Canadian Football

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Game of the Calgary Stampeders (in red) against the Montreal Alouettes

The Canadian Football (English for Canadian Football , French Football canadien ) is an almost exclusively in Canada spread ball sport belonging to the as Gridiron Football is one designated games. Like American football , it emerged from football and especially rugby in the 1860s , with international games and contacts providing the impetus.

Canadian football, which is played professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL) , among other things , differs from its US counterpart, as some rule changes in college football there were not adopted in the 1900s. Among other things, the playing field is around 101 meters (110 yards) longer and 10 yards longer at 59 meters (65 yards) wide and 12 yards wider. In addition, the end zones are 20 yards instead of 10 yards. Furthermore, there are twelve instead of eleven players and there are only three instead of four attempts ( downs ) per attack play. The time between two moves is also shorter with 20 instead of 40 seconds. Furthermore, the two sports differ in thatOffense and defense are one yard apart instead of just one ball length and instead of a man in motion who is only allowed to move sideways and backwards before the snap, all players in the backfield are allowed to move in all directions.

This also has an impact on the tactics of the game. Canadian Football has fewer delays, and the space available means faster players and more passing moves. Otherwise, the similarities are great.

Canadian football is one of the most popular sports in Canada, but it is only actively practiced by a small fraction of the population.

story

Beginnings

The first documented Canadian football game took place on November 9, 1861 at the University of Toronto . In terms of rules, however, it was closer to rugby than to today's Canadian football. The first football clubs were formed during the 1860s. In the 1870s the hybrid form of football and rugby was played in Montréal, especially at McGill University . In 1874, the McGill sports team was invited by Harvard University to play a game of football against their team. While McGill University meant the hybrid sport, Harvard believed it played a version of soccer. Since this was only recognized when McGill arrived, it was agreed to play two games, one under the rules of the other team. Harvard quickly took up the game idea and spread it on the US East Coast, particularly in the Ivy League schools . The Americans quickly evolved the game by transforming the more dynamic rugby into a more organized game. So the crowd was replaced by the snap and a number of attempts to achieve a certain gain in space were introduced. Due to the continental development, the Canadian game was also changed by US-American influences.

Canadian football developed in the following years mainly at Canadian universities. Several regional associations developed, each of which proclaimed its own master. The first Canadian league was the Quebéc Rugby Football League (QRFU), founded in 1882 . Only the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU), which was also founded in 1882, refrained from proclaiming a champion; she was more interested in preparing a championship for the entire domain of Canada. In 1903, the Ontario Rugby Football Union (ORFU) was the premier league to snap, limit attempts to gain ten yards of space and reduce the number of players to twelve. This change is commonly referred to as the Burnside Rules , named after John Thrift Meldrum Burnside , who introduced them at the University of Toronto and which were adopted by the other leagues in the years that followed.

In 1909, the Gray Cup was the first national championship game to be played. In the 1st Gray Cup , the University of Toronto from the Canadian Intercollegiate Rugby Football Union (CIRFU) played against the Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club from the ORFU; the University of Tortonto won 26-6. It wasn't until 1921 that a team from Western Canada took part for the first time when the Toronto Argonauts beat the Edmonton Eskimos 23-0. Starting in 1925, Canadian football became increasingly popular in Canada and began to attract larger crowds. So the sport, which until then had been practiced as a pure amateur sport, was increasingly professionalized. After all Canadian leagues in 1931 forward pass was legalized, a rule change that was already established longer in American football who pledged Montreal Amateur Athletic Association to the Syracuse University dating quarterback Warren Stevens . The team's success, including winning the Gray Cup, sparked a trend to look for American talent. Western Canadian teams in particular took advantage of this opportunity. This led to the fact that in 1932 a Canadian university team, the team from the University of Toronto, applied for participation in the Gray Cup. In 1935, General Manager Joe Ryan signed nine Americans for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for $ 7,500 . The Blue Bombers then won the Gray Cup 18:12 against the Hamilton Tigers , which was the first victory of a western Canadian team in the Gray Cup.

