"What are we supposed to do? Take a knee for four downs and punt?"

I'm not really getting it. Does back off mean take a knee on every down, or does it mean having the 3's in and telling them not to play to their abilities?

 

Neither. IMO, it means getting the subs in, and letting them play hard. But...the playcalling is where it either is sportsmanlike or unsportsmanlike. Running dive plays and off-tackle plays, etc, etc. is letting the subs play and improve, while not impinging on the dignity of the losing team. (If I'm the losing coach, I want you to at least allow my team the dignity of trying to run a play against us)

 

On the other hand - and I saw a very highly-respected KY football coach do this about 5 or 6 years ago - if you're ahead by 40 points and you have your starting offense in on the final play and you THROW DEEP on the final play of the game, THERE IS NO DEFENSE FOR THIS. That's a disgrace to everything good about sports. (for that matter, throwing deep with your subs in on the final play of a blowout is disgusting...you can't just say, "we have a passing offense", because throwing deep is not a routine play for even passing offenses; it is designed for one thing only, and that is to get a quick score.)

 

For that matter, even passing offenses have running plays. I saw a recent poster defend his team's passing late while en route to a blowout victory as "simply running their offense." His team, he said, runs the spread. Well, I've never seen a spread offense that didn't have running plays.

 

In short, even with a big lead, you RUN PLAYS. Give the losing team that much dignity. Allow them to work to get better, just as you let your subs work to get better. Whether you're a good sport or not depends on the plays you choose to run and what players are running them...

^ Agreed. People need to keep this in mind when the 3's are in and are scoring at will running the ball, and when the 3's are in on d and returning INTs for Tds. Keep this in mind when the 3's score 3 or 4 TDs in the 2nd half up 50. Everyone fine with that?:popcorn:

One thing I was thinking about concerning this is the opposite side of the coin. In basketball it's normal procedure that in a blowout, the winning team empties the bench. The losing side follows suit and both teams subs get some time. Why is this not the practice in football?

I'm w/ McPapa. 1st half -- anything goes. If you need to vanilla the playcalling, that's OK, but I think you play most of your 1st and if up big only spot substitute -- not wholesale #2s.

 

Overall, I think the offense subs before the defense does. Doesn't look as bad for your #1 D to force repeated 3 & outs as it does for your #1 O to keep putting points on the board.

 

I think the running clock is key. Get it with your #1 O and keep it with your #1 D. Shortens the game for everyone, particularly when most of your #2s have to play 4 qtrs in a JV game the next morning.

I'm w/ McPapa. 1st half -- anything goes. If you need to vanilla the playcalling, that's OK, but I think you play most of your 1st and if up big only spot substitute -- not wholesale #2s.

 

Overall, I think the offense subs before the defense does. Doesn't look as bad for your #1 D to force repeated 3 & outs as it does for your #1 O to keep putting points on the board.

 

I think the running clock is key. Get it with your #1 O and keep it with your #1 D. Shortens the game for everyone, particularly when most of your #2s have to play 4 qtrs in a JV game the next morning.

 

Best Summary on the topic!