Here is a random question for the people who know more about football than I do. It seems like the thing holding back the league at the moment is QB play, it feels like an all time low level of talent in the position. If the CFL were to switch to an NFL or College Football sized ball, would that help at all? Or am I way off?
While I would certainly argue that the current crop of QB's is more or less average, and we're far away from the height of the CFL QB factory days of the 90's where every team had an outright stud at QB. I don't think its the QB's that are the problem right now.
Its the fact that the coaching carousal has finally caught up in the CFL which can be described as an incestuous league in that coaches just rotate through the league and we get little in terms of a energy or game changing coach.
When you watch the games you can't help but be underwhelmed with the coaching and schemes in the East with Ottawa, Toronto and especially in Montreal.
In Saskatchwan CD has not done a good job this year, he can't seem to adjust, or maintain control. In Edmonton Chris Jones looks washed up and everyone knows his tried and true defense and are exploiting it like crazy. In Calgary, Dave is really struggling with Red zone, and can't seem to adjust his game plan for a QB that is really struggling with his downfield presence.
The only coaching staffs that I think are doing an excellent job are in Winnipeg because their in game adjustments are extremely fast and on point. And BC who have built a game plan to protect a inexperienced QB and take advantage of his strengths (Throwback outside shoulder routes)
Changing ball sizes isn't going to help with that.
The Canadian game needs to do a better job of developing coaches through the amateur system and college system to get them to the pro level, right now, and I can tell you this talking to a lot of coaches, there aren't a lot of slots for new coaches at a position, quality control or coordinator slot.
At the same time, if the teams are going to try to get US coaches they need to do a better job then just looking a pedigree. They need to find coaches that embrace the ability to be really innovative and embrace how different this game can be.
At the same time, I've always talked about high school and spring and college seasons to adjust their games away from fall schedules. The problem with fall schedules is it really hurts QB development as the emphasis comes down to protecting the ball in cold weather, so QB's arrive at college without a strong developed passing sense. Most QB's are given timing packages and don't learn how to do real package reads.
Just my two cents.
But how I'd change the game.
A improved national coaching program that connects coaches with pro programs right off of the start so coaches can learn what it takes to progress beyond volunteer.
More guest slots or apprenticeships for coaches at CFL training camps.
Like Hockey, while in Calgary its better, find a way for coaches to create schools. For example I've seen one day or two day QB camps or receiver camps etc. A week long immersive camp that is deep on development and knowledge for players would help.
Move seasons up a month to get away from cold weather. Honestly I coach bantam and by the end of the season and the start of the playoffs, its cold, and wet and miserable, and we go to the ground game.
Find a way to build proper indoor year around football field houses in major cities that are open year around, for camps, and occassional games of the week.
Promote the game of football. Football while it has improved its safety at the amateur level in terms of safe contact, and concussion protocol and recovery, but honestly, Football lost the public relations battle over concussions, and it effected enrollment. I'd love the CBFA, or the Spring league to stream games on line. I'd love a highschool game of the week in each city on youtube. Or a telecast for provincial championships or high school championships, or whatever.
We streamed the bantam bowl and it was awesome, I think I posted it before. but here it is again. But imaging adding a play by play and color guy to give it a big game field.
A ball size isn't going to help the Canadian game, nor is a bunch of rule changes that take the uniqueness out of the game. Improved coaching, improved development are what makes the game better.
Just my two cents.
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Here is a random question for the people who know more about football than I do. It seems like the thing holding back the league at the moment is QB play, it feels like an all time low level of talent in the position. If the CFL were to switch to an NFL or College Football sized ball, would that help at all? Or am I way off?
I'm not sure if changing the ball size would help all that much, but I'll just throw this out there - The CFL certainly benefitted specifically at the QB position from guys who likely should have been playing in the NFL, but never got the chance due mainly to racism. Chuck Ealey was the first closely followed by Warren Moon, but also guys like Tracy Ham, Damon Allen, Anthony Calvillo and Darian Durant. Other guys deemed too small to play the position and thus shunned by the NFL who came up to the CFL and excelled include Doug Flutie, Dave Dickinson, and Danny McManus. Fast forward to today and you're seeing a guy like Kyler Murray starring in the NFL when 30+ years ago he would likely never have even gotten a sniff.
In summary, I think NFL coaches/management embracing more diversity at the QB position has hurt the QB talent in the CFL.
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Here is a random question for the people who know more about football than I do. It seems like the thing holding back the league at the moment is QB play, it feels like an all time low level of talent in the position. If the CFL were to switch to an NFL or College Football sized ball, would that help at all? Or am I way off?
We already use the same size ball and have for a few seasons now. Different brands so won't have exact same feel as NFL ball essentially the same.
When the CFL used the J5V spalding, yeah the ball was the same length but a bit thicker. When they switched to Wilson, the NFL and CFL ball are pretty much the same dimension. The stripe creates an illusion of size.
Any difference in size is based on how the leagues inflate the balls. The NFL inflates the ball to the minimum recommended, the CFL to maximum. But the difference is next to nothing.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
^^ I'll add that college footballs used to be a bit thinner (IIRC), I remember the old Nike 3005 footballs actually had a "small girth" model that definitely felt smaller.
According to google this is still the case: "college footballs can be up to 1-1/4 inches smaller than NFL footballs. To get more detailed, the circumference of a college football ranges from 20-3/4 inches to 21-1/4 inches lengthwise from end to end, vs. the 21 inches to 21-1/4 inches in the NFL."
I don't think the administrative cap has done any favors in regards to coaching. If anything that's going to result in less bright young coaches entering the league. Also any time you ask less coaches to do more it's likely going to lead to less than ideal preparation that's reflected in the product. You would be surprised how many NFL head coaches started out doing stuff like quality control and worked their way up but if an administrative cap means you have to eliminate some of the lower level positions and have less people do more you end up with a lot of the same people doing the same things and stretched even further. I'm not so sure LaPolice and Chipmunk in Montreal should be head coaches in the CFL but the league is in a position where it's needs to rely on the carousel of experienced retread coaches.
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