Canadian-American Conflict and Politicization

Excerpts from the 38th Gray Cup (Mud Bowl)

The CRU wanted to maintain a facade of amateurism while the team administrators wanted to provide the best teams in the country. This led to friction within the league. Canadian Football was first televised in 1952 after CBC secured TV rights to the Gray Cup. In 1956 the CRU had the nine best teams in the country, with only one ORFU team sponsored by an oil company having a similar level. In order to reduce the American influence, the CRU introduced a limit to five non-Canadian players for the first time . In 1956, members of the CRU founded the Canadian Football Council , which was renamed the Canadian Football League (CFL) in 1958 , making it the first officially professional league. This made some rule changes, such as increasing the maximum number of imported players, introducing so-called “ taxi squads ” and removing the limit on the number of blocks . In 1967 the CIRFU, which had remained independent, also introduced their championship game, the Vanier Cup . This was played for the first time in 1965, but initially only as an invitation game. The four regional university associations, the Western Intercolligiate Football Association , the Ontario University Athletic Association , the Ontario-Quebéc Intercolligiate Football Conference and the Atlantic University Athletic Association , each send a team to play the participants in the semifinals. In 1962 the Canadian Football Hall of Fame was founded, in which deserving athletes, coaches and officials from the amateur and professional sectors of Canadian football are accepted.

A wave of nationalism emerged in Canada in the 1960s . This was directed against the increasing influence of the USA as well as against the independence movement of Québec . Part of the government strategy under Pierre Trudeau to enforce nationalism was also sport and in particular Canadian football, as this helped to construct a Canadian identity through its deviating rules to American football and British rugby. Ice hockey was and is the most popular sport in Canada, but due to the increasing proportion of American teams after the expansion in 1967 from 4 of 6 to 10 of 12 teams, the government saw it as a less important Canadian symbol and the Canadian Football League as the most important Canadian league on. Since Canadian football was played in all areas of Canada, including Québec, the government saw an opportunity here to unite Canada. Because both the American American Football League, founded in 1960, and its competitor, the National Football League (NFL), were considering expanding into Canada, the downfall of Canadian football was feared by the cultural imperialism of the United States. Concern about the NFL was strengthened by the intense efforts of Montreal's Mayor Jean Drapeau , who brought an MLB team to his city as early as 1969 , to get an NFL team to the capital of Québec, which also separates the region from the rest of Canada in terms of sport would. Health and Sports Minister John Munro therefore rejected an NFL team in Canada, as did an expansion of the CFL into the USA. He saw this as the erosion of Canadianism and declared that the government would prevent expansion. When the World Football League (WFL) established a team in Toronto in 1974 , Munro's successor, Marc Lalonde , introduced the Canadian Football Act . This law would have banned Canadian football teams from playing in an American league. As a result, the WFL withdrew from Canada, whereupon the planned law was not passed.

In the early 1990s, the CFL finally tried to expand the sport beyond Canada by placing a total of seven different franchises in the United States from 1993 to 1995 . In 1995, the Baltimore Stallions , an American team, also won the Gray Cup, which was the first time it was not in Canada. The expansion proved unsuccessful, however, and in 1996 all American teams were disbanded, with the exception of the Stallions, which moved to Montreal. In 2006, the CFL introduced video evidence into Canadian football.

Basics

Gameplay

The game consists of two halves, which again in each two quarters (Quarter) are divided to 15 minutes each. Before the start of the game, the team captains meet with the referee in the middle of the field to hold a coin toss. The winning team chooses whether they want to get the kickoff or kick first , or alternatively which end zone they want to defend first. After the election, the other team can make the decision that is still pending. At the beginning of the second half, the team losing out on the coin toss chooses first.

Each half begins with a kickoff, with each team opening once. If the kickoff is not carried back to a touchdown (TD) in the opposing end zone, it begins at the point where the returner was stopped or, if the kickoff was shot out of bounds, at the own 35 yard line. From there the team begins their drive , a series of plays. A turn begins with the delivery of the ball by the center to the quarterback . A turn ends when the ball carrier tackled , so torn to the ground, is being urged into the air, was spotted, a forward pass uncaught soil or from touching or if a kick goes wide. The offense, i.e. the team in possession of the ball, has three attempts to gain ten yards of space, otherwise it loses the right to attack. The gain in space can be achieved either by passing the ball or running with the ball. The Defense (also Defense ) tries to keep the offense from doing so. As in college football, a pass is considered trapped if only one foot or another part of the body lands in the field before the player touches the end.

At the beginning of the second and fourth quarters, the halves of the playing field are swapped, but the right to attack and the position remain the same as at the end of the first and third quarter, respectively.

