Playing JV and Varsity Football in the same week

My feelings are a little mixed on this topic. Where I grew up, if a player suited up and played in a Junior Varsity game (which was on Thursday nights), then he could not suit up and play in the Varsity game on Friday night. Players were limited to playing in one game per week.

I've noticed that many Sophmores (at least for Tates Creek) and a few Juniors, will be playing for the JV squad, then suiting up and getting in the game on Varsity game on Fridays. I realize that some teams don't have enough players to fill their JV team, so some Varsity guys play down, but isn't that somewhat unfair? To have Varsity level players, suiting up against JV players? It's also a little risky for the Varsity guys, what if they get hurt in a meaningless JV game?

Any thoughts on this?

JV is for development. If a kid isn't getting enough development at the varsity level then I'm all for him playing JV EVEN if he is getting minutes in varsity games.

But what if a young man is getting more than just "minutes"... What if a kid is say starting on the defense for the Varsity, then droping down to play JV games just to help fill a roster spot... Is that fair? Is it fair to the younger JV guys trying to get that experience? And is it fair to the Varsity kid who is risking injury? I don't know...

Originally Posted by CreekFan

But what if a young man is getting more than just "minutes"... What if a kid is say starting on the defense for the Varsity, then droping down to play JV games just to help fill a roster spot... Is that fair? Is it fair to the younger JV guys trying to get that experience? And is it fair to the Varsity kid who is risking injury? I don't know...

Fair questions.

No need for a kid starting D on varsity to play D on JV IF there are players who play the same position.

I am familiar with the Tates creek team and typically it's philosophy on this topic. They have had the misfortune/fortune of having a lot of youth playing Varsity the last 2 years. Typically it has the kids that play Varsity that double as JV, play another position that doesn't coincide with their Varsity position. For example. My son started at Corner as a Fresh and sophomore but was requested to play JV at receiver to get reps. They never once played him at Corner regardless of score or situation. Hope that helps a little.

I was only using Creek as an example... not meaning to point fingers. I noticed last year that GRC suited up a young man to play quarterback in the JV game against Creek, but was playing receiver in the Varsity game. I would say this kind of thing is done state wide. Now... I don't know if it's right or wrong, I'm just saying that when I was a young man playing ball, it was against the rules... players were only allowed one game a week. I don't know if this was for player safety, or if it was to prevent coaches from stacking JV teams to build up wins... that being said, the JV team with the best record did get a "JV Distict Title", which may not be the case in KY...

Originally Posted by CreekFan

I was only using Creek as an example... not meaning to point fingers. I noticed last year that GRC suited up a young man to play quarterback in the JV game against Creek, but was playing receiver in the Varsity game. I would say this kind of thing is done state wide. Now... I don't know if it's right or wrong, I'm just saying that when I was a young man playing ball, it was against the rules... players were only allowed one game a week. I don't know if this was for player safety, or if it was to prevent coaches from stacking JV teams to build up wins... that being said, the JV team with the best record did get a "JV Distict Title", which may not be the case in KY...

I have no problem with a varsity WR getting time at JV QB if he's next in line.

Originally Posted by Clyde

I have no problem with a varsity WR getting time at JV QB if he's next in line.

Me either.

Not sure how Highlands does it now but when I played we made it simple.

If you were a Senior you didn't play JV under no circumstances. If you didn't play, get better.

If you were a Underclassman and started Varsity you didn't play JV. Why would you? Even if your were playing the opposite side of the ball and trying to get better for maybe next year. Why? you start on Varsity!!!

If you were a Underclassman and played more than 2 quarters in the Varsity game you didn't play JV.

That's just how we did it. Any other agenda for playing JV, whether it was to help the team win or get better at something, was simply as viewed as kissing your sister!!! JMO....

If a Varsity player that's a Junior or below that starts Varsity, but Is asked to play another position that they don't play regularly then I think it's fine. There may be teams that stack JV teams but I can't see why, they would be running the risk of injuring their Varsity players. The idea of JV is player development. As long as that is the case, the rest is semantics. In my humble opinion.

No seniors and no starters playing their Varsity starting position. I like that philosophy.

I'm with Clyde on this. But, to answer one question, I'm ok with a player starting varsity on defense and not getting much offensive playing time then dropping down to JV and playing offense to get his offensive time.

Originally Posted by Ram

I'm with Clyde on this. But, to answer one question, I'm ok with a player starting varsity on defense and not getting much offensive playing time then dropping down to JV and playing offense to get his offensive time.

I hear you... I really do... but, if you're good enough to start on the Varsity squad (at any position) aren't you to good to play JV ball? Even more important, aren't you risking a lot (maybe a football career) by suiting up with the JV squad? Injuries can happen at any time, under any circumstance... Why tempt fate with a starting Varsity player? Not to mention the fact that you're taking playing time away from a younger kid (or less talented kid, trying to get better) by playing a Varsity player on the JV squad... I don't know... something to think about I guess

Depends totally on the coaches philosophy.

At some places JV games are looked at as simply practices against another team where players can get reps that wouldn't get them in practice. JV is all about developing players and there are no "rules" about who can and can't play. Some schools choose not to play juniors on the JV team and then whine when they get beat at the JV level by someone who does not make that same choice but that's another discussion for late September.

As to the whole injury risk I don't think it's any greater then the risk during practice in fact I would say (completely anecdotally, I have no statistical evidence to back this up) that more injuries occur in practices.

Originally Posted by CreekFan

I hear you... I really do... but, if you're good enough to start on the Varsity squad (at any position) aren't you to good to play JV ball? Even more important, aren't you risking a lot (maybe a football career) by suiting up with the JV squad? Injuries can happen at any time, under any circumstance... Why tempt fate with a starting Varsity player? Not to mention the fact that you're taking playing time away from a younger kid (or less talented kid, trying to get better) by playing a Varsity player on the JV squad... I don't know... something to think about I guess

I agree with All Tell. JV is no more then a glorified practice in my book. It is for "development". If a player needs reps to get better so he can start and be more productive next season, he needs to get real game reps against another team. He does that in JV. I don't know anyone that brags that much about an undefeated JV season, but they all brag about a undefeated varsity season. It's all about getting better for varsity.

As to the injury concern: injuries can happen in practice just as easily, you can't play to not get hurt.

My son plays Left Guard on Varsity and Right Tackle on JV. Right tackle is his natural position but he has a very good senior in front of him. The coaching staff wants him to learn that position for next year. IMO, I think playing on Friday night, then turning around and playing again on Saturday morning is asking a lot of a kid. He then has to strengthttrain on Sundays.

Originally Posted by jolmstead

My son plays Left Guard on Varsity and Right Tackle on JV. Right tackle is his natural position but he has a very good senior in front of him. The coaching staff wants him to learn that position for next year. IMO, I think playing on Friday night, then turning around and playing again on Saturday morning is asking a lot of a kid. He then has to strengthttrain on Sundays.

If he is starting at left guard and plays the entire game at the varsity level the JV action is of little or no help to him, IMO.