Canadian football

The University of Alberta Golden Bears (at left, in

white) line up on offence against the University of

Calgary Dinos.

Highest governing body Canadian Football League

Nickname(s) Football, Gridiron football

First played November 9, 1861

Characteristics

Contact Full-contact

Team members 12 at a time

Categorization Outdoor

Equipment Football

Olympic No

Diagram of a Canadian football field

Canadian footballFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played in Canada inwhich two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a

field of play 110 yards (101 m) long and 65 yards (59 m) wide[1]

attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposingteam's scoring area (end zone). In Canada, the term football usuallyrefers to Canadian football and American football collectively, or eithersport specifically, depending on the context. The two sports haveshared origins and are closely related, but have significant differences.In particular, Canadian football has 12 players on the field per teamrather than 11; the field is roughly 10 yards wider, and 10 yards longerbetween end zones that are themselves 10 yards deeper; and a teamhas only three downs to gain 10 yards, which results in less offensiverushing than in the American game.

Rugby football in Canada originated in the early 1860s,[2] and overtime, the unique game known as Canadian football developed. Both theCanadian Football League (CFL), the sport's top professional league,and Football Canada, the governing body for amateur play, trace theirroots to 1884 and the founding of the Canadian Rugby Football Union.Currently active teams such as the Toronto Argonauts and HamiltonTiger-Cats have similar longevity. The CFL is the most popular andonly major professional Canadian football league. Its championshipgame, the Grey Cup, is the country's single largest sporting event,attracting a broad television audience (in 2009, about 40% of Canada's

population watched part of the game).[3] Canadian football is alsoplayed at the high school, junior, collegiate, and semi-professionallevels: the Canadian Junior Football League and Quebec JuniorFootball League are leagues for players aged 18–22, many post-secondary institutions compete in Canadian Interuniversity Sport forthe Vanier Cup, and senior leagues such as the Alberta FootballLeague have grown in popularity in recent years. Great achievementsin Canadian football are enshrined in the Canadian Football Hall ofFame.

Other organizations across Canada perform senior league Canadianfootball during the summer.

Contents

1 History

2 League play3 The field4 Play of the game

4.1 Kickoff4.2 Stoppage of play4.3 Scrimmage

Footballs and a helmet at a Calgary

Stampeders (CFL) team practice

4.4 Live play4.5 Change in possession4.6 Rules of contact

4.7 Infractions and penalties4.8 Kicking4.9 Scoring

4.9.1 Resumption of play4.10 Game timing4.11 Overtime

5 Players5.1 Offence5.2 Defence5.3 Special teams

6 See also7 Notes and references8 External links

History

The first documented gridiron football match was a game played on November 9, 1861, at University College, University ofToronto (approximately 400 yards west of Queen's Park). One of the participants in the game involving University of Torontostudents was (Sir) William Mulock, later Chancellor of the school. A football club was formed at the university soon

afterward, although its rules of play at this stage are unclear.[2]

In 1864, at Trinity College, Toronto, F. Barlow Cumberland and Frederick A. Bethune devised rules based on rugby football.However, modern Canadian football is widely regarded as having originated with a game of rugby played in Montreal, in

1865, when British Army officers played local civilians.[2] The game gradually gained a following, and the Montreal FootballClub was formed in 1868, the first recorded non-university football club in Canada.

This rugby-football soon became popular at Montreal's McGill University. McGill challenged Harvard University to a game, in

1874.[4]

Predecessors of the Canadian Football League include the Canadian Rugby Football Union (CRFU), and the CanadianRugby Union. The CRFU, original forerunner to the current Canadian Football League, was established in 1882.

The Burnside rules were implemented in the early part of the 20th century in an effort to transition from a more rugby-orientedgame to a game more closely resembling American football. In general, the evolution of Canadian football has generally laggedbehind that of the American game by several years or even decades in some cases. Forward passes were not allowed in theCanadian game until 1929, and touchdowns, which had been five points, were only increased to six points in 1956, in part toplacate the new base of American fans brought on by a new television contract. Several relics of the older game remain inCanadian football: the use of only three downs, the longer 110 yard field (the field is still measured in yards, even though therest of Canada switched to the metric system in the 1970s), the larger number of players on the field, and unrestricted forwardmotion on the offensive side of the ball.