The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

matchfield

The playing field in Canadian football

The Canadian football field is 150 yards (137.16 m) long and 65 yards (59.44 m) wide. The two goal lines are 110 yards (100.58 m) apart, creating a 20-yard (18.23 m) end zone on each side. Until 1985 these were still 25 yards deep, which increased the total length of the pitch to 160 yards. There is a goal in the middle of each goal line. The playing field is subdivided in five-yard steps, with the distance to the next end zone being indicated every ten yards. The 55 yard line, i.e. the middle of the field, is usually marked with a 'C'.

There are two hash marks on the field between which the ball is placed before each snap. Historically these were 15 yards (13.72 m), but are now 24 yards (21.95 m) from the sidelines. The goals are delimited by a crossbar ten  feet above the field of play and parallel to the goal line and two vertical posts that typically extend 30 feet (9.14 m) from the crossbar . Both posts are 18½ feet (5.64 m) apart.

Timing

In 1885 the game was limited to two halves of forty minutes each. In 1902 the game length was shortened to 60 minutes, played in four quarters of 15 minutes each. The game is paused for 14 minutes between the second and third quarters, followed by a 140-second break after the first and third quarters. Each team also has two timeouts per game or per half in most amateur leagues. Three minutes before the end of each half, play is paused for the three minute warning .

The game clock generally continues to run unless there is a point, the ball goes out, a pass is incomplete, at the end of a kick play or at the end of a play where possession changes. Time is also stopped when penalties are applied, three or more players are to be substituted, a player is injured on the field, when the time is up in each quarter and when the referees deem it necessary to stop play . After the three-minute warning until the end of half-time, the clock is also stopped in the event of conversions and after the end of each play. If the clock has been stopped, it starts again when the ball is snapped, when a player touches the ball in the field of play after a kickoff or when the referee releases the ball for play to continue.

Another clock (play clock) counts down from 20 seconds between two plays. During this time the ball should be put back into play. It is basically independent of the game clock . Only after the three minute warning is there a coupling, since the game clock may only start when the play clock is also running. When the play clock starts and stops is entirely at the discretion of the Referee.

In amateur leagues there is also the mercy rule , according to which the clock is only stopped after scoring points, in the event of injuries and when team timeouts are used. This rule comes into effect as soon as a team leads by 35 or more points in the second half.

Points

In Canadian Football there is the single (outdated also called rouge ) the possibility of scoring a single point after a kick into the opponent's end zone. Otherwise, points are scored in Canadian football in the same way as in American football. A touchdown is given when the ball is carried over or caught behind the opponent's goal line and has been worth six points since 1956, five before and only four before 1904. After a touchdown, the team that scored the points receives an additional attempt (conversions) from the opposing 5-yard line. If a field goal is scored ( point after touchdown ; PAT), there is one point, if the ball is carried over the goal line or caught in the end zone, there are two points ( two point conversion ). When a fixed point system was first introduced in 1883, the PAT was still worth four points, reduced to two in 1889 and reduced to one in 1904. The two point conversion was only introduced in 1975.

If a player is tackled in his own end zone or loses the ball ( fumble ) and the ball jumps out of bounds in his own end zone, the defense receives a safety touch and thus two points. If the ball is shot over the horizontal bar of the goal and between the two vertical goal bars (field goal), three points are awarded to the kicking team. In 1883 the field goal was still worth six points and was reduced to five points in 1887. After it was lowered to two points in 1903, the value was increased to the current three in 1905. In some leagues, the field goal was worth five points until 1906 and four points until 1908.

Touchdowns, field goals and successful conversions are signaled by stretching both arms over the head, safety touches by holding both hands together over the head and a rouge is signaled by stretching an arm over the head with an upward pointing finger.

Kicking Game

In Canadian Football, every kick and punt can be captured by the opposing team and every player on the kicking team can capture the ball if he was behind the kicker at the time of the kick (onside) . However, these must go on the ball, the opposing team must not be deliberately hindered. If a player from the expected team tries to conquer the ball, no offside player from the opposing team may be within five yards of it until the first touch , otherwise a penalty will be pronounced. The penalty is five yards if the ball is already on the ground and fifteen yards if the ball is caught out of air. There are no fair catches in Canadian football. Failed field goal attempts may be carried back. If the goal line is crossed, the ball is placed on the 20-yard line or at the point behind the 20-yard line that the returner has reached; the rules may vary depending on the league.

