Photo: Pascal Ratthe/Montreal Alouettes
CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston announced incoming new rules for the league on Monday and the reaction has been mixed. The strongest dissenter is B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke, who said the changes were “garbage” and made the league sound like it wants to be the NFL.
Montreal Alouettes franchise quarterback Davis Alexander has a totally different perspective on the new rules. He heard what Rourke said but doesn’t share his vision.
“It might be the Canadian in him,” Alexander told 3DownNation about Rourke’s reaction. “I know they were very traditional Canadian rules, but as an offensive guy, I think about player safety first and having that goal post in the middle, it’s kind of weird. For me I like these rules, it will speed up the game.”
Although the passer likes all the new rules, which include a tweak to the rouge, moving the uprights, and the shortening of the field and end zones, his favourite is the 35-second clock that will speed up the game in a big way.
“My favourite one is the 35-second clock,” said the 26-year-old. “It will speed up the game, making plays happen sooner and keeping fans more engaged. It will keep the game electric. That’s my summary.”
Alexander, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury, was in the hospital undergoing tests when he heard about the changes. He didn’t know about the upcoming tweaks and though Rourke’s main complaint was a lack of consultation with players and coaches, the Alouettes quarterback wasn’t bothered by how the league went about the process.
“It doesn’t really bother me,” he said. “My job is to play quarterback, worry about Xs and Os, and our locker room. I haven’t been around in this game long enough for me to tell you what’s right and wrong about this league. It doesn’t bother me, and I think the people who are making these decisions are well-informed and they’re doing it for a reason.”
Alexander has seen numerous reactions and rumours on social media since yesterday. He was scared the league was going to switch to four downs — something he said he would have hated. He was relieved and excited when he learned about the changes, which he doesn’t consider an effort to Americanize the CFL.
“What are the main things that make this game Canadian? The three downs, the waggle, 12 men on the field, the width of the field, and all that stuff,” said Alexander. “Shortening the field by 10 yards? I don’t even think people will notice too much.”
The native of Gig Harbor, Wash. is excited to see these new rules come into effect and to see how the league handles the resumption of play after field goals and the last three minutes of each half.
“If you kick a field goal, does the other team get the ball back at the 40-yard line? Because that’s a short field, only 60 yards. It will be interesting to see if teams will get an extra time-out during the last three minutes because of the 35-second game clock.”
In the meantime, Alexander is focused on the 2025 season, though he hasn’t played since mid-July. He hopes to play sooner rather than later to lead his team into the postseason. So far this year, Alexander has completed 88-of-121 pass attempts for six touchdowns and three interceptions.
