Dolegala, Ticats set to take on Roughriders

Jake Dolegala is ready to step into the starting quarterback role for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats when they face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday. He will be replacing the injured Bo Levi Mitchell, a future Hall of Fame quarterback.

Dolegala, who holds a 2-9 career record as a CFL starter, acknowledged the responsibility of filling Mitchell's shoes. "Preparation should be the same," Dolegala stated. "You're always preparing and acting like you're going to be the starter. There's a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. Obviously, Bo was having a heck of a year and I want to continue that for this team and for this organization."

“

Preparation should be the same. You're always preparing and acting like you're going to be the starter. There's a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. Obviously, Bo was having a heck of a year and I want to continue that for this team and for this organization.

Mitchell suffered a broken left ankle on July 5 and is expected to recover fully, though his return this season is uncertain. He had been performing exceptionally well, completing 78.2 percent of his passes for 1,107 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception. Dolegala has been in close communication with Mitchell, who advised him to "just be myself, don't try and be a hero."

“

Bo has already told me to just be myself, don’t try and be a hero. He knows how I play, he’s like ‘Jake, you’re a gunslinger, we’re both gunslingers.’ He just wants me to go out there, be myself, take what is given, but when the shots are there, don’t be afraid to let it loose.

Head coach Scott Milanovich selected Dolegala to start over Tre Ford, citing Dolegala's greater familiarity with the team's current offensive scheme. "My hope when we brought Tre in is that he could kind of learn from Bo for a year and then if Bo chose to retire... that he'd be ready to compete next year. I just think Jake has a little bit more experience with what we're doing right now," Milanovich explained.

Ford, a free-agent signing, brings a different style, known more for scrambling and improvisation, but has struggled with consistency. In 2023, he was named Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Canadian with the Edmonton Elks, but lost his starting job early in the 2025 season.

“

(Dolegala) just has more experience with what we’re doing right now. My hope when we brought Tre in is that he could kind of learn from Bo for a year and then if Bo chose to retire, I know there was talk of that last season, that he’d be ready to compete next year. I just think Jake has a little bit more experience with what we’re doing right now.