Toronto Argonauts: Ricky Ray happy with good start

Ricky Ray had a historic outing on Sunday, flirting with history against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Tip of the Tower spoke to the Toronto Argonauts quarterback after the game.

Toronto Argonauts quarterback Ricky Ray is very happy with the way the team started the 2017 CFL season, after they beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 32-15.

The 15-year veteran had a game to remember on Sunday, throwing for a career-high 506 yards, which was the third-most in Argonauts history (just short of Robin Tote’s 524 passing yards record, set in 1960 against the Montreal Alouettes).

However Ricky Ray is just relieved to start the season on a good note and work well with his teammates: “Obviously it’s feels go to get a start like this to get some confidence” said Ray at his locker.

“To have a win, that’s one of the biggest things and to go out there and make some plays with these guys, it builds that confidence with each other.”

One of the biggest plays of the game was a 79-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the second half, to wide receiver DeVier Posey.

“We kept coming up short, settling for field goals. To come out from the get go [at the start of the second half] and get the momentum in our favour was big.” said Ray.

The huge throw was only a small sample of what the team wants as the weeks go by. “Posey had that big play. We still left a lot of good opportunities, lots for us to improve on.

“Hamilton’s a good team. They made it difficult for us. We got to find a way to secure those plays.”

With S.J. Green, Ray feels great being paired up with the newest member of the Argonauts despite not having much time together during the preseason. Green made an impressive debut, catching seven passes for 124 receiving yards,

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“I felt really comfortable with SJ. They way he runs his routes. I’m totally confident that we’re seeing the same things out there as far as what we do on certain coverage.” said Ray.

“He got right to the spots that I needed him to get to and [I] just able to lay it out there for him.”

Argonauts head coach Marc Trestman was pleased with his quarterback’s performance in Sunday’s game, even comparing him to his former quarterback in Montreal, Anthony Calvillo.

“They’re very similar. They’re obsessed with detail preparation. Every little thing matters to Ricky in terms of preparation,” said Trestman in his post game press conference.

“He’s emotionally intelligent. He just never waivers. He’s the same guy through things that happen on the field when it’s great and things that aren’t so good. He sets the tone and leads the way just like Anthony did.”

Despite the fantastic start, Ray is already looking ahead to the rest of season and is ready to focus on the next task at hand: “We know it’s a long season, it’s one game, still got a lot to improve on.

“We’re not thinking about how good we can be, just thinking about how we can get better each day.” The Argonauts have a four-day rest, before they take on the visiting B.C Lions.

Next: Argos season opener recap

How does the opening win impact your expectations for Ray this season? Is he truly back, or do you expect him to endure more injury issues? Further, while it’s only one game, what kind of success are you predicting for the Argonauts in 2017? Share your thoughts in the comments section.