Although much of the Northeast Kingdom here in Vermont is covered with a couple feet of fresh snow, Spring is upon us, and with it, all sorts of signs of rebirth and renewal. Humans have for millennia celebrated the changing of the seasons. Fall has been synonymous with festivals of harvest and abundance like Thanksgiving, and more recently, traditions like Football and its associated celebrations and rituals.
This Sunday (the first Sunday, after the first full moon, following the vernal equinox) Christians will come together to celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Other cultures celebrate the arrival of Spring in different ways, but for many, this weekend will be filled with church services, family gatherings, coloring of eggs, egg hunts, and baskets full of treats.
And thanks to the merger of the USFL and XFL, this weekend will also be filled with UFL football games. In preparation for the new league games on both Saturday and Sunday, we should note some rules are different from the NFL, College, and High School. For example:
- The UFL permits a team to attempt two forward passes on a single play, however, the football cannot cross the line of scrimmage before the second forward pass is thrown.
- The ball will be placed on the 20-yard line for kickoffs,
- There’s no coin toss. (The home team can choose to take the ball or defer to the second half.)
- After touchdowns, there will be no option to kick an extra point.
- Teams will have three options: (each attempt must be a run or pass play)
- They can go for one point from the 2-yard line
- Go for two from the 5-yard line, or
- Go for three from the 10-yard line
- Teams will have three options: (each attempt must be a run or pass play)
- There are some other variations like how the clock will be operated within 2 minutes, and how some penalties will be enforced.
For well over 100 years, football has been an integral part of the Thanksgiving holiday. The combination of football and Thanksgiving is intertwined with American culture. Only time will tell if the same will be true for Easter…
Regardless of how you may celebrate rebirth and renewal, I’d like to wish you the very best this Spring and wish all those who celebrate Easter, a Happy Easter.
Coach Rich Alercio is available to discuss coaching philosophy, X’s & O’s, or teach his O-Line “techniques in the trenches.” Contact Coach at richalercio@gmail.com and share http://www.olineskills.com with your colleagues and friends. Thanks for supporting this blog and joining our conversations, and as always, thanks for your time!
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