The Grey Cup was established in 1909 as the championship of all of Canadian football. Initially an amateur competition, iteventually became dominated by professional teams in the 1940s and early 1950s. The Ontario Rugby Football Union, the lastamateur organization to compete for the trophy, withdrew from competition in 1954. The move, coupled with theestablishment of a well-paying American television contract (Canadian television had carried games since the debut of themedium in 1952), ushered in the modern era of Canadian professional football. The Canadian Football League establisheditself as an organization in 1958.

Canadian football has mostly been contained to Canada, with the United States being the only other country to have hosted ahigh-level Canadian football game. The CFL's controversial "South Division" as it would come to be officially knownattempted to put CFL teams in the United States playing under Canadian rules between 1992 and 1995. The move wasmostly a failure, although the Baltimore Stallions became the only U.S.-based team to win the Grey Cup during this era.

As of 2013, Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province that has neither organized Canadian football at the college,professional or amateur level, nor has hosted a CFL or college game. Prince Edward Island, the smallest of the provinces, hasalso never hosted a CFL game.

A game between theHamilton Tigers and theOttawa Rough Riders,1910

A game between the 4thCanadian ArmouredDivision Atoms and 1stCanadian Army Red andBlue Bombers, inUtrecht, Netherlands,October 1945

Touchdown monumentoutside the CanadianFootball Hall of Fame inHamilton, Ontario

League play

Canadian football is played at several levels in Canada; the top league is the professional eight-team Canadian FootballLeague (CFL). The CFL regular season begins in June, and playoffs for the Grey Cup are completed by mid-November. Incities with outdoor stadiums such as Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Montreal, Hamilton, and Regina, low temperatures andicy field conditions can seriously affect the outcome of a game.

Amateur football is governed by Football Canada. At the university level, 26 teams play in four conferences under theauspices of Canadian Interuniversity Sport; the CIS champion is awarded the Vanier Cup. Junior football is played by manyafter high school before joining the university ranks. There are 20 junior teams in three divisions in the Canadian JuniorFootball League competing for the Canadian Bowl. The Quebec Junior Football League includes teams from Ontario andQuebec who battle for the Manson Cup.

Semi-professional leagues have grown in popularity in recent years, with the Alberta Football League becoming especiallypopular. The Northern Football Conference formed in Ontario in 1954 has also surged in popularity as College players thatdo not continue to or get drafted to a professional team but still want to continue playing football. The Ontario champion playsagainst the Alberta champion for the "National Championship". The Canadian Major Football League is the governing bodyfor the semi-professional game.

Women's football is starting to gain attention in Canada. The first Canadian women's league to begin operations was theMaritime Women's Football League in 2004. The largest women's league is the Western Women's Canadian Football League.

The field

Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium:

the largest venue in the Canadian

Football League

The Canadian football field is 150 yards (137 m) long and 65 yards (59 m) wide with end zones 20 yards (18 m) deep, andgoal lines 110 yards (101 m) apart. At each goal line is a set of 40-foot-high (12 m)

goalposts, which consist of two uprights joined by an 18 1⁄2-foot-long (5.6 m)

crossbar which is 10 feet (3 m) above the goal line. The goalposts may be H-shaped (both posts fixed in the ground) although in the higher-calibre competitionsthe tuning-fork design (supported by a single curved post behind the goal line, sothat each post starts 10 feet (3 m) above the ground) is preferred. The sides of thefield are marked by white sidelines, the goal line is marked in white, and white lines

are drawn laterally across the field every 5 yards (4.6 m) from the goal line.[1] Theselateral lines are called "yard lines" and often marked with the distance in yards fromand an arrow pointed toward the nearest goal line. In previous decades, arrowswere not used and every yard line was usually marked with the distance to the goalline, including the goal line itself which was marked with a "0"—in most stadiumstoday, only every second yard line from the nearest goal (i.e. those with distancesdivisible by 10) are marked with numbers, with the goal line sometimes beingmarked with a "G" for goal line and the centre line usually being marked with a "C" for "Centre line" ."Hash marks" are paintedin white, parallel to the yardage lines, at 1 yard (0.9 m) intervals, 24 yards (21.9 m) from the sidelines. On fields that have asurrounding running track, such as Commonwealth Stadium, Molson Stadium, and many universities, the endzones are oftencut off in the corners to accommodate the track. This was particularly common among U.S.-based teams during the CFL'sAmerican expansion, where few American stadiums were able to accommodate the much longer CFL field.