If the ball is brought to the ground in the end zone during a punt, kickoff or a missed field goal, a single is given. The team against which the point was given is then given the right to attack on its own 35-yard line or on the line of scrimmage from the previous field goal attempt, if this was further away from the end zone. After a successful field goal, the opposing team has the choice of getting a kickoff or the ball at their own 35-yard line. Since 2016, in the Canadian Football League, a kickoff has to take place after a field goal if the field goal took place in the last three minutes before the end of regular time.

actors

player

Offense

The offense players are divided into two groups: offensive line and backfield / receiver. While the offensive line is primarily responsible for protecting the quarterback on passing plays and blocking holes for the running back on running plays, the receivers and backfield players are mainly responsible for moving the ball. The offensive line consists of five players. The center (C) is in the middle , the guards (G / OG) to the side and the tackles (T / OT) on the outside . The center also has the task of executing the snap and usually also announces the block scheme against the defense. Offensive linemen are not allowed to catch forward passes.

There are four main groups of backs and receivers: quarterbacks (QB), running backs (HB / FB), wide receivers (WR) and tight ends (TE). The quarterback receives the ball on almost every offensive play and then decides whether he runs the ball himself, throws a forward pass or hands the ball to a ball carrier to run. He receives the choice of moves from the trainer and decides whether to keep it or change it (Audible) . He forwards the choice of moves in the huddle to the other players. The running backs have the task of running with the ball, but are also authorized to catch passes. Wide receivers are mainly responsible for running pass routes and catching passes, but can also be used as additional blockers. Receivers in the backfield are also known as slotbacks (SB). Tight ends are a hybrid of an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. They are regularly used both as blockers and as pass recipients.

Defense

Defense is divided into three groups: Defensive Line , Linebacker and Defensive Backs . The defensive line consists of the two defensive ends (DE) at the ends of the defensive line and the defensive tackles (DT) positioned between the ends . Your job is to attack the quarterback and close the gaps for the running back. They are the first line of defense and are followed by the linebackers. These are divided into outside (OLB) and inside linebackers (ILB / MLB). Your tasks differ from turn to turn and include attacking the quarterback, covering possible pass receivers and defending against the run.

The last line of defense are the defensive backs, also known as secondary. They include the Cornerbacks (CB), Free Safeties (FS), and Strong Safeties (SS). Your main task is passport defense. They cover wide receivers, slotbacks and tight ends to keep them from catching passes and try to catch passes themselves to create a turnover ( interception ) . At the beginning, the cornerbacks are usually still on the line of scrimmage and are responsible for covering the wide receivers. The safeties are usually very far back and defend the deep passes. The Free Safety is usually faster and more flexible, while the Strong Safety is more robust and can mainly defend against tight ends. The term defensive halfback (DHB), which covers the inner receiver, was also used in the past.

Special teams

Special teams positions are only required in kick situations. It is between Kicker (K / PK) Kickoff Specialist (KOS), Punter (P), Holder , Long snapper (LS), kickoff returner (KR), punt returner (PR), Jammer , up back (PP) and Gunner distinction . The long snapper is responsible for making the snap to the holder or punter. The Kickoff Specialist only performs kickoffs , an activity that is usually also taken over by the kicker, who is responsible for shooting field goals and point after touchdowns . The holder is responsible for receiving the ball from the long snapper and placing it with the kicker in such a way that he can shoot optimally. The punter also receives snaps and then kicks them as far as possible to the opposing end zone. Punt and kick returners try to receive punts and kickoffs and carry them as far forward as possible, the gunner try to stop the returners as early as possible. Jammers try the opposite, they try to slow down the gunner and thus enable the returner to gain maximum space. The task of the upback is to protect one's own punter from attacking opponents who want to block the punt during a punt. He also gives the instructions for the block diagram.

Trainer

Due to the complexity of Canadian football, a football team is coached by several coaches. The head coach is the highest in the trainer hierarchy. He is responsible for looking after the team and oversees both training and all decisions in a game. He is also responsible for developing the moves. Under him, the offensive coordinator , the defensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator act on the coaching staff , who look after the team parts ( offense , defense or special teams) and sometimes announce the moves to their team parts during the game. Especially in lower leagues, the head coach also takes on a coordinator position. In addition, there may be other trainers, for example for certain positions, physical performance or coordination skills .

referee

Positioning and primary surveillance zones of umpires in Canadian football

In Canadian football there are several referees due to the high complexity of the sport. At the higher levels there are seven referees, in the lower levels there are sometimes only three, four or five referees. The referee positions are the Referee , the Umpire , the Back Judge , the Field Judge , the Side Judge , the Line Judge and the Head Linesman . The position and tasks in the seven-person mode are described below. Separate rules apply to kicking situations. They can be recognized by their black and white striped uniform. If violations of the rules are found, they throw an orange flag.

