The reaction to the CFL’s rule changes has been positive from an offensive perspective and basically the opposite from special teams and defensive points of view.

Hamilton Tiger-Cats general manager and head coach Kent Austin, who is on the CFL’s 12-member rules committee and an offensive-minded guy, believes the changes that will be recommended to the board of governors make the league better.

“The more we can make a rule black and white, the better the game should be,” Austin said. “We don’t necessarily have to like the rule. I didn’t necessarily like all the (proposed) rules, but if I know that it’s more black and white with less interpretation I can at least coach to it, I can find other coaches who can prepare themselves to coach to it, and we can find players that can play to that black and white standard. And it should improve the game.”

There are two significant changes: Offensive and defensive players won’t be able to make contact with one another five yards past the line of scrimmage, and the five interior members of the punt team won’t be allowed to move downfield until the ball is kicked.

In addition, one-point converts will be kicked from the 32-yard line instead of the 12 and the two-point convert line of scrimmage will move from the five-yard line to the three.

Several CFLers, mostly on special teams and defence, voiced their displeasure via Twitter, including Stampeders special teams co-ordinator Mark Kilam, who was especially concerned about the punt return rule, the goal of which is to reduce no-yards and illegal-blocking penalties.

“It’s dramatically going to affect the game,” Kilam said. “It’s a significant change. It’s hard to cover kicks anyway. This is going to make it that much harder.

“It’s going to affect it all over the place, whether that’s scheme and terminology or how you play the game, the strategies within the game. It’s going to affect some personnel. It’s going to be a big change.”

Kilam said teams might even have to change their personnel on punt teams, having faster players roar down the field and putting bigger men on the line of scrimmage.

“I don’t want it to become a video game,” Kilam said. “I’m all for change, and we need to progress always, but at the same time if there are two punt returns per game, that’s exciting, but does it water down something special?”

There were 17 kick returns for touchdowns last season, which is an average of just less than one per week. It’s one of the most exciting plays of the game, and Kilam makes a great point: Too many returns would make it a less thrilling play for the fans.

Another special teams co-ordinator told Sun Media that the new punt return rule is “ridiculous.”

Getting rid of the 12-yard convert was an excellent move, as the kick had become too automatic. Now teams will have to make sure they have good kickers, although Kilam wondered if teams that play indoors will have an advantage.

The new illegal contact rule hasn’t been criticized too much, although some worry there will be too many flags as players adjust to the new way of life. That might be the case, but Austin believes the league has taken an excellent step forward.

“It’s good for this game,” he said. “There was too much clutching and grabbing and mauling of receivers, and there was too much aggressive play on the receiver side as a response to that. It’s good.

“There will be contact allowed within the first five yards. Then you’ve got to play the game. That’s a good thing.”

The board of governors usually rubber-stamps proposed rule changes, so it’s likely they will be implemented for the 2015 season.

DEFENDERS HAVE RIGHT TO GRIPE

​Argonauts offensive co-ordinator Marcus Brady didn’t seem too upset on Friday, a day after the CFL approved rule changes that will prevent defensive players from limiting the progress of offensive players five yards past the line of scrimmage.

The rule is expected to increase scoring and improve the tempo of games, and it should give receivers more room to strut their stuff. Brady doesn’t expect the offences to run roughshod over defences as a result, however.

“It doesn’t really change,” Brady said. “You’re going to see how they change, and then now we have to be the ones who react and see how we can attack what they’re doing.”

Brady does, however, believe defensive players have a right to be upset about the changes.

“They do,” he said. “You have receivers who get a full head start before the snap. So it is hard on them. To me, the hardest position to play in the league, is the (defensive) halfback. It’s going to make it tougher on them.”

Ticats GM and head coach Kent Austin doesn’t buy into the theory that CFL game scores will resemble the shootouts that are found in arena football.

“I just don’t believe that,” he said. “Defences are good in this league, and there’s still some advantages that defences have. You still gotta get rid of the ball, and your ability to rush the passer? Some teams do that really well in this league.”

MUSTANGS LINEMAN REACHING FOR THE TOP



Daryl Waud has one goal at this weekend’s CFL combine, and it’s a fairly simple one.

Be the man.

“My goal is to be the outstanding guy there,” the Western Mustangs defensive lineman said. “Every year, there’s somebody who kind of stands out and does well in not only the combine testing drills, but also the one-on-ones and the (individual) drills.

“My goal is to go in there and be the guy who everyone notices. That’s everyone’s goal. It’s been a long off-season working towards that, and there’s some great competition here.”

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound behemoth has reason to hope for success, because a defensive lineman has been the star of the previous two combines. Calgary Dinos tackle Linden Gaydosh was the undisputed king of the 2013 combine and went first overall to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats a month later. Then Concordia Stingers tackle Quinn Smith dominated offensive linemen last year and, despite testing positive for a banned substance before the draft, rocketed up the rankings to become a first-round pick.

“Hopefully, I’ll continue that trend,” Waud said.

Since three of the top four prospects on the latest CFL Scouting Bureau list won’t take part in the combine, instead choosing to focus on their training south of the border, Waud is the top prospect in attendance this weekend.

And the Hamilton native won’t go into the weekend with much trepidation, because he’s at least seen what it’s like. In a smart move, he attended last year’s field testing under the bubble at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Centre.

“It’s definitely an intense atmosphere,” Waud said. “You can kind of feel the tension in the bubble there. Obviously, all the guys have been working hard, and that’s their opportunity to display it in front of everybody. It’s an intense day, but you’ve just gotta go out there and play. There’s nothing you can do except what you do on that day.

“It helps when you do go and watch. It takes a little pressure off of the unknown. Now you kinda know what to expect. You kinda know the atmosphere and what it’s like. You’re not going in there completely blind. I’m really looking forward to it.”

The combine got rolling Friday afternoon with the arrival of the 50 or so participants, and then the teams started interviewing prospects after dinner.

The physical testing will take place Saturday morning at the Park Hyatt Hotel with the bench press, broad jump and verticals, followed by more interviews. On Sunday, under the bubble the hopefuls, who come from the CIS, NCAA and junior ranks, will run the 40-yard dash, the short shuttle and the three-cone drill before participating in one-on-ones.

OOPS

One way to not make a good impression is to show up late for a job interview, which is what this combine is for CFL hopefuls. And unfortunately that’s what happened to a pair of Calgary Dinos players. Offensive lineman Sukh Chung and linebacker Adam Konar both missed their flights to Toronto on Friday and weren’t expected to arrive until late in the day.

Chung is No. 7 on the prospects list, while Konar is No. 16, so they both would have missed interviews with teams on Friday night.

WHO’S OUT

Three of the top four prospects are taking a pass on the CFL combine to focus on their NFL chances south of the border.

No. 1 prospect Brett Boyko, a UNLV offensive lineman, and No. 4 Tyler Varga, a Yale running back, took part in the NFL combine, while No. 2 Alex Mateas, a UConn offensive lineman, is preparing for his pro day next week.

The No. 14-rated prospect, Laval offensilve lineman Karl Lavoie, won’t take part in the combine due to a training injury.

BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER?

How much does Saturday’s testing determine who will play in the CFL? Being the top tester in a category by no means guarantees success.

Only two of the last five bench press winners are in the CFL, while only one of the last five highest jumpers have a job in the three-down loop.

The broad jump is a good category in which to be tops, as three of the past five are in the league, and two of the past four fastest combine participants are employed.