Play of the game

Teams advance across the field through the execution of quick, distinct plays, which involve the possession of a brown, prolatespheroid ball with ends tapered to a point. The ball has two one-inch-wide white stripes.

Kickoff

Play begins with one team place-kicking the ball from its own 35-yard line. Both teams then attempt to catch the ball. Theplayer who recovers the ball may run while holding the ball, or lateral throw the ball to a teammate.

Stoppage of play

Play stops when the ball carrier's knee, elbow, or any other body part aside from the feet and hands, is forced to the ground(a tackle); when a forward pass is not caught on the fly (during live play); when a touchdown (see below) or a field goal isscored; when the ball leaves the playing area by any means (being carried, thrown, or fumbled out of bounds); or when theball carrier is in a standing position but can no longer move. If no score has been made, the next play starts from scrimmage.

Scrimmage

Before scrimmage, an official places the ball at the spot it was at the stop of clock, but no nearer than 24 yards from thesideline or 1 yard from the goal line. The line parallel to the goal line passing through the ball (line from sideline to sideline forthe length of the ball) is referred to as the line of scrimmage. This line is similar to "no-man's land"; players must stay on theirrespective sides of this line until the play has begun again. For a scrimmage to be valid the team in possession of the footballmust have seven players, excluding the quarterback, within one yard of the line of scrimmage. The defending team must stay ayard or more back from the line of scrimmage.

Live play

Montreal Alouettes quarterback

Anthony Calvillo looks down field

with the ball during the 93rd Grey

Cup game at BC Place.

On the field at the beginning of a play are two teams of 12 (unlike 11 in American football). The team in possession of the ballis the offence and the team defending is referred to as the defence. Play begins witha backwards pass through the legs (the snap) by a member of the offensive team, tothe quarterback or punter. If the quarterback or punter receives the ball, he maythen do any of the following:

run with the ball, attempting to run farther down field (gaining yardage). The

ball-carrier may run in any direction he sees fit (including backwards).drop-kick the ball, dropping it onto the ground and kicking it on the bounce.

(This play is exceedingly rare in both Canadian and American football,

although in the Canadian game it is sometimes used as a last-second

"desperation play" if the team is behind by less than three points.)

pass the ball laterally or backwards to a teammate. This play is known as a

lateral, and may come at any time on the play. A pass which has any amountof forward momentum is a forward pass (see below); forward passes are

subject to many restrictions which do not apply to laterals.

hand-off—hand the ball off to a teammate, typically a halfback or the

fullback.

punt the ball; dropping it in the air and kicking it before it touches the ground. When the ball is punted, only opposing

players (the receiving team), the kicker, and anyone behind the kicker when he punted the ball are able to touch theball, or even go within five yards of the ball until it is touched by an eligible player (the No Yards rule, which is applied

to all kicking plays).

place the ball on the ground for a place kick

throw a forward pass, where the ball is thrown to a receiver located farther down field (closer to the opponent's goal)

than the thrower is. Forward passes are subject to the following restrictions:

They must be made from behind the line of scrimmageOnly one forward pass may be made on a play

The pass must be made in the direction of an eligible receiver or pass 10 yards after the line of scrimmage

Each play constitutes a down. The offence must advance the ball at least ten yards towards the opponents' goal line withinthree downs or forfeit the ball to their opponents. Once ten yards have been gained the offence gains a new set of three downs(rather than the four downs given in American football). Downs do not accumulate. If the offensive team completes 10 yardson their first play, they lose the other two downs and are granted another set of three. If a team fails to gain ten yards in twodowns they usually punt the ball on third down or try to kick a field goal (see below), depending on their position on the field.The team may, however use its third down in an attempt to advance the ball and gain a cumulative 10 yards.

Change in possession

The ball changes possession in the following instances:

If the offence scores a field goal, the scoring team must kickoff from their own 35-yard line.[5]

If the offence scores a touchdown, the scoring team must kickoff from their own 35-yard line. This also applies whenthe defence scores on a turnover which is returned for a touchdown—technically, they become the offence until the

conclusion of the play, and the scoring team must still kickoff.

If the defence scores on a safety (bringing the ball down in the offence's own end zone), they have the right to claim

possession.