Before the snap

The Referee occupies a position beyond the line of scrimmage on the side of the limb of the quarterback. It's far enough away not to get in the way of a player, but close enough to keep an eye on the ball. The referee counts the down together with the head linesman, ensures the correct operation of the music box and 20-second clock, monitors the setup of the offensive line and the movements of the offensive line players on his side. He also monitors the quarterback or, in the case of kick plays, the kicker. The umpire positions himself in front of the line of scrimmage so that he can monitor the entire offensive line without hindering players in his environment. He counts the players on the offensive, ensures the correct counting of the downs and monitors the other half of the offensive line.

The Head Linesman and Line Judge stand on opposite sides so that they can see the full line of scrimmage and the substitute bench on their side. On their respective side, they monitor the substitutions, the behavior of the substitutes and the correct line-up of a player who is entitled to pass on the edge of the line of scrimmage. They also monitor the counting of the downs.

The side and back judge stand in the defensive backfield, one on the edge of each side. They count the number of players in defense, help monitor substitutes and substitutions and also help with counting downs. The field judge positions himself in such a way that he can see the entire offensive formation, whereby he should prefer the half with more players, and also has the rearmost line of defense in view. In addition, he should have an undisturbed view of the potential pass recipients assigned to him. He is responsible for monitoring the 20-second clock, counting the players on defense and the downs.

After the snap

During and after the snap, the referee has the task of monitoring whether the snap was carried out correctly, what the quarterback is doing and whether the blocking of his offensive line half and the fullback is in accordance with the rules. With kick plays he has to monitor the protection of the kicker, decide on the capture and return of blocked kicks and control which players were onside when a kick was played. The umpire should monitor the offensive line for compliance with the rules, ensure the proper execution of the snap, and watch out for short passes. He is also responsible for monitoring the fullback behind the line of scrimmage.

The head linesman and the line judge monitor the line players for premature movement and illegal procedures. In addition, they monitor the passport recipients on their side and decide whether a passport was caught in or out of the field. The back judge and side judge supervise the receivers and the offensive line. They also monitor the fullback when it has left the umpire's area. The field judge also monitors the receivers and all players who are in the middle of the defensive backfield.

tactics

Offense

Time management

Especially towards the end of half, but only before the three-minute warning, time management is also part of the tactical direction. This is only relevant if the music box continues to run, as it can only then be influenced by the offense. If the goal of a team is to take as much time as possible from the clock, it can use up most of the 20-second play clock between turns, for example when the game is announced in the huddle. However, if only a little time is to be taken from the clock, it can be useful to announce the move by gestures from the sideline. In addition, it is then desirable to bring the ball out of bounds, as this stops the music box completely. Increased use of the passing game is also an option, as an incomplete pass also stops the clock.

Running game

The running game is one of the main ways to get the ball moving in Canadian football. The advantage of a strong running game is that it can be used to control the speed of the game, wear down the defense, prepare play-action passes and improve ball control in bad weather, as is often the case in Canada during the season. In addition to the physical dominance of the opponent, the use of means that force the defense to make decisions in fractions of a second and thus also produce mistakes can make the running game a success. Often times, the use of pre-snap motions - movements of the receiver before the play - and run-pass options, where the quarterback "reads" the defense and then either passes the ball to the running back, runs himself or a pass plays, set to thin out the defenders. There are two groups of running plays: inside runs , where the defense is attacked between the two tackles, and outside runs , where the defense is attacked outside the defensive end. Outside runs stretch the game horizontally. Both groups of running plays can be played from the same formations and the same personnel groups.

Passing game

Basic walking routes of a receiver on the left. In higher leagues, the number and complexity of the routes increase.

In addition to the running game, the passing game is the second main way to move the ball forward. The passing game can be impaired and limited primarily by wind, cold and a poor playing field. It depends heavily on the skills of the quarterback , as he has to announce the formation, the play and the snap count in 20 seconds , the defense has to read and finally has to throw a good pass. That is why the passing game philosophy is mainly based on this, or in higher leagues the quarterback is selected according to the passing concept. In addition to the strengths of the quarterback, the weather conditions and the defensive strategy of the opponent are important when choosing the pass concept. However, all pass concepts have in common that they stretch the defense vertically and horizontally.

