NC adds mercy rule-WOOHOO!!

[HLinNC]

11. Mercy Rule in Football – Whenever the score reaches a point differential of 42 or more by halftime, at the start of the second half and any point thereafter, the game will resort to a “running clock” or be terminated by mutual agreement—the clock will only stop for charged timeouts, injuries and scores; the “try for point” will always be an un-timed down; the clock will start when the ball is legally touched on the kickoff.

Cue the purists complaining about the wussification of football etc.

No more playing Kissinger between the sidelines!

[bossman72]

Nobody wants to be there when it's 42-0.  Get it over with.  Good move NC!

[Atlanta Blue]

My only complaint would be that they set it as high as 42.

Ours kicks in at a 30 point difference: 3rd quarter at option of losing coach, 4th qtr mandatory.

[prab]

Wisconsin has used the mercy rule for several years now.  We use 35 points as the differential rather than 42.  It has worked well.  I have worked many games when the mercy rule came into play and have only had two problems (well the same problem twice) in all that time.  In both instances we stopped the clock after a TD and ran the try as an untimed down.  The ensuing KO went into R's end zone UNTOUCHED.  The coach of the team that was ahead went ballistic because we did not start the clock until the snap on first down. 

They get to vote and sit on juries too!

[FLAHL]

In FL, we've had a 35 point mercy rule for many years.  In Q3, the clock ran at the option of the coach who was behind.  In Q4, the running clock was mandatory.  For 2014, it is no longer optional.  If a 35 point differential occurs at any point after halftime, the clock runs. 

[Ralph Damren]

On the latest available (2012) NFHS state questionnaire : 20 states utilize a game termination once a named point differental is reached (ranging from 30-50) . 17 states have no mercy rule and the rest have running time after a point differental is reached. My "fav" is Connecticut where if a team wins by more than 50 points, their head coach gets a one game suspension unless granted clemency by the losing team's AD!

[VALJ]

Virginia's mercy rule is a running clock in the second half when the score differential reaches 35 or more.  The clock runs except for timeout (charged or official's), change of possession, first downs, and scores (though the try is an untimed down).  In all cases, the clock starts with the RFP.

[FLAHL]

As one of the teams approaches a 30 or 40 point lead, do you officiate any differently?  I do.  I normally don't throw flags against a team trailing by ~30 points for things like illegal shift, illegal formation, or false start (unless they make contact, or cause the other team to move).  I'll also give the trailing team a lot of leeway for a block in the back or PI.  I will throw a flag for safety related fouls (clipping, face mask, horse collar) no matter what the score.  I've heard a couple of comments from coaches along the lines of "You would have called that in a close game, right?"  But I've never had one complain.

[Johnponz]

It is not the officials' jobs to affect the outcome of a game.  If a coach wants to allow his team to run up the score that is his prerogative.  Our job is to officiate the game that comes to us not purposely alter the result.

[BBref]

In states where coaches have an option, what portion chose to have the clock run?


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[FLAHL]

BBref, my estimate is about 1/3 of coaches asked us to run the click in the 3rd quarter when it was optional. The other 2/3 said no, and waited until the 4th quarter, when it was no longer optional.

[Legacy Zebra]

For those in a state where it is at the option of the coach, can he change that option? If he says no at halftime, but it gets even more out of hand the first few possessions, can he then choose to run the clock? Or if he says to run it, but his team comes out on fire and starts getting close again can he choose to go back to a normal clock?

[Atlanta Blue]

For those in a state where it is at the option of the coach, can he change that option? If he says no at halftime, but it gets even more out of hand the first few possessions, can he then choose to run the clock? Or if he says to run it, but his team comes out on fire and starts getting close again can he choose to go back to a normal clock?

In Georgia:  by rule, no.  But if he says no at halftime, and then gets a couple of more scores against him early in the 3rd qtr. and says, "Run it", no one is going to argue with him.  But once a choice is made, by rule, that's how it stays.