If one team kicks the ball; the other team has the right to recover the ball and attempt a return. If a kicked ball goes out

of bounds, or the kicking team scores a single or field goal as a result of the kick, the other team likewise getspossession.

If the offence fails to make ten yards in three plays, the defence takes over on downs.

If the offence attempts a forward pass and it is intercepted by the defence; the defence takes possession immediately

(and may try to advance the ball on the play). Note that incomplete forward passes (those which go out of bounds, or

which touch the ground without being first cleanly caught by a player) result in the end of the play, and are not

returnable by either team.

If the offence fumbles (a ball carrier drops the football, or has it dislodged by an opponent, or if the intended player

fails to catch a lateral pass or a snap from centre, or a kick attempt is blocked by an opponent), the ball may berecovered (and advanced) by either team. If a fumbled ball goes out of bounds, the team whose player last touched it is

awarded possession at the spot where it went out of bounds. A fumble by the offence in their own end zone, which

goes out of bounds, results in a safety.

When the first half ends, the team which kicked to start the first half may receive a kickoff to start the second half.

Rules of contact

There are many rules to contact in this type of football. First, the only player on the field who may be legally tackled is theplayer currently in possession of the football (the ball carrier). Second, a receiver, that is to say, an offensive player sent downthe field to receive a pass, may not be interfered with (have his motion impeded, be blocked, etc.) unless he is within one yardof the line of scrimmage (instead of 5 yards (4.6 m) in American football). Any player may block another player's passage, solong as he does not hold or trip the player he intends to block. The kicker may not be contacted after the kick but before hiskicking leg returns to the ground (this rule is not enforced upon a player who has blocked a kick), and the quarterback, havingalready thrown the ball, may not be hit or tackled.

Infractions and penalties

Infractions of the rules are punished with penalties, typically a loss of yardage of 5, 10 or 15 yards against the penalized team.Minor violations such as offside (a player from either side encroaching into scrimmage zone before the play starts) arepenalized five yards, more serious penalties (such as holding) are penalized 10 yards, and severe violations of the rules (suchas face-masking) are typically penalized 15 yards. Depending on the penalty, the penalty yardage may be assessed from theoriginal line of scrimmage, from where the violation occurred (for example, for a pass interference infraction), or from wherethe ball ended after the play. Penalties on the offence may, or may not, result in a loss of down; penalties on the defence mayresult in a first down being automatically awarded to the offence. For particularly severe conduct, the game official(s) mayeject players (ejected players may be substituted for), or in exceptional cases, declare the game over and award victory to oneside or the other. Penalties do not affect the yard line which the offence must reach in order to reach first down (unless thepenalty results in a first down being awarded); if a penalty against the defence results in the first down yardage being attained,then the offence is awarded a first down.

Penalties may occur before a play starts (such as offsides), during the play (such as holding), or in a dead-ball situation (suchas unsportsmanlike conduct).

Penalties never result in a score for the offence. For example, a point-of-foul infraction committed by the defence in their endzone is not ruled a touchdown, but instead advances the ball to the one-yard line with an automatic first down. For a distancepenalty, if the yardage is greater than half the distance to the goal line, then the ball is advanced half the distance to the goalline, though only up to the one-yard line (unlike American football, in Canadian football no scrimmage may start inside eitherone-yard line). If the original penalty yardage would have resulted in a first down or moving the ball past the goal line, a firstdown is awarded.

In most cases, the non-penalized team will have the option of declining the penalty; in which case the results of the previousplay stand as if the penalty had not been called. One notable exception to this rule is if the kicking team on a 3rd down puntplay is penalized before the kick occurs: the receiving team may not decline the penalty and take over on downs. After thekick is made, change of possession occurs and subsequent penalties are assessed against either the spot where the ball iscaught, or the runback.

Kicking

Canadian football distinguishes four ways of kicking the ball:

Place kick

Kicking a ball held on the ground by a teammate, or, on a kickoff (resuming play following a score), optionally placed

on a tee.

Drop kick

Kicking a ball after bouncing it on the ground. Although rarely used today, it has the same status in scoring as a place

kick. This play is part of the game's rugby heritage, and was largely made obsolete when the ball with pointed ends was

adopted. Unlike the American game, Canadian rules allow a drop kick to be attempted at any time by any player, butthe move is very rare.