A pass concept form screens in which a pass receiver catches the ball or behind the line of scrimmage, while other receiver or offensive linemen blocking for him. You still leave the possibility that the quarterback runs himself or throws a deep pass on the other side of the field. These moves are easy to read, do not require strong throwing power and tire the opposing defensive linemen. Most other pass concepts are based on the assignment of special running routes for the receivers, with the aim of using free space between the defenders. If a running game is faked before the pass is handed in, one speaks of play-action passes.

Defense

The defense has to react to the move of the offense and therefore usually does not know whether there is a run or a passing move. Since they have to defend against both, defensive plays have both a run and a pass defense approach.

Running defense

In the run defense, each gap , the space between two offensive blockers, is assigned a defender. In addition, due to the size of the playing field, an attempt is made to keep the runner inside (outside contain) . Defensive linemen can use various techniques in a run defense. One is to tackle the offensive lineman against them. In doing so, the defensive linemen should keep their bodies in the gap for which they are responsible, squeeze the adjacent gap by preventing the offensive linemen from pushing him back, and keep the offensive linemen away from the linebackers. In this form, the linebackers make most of the tackles on running plays. Another technique is for the defensive linemen to attack their assigned gap directly. This increases the chance of stopping the running game in the opponent's backfield (tackle for loss) and of getting to the ball carrier more quickly. The disadvantages, however, are over-penetrating, which can leave gaps wide open, and the loss of control over the offensive linemen, which are then free to block linebackers. The linebackers themselves take over the gaps that were not filled by the linemen. Defensive backs are only slightly integrated into the running defense, mostly only in zone defense, and then mostly only for the outside contain .

In Canadian football, most defenses are built on either the 4-3 defense or the 3-4 defense . Both forms have advantages and disadvantages. In 4-3 Defense there are four defensive linemen and three linebackers. It is well suited to keep all offensive linemen busy with the linemen and thus leave the linebackers free to tackle. The 3-4 defense has three defensive linemen and four linebackers. It is the more dynamic defense, as offensive linemen do not know which linebacker is attacking from where.

Passport Defense

A pass defense involves two different aspects: coverage and pressure . Coverage includes all players who cover the opposing players who are allowed to catch a pass and Pressure includes all players who attack the opposing passer. It is important that every opposing player who is entitled to receive a pass is covered. There are two main systems for coverage, which can also be mixed: zone coverage and man coverage . Especially when it comes to man marking, it is important that the correct pairings are made, i.e. defensive backs cover the receivers, linebackers cover running backs, etc. However, a disadvantage of man defense is that the defenders usually only concentrate on the offensive player assigned to them and thus in the Run defense only react with a delay. In addition, athletic deficits between two opponents can be exploited against the male defense. In the case of a pure man coverage without a zone defender ( cover 0 ), there is also no protection, as no player can replace a defeated defender.

In zone coverage, it is important that not only the area is covered, but above all the opponents. The defenders cover not only their zone, but also the players who are approaching their zone. However, the zones are not static. If there is no opponent in a close zone and no one is approaching, the defender will fall lower. If there is no player in or near a deep zone, responsibility shifts to the neighboring zones. The zones also shift when the passer moves outward. Since passes are usually not thrown across the width, the zones with the passer move to the side. Zone defense, however, has the disadvantage that both the transition areas of two zones are vulnerable and that an unsuitable combination of zones and routes, such as four deep pass routes but only three deep defenders in cover 3, can lead to an outnumbered situation. With a stronger protection of the deep zones, however, more defenders are withdrawn from the defenses.

However, the cover must act together with the pressure . While cover 3 and cover 1 cover with seven to eight players and only four to five players attack the passer, the cover must also be able to be maintained longer. In cover 0, on the other hand, only 6 players cover the opponents in man defense, which cannot be sustained for long without help. Therefore, the pressure build-up by the 6 players must be successful and quick.

