Timmy Chang will start for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats against the Toronto Argonauts on Saturday at the Rogers Centre, while the team's future starting quarterback will be in uniform but is not expected to play.

While Argo head coach Pinball Clemons indicated in a media conference on Friday he expected Tiger-Cats' newly-signed pivot Casey Printers will play on Saturday, Hamilton head coach Charlie Taaffe diffused that notion.

"There's a better chance of me playing than Casey Printers at quarterback," Taaffe said.

Printers was signed by the Tiger-Cats on Thursday in a multi-year deal that will make him the highest-paid player in the Canadian Football League over the duration of the four-year contract.

But Taaffe said it is unrealistic for Printers to play.

"He doesn't know our snap count," Taaffe said.

Printers, the Most Outstanding Player in the CFL with B.C. in 2004, spent last season on the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad.

Chang will start for the second consecutive game. He struggled in his CFL debut as a starter on Labour Day against the Argos and was pulled after the first half and relieved by deposed starter Jason Maas. The Argos won 32-14.

Following the signing of Printers on Thursday, Maas was traded to Montreal for Canadian running back Jeff Piercy, leaving Chang and Richie Williams as the only quarterbacks still with the team since training camp.

So Chang, who as early as last week was being mentioned as possibly Hamilton's future starter, will now be given another chance to showcase his skills before Printers takes the job.

"Last week, first start, obviously things didn't go as well as he or any of us would have liked," Taaffe said. "That's part of the deal and a quarterback's got to have a real short memory.

"We'd like Timmy to be with us for a long time because I think he's a very good young quarterback and will develop into a quality quarterback in this league," Taaffe added.

"But in the age of salary cap and free agency, when a player with the profile of Casey Printers becomes available, you have to go after (him). I told Timmy the way he performs will either enhance his situation in Hamilton or he's going to be on (game) tape and 'if you play well there's going to be other teams out there that want you.'

"That's just the business of how it is. I was impressed by the way Timmy bounced back this week."

Chang said he is "very understanding" of the organization's move to sign Printers.

"It's my first year up here (in the CFL) and I'm still learning as the game goes on and the decisions that the management has to make," he said. "Things have to be done. I'm supportive of the Hamiton Tiger-Cats and our family that we have here. Obviously it's disappointing (to lose the chance to be the full-time starter)."



Printer friendly