Adrift in a Sea of Rumors, Draft Combines and Rule Change

Well the times they are a changing with the Canadian Football League as a number of rule changes will play havoc with special teams in an effort to make the CFL a more entertaining league in 2015.

No one could argue that on a best point basis, 2014 was the year of the defense. I personally cling to the theory that the addition of Ottawa and the inadequate coaching at Canadian University and CFL levels have brought us to a stage where I could conceivably sign a contract and step in and play somewhere.

From a league standpoint, saying that CIS football is not structured to produce good potential pro athletes is not a wise thing; nor is saying the coaching at the league level is not doing its part to develop Canadian starters. So they decided to start with the point after touchdown and go from there.

This season if you want to kick a point a convert after a touchdown, you have to move to the 25 yard line to make the effort 32 yards in total. That is apparently the tipping point between 100 per cent convert conversions and adding some spice in the proceedings. If you are at Taylor Field facing a win and kicking a convert 32 yards into the wind is more trouble than its worth, you can scrimmage at the three yard line and try a two point convert.

If the defense blocks and returns the kicked conversion attempt or intercepts or gets a turnover on the two pointer and returns it to the opposing end zone, they get two points. It’s an effort to get more scoring and I can see it since the convert rule is about 100 years old and times have changed.

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Other rules include not allowing members of the offensive line on punt returns to move forward until after the ball is kicked over their heads. This is intended to allow for more returns but I have nightmares of flag days on whether an offensive lineman flinched on the ball being snapped and being called for off-side.

The reviewable pass interference option for coaches remains, although it may be extended to allow for coaches to call for offensive pass interference, i.e., running of the picks. That may spark extended washroom breaks as officials go under the hood to review the situation and determine whether it is flagrant or not.

Another rule change would see no contact between receivers and defensive backs after five yards. For the first five yards, a defensive back can mug a receiver but once the receiver gets past the five yard mark, he is expected to be hands free from the defensive back.

When I played touch football in Prince Albert, I would often go up again George W. Harcus, the Herald photographer who was in great shape and had no problem with being manhandled by a punk like myself as long as he could dish it out when it was my turn to run routes. There is a certain hand to hand combat and honor in receiver and defensive back battling for the first five yards, especially when the offense is working on timing plays. I have nothing against these rule changes, but again I wonder if the CFL is ignoring the fact they have no adequate backup quarterbacks so when a starter goes down, a team’s season hangs in the balance.

While the rule changes are not quite final, the fact the NFL has moved in a similar direction with their convert rules indicates at least this is going through. The rule changes did give a lot of people a chance to talk football, at least until the CFL combine tests in Toronto.

These tests bring together the best university football players in Canada to demonstrate their skills in front of their peers and potential future employers. The combine is a big deal in the NFL, but here in the CFL it takes a back seat to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and some soccer team in Toronto.

Trevaughn Campbell of the University of Regina Rams set a new record in the 40 yard dash at 4.3 seconds. Campbell also runs track at the U of R so his time maybe should not be seen as surprising, but if Campbell is for real, he could go out on the wide side of the field if not actually start on special teams. This class of players is being touted as the deepest in years, so the Riders trading down for more picks may work out in their favor in bringing in players who can compete for jobs.

Speaking of which, you may recall the trade the Riders made with Winnipeg for receiver Cory Watson. In exchange for Watson, the Riders also shipped a negotiation list player named Donovan Bonner to Winnipeg. Well, Winnipeg let him go recently and the Riders got him back. Not sure what that meant, but the Riders are at least keeping their eye on their negotiation list players and receiver Kris Bastien seems to be the only loss to Winnipeg in that trade. Considering Drew Willy wants a huge raise for being beaten like a gong in Winnipeg, Winnipeg is probably focusing on offensive linemen.

The CFL testing and interviews  continues the next couple of days, then the Riders have their camp in Florida April 10-12 and that will be an interesting experience in seeing who shows up and if Darian Durant can still throw the football following his elbow injury.  I hear yes, but I also hear from panic stricken Rider fans all the time, so this will be fun.

Then we have the Pros and Joes night on April 30 and if anyone wants to go from PA, go to the Riderville website and click on tickets.

You get a tour of Taylor Field, free food, and the chance to ask any questions of Rider staff.