I checked with a ref friend and he has confirmed what some of you have said. The rule changed this year that anytime a 45 point lead is obtained the clock will run. Prior to this year it was only in the second half unless both coaches agreed.

 

I apologize for the misinformation, somehow this rule change slipped by me.

Running clocks are like 6 classes in KY. A joke. Work harder and get better!!!! Seriously, what are we teaching these kids today? Different times and different generations. WOW. JMO.

Running clocks are like 6 classes in KY. A joke. Work harder and get better!!!! Seriously, what are we teaching these kids today? Different times and different generations. WOW. JMO.

 

I agree about the six classes but disagree with the running clock. Achieving a running clock in a game is an awesome achievement for a hard weeks worth of practice. It also allows the starters to take a well deserved break and watch the reserves play some football. Many have been on both ends of the running clock and most would agree that it is best for the game to end as quickly as possible.

It should often be viewed as a statement of what you were able to accomplish during a football game. But if a running clock is achieved throwing the football with a 40 point lead, i believe it is distasteful and poor sportsmanlike. You will have some who argue that they have to work on their passing game. To me, this is not a valid argument. You don't work on your onside kicks with a large lead, do you?? How about a fake punt?? :idunno:

 

Curious that you would see passing with a 40 point lead distasteful and poor sportsmanship. If your running game is bulldozing the defense, then wouldn't running the ball be the same ? Or playing strong defense ? Should a good defense then intercept the ball and take a knee ? Onside kicks and fake punts are specialized plays, running and passing is football, as is playing great defense. I would disagree that passing with a 40 point lead is anything other than practice in a game situation. There are some coaches who play by the mindset of: If you leave your starters in, then we leave ours in, 1's playing 1's. I would venture to say that the team down is not going to pull up and not hit an offensive player because they were down, correct ?

Edited September 1, 201016 yr by Birdsfan

Curious that you would see passing with a 40 point lead distasteful and poor sportsmanship. If your running game is bulldozing the defense, then wouldn't running the ball be the same ? Or playing strong defense ? Should a good defense then intercept the ball and take a knee ? Onside kicks and fake punts are specialized plays, running and passing is football, as is playing great defense. I would disagree that passing with a 40 point lead is anything other than practice in a game situation. There are some coaches who play by the mindset of: If you leave your starters in, then we leave ours in, 1's playing 1's. I would venture to say that the team down is not going to pull up and not hit an offensive player because they were down, correct ?

 

Sure. But throwing the ball increases the chance of scoring quickly. Thats why people throw the ball. If you are running the ball with your 2nd team and they cant stop it, then i'm sure its been a frustrating night...kind of like what cov cath experienced a week ago. When you have a large lead with a running clock, run the football. Its that simple. If you need to work on throwing the ball with your ones with a 40 point lead, why did you wait so long? With a three or four TD lead, thats different. If you're JV throws the ball against JV's, that can be considered ok. But then there is Saturday morning, right....

I'm not going to say I feel badly for a team losing by 40+ points, but I have no argument against a running clock for a couple reasons. First, it gets the inevitable end to come quicker, and it puts the losing team out of its misery so to speak.

I agree about the six classes but disagree with the running clock. Achieving a running clock in a game is an awesome achievement for a hard weeks worth of practice. It also allows the starters to take a well deserved break and watch the reserves play some football. Many have been on both ends of the running clock and most would agree that it is best for the game to end as quickly as possible.

 

But, I could look at the running clock as a penalty to the JV guys who work all week to watch their peers play. Lets face it a running clock goes extremely fast and leaves little time for the subs to get comfortable in a game. Heck, if one offense has the ball and decides to run it every play then each teams opposite sides of the ball probably never sees the field. This is where coaches need to use common sense and both teams put in their subs to gain valuable gametime practice. But unfortunately there are obviously some coaches who wont do this and this is why we have the running clock. Because they abuse the system. Too bad,

