VAMike
11-14-2007, 05:13 AM
From the Austin American Statesman
GEORGE BREAZEALE: SPORTS, BY GEORGE
When games get out of hand, many states show mercy
Texas' mercy rule revolves around a running clock.
By George Breazeale
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A virtual certainty in Texas football is that high school playoff perennials — teams such as Southlake Carroll, Smithson Valley, Westlake and Copperas Cove — will reload, not rebuild, for the 2008 season. In addition, several dozen other stable programs will swagger into next year's playoff pursuit.
Other schools won't thrive, but will strive to survive.
One embattled school is Reagan, with only six wins in the last four years, but once the owner of a 30-consecutive winning season tradition, including state championships in 1967, 1968 and 1970. Other Central Texas schools, such as Johnston and Smithville, were once competitive, while Akins has struggled to reach .500 since launching its program five years ago.
In the last eight seasons, all four schools have been blowout victims. Three times this year and once in 2003, Reagan surrendered 70 points or more. Johnston, forced to cancel half its 2007 schedule because of player injuries and ineligibility, also yielded 70-plus in four games in the past several years.
In all, 70-plus winning scores have been logged 24 times since 2000 by Central Texas teams, including 84 by Liberty Hill against Gatesville in 2006. More runaways were avoided because starters were benched and/or clocks ran continuously after halftime.
Waco teams coached by Paul Tyson in the 1920s scored 100 points or more eight times, including a 124-0 state playoff victory over Houston Jeff Davis in 1927. Spur in 1930 beat Lorenzo 186-0 and crushed Estelline 142-0. In Central Texas, Mason's 119-0 win over Burnet in 1930 and Taylor's 112-0 verdict over Elgin in 1922 stand out as runaways.
Contemporary high school players are larger and stronger than pro and college athletes were 40 years ago. Yet there seems to be little support in Texas for a formal mercy rule to protect depth-poor teams from blowout scores and to reduce injury risks for fatigued players.
Charles Breithaupt, athletic director of the University Interscholastic League, said no 11-man coach has pushed for duplication of the 45-point mercy rule the UIL has long used for six-man competition.
"We leave (holding down scoring margin) up to each state association," said Bob Colgate, assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations. "Officials in each state know what works best for their member schools. Texas, of course, uses NCAA football rules, not National Federation rules."
Both Colgate and Breithaupt know that terminating games would affect not only players, but also bands and drill teams — and many schools' budgets.
A six-man coach was fired, Breithaupt said, after his team's scoring spree ended a game at halftime. "The superintendent said the concession stand didn't do any business because everybody went home," he said.
Breithaupt said bands and drill teams might lose their viewing audiences if games ended at halftime. Also, parents of football reserves "want their kids to play."
The UIL's adherence to the NCAA rulebook could be a barrier to adoption of an 11-man mercy rule. The NCAA has no mercy rule, either for terminating games or for running clocks.
For now, then, eliminating or reducing 11-man football blowouts is up to Texas high school coaches.
Westlake's Derek Long did the right thing two weeks ago against Akins. After the Chaparrals posted a 49-0 halftime lead, Long played his reserves and agreed to let the second half clock run continuously, resulting in a 56-0 final score.
Have mercy?
A look at which states offer some form of a high school football mercy rule, according to the National Federation of High Schools:
States that have some form of a mercy rule:Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Most states' mercy rule is in the form of a running clock once a certain point differential is reached.
In Oregon, once a team leads by 45, coaches have the option of either calling the game or using a running clock.
In South Dakota, the game is called if a team leads by 50 at halftime or by 50 at any time in the second half.
What Texas does
Texas follows NCAA rules and guidelines, not those established by the National Federation of High Schools.
In six-man football, the game is ended immediately if one team leads by 45 points or more at the end of the first half or at any time in the second half.
That 45-point rule doesn't carry over to 11-man football. However, coaches can agree to use a running clock to end a lopsided game more quickly.
