Ten or so states don't have a mercy rule and most states that do the running clock starts at the beginning of the second half regardless of the spread in the first half. one year in the playoffs Highlands had a running clock on Boyd County in the first quarter.
5 South Carolina
3 Notre dame
3 Washington
1 Iowa State
1 Minnesota
1 Oklahoma State
1 North Carolina State
1 Utah
1 Cincinnati
1 Western Kentucky
TB 59
I don't even have a problem with the backups passing if that is your offense. If he is getting game speed experience he might as well get it doing what he'll need to do when his turn comes.