Last year, third week of playoffs, we had a playoff game at a 6A host site (their team was no longer in the playoffs), and the play clock operator had NEVER operated either clock before. How does that happen? Got through it, but it was stress we didn't need.
Playoff game last night in a neutral site. Host school not in the playoffs. Both clock operators met us pre-game, and we discussed some of the more important issues. All seemed good.
Within four game time minutes, we realized that the play clock operator had no idea what he was doing. We told the game manager to turn off the play clocks, and we kept the clock on the field. At half time, I asked the game manger if the play clock operator was their regular guy. "No. Different guy. He has never done this before." Where was their regular guy? "Hunting season." Can you hunt at night? "No. But this isn't "their" game."
Un-frickin-believable. The UIL simply must require that all schools hosting a football game - their own, or as a neutral site - must provide experienced and trained clock operators. No excuse for this. Who gets blamed if there is a clock error? Not the COs. We do.
We got get this fixed.