Glen Johnson, the CFL’s new vice-president of officiating, says players aren’t the only ones who will be held to a higher standard this season. Johnson says officials will be included.
“We want to make sure that the officials are as prepared as they can be,” Glen Johnson said Wednesday.
“We’re improving all of our training and development efforts. We’re trying to evaluate them more consistently. We’re going to make officials accountable for their performance.”
The league’s board of governors will be voting May 8 on proposed new rules this season
One proposed rule change is a plan to make defensive pass interference subject to a challenge and review by video replay, a rule that has been the subject of a lot of debate. But Johnson indicates it’s not the only rule on tap.
“There’s player-safety related ones where we’re eliminating some illegal low blocks. I think that’s going to have a really positive impact on the game. Keeping players safe and healthy and having them play more is a good thing.”
Rules that are geared to improve gameflow by not stopping to allow defensive substitutions if there are no offensive substitutions are expected to be discussed.
“I think you’re going to see a higher tempo,” says Johnson.
“You’re going to see more offensive output and more plays in a game, which I think just continues to add to our exciting game.”
“Were going to allow quarterbacks to condition and use their own footballs. . . They’ll be league-supplied footballs that they can condition, practice with during the week then they can bring them to the game and, as long as they meet a new ball standard, that quarterback can use his own balls during the game.”
There will also be stricter curbs on taunting and objectionable conduct, including the verbal abuse of officials.
Aside from making pass interference subject to coaches challenge and review, there will be automatic reviews of all turnovers.