Punt

Kicking the ball after it has been released from the kicker's hand and before it hits the ground. Punts may not score a

field goal, even if one should travel through the uprights. As with drop kicks, players may punt at any time.

Dribbled ball

A dribbled ball is one that has been kicked while not in possession of a player, for example, a loose ball following a

fumble, a blocked kick, a kickoff, or a kick from scrimmage. The kicker of the dribbled ball and any player onside

when the ball was kicked may legally recover the ball.

On any kicking play, all onside players (the kicker, and teammates behind the kicker at the time of the kick) may recover andadvance the ball. Players on the kicking team who are not onside may not approach within five yards of the ball until it hasbeen touched by the receiving team, or by an onside teammate.

Scoring

The methods of scoring are:

Touchdown

Achieved when the ball is in possession of a player in the opponent's goal area, or when the ball in the possession of a

player crosses or touches the plane of the opponent's goal-line, worth 6 points (5 points until 1956). A touchdown in

Canadian football is often referred to as a "major score" or simply a "major."

Conversion (or Convert)

After a touchdown, the team that scored attempts one scrimmage play from any point between the hash marks on or

outside the opponents' 5-yard line. If they make what would normally be a field goal, they score one point; what would

normally be a touchdown scores two points (a "two-point conversion"). No matter what happens on the convert

attempt, play then continues with a kickoff (see below).

Field goal

Scored by a drop kick or place kick (except on a kickoff) when the ball, after being kicked and without again touchingthe ground, goes over the cross bar and between the goal posts (or between lines extended from the top of the goal

posts) of the opponent's goal, worth three points. If the ball hits the upright above the cross-bar before going through, it

is not considered a dead ball, and the points are scored. (Rule 5, Sect 4, Art 4(d))

Safety

Scored when the ball becomes dead in the possession of a team in its own goal area, or when the ball touches or

crosses the dead-line, or side-line-in-goal and touches the ground, a player, or some object beyond these lines as a

result of the team scored against making a play. It is worth two points. This is different from a single (see below) in that

the team scored against begins with possession of the ball. The most common safety is on a third down punt from the

end zone, in which the kicker decides not to punt and keeps the ball in his team's own goal area. The ball is then turned

over to the receiving team (who gained the two points), by way of a kickoff from the 25 yard line or scrimmaging from

the 35-yard (32 m) line on their side of the field.Single (Rouge)

Scored when the ball becomes dead in the possession of a team in its own goal area, or when the ball touches or

crosses the dead-line, or side-line-in-goal, and touches the ground, a player, or some object beyond these lines as a

result of the ball having been kicked from the field of play into the goal area by the scoring team. It is worth one point.

This is different from a Safety (see above) in that team scored against receives possession of the ball after the score.

Officially, the single is called a rouge (French for "red") but is often referred to as a single. The exact derivation of the

term is unknown, but it has been thought that in early Canadian football, the scoring of a single was signalled with a red

flag.

Resumption of play

Resumption of play following a score is conducted under procedures which vary with the type of score.

Following a touchdown and convert attempt (successful or not), play resumes with the scoring team kicking off from its

own 35-yard line (45-yard line in amateur leagues).

Following a field goal, the non-scoring team may choose for play to resume either with a kickoff as above, or by

scrimmaging the ball from its own 35-yard line.

Following a safety, the scoring team may choose for play to resume in either of the above ways, or it may choose to

kick off from its own 35-yard line.

Following a single or rouge, play resumes with the non-scoring team scrimmaging from its own 35-yard line, unless the

single is awarded on a missed field goal, in which case the non-scoring team scrimmages from either the 35-yard line orthe yard line from which the field goal was attempted, whichever is greater.

Game timing

The game consists of two 30-minute halves, each of which is divided into two 15-minute quarters. The clock counts downfrom 15:00 in each quarter. Timing rules change when there are three minutes remaining in a half. A short break interval of 2minutes occurs after the end of each quarter (a longer break of 15 minutes at halftime), and the two teams then change goals.

In the first 27 minutes of a half, the clock stops when:

points are scored,

the ball goes out of bounds,

a forward pass is incomplete,

the ball is dead and a penalty flag has been thrown,

the ball is dead and teams are making substitutions (e.g., possession has changed, punting situation, short yardage

situation),

the ball is dead and a player is injured, orthe ball is dead and a captain calls a time-out.