GEORGE BREAZEALE: SPORTS, BY GEORGE
When games get out of hand, many states show mercy
Texas' mercy rule revolves around a running clock.
By George Breazeale
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A virtual certainty in Texas football is that high school playoff perennials — teams such as Southlake Carroll, Smithson Valley, Westlake and Copperas Cove — will reload, not rebuild, for the 2008 season. In addition, several dozen other stable programs will swagger into next year's playoff pursuit.
Other schools won't thrive, but will strive to survive.
One embattled school is Reagan, with only six wins in the last four years, but once the owner of a 30-consecutive winning season tradition, including state championships in 1967, 1968 and 1970. Other Central Texas schools, such as Johnston and Smithville, were once competitive, while Akins has struggled to reach .500 since launching its program five years ago.
In the last eight seasons, all four schools have been blowout victims. Three times this year and once in 2003, Reagan surrendered 70 points or more. Johnston, forced to cancel half its 2007 schedule because of player injuries and ineligibility, also yielded 70-plus in four games in the past several years.
In all, 70-plus winning scores have been logged 24 times since 2000 by Central Texas teams, including 84 by Liberty Hill against Gatesville in 2006. More runaways were avoided because starters were benched and/or clocks ran continuously after halftime.
Waco teams coached by Paul Tyson in the 1920s scored 100 points or more eight times, including a 124-0 state playoff victory over Houston Jeff Davis in 1927. Spur in 1930 beat Lorenzo 186-0 and crushed Estelline 142-0. In Central Texas, Mason's 119-0 win over Burnet in 1930 and Taylor's 112-0 verdict over Elgin in 1922 stand out as runaways.
Contemporary high school players are larger and stronger than pro and college athletes were 40 years ago. Yet there seems to be little support in Texas for a formal mercy rule to protect depth-poor teams from blowout scores and to reduce injury risks for fatigued players.
Charles Breithaupt, athletic director of the University Interscholastic League, said no 11-man coach has pushed for duplication of the 45-point mercy rule the UIL has long used for six-man competition.
"We leave (holding down scoring margin) up to each state association," said Bob Colgate, assistant director of the National Federation of State High School Associations. "Officials in each state know what works best for their member schools. Texas, of course, uses NCAA football rules, not National Federation rules."
Both Colgate and Breithaupt know that terminating games would affect not only players, but also bands and drill teams — and many schools' budgets.
A six-man coach was fired, Breithaupt said, after his team's scoring spree ended a game at halftime. "The superintendent said the concession stand didn't do any business because everybody went home," he said.
Breithaupt said bands and drill teams might lose their viewing audiences if games ended at halftime. Also, parents of football reserves "want their kids to play."
The UIL's adherence to the NCAA rulebook could be a barrier to adoption of an 11-man mercy rule. The NCAA has no mercy rule, either for terminating games or for running clocks.
For now, then, eliminating or reducing 11-man football blowouts is up to Texas high school coaches.
Westlake's Derek Long did the right thing two weeks ago against Akins. After the Chaparrals posted a 49-0 halftime lead, Long played his reserves and agreed to let the second half clock run continuously, resulting in a 56-0 final score.
Have mercy?
A look at which states offer some form of a high school football mercy rule, according to the National Federation of High Schools:
States that have some form of a mercy rule:Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Most states' mercy rule is in the form of a running clock once a certain point differential is reached.
In Oregon, once a team leads by 45, coaches have the option of either calling the game or using a running clock.
In South Dakota, the game is called if a team leads by 50 at halftime or by 50 at any time in the second half.
What Texas does
Texas follows NCAA rules and guidelines, not those established by the National Federation of High Schools.
In six-man football, the game is ended immediately if one team leads by 45 points or more at the end of the first half or at any time in the second half.
That 45-point rule doesn't carry over to 11-man football. However, coaches can agree to use a running clock to end a lopsided game more quickly.