Equipment

A Canadian football ball

An elongated ellipsoid of revolution with pointed ends is used as the ball . This is currently 11 to 11.25 inches long (approx. 28 to 28.5 cm) long, has a transverse circumference of 20.875 to 21.125 inches (approx. 53 to 53.5 cm) and a longitudinal circumference of 27.75 to 28, 25 inches (approx. 70.5 to 71.5 cm), and a weight of 14 to 15  ounces (approx. 400 to 425 grams). The ball has two one inch wide strips, each three inches from the largest transverse circumference and going around the entire circumference. The ball should be inflated to an overpressure of 12.5 to 13.5  psi (approx. 0.86 to 0.93 bar). The first specifications for the cue ball were made in 1906, when the length was set at 11 inches, the circumference at 23 inches, and the weight at 13.75 ounces.

Players are required to wear a helmet , shoulder pads and a uniform consisting of pants, shoes, jersey and socks. In addition, the use of a kicking tee is permitted in Canadian football.

Punish

In Canadian football, violations of the rules are usually punished with a room penalty, but other penalties can also be imposed, such as the loss of a down. Most fouls have an optional penalty, so the fouled team has the option of rejecting the penalty. If both teams commit a foul, the space penalties are offset against each other. Penalties without a space penalty, such as loss of possession, automatic first down or loss of a down, are treated as a 10 yard penalty. Penalties are announced by the Referee with a specific gesture that allows the type of rule violation to be determined visually.

designation description
Space penalties
5 yard penalty
Illegal handoff pass Passing the ball forward after a forward pass
Kickoff Out Of Bounds Kickoff goes out of bounds outside the end zone without being touched by a player or goes out in the end zone without touching a player or the ground
Illegal Procedure Movement of an offensive player on the line of scrimmage prior to the snap
Pyramiding Lifting a player with the help of another player
Offside Penetration of a player into the neutral zone before the snap
Time count Start of the game move after the 20-second clock has elapsed
No yards Failure to keep the distance to a player trying to pick up a kicked ball that has previously hit the ground
10 yard penalty
Contacting the kicker Deliberately touching the kicker while kicking without touching the ball
Objectionable Conduct Insulting, hitting, attempting to hit, throwing at or showing offensive gestures against a bystander, player, referee or other official
Delay Of Game Unauthorized delay of the game
Holding Grasping or embracing an opponent who is not carrying the ball
Pass Interference Intentional obstruction of a player in catching a pass or obstruction in getting into a zone to catch the ball
Illegal block Blocking an opponent by pushing them in the back
Illegal Contact On A Receiver Obstruction of a player who is entitled to pass during an obvious passing play
Second Forward Pass On A Play More than one forward pass during the same down
Illegal participation The player voluntarily leaves the field during a turn and then returns to the field
Taunting Insulting or mocking opponents, spectators or referees
Sleeper play Substituted player stands on the edge of the field to deceive the opponent
Too many players More than twelve players on a team during a play
Illegal substitution Substituted player leaves the field of play on the opposing side or substituted player enters the field of play after the huddle has been dissolved
Tripping Hindering the opponent by tripping
Ineligible Receiver Unauthorized player to catch or try to catch a pass first
Use Of An Illegal Substance Use of sticky, smeary or other substances that affect opponents or the ball
Late start Appearing late at the beginning of a half
Unauthorized Person On Field Unauthorized person is on the field of play during a play or is influencing a player or a free ball
15 yard penalty
Cut block Block at or below knee level
Chop block Applying a cut block to an opponent who has already been blocked by another player
Hazardous equipment Use of unsafe equipment
Clipping Throwing your own body against the back of an opponent who is not carrying the ball
Piling on Running into the ball carrier, throwing oneself at it or falling on it after the referees have declared the play to be over or the ball is obviously no longer playable
Crackback block Block below the waist and more than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage
Roughing The Passer Attacking the head and neck area, the area of ​​the knees and below, attacking with the helmet first or the avoidable use of hardship after the passport is handed in against a passerby
Roughing The Kicker Use of unnecessary hardship against kickers, punters or holders
Face masking Reaching around the face grille, chin strap or other helmet openings
Unnecessary roughness Use of unnecessary harshness or other unfair gaming behavior
No yards Failure to keep the distance to a player who wants to pick up a kicked ball that has not previously touched the ground by a player who is not authorized to pick up
25 yards penalty
Spitting Spitting at another person
Rough Play Deliberately attacking a passer, pass recipient, kicker or kick recipient with the intention of injuring.
Objectionable Conduct -
Physical Abuse of Official		 Attacking a referee
Penalties in addition to the space penalty
Disqualification of a player
Hazardous equipment Use of unsafe equipment
Rough Play Deliberately attacking a passer, pass recipient, kicker or kick recipient with the intention of injuring.
Excessive objectionable conduct Heavy use of violence and insults
Spitting Spitting at another person
Objectionable Conduct -
Physical Abuse of Official		 Attacking a referee
Automatic first down
Pass Interference Intentional obstruction of a player in catching a pass or obstruction in getting into a zone to catch the ball
Unnecessary roughness Use of unnecessary harshness or other unfair gaming behavior
Rough Play Deliberately attacking a passer, pass recipient, kicker or kick recipient with the intention of injuring.
Illegal Interference On Loose Ball Use of unnecessary harshness to prevent conquering a fumble
Loss of a down
Time count Start of the game move after the 20-second clock has passed (only after the three-minute warning)
Intentional grounding Deliberately throwing away the ball without the possibility of catching it to avoid losing space

