Rules receive fine-tuning for 2023 season

[gobombersgo]

RULES RECEIVE FINE-TUNING FOR 2023 SEASON

TORONTO - The CFL Board of Governors have unanimously approved a set of rule changes proposed by the league's Rules Committee as teams continue preparations for the upcoming season.

The 2023 updates to the rule book follow the substantive rule changes introduced last season that resulted from the CFL's extensive product review.

"Last season's changes yielded positive results across several key metrics," said associate vice-president of officiating, Darren Hackwood.

"The changes being introduced this year are focused on fine-tuning the rules from a health and safety perspective and to refine certain nuances in the game. These updates will build upon last season's changes as the league and the Rules Committee continue to measure the impacts of the 2022 product review."

CFL rookie camps open on May 10, followed by training camp on May 14. The season kicks off on Thursday, June 8 with the BC Lions traveling to Calgary to take on the Stampeders at McMahon Stadium. The season will conclude on Sunday, Nov. 19 at Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton with the 110th Grey Cup.

2023 RATIFIED RULE CHANGES

The requirement for the ball to be touched prior to ruling a rouge on a kickoff has been removed.

This change aligns the rouge rule on kickoffs with all other types of kick plays.

A safety has been added to the options for holding in the team's own goal area.

When a team commits a holding foul in their own goal area while in possession of the ball in their goal area, a safety has been added to the options available to the other team.

The defensive formation has been restricted on kick plays.

The number of players within two yards of the line of scrimmage on either side of the long snapper has been restricted to a maximum of six players at the snap.
This restriction does not apply if the offence lines up in an unbalanced line or if an offensive player moves or motions from their initial position.
This restriction only applies to field goal and kicked convert attempts.
This change is in the spirit of player safety to avoid grossly overloading the defensive line on one side of the long snapper.

Avoidable contact with an official

It shall be illegal for a player, or an authorized member of a team bench area, to make avoidable contact with an official.
This includes providing a safe workspace by keeping the sidelines clear during play. Officials cannot properly officiate a game if their attention is being diverted to the sidelines in hopes of avoiding collision or injury.
When an official is contacted by a player, or an authorized member of a team bench area, officials will be permitted to check with the command centre to assist with a judgment as to whether contact was "avoidable" and if so, a 10-yard objectionable conduct penalty will be applied.
This change will allow the officiating staff to call these actions confidently with command centre help. It will also bring much needed attention to the requirement of providing a safe workspace for officials.
This change complements and builds upon existing rules regarding contacting officials that may result in ejections.

Move the drive start position up five yards in additional scenarios:

Section 5A - If a kicked ball strikes the goal post assembly in flight and when Team B intercepts a ball or recovers a fumble in their own goal area, the next point of scrimmage will be the 30-yard line.
Section 5B - Penalty applications with fouls in the goal area will be applied from the 30- or 15-yard line dependent upon the foul.
Section 6C - When a penalty or ruling awards possession of the ball to the opponent, the point of possession will move up 5 yards.
These changes align the drive start adjustment made in 2022 with other scenarios.

Teams cannot have players wear 0 and 00

Players shall be identified by the following numbering:

Eligible receivers will wear numbers 0 or 00-49 and 70-99.
Ineligible receivers will wear numbers 50-69.
Having two players on the same team wearing 0 and 00 creates significant issues with the statistical and scouting systems the teams deploy. This change allows only one player from each team to wear the number 0 or 00.

https://www.cfl.ca/2023/05/08/rules-receive-fine-tuning-for-2023-season/

[pjrocksmb]

I like the safety rule

[TecnoGenius]

The requirement for the ball to be touched prior to ruling a rouge on a kickoff has been removed.

Ya, I get it.  One less weird exception to remember.  However, what if you hire a guy that can basically always get a kickoff out the back of the EZ?  You can get 1 point on every kickoff?  Maybe not worth them starting on the 30, but if you need the extra points to close a gap near the end??

A safety has been added to the options for holding in the team's own goal area.

When a team commits a holding foul in their own goal area while in possession of the ball in their goal area, a safety has been added to the options available to the other team.

Dangerous from an O's perspective!  However, the way I read this is the holding OL must also be in the EZ?  Not just the ball-holder (i.e. QB/RB) in the EZ?  That's a little less dangerous for the O.  Anyhow, what this will do is mean when a team is backed up at their 1 or 2 they will 95% of the time call a run play.  How can you risk a pass play when any little hold by an antsy ref screws you over with a safety?

The number of players within two yards of the line of scrimmage on either side of the long snapper has been restricted to a maximum of six players at the snap.

Do they purposely write all CFL rules so as to be as ambiguous as possible?  It's like grade 1 children are writing these things.

So do they mean there can be a max of 6 guys on the whole line?  Or 6 on each side, for all 12 on the line?  Can be read either way.  I get that they want to stop the overloading, but it needs to be clear what they mean.

I call this the would-have-won-WPG-the-2022-GC rule.  TOR was overloading the left side and that's how they snuck the guy through.

Section 6C - When a penalty or ruling awards possession of the ball to the opponent, the point of possession will move up 5 yards.

Uh, what penalty other than a safety can cause a change of possession?

Teams cannot have players wear 0 and 00
This change allows only one player from each team to wear the number 0 or 00.