But, I could look at the running clock as a penalty to the JV guys who work all week to watch their peers play. Lets face it a running clock goes extremely fast and leaves little time for the subs to get comfortable in a game. Heck, if one offense has the ball and decides to run it every play then each teams opposite sides of the ball probably never sees the field. This is where coaches need to use common sense and both teams put in their subs to gain valuable gametime practice. But unfortunately there are obviously some coaches who wont do this and this is why we have the running clock. Because they abuse the system. Too bad,

 

I think that bold comment is a good one to make. How should the losing side's coach handle a game like this? When the leading team takes out their one's, should the losing side keep their one's in? If yes, for how long? One series? Two? I remember one coach trailing by 45 at the half and leaving his one's in the rest of the game despite a 45+ point deficit. He never put in his 2nd team. I think that is unsportsmanlike.

Sweeper, I went to Iroquois High. Most years they have 30 kids or less. My older two sons went to Atherton High, look at Iroquois comment. Get better you say? Keep the clock running.

The JV will have their game the next day. It's a privilege for them to play in a varsity game. If they want to be part of the romping they have to work hard to get there.

oh yeah..... Many remember that "stunt". Too bad the "rivalry" didn't last long. Paybacks would have been sweet.

 

 

:lol:

 

I thought the payback came in the following year when Highlands beat Boyle in the regular season and state.

 

Doesn't matter though. There wasn't a running clock at the time of the game it took place and it was a 3 td lead that turned into a 4 td lead. Should Boyle have just tucked tail and gone 3 and out until Highlands caught up? Whatever. Why don't you guys schedule us sometime so we can practice more fake punts.:lol:

The Boyle fake punt against Highlands didn't bother me one bit. We should have defended it. Plus for the Highlands players returning, it taught them a valuable lesson and provided great motivation for the following year. Good things can come out of bad things if you just look at the situation from a proper perspective.

 

Didn't see this one before I posted. As was said.....great post and great perpsective. Thank you.

I am all for the running clock. Normally games with a running clock need to be ended as soon as possible anyways.

 

I also don't care how a team gets there whether it is onside kicks when you are up 35-14, passing the ball around the field.....doesn't matter to me at all. A wise man said "if you don't want me to put points on the board then stop me from scoring."

I think that bold comment is a good one to make. How should the losing side's coach handle a game like this? When the leading team takes out their one's, should the losing side keep their one's in? If yes, for how long? One series? Two? I remember one coach trailing by 45 at the half and leaving his one's in the rest of the game despite a 45+ point deficit. He never put in his 2nd team. I think that is unsportsmanlike.

 

It used to bother me, as it does you, when the losing team keeps their 1s in. Now I look at it differently. I like when it happens as it allows our JVs (when we are the team up) to get a lot of experience against another team's starters. I think that makes the JV players better when they may have to come into a game later that year when a starter goes out or when they become starters the next year. In 07 when we were beating Lincoln big in the playoffs, their coach left their starters in and made a big comeback. Such allowed our varsity coaches go get some great "coaching moments" with the JV players during the game, during Saturday film review and the following week. Those things had to help get the JV players better for the following year as they proceeded to win state again.

It used to bother me, as it does you, when the losing team keeps their 1s in. Now I look at it differently. I like when it happens as it allows our JVs (when we are the team up) to get a lot of experience against another team's starters. I think that makes the JV players better when they may have to come into a game later that year when a starter goes out or when they become starters the next year. In 07 when we were beating Lincoln big in the playoffs, their coach left their starters in and made a big comeback. Such allowed our varsity coaches go get some great "coaching moments" with the JV players during the game, during Saturday film review and the following week. Those things had to help get the JV players better for the following year as they proceeded to win state again.

 

I can definitely see that side of it, especially at Highlands. The Highlands backups and JV could probably beat a varsity team that their one's were beating by 45+. What I don't like is when a losing coach leaves his one's in and then starts marching up and down the field on the winning team's reserves. I don't mind an extra series ... maybe two but then get your reserves in. Second, and more important, I think it is really unfair to the kids on the losing team sidelines to not get into the varsity game. They are working their tails off too and the coach should let them get a taste of Friday night lights.