were in the game was because of our special-teams play. Larry Taylor and our return teams did an outstanding job. We did some incredible things that game. One was our special-teams play. Our defence made two outstanding stops — a goal-line stand and then, late in the game, it was second-and-two and they were able to get (a stop). We had some (defensive) coverages called that were, in my mind, perfect coverages, but Toronto was still successful and both ended up being long touchdown passes. We’ve just got to play more consistent football and we have to stay on the field offensively. We only had 15 first downs in the (first Toronto) game. Losing your quarterback in the second series doesn’t help that but we weren’t as consistent as we would have liked to have been for the rest of the game.
On Chad Kackert, the Argos’ new starting running back:
I expect him to run the same type of plays they have been running and that they have been practising. Don’t give him the edge because he’s got speed. I’m very aware of Chad — he was here for a couple of weeks on our practice roster before he tweaked his hamstring and he’s a skilled back. He’s a hard runner with great quickness and a good all-around back.