Running up the score

[warningtrackpower]

I know this has been a popular topic, so SVCsportszone.com decided to make it the lead discussion on this week's SVC Sports Talk - a new podcast feature. The discussion starts around minute six and continues to about the 20 minute mark.

Click the link below and then hit play to listen...you can also hit the comment button on the DBK website to leave your opinion...

http://www.dbkmediaservices.com/wordpre ... alk-100311

[schenk11]

Good discussion. Many great view points and arguments. It is a tough situation for a coach to be in. I have been on both sides of the coin. No matter what decision you make, you will be wrong. Back off - you didn't let your second teamers have the opportunity to showcase their skills that they do not have many opportunities to show. Let them play - you risk embarrassing the other team. Either way you were wrong.

[noreply66]

how about the rule in youth football in Texas where they only allow this one kid to score three TD per game

[warningtrackpower]

One comment that I did not fit into the podcast linked above came from a football coach. It was a good point. He said often times football can get looked at in a bad way because you score by seven. If you score seven and the other team scores one...it shows up 49-7 instead of 7-1. The score iteself on websites just looks bad.

[Chieftain]

Been on both ends of 50-0 games. However, I'm a firm believer that if you pull your starters and are using pure back-ups, they have a right to play the game and not be limited in what they do. And as long as they arern't throwing long home run balls, passing short 5yd throws are O.K., even if they go the distance. I know in one instance , my team beat a D-II team 50-0. We were a D-VI school. Five years later that D-II school beat the D-VI team 50-0. Who was more embarrassed ?

Alot of this has to do with scheduling. The idea is to schedule COMPETITIVE teams. That means you take a chance of winning only 50% of the time. If you are beating someone almost every year, chances are a blow-out will happen. If you are playing someone that wins and loses against you on a split basis, those games are rare. Look at the teams that duck competition and you'll find they are often involved in these games. There I do blame the coaches and ADs. Gutless wonders.

[Jesco White]

how about the rule in youth football in Texas where they only allow this one kid to score three TD per game

It's actually in Arkansas and it's not a new rule. It's a previously used rule, and it doesn't always limit the youngster to only three TD's in a game. His team must be ahead by (I believe the specific amount is correct) three TD's or more in order for the rule to be envoked in a particular game.

When I first heard of the rule, I was skeptical. But, after watching the segment, it settled a little better with me personally. I think it's a great topic for discussion, though, falling within several different subjects.

[Jesco White]

I really enjoyed listening to the show. As several others have already said, I've been on both ends of blowouts. I think the point of football scoring being in larger increments than other sports definitely holds some water. I also believe a coach's individual philosophy dictates a lot as to what will happen. I know some coaches who believe opposing coaches have every right to beat them as bad as they want, as long as they understand it can and certainly will come back around in due time. While that outlook is "macho" in the competitive sense, it can also be perceived as "unjust" when dealing with youth.

[IronmenTradition]

I'm on the edge on this one. One part says take it easy but one part says it's football and if you can't hang then tough luck. I honest don't think just because you are up alot that all the starts should be pulled. These kids have 10 games to play then it's over forever. Rotate bench players in so your team still has confidence, but don't throw deep passes or trick plays trying to score every play. I have won by 50 and lost by 50 and when I lost I wasn't upset I just knew that team was way better and we didt deserve to be on the same field as them. That's how things go sometimes, no reason to be a baby about it.

[maniac66]

Wish I could have caught the show but never.
I see the point if you have reserves in and the score on a long run but to pass with a huge lead or try to score with little time left instead of taking a knee is what I don't like.
Some coaches do it I think to say you beat us when we was down now we will rub it in some I don't know what they think.
I believe coach Lutz tries to keep from running the score up and he has been around forever and maybe still believe in not running the score up he has seen players hurt after being left in to long.
Just think there is no need to score when you could take a knee or try to pass against a team already getting pounded.
That is my point.

[camnott]

I don't particularly like it when a team keeps pouring it on with long passes and leaving all starters in but on the flip side many players stats are looked at and if your coach doesn't run scores up and another coach does the better player may not have the better stats.
Double edged sword.

[Slew72]

To quote the greatest NFL coach, “I’ve been coaching too long,” Belichick said. “I remember being on that side. When I was coaching defense it was my job to keep the score down, not theirs. When you’re playing defense it’s your job to stop them. It’s not (the offense’s) job to not score. It’s like I tell the offense, what the (bleep) do you think I send you guys out there for? To punt? We have a punt team for that. That’s not your job. Your job is to go out there and score points. If you come off the field and you haven’t scored points you haven’t done your job.”

[maniac66]

To quote the greatest NFL coach, “I’ve been coaching too long,” Belichick said. “I remember being on that side. When I was coaching defense it was my job to keep the score down, not theirs. When you’re playing defense it’s your job to stop them. It’s not (the offense’s) job to not score. It’s like I tell the offense, what the (bleep) do you think I send you guys out there for? To punt? We have a punt team for that. That’s not your job. Your job is to go out there and score points. If you come off the field and you haven’t scored points you haven’t done your job.”

But he wasn't talking about High School kids either.
He was talking about Pro Players and how many Pro players get seated from a blow out win?

[maniac66]

I don't particularly like it when a team keeps pouring it on with long passes and leaving all starters in but on the flip side many players stats are looked at and if your coach doesn't run scores up and another coach does the better player may not have the better stats.
Double edged sword.