The clock starts again when the referee determines the ball is ready for scrimmage, except for team time-outs (where the clockstarts at the snap), after a time count foul (at the snap) and kickoffs (where the clock starts not at the kick but when the ball isfirst touched after the kick).

In the last three minutes of a half, the clock stops whenever the ball becomes dead. On kickoffs, the clock starts when the ballis first touched after the kick. On scrimmages, when it starts depends on what ended the previous play. The clock starts whenthe ball is ready for scrimmage except that it starts on the snap when on the previous play

the ball was kicked off,

the ball was punted,

the ball changed possession,

the ball went out of bounds,there were points scored,

there was an incomplete forward pass,there was a penalty applied (not declined), or

there was a team time-out.

The clock does not run during convert attempts in the last three minutes of a half. If the 15 minutes of a quarter expire whilethe ball is live, the quarter is extended until the ball becomes dead. If a quarter's time expires while the ball is dead, the quarteris extended for one more scrimmage. A quarter cannot end while a penalty is pending: after the penalty yardage is applied, thequarter is extended one scrimmage. Note that the non-penalized team has the option to decline any penalty it considersdisadvantageous, so a losing team cannot indefinitely prolong a game by repeatedly committing infractions.

Overtime

In the CFL, if the game is tied at the end of regulation play, then each team is given an equal number of chances to break thetie. A coin toss is held to determine which team will take possession first; the first team scrimmages the ball at the opponent's35-yard line and advances through a series of downs until it scores or loses possession. If the team scores a touchdown,

starting with the 2010 season, it is required to attempt a 2-point conversion.[6] The other team then scrimmages the ball at thesame 35-yard line and has the same opportunity to score. After the teams have completed their possessions, if one team isahead, then it is declared the winner; otherwise, the two teams each get another chance to score, scrimmaging from the other35-yard line. After this second round, if there is still no winner, during the regular season the game ends as a tie. In a playoff orchampionship game, the teams continue to attempt to score from alternating 35-yard lines, until one team is leading after bothhave had an equal number of possessions.

In Canadian Interuniversity Sport football, for the Uteck Bowl, Mitchell Bowl, and Vanier Cup, the same overtime procedureis followed until there is a winner.

Players

running

back

quarter-

back

slot-

back

slot-

backs

offensive

line

wide

receiver

wide

receiver

defensive

line

line-

backers

umpire

cornerback

defensive

backs

defensive

backs

corner-

back

The University of Alberta Golden Bears (yellow and white, offence) are first-and-ten at their 54-yard(49 m) line against the Calgary Dinos (red and black, defence) in a CIS football game at McMahonStadium in 2006. The twelve players of each side and the umpire (one of seven officials) are shown. TheGolden Bears are in a one-back offence with five receivers.Note: The labels are clickable.

Offence

The offensive positions found in Canadian football have, for the most part, evolved throughout the years, and are not officiallydefined in the rules. However, among offensive players, the rules recognize three different types of players:

Down linemen

Down linemen are players who, at the start of every play, line up at the line of scrimmage; once in their stance they may

not move until the play begins. The offence must have at least seven players lined up at the line of scrimmage on every

play. The exception to this rule is the player (typically the centre) who snaps the ball to the quarterback. Linemen

generally do not run with the ball (unless they recover it on a fumble) or receive a hand-off or lateral pass, but there is

no rule against it. Interior linemen (that is, excluding the two players at either end of the scrimmage line) are ineligible

receivers; they may not receive a forward pass either. (The two offensive ends on the line of scrimmage may receive

forward passes.)

Backs

Backs line up behind the linemen; they may run with the ball, receive handoffs, laterals, and forward passes. They mayalso be in motion before the play starts.

Specific offensive positions include:

Backs/Receivers

Quarterback

Generally the leader of the offence. Calls all plays to teammates, receives the ball off of snap, and initiates the action

usually by running the ball himself, passing the ball to a receiver, or handing the ball off to another back.

Fullback

Multiple roles including pass protection, receiving, and blocking for the running back. On short yardage situations may

also carry the ball.

Running back/TailbackAs the name implies, the main runner on the team. Also an eligible receiver and blocker on pass plays.

Wide receiver

Lines up on the line of scrimmage, usually at a distance from the centre. Runs down the field in order to catch a forward

pass from the quarterback.

