CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders’ motto "plug-and-play" has been put to the test yet again.
John Hufnagel’s knack for finding new talent to compensate for injured players is a major reason the defending Grey Cup champions have made the playoffs every season since he became head coach and general manager in 2008. The Stampeders (10-3) must draw on that depth again Friday in Hamilton, where a win against the Tiger-Cats (8-4) will give them an eighth straight post-season appearance.
But the Calgary defence was hard hit this week by the loss of two key components.
Co-captain and veteran middle linebacker Juwan Simpson is out four to six weeks with a broken clavicle. Cornerback Joe Burnett, who was doing double duty as a returner, is gone for the season with a fractured ankle.
Both sustained their injuries in last Friday’s 25-23 win over the Blue Bombers in Winnipeg.
"They were both playing real good football for us," Hufnagel said after Tuesday’s practice. "It’s going to be a test to our depth, but the guys who are going to be stepping up, they’re excited about the opportunity. They’ll play good football.
"It’s not only the two guys who are replacing Simpson and Joe, but all three phases of our football team have to play very well to have a chance to win against a very good football team."
Calgary’s defence will be covering yet another new quarterback making his first CFL start this season. Jeff Mathews gets the ball instead of Zach Collaros, whose banner season ended Sept. 19 due to a torn knee ligament.
Glenn Love has been Simpson’s apprentice at middle linebacker and Maleki Harris is a likely practice-roster promotion as backup. Burnett’s potential replacement is an eyebrow-raiser.
The Ottawa Redblacks decided they couldn’t take Brandon McDonald’s penchant for penalties anymore. He was released on Aug. 26 — his 30th birthday.
McDonald had a pair of defensive tackles and a special-teams tackle playing two games for the Stampeders in 2014. The Stampeders reached out to him Friday when Burnett was injured on a punt return.
"I was familiar with the system. I didn’t want to go to a new system and try to learn new terminology, new schemes," McDonald said. "I knew the people here, I was comfortable being here and they’re winning.
"Of course, the money situation, that’s the reason why I had to leave last year because they didn’t have any room for me on the active roster."
McDonald said two other teams approached him during his hiatus. He said he couldn’t afford to go on a team’s practice roster and get paid less than an active-roster player, which he is with the Stampeders.
"I’m 30 years old and can’t keep bouncing around from team to team trying to find somewhere to get comfortable," McDonald said.
McDonald had two interceptions and a team-leading 33 tackles when he was released. An objectionable conduct call that kept a Toronto Argonauts drive alive for a touchdown Aug. 23 sent him out Ottawa’s door.
"I’m still going to be the same competitive person I am," McDonald said. "Those penalties I got, they were definitely things I could have controlled. It was just me running my mouth. I take full responsibility for what I did."
Simpson has started every Calgary game since the 2012 season opener.
"This is a resilient bunch. They know how to regroup and re-load," Simpson said. "We always say we have a ‘next-man-up’ attitude and that’s basically what it is.
"Our mission doesn’t change. We came, not to repeat, but to win, to win a championship. The guys stepping in, they understand that."
Simpson says his job now is to provide moral support for his teammates.
"I don’t think I’ll go unnoticed," he said. "I talk quite a bit."
Notes: Acquired from Edmonton last week for his return skills, Skye Dawson is expected to make his debut with the Stampeders on Friday … Running back Jon Cornish missed Tuesday’s practice with a stomach ailment … Calgary dealt the rights to University of Regina offensive lineman Aaron Picton to the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Tuesday for international offensive lineman Randy Richards.