I don't believe that look at the NY running back they have everyone knows he's good with what he has done in games he has played.
Stats mean nothing if you get hurt from a cheap shot after the game is decided or a freak injury from the game.
Just think it needs to be taught on this level as well as the lower levels sportsmanship is all.
Stats are great true but if you are good people notice.

[Slew72]

I don't particularly like it when a team keeps pouring it on with long passes and leaving all starters in but on the flip side many players stats are looked at and if your coach doesn't run scores up and another coach does the better player may not have the better stats.
Double edged sword.

I don't believe that look at the NY running back they have everyone knows he's good with what he has done in games he has played.
Stats mean nothing if you get hurt from a cheap shot after the game is decided or a freak injury from the game.
Just think it needs to be taught on this level as well as the lower levels sportsmanship is all.
Stats are great true but if you are good people notice.

Don't think it applies only too football, but to all sports. I've been on the wrong side of the scoreboard on many blowouts. But really, how do you tell a kid not play and make plays when they have a chance to??????

[maniac66]

I don't particularly like it when a team keeps pouring it on with long passes and leaving all starters in but on the flip side many players stats are looked at and if your coach doesn't run scores up and another coach does the better player may not have the better stats.
Double edged sword.

I don't believe that look at the NY running back they have everyone knows he's good with what he has done in games he has played.
Stats mean nothing if you get hurt from a cheap shot after the game is decided or a freak injury from the game.
Just think it needs to be taught on this level as well as the lower levels sportsmanship is all.
Stats are great true but if you are good people notice.

Don't think it applies only too football, but to all sports. I've been on the wrong side of the scoreboard on many blowouts. But really, how do you tell a kid not play and make plays when they have a chance to??????

I don't think it's not telling them to but when you can take two kneel downs and end the game and you call a pass play or a option run yeah that hurts.
A few weeks ago a area game I saw from a thread the coaches agreed to keep the clock running all game do to players quitting that was a class act.
And the score could have been alot worse but it wasn't it starts with coaching and works it's way to the kids.
And I agree it is in all sports or nearly all sports.

[Westfan]

Coaching isn't easy. Most coaches aren't gonna risk injury to starters late in a blowout game. Coaches do have a job to get their team ready for now and in the future. JV kids deserve to play football; not kneel down. They practice all week. One of the Minford fans were complaining because West scored 40 points friday, when he should be happy that they didn't score 60. Some people just take it way to far and cry because they got beat.

[maniac66]

Coaching isn't easy. Most coaches aren't gonna risk injury to starters late in a blowout game. Coaches do have a job to get their team ready for now and in the future. JV kids deserve to play football; not kneel down. They practice all week. One of the Minford fans were complaining because West scored 40 points friday, when he should be happy that they didn't score 60. Some people just take it way to far and cry because they got beat.

Big difference did the coach leave starters in and try to run the score up?
Did he put reserves in and just run the ball to get some playing time?

This is what I was talking about.
Athens scores with 3 seconds remaining and on the 14 yard line and leading by 2 TD's that to me is when a knee should be taken.
The team was beat no need to rub it in it can come back to haunt you down the road.

[WitnessProtection]

I think we all agree that it's a tough for coaches about when to pull starters and how to run the game with reserves once they're sent in.
Another issue coaches face is the time of the season. If your club is blowing out an opponent in the first quarter of the first game of the season, do you really unload your bench in the second quarter? You want your starters to get reps in a game situation, something you don't really get in pre-season, even if you play a "live" scrimmage.
Somes teams play "rivalry games" as part of their non-conference schedule and, occasionally, those contests will turn into blowouts due to a variety of factors. I attended one of those games earlier this year in Week 1. The game is usually a pretty close contest, but this year was totally different, with the home team blowing out the visitors. Nobody saw it coming. The winning coach, I thought, did a good job getting his first-team kids time while not purposely embarrassing the opponent. His first team guys played the entire first half and one series in the second half before he cycled them out.
It is difficult to send reserves into a blowout game and expect them to dial it down. As long as the coach continues to run his team's base offense and defense with the reserves, I don't really have a problem if the second and third team kids continue to score. Especially if the opponent is still playing its starters.

[selonmc]

I believe it is just as much on the losing coach to pull HIS starters to signal its over. Everybody jumps on the winning coach, but I know I've personally seen my HS pull starters only to have the other team keep theirs in. Now you have seniors and juniors pounding freshmen and sophomores. While our varsity may have been better than theirs that doesn't mean our jv is ready to take on their varsity... especially in small schools where the JV has a lot of freshmen. It's not about preserving shutouts and whatnot. It's about the safety of the younger players. So, I have no problem with a coach keeping his varsity in when the other team doesn't substitute theirs. I think the winning coach should dumb down the playbook, but if varsity kids are breaking long runs at the ends of games in this situation then so be it. The losing coach has a responsibility in this too.

[WitnessProtection]

I believe it is just as much on the losing coach to pull HIS starters to signal its over. Everybody jumps on the winning coach, but I know I've personally seen my HS pull starters only to have the other team keep theirs in. Now you have seniors and juniors pounding freshmen and sophomores. While our varsity may have been better than theirs that doesn't mean our jv is ready to take on their varsity... especially in small schools where the JV has a lot of freshmen. It's not about preserving shutouts and whatnot. It's about the safety of the younger players. So, I have no problem with a coach keeping his varsity in when the other team doesn't substitute theirs. I think the winning coach should dumb down the playbook, but if varsity kids are breaking long runs at the ends of games in this situation then so be it. The losing coach has a responsibility in this too.

Agreed.