Canadian Football Questions

[CleetusVanDamme]

As I stated in another post, I am going to be coaching football in the city this fall.

This will be my first year coaching 12 man and while I have watched the game for years, I have a few questions.

Is there a number of players who must be on the line of scrimmage?

With offensive motion and the QB timing the snap - what's the rule of thumb there?

Would appreciate hearing your feedback and, again, would be interested in talking to anyone in Edmonton interested in coaching.

Thanks.

[Rids]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

As I stated in another post, I am going to be coaching football in the city this fall.

This will be my first year coaching 12 man and while I have watched the game for years, I have a few questions.

Is there a number of players who must be on the line of scrimmage?

With offensive motion and the QB timing the snap - what's the rule of thumb there?

Would appreciate hearing your feedback and, again, would be interested in talking to anyone in Edmonton interested in coaching.

Thanks.

#1 Same as US football - 7

#2 Double check with the local officials but most HSFB leagues are tougher on offside calls than the CFL officials.

[CleetusVanDamme]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

Thanks Rids.

Regarding #2, are long snap counts irregular in the game considering quarterbacks are trying to get the ball off before the receiver reaches the line?

[Rids]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

That depends on your offense. Many schools keep the two wide outs and the single back stationary. The other players potentially in motion but many schools only send them laterally (ie. one coming for a jet sweep). Sometimes working in forward motion with players that may not have played any football before just is too much for them.

For a first year offense I'd suggest running a scheme that brings additional blockers and brings the decision making down to only two choices.

[Numberz]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

Agree with Rids. There's a lot you can with the snap counts, but if you're coaching younger players it's often better to keep it simple. It's good for blocking situations to get better angles, and if you establish the run it's good to give the same look and go play action because the younger defensive players will bite harder.

[CleetusVanDamme]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

More questions.........

3) Hope I word this right.........when it comes to punts, when is the ball live? Who is eligible to recover for the kicking team? Just the punter?

4) What's the general rule of thumb or strategy when it comes to returning singles out of the endzone? Are you willing to risk field position at your own 1 to prevent a single?

[Rids]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

#3 - The punting team can line up a player onside (behind the ball when it's kicked). The punter is always eligible to recover the punt as well as any onside players. Be prepared to argue this point with the ref if it does happen because many are not paying attention to this when the play happens.

#4 - Time of the game and situation will be the biggest factors for the return. Double check with the HSFB officials there in Edmonton because they may use the CIS rule which gives you field position of at least the 20 as long as you get the ball out of the endzone. I've forgotten what Alberta HSFB uses for this rule, it's been a while and the guys in Tennessee are always amazed about the punt single!

[pete]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

#3 - The punting team can line up a player onside (behind the ball when it's kicked). The punter is always eligible to recover the punt as well as any onside players. Be prepared to argue this point with the ref if it does happen because many are not paying attention to this when the play happens.

#4 - Time of the game and situation will be the biggest factors for the return. Double check with the HSFB officials there in Edmonton because they may use the CIS rule which gives you field position of at least the 20 as long as you get the ball out of the endzone. I've forgotten what Alberta HSFB uses for this rule, it's been a while and the guys in Tennessee are always amazed about the punt single!

3) In ref meeting, prior to game, tell them your onside guys, so they know what's shaking.

4) In Edmonton, 1 gets you 20. Get it out of the endzone and you get it to the 20, plus your returning vs a FG team or punt team.

- - - Updated - - -

#1 Same as US football - 7

#2 Double check with the local officials but most HSFB leagues are tougher on offside calls than the CFL officials.

Edm refs are picky about eligible guys being on the line, whether that's a TE or WR, they will nail you on that wwwaaayyyy quicker than a SB being offside.

[CleetusVanDamme]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

Keeping this going because I am very appreciative of the input............

5) Are the rules for onside kicks any different? 10 yards and it's fair? Does it need to hit the ground at any point?

6) Have to re-hash this, maybe I am being too picky, because it's my biggest concern...............motion on offense with the receivers. Is it usually kind of the receiver's job to make sure they're in full stride when the snap count is ready to go or is it the QB trying to time that?

I might be too meticulous here, but what's the rule of thumb? I've been watching CFL and Arena ball most of my life and now I suddenly feel worried about this, LoL. I just don't want any damn offsides.

[Numberz]

Canadian Football Questions

In my experience it's the QBs job to have a consistent snap count and the receivers need to adjust to it for motion. If the other team is jumping snaps then you'll need to go on different counts and change it up.

[pete]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

Keeping this going because I am very appreciative of the input............

5) Are the rules for onside kicks any different? 10 yards and it's fair? Does it need to hit the ground at any point?

6) Have to re-hash this, maybe I am being too picky, because it's my biggest concern...............motion on offense with the receivers. Is it usually kind of the receiver's job to make sure they're in full stride when the snap count is ready to go or is it the QB trying to time that?

I might be too meticulous here, but what's the rule of thumb? I've been watching CFL and Arena ball most of my life and now I suddenly feel worried about this, LoL. I just don't want any damn offsides.

Just go 10 for the onside kick and remember you don't need possession. A skyball knocked out of bounds after it travels 10 yards earns you possession too!

[Rids]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

Good to see Pete jumping in on this. I know there's a couple other coaches on here so join in!

[CleetusVanDamme]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

I'm back.

7) My whole life I've been taught even receiver routes go to the quarterback and odd routes go to the sideline. I was looking at last year's playbook from the previous staff and I see odds going to the center and evens working their way to the sideline.

I just figured the last coach was wrong. Now I'm looking at a Canadian playbook online and see it's how he had it. Is it different up here?

Route-Tree-Simple.jpg

[pete]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

We teach our routes evens out to sidelines. Odds into the field. Same as your previous staff's playbook. Which would of course be opposite of what you have been taught. It completely depends on who the OC is, and what they are comfortable with. I've seen both tree's used on the 5 or 6 staffs I've been apart of. It is not a Canadian or American thing, that I know of.

Our players run the 1/2 as mirror images, slant in or slant out. We also teach the 5/6 as the curl routes, and the 3/4 as the in/out routes.

[budha]

Re: Canadian Football Questions

A few things.
Offense: It is the job of the receiver to time the snap count. They know the count so they will need to time there run accordingly.
Snap count: You did not say if it is high school or other minor football. Vary the snap count, I always tell my players the offense has two distinct advantages. 1 you know the play, and 2 you know the snap count. If you take away the snap count you have taken away half your advantage. Do not get to complicated though, keep it to at most on three.

Onside player: This is a tough one to call depending on your kicker. Most times this is actually a waste of a player on special teams. The onside guy has to start 10-12 yards back of the line and they can not be in front of the kicker until he kicks the ball. There will be very few instances were he can actually get the ball. Also on short high punts the ref is supposed to blow the play dead and award it to the receiving team at that point (player safety). I have played against teams though that punt out of shotgun passing formation, this allows more guys to be onside (2 backs and maybe both SBs), they are closer to the line. This was done though because they did not really have anyone that could kick, they would be on one hash and kick it towards the other side lines.

Remember that on all change of possessions your team has to be the last team to touch the ball before it goes out of bounds. This is not just on on-side kicks, but fumbles.

As for passing routes, we do odds-Out, and Evens-in. It was just easier for our kids to remember.