Haha, it's not that they banned 00, it's that they banned having both!  How lame.  No help for us tinyint programmers.  If they allow 00 then they must allow Willie to opt for 05 then!

Just outlaw leading zeroes and be done with it, sheesh!

My big beef with these changes, and I was just speaking with my buddies about this, is they didn't disambiguate (or outright outlaw) that really stupid illegal-participation player can make an in-bounds ball be an illegal kickoff rule interpretation.  We saw that this year and it's the dumbest thing in the world and not properly supported by the existing rulebook.

[DM83]

Kick offs on a wind assisted day = a potential single point.  Ooops no concern with Leggio kicking.  Move on.

[Waffler]

Kick offs on a wind assisted day = a potential single point.  Ooops no concern with Leggio kicking.  Move on.

Agreed. a line drive that cannot be fielded has a chance.

[dd]

The ball must land in play on a kickoff then go out of bounds in order to get the point. The offense must be given the opportunity to put the ball in play in order to score a single. Kick it directly out of bounds in the air on a kick off=no single point.

[TecnoGenius]

The ball must land in play on a kickoff then go out of bounds in order to get the point. The offense must be given the opportunity to put the ball in play in order to score a single. Kick it directly out of bounds in the air on a kick off=no single point.

Not how I'm reading it.

new rule: The requirement for the ball to be touched prior to ruling a rouge on a kickoff has been removed.
This change aligns the rouge rule on kickoffs with all other types of kick plays.

Firstly, no kicker will be able to kick it straight out of the back EZ in the air, so forget that option.  The only possibility is a kicker hoofing it enough on a line drive that it bounces, say, at the 10 YL and out the back of the EZ.  Which is possible, especially if you got a long-range hoofer just for that purpose.

It'll now be just like a punt: doesn't matter what team B does or if it exits the field on the ground or in the air.  That's the whole point.  If I'm misreading the (badly written) new rule, someone can correct me.

[BlueInCgy]

Not how I'm reading it.

Firstly, no kicker will be able to kick it straight out of the back EZ in the air, so forget that option.  The only possibility is a kicker hoofing it enough on a line drive that it bounces, say, at the 10 YL and out the back of the EZ.  Which is possible, especially if you got a long-range hoofer just for that purpose.

It'll now be just like a punt: doesn't matter what team B does or if it exits the field on the ground or in the air.  That's the whole point.  If I'm misreading the (badly written) new rule, someone can correct me.

Mmm, there are a combo of scenarios where it is possible.  Team A scores a touchdown and there?s a roughing the passer penalty.  Team A is kicking off from the 45.  Decent wind at their backs and they could carry the EZ.  Not saying it?s likely, but not impossible.

They keep missing the obvious improvement.  When a foul is committed with the offending team scrimmaging from their 15 or less, replace the ?half the distance? provision and move the first down markers forward by the equivalent yardage.  Penalties committed in the shadow of your goalposts are essentially free down over plays currently.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

This seems to be rule related so I guess I'll post it here.

Announcing your 2023 Hamilton Tiger-Cats Coaching Staff.

https://twitter.com/Ticats/status/1656659202117337088


Jamie Nye
@jamienye

Yes, they have 13 coaches. No longer a limit on the amount of coaches. There is a football ops personnel cap so if you want more coaches means you have less football ops people. Still have a cap on football ops.

[DM83]

The CFL has to get with the program?  Is that woman on the coaching staff?  I mean great to see Reinboldt back. I hope he is healthy again. Also is that the same Milanowich that was head coach  many years ago.

Hammy is going for the Cup!

Maybe we should get Mike Rielly to come back up and assist with the DBs?

[Waffler]

Announcing your 2023 Hamilton Tiger-Cats Coaching Staff.

Senior Assistant coach? I wonder what the heck he does. Good people but some odd titles have me wondering how things work there.

[TecnoGenius]

They keep missing the obvious improvement.  When a foul is committed with the offending team scrimmaging from their 15 or less, replace the ?half the distance? provision and move the first down markers forward by the equivalent yardage.  Penalties committed in the shadow of your goalposts are essentially free down over plays currently.

I'd be all for that on "dangerous" fouls: ones that can injure.  I wouldn't want that on something like holding, IP, or IC.  But horsecollar, facemask, any roughing, or HTF could be ripe for full yardage.  Obviously you have to stop at the 1 YL though.

[TecnoGenius]

is that the same Milanowich that was head coach  many years ago.

It must be.  But I was looking at that low-rez pic trying to tell and I couldn't see if that was the same guy.  Must be a bio somewhere.  I liked Milanovich, but didn't he mostly coach for the evil enemy TOR?

[DM83]

YUP. Millanovich
Toronto Head Coach for awhile, from what I recall.  Didn't he also leave after winning a Grey Cup?

the reffing rule is not needed.  Almost all team personnel know to keep at least three feet from the sidelines.  Making it a penalty if that is abused is already in the rulebook.

However, the rule, and it's prevention,  actually promotes communication, co-operation and well-being between refs, coaches and players. The teams appreciate the ref warning and preventing the team's well - being, "warn before penalize."

Enforce what is already in the book.
(This is also a "warn" before calling. When the ref does this, it makes him seen as a facillitator for the teams, and wanting to enable each team personnel to do a focused job, and not be the judge, jury and executioner.  After all- The teams want to achieve.  Penalties don't help.