Slotback

Similar to the wide receiver, but lines up closer to the offensive line.

Down linemen

Centre

Snaps the ball to the quarterback. Most important pass blocker on pass plays. Calls offensive-line plays.

Left/right guard

Stands to the left and right of the centre helps protect the quarterback, Usually very good run blockers to open holes up

the middle for runners.Left/right tackle

Stands on the ends of the offensive line, The biggest men on the line, usually well over 300 pounds (140 kg). Usually

very good pass blockers.

Offensive lineman

Collective name for centre, guards and tackles.

Defence

The rules do not constrain how the defence may arrange itself (other than the requirement that they must remain one yardbehind the line of scrimmage until the play starts).

Cornerback

Covers the wide receivers on most plays.

Safety

Covers deep. Last line of defence, can offer run support or blitz.

Defensive halfback

Covers the slotback and helps contain the run from going to the outside.

Defensive back

Collective term for cornerback, safety and defensive halfback.

Nose tackle

Lineman across from centre, tries to get past the offensive-line or take double team and open holes for blitzes.

Defensive tackle

Inside defensive linemen try to break through the offensive line and open holes for linebackers.Defensive end

Main rushing lineman. Rushes the quarterback and tries to contain rushers behind the line of scrimmage.

Defensive lineman

Collective term for defensive tackle (or nose tackle) and defensive end.

Middle linebacker

Lines up across from the centre 3 to 4 yds/m back. Quarterback of the defence. Calls plays for lineman and

linebackers.

Weak-side linebacker

Lines up on the short side of field, and can drop into pass coverage or contain.

Strong-side linebacker

Lines up on the opposite side and usually rushes.

Special teams

Special teams generally refers to kicking plays, which typically involve a change in possession.

Holder

Receives the snap on field goal tries and converts; places the ball in position and holds it to be kicked by the kicker.

This position is generally filled by a reserve quarterback; occasionally the starting quarterback or punter will fill in as

holder.

Kicker

Kicks field goals, converts, kick-offs

Punter

Punts ball, usually on third downs

Returners

Fast, agile runners who specialize in fielding punts, field goals and kickoffs, attempting to advance them for better fieldposition or a score.

See also

Comparison of American and Canadian football

Glossary of Canadian football

List of Gridiron football teams in Canada

Comparison of Canadian football and rugby league

Rugby football

Rugby league

Notes and references

1. ̂a b Table of exact conversions

Yards 1 5 6 1⁄6 10 13 1⁄3 15 20 24 25 30 35 40 45 65 110

Feet 3 15 18 1⁄2 30 40 45 60 72 75 90 105 120 135 195 330

Metres 0.9144 4.572 5.6388 9.144 12.192 13.716 18.288 21.9456 22.86 27.432 32.004 36.576 41.148 59.436 100.584

2. ̂a b c "Timeline 1860s" (http://www.cfl.ca/page/his_timeline_1860). Official Site of the Canadian Football League. CanadianFootball League. Retrieved 2010-07-13.

3. ^ Zelkovich, Chris (1 December 2009). "Grey Cup a ratings champion"(http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/cfl/greycup/article/732817--zelkovich-grey-cup-a-ratings-champion). The TorontoStar (Toronto, Ontario). Retrieved 23 December 2009.

4. ^ "gridiron football (sport)" (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/212839/gridiron-football). Britannica OnlineEncyclopedia. britannica.com. Retrieved 2010-07-13.

5. ^ "CFL introduces 4 rule changes for 2009 season" (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/story/2009/05/11/sp-cfl-ruleschanges.html). Canadian Broadcasting Company. 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2010-07-13.

6. ^ The Canadian Press (2010-04-14). "CFL approves rule requiring two-point convert attempts in OT" (http://tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=317959). CTVglobemedia. Retrieved 2010-04-18.

External links

CFL Rule Book (http://www.cfl.ca/page/game_rule_rule1)History of Canadian Football (http://www.footballcanada.com/AboutUs/History/tabid/76/language/en-

CA/Default.aspx) at Football CanadaCanadian Football Resources

(http://web.archive.org/web/20070714004259/share.geocities.com/Colosseum/5743/index.htm)Quebec Junior Football League (http://www.qjfl.ca/english/)

PEI Tackle Football League (http://www.peitacklefootball.com)

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