variants

  • 6-A-Side Football: Full contact with six players per team. There is less specialization of the players in their positions and it is also cheaper because less equipment is required. Mostly popular in Saskatchewan, it is also operated in Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, and New Brunswick.
  • Flag Football : Contactless with five players per team. Tackling is simulated by pulling a flag. Inexpensive and also playable in the hall on a basketball court.
  • Touch Football: Contact arm with seven players per team. Tackling is simulated by touching it with one or both hands. Also suitable for wheelchair groups. Apart from a football, no further equipment is required.

organization

Football Canada is the national umbrella organization for amateur Canadian football. It is the successor organization to the CRFU and has been a member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) since 2004 . Each of Canada's ten provinces also has its own regional association.

U Sports (formerly Canadian Interuniversity Sport, CIS) is the umbrella organization for university sports in Canada and thus also the umbrella organization for Canadian football at universities and colleges. It is further subdivided into four regional associations: Atlantic University Sport , Canada West Universities Athletic Association , Ontario University Athletics and Quebec Student Sports Federation . Together they comprise 27 universities where Canadian football is played.

Health risks

The health risks in Canadian football are basically the same as in American football. The size and speed of the players can cause serious or life-threatening injuries in the event of a collision. The chronic traumatic encephalopathy caused by frequent collisions in particular represents an enormous health risk. This is less common in Canadian football than in American football, as the larger playing field means there are more opportunities to evade and the greater distance between the line players gives them more time to tense up and to stand up to avoid collisions with the helmet. In addition to concussions , other injuries to the head, neck and extremities can also occur. The risk of injury is higher when playing games than when training. In dry conditions, the risk of injury to the head and neck area is higher on artificial turf than on natural turf. Injuries to the lower extremities are more likely on artificial turf than on natural grass in both dry and wet conditions. Injuries to the upper extremities are independent of the nature of the field and the type of lawn.

Canadian Football in Popular Culture

Canadian musician Stompin 'Tom Connors , best known for his song The Hockey Song , released Dr. Stompin 'Tom ... eh? from 1993 the song Football Song , in which he celebrates Canadian Football.

So far, four different sports simulations have appeared on Canadian Football. Canadian Football '17 was launched in 2017 by publisher Canuck Play for Xbox One and PC. It had not received licenses from the CFL or the players' union and therefore only contains fictional teams and players, with all teams being based in the real cities of the CFL teams. Previously, CFL Football '99 , a PC game and the only one with licenses from the CFL so far, was released. In 2006, Maximum Football was released, a game in which American football and arena football could be played in addition to Canadian football . In 2007 the new edition appeared as Maximum Football 2.0 . In September 2019, Doug Flutie Maximum Football 2019 from Canuck Play was released for the Xbox One and Playstation 4, in which Canadian football can be played in addition to American football according to college and professional rules.

literature

  • CANADIAN FOOTBALL TIMELINES (1860-2005). (PDF) Football Canada, accessed July 5, 2018 .
  • Football Canada with Ryan Hall: Coaching Canadian Football . Ed .: Football Canada. Human Kinetics, Champaign, Illinois 2018, ISBN 978-1-4504-4261-9 .
  • 2017 CFL Rule Book . Canadian Football League, 2017 (English, online [PDF]).
  • Canadian Football League, Officiating Department (Ed.): Officials' handbook . (English, online [PDF]).
  • Canadian Amateur Rule Book for Tackle Football . Football Canada ( Online [PDF]).

Web links

Commons : Canadian football  album with pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

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