As to BBRef's question, I would say 1/3 to half say run it.  Typically, those are the schools that are getting blown out regularly, and realize they just want to get out of there.  Schools that rarely get "mercied" usually don't run the clock in the 3rd quarter.

[Ralph Damren]

Ours is a 3-1-3 (coaches option) state. At halftime ,if the score is lopsided, our protocol is : (1) Ask winning coach if he would object to our modified version of the running  clock; (2) if he says OK, ask the trailing coach if he wishes to; (3) advise other coach of his decision. Our modified version is starting the clock on ALL RFPs. This usually shortens the length of the 2nd half to 30-35 minutes. On occasion a trailing coach will ask to start the "quick clock" in the 4th qtr or after his "white flag of surrender" signal, We would then relay to the opposing coach that the "quick clock" will now begin. To many fans it will go unnoticed as the clock stops on incomplete passes, OOB plays and the like - it just starts a little earlier . I've never been faced with a situation where the trailing team started to catch up and wanted to go back to regular time but if it should occur, the rule states : "...By mutual agreement of the opposing coaches and the referee, any remaining period may be shortened....". I would take that to mean we no longer have mutual agreement and regular timing would apply.

[Atlanta Blue]

I've never been faced with a situation where the trailing team started to catch up and wanted to go back to regular time but if it should occur, the rule states : "...By mutual agreement of the opposing coaches and the referee, any remaining period may be shortened....". I would take that to mean we no longer have mutual agreement and regular timing would apply.

I would think you should have a rule to cover that.  I interpret the "mutual agreement rule" the exact opposite way: we had mutual agreement to shorten the game.  Whether we still have it or not is immaterial, we had it, and we did it.

I see arguments for both sides, which is why it should be covered in the rules AHEAD of time, and not left up to interpretation when you get into the situation.

While I don't completely agree with our rule, at least we have one: however you start the quarter is the way you end it, and once you start the running clock, there is no going back.  So if a team is ahead 29-0 at the start of the 4th quarter, there will not be a (legally) running clock, even if the score gets to 50-0.  It's only the status at the start of the 3rd or 4th quarter that matters.  Conversely, if it's 30-0 at the start of the 4th quarter, you will have a running clock for the whole quarter, even if the losing team scores three TDs in the next 5 minutes.

I don't completely agree with it, but you can't argue about it, it's written in black and white.

[TampaSteve]

For those in a state where it is at the option of the coach, can he change that option? If he says no at halftime, but it gets even more out of hand the first few possessions, can he then choose to run the clock? Or if he says to run it, but his team comes out on fire and starts getting close again can he choose to go back to a normal clock?

Up to this coming year, in FL it's an option of losing coach to initiate mercy rule in Q3. 
Once initiated, there's no turning back.

[TampaSteve]

In states where coaches have an option, what portion chose to have the clock run?

Up to this coming year, in FL it's an option in Q3 (mandatory in Q4).
what portion choose to run:
+/-10% at the beginning of Q3
+/-50% by halfway through Q3 - if we met the criteria at the beginning of Q3 and it's gotten worse
(but +/-10% if we started Q3 under the criteria and then made it to mercy criteria halfway through Q3)
0% if we met the criteria midway through Q3.

 

[Ralph Damren]

AB - You have a good point. At our coaches clinics I'll instruct our coaches that once they mutually agree to the quick clock, it'll remain as such for the remainder of the game. Who sez' an ole' grizzled  zebra can't learn something from a coach . 

[VALJ]

By ruling from the VHSL, if we're using the running clock, but the score differential goes under 35, we revert to regular timing until the differential goes back over 35.

As one of the teams approaches a 30 or 40 point lead, do you officiate any differently?  I do.  I normally don't throw flags against a team trailing by ~30 points for things like illegal shift, illegal formation, or false start (unless they make contact, or cause the other team to move).  I'll also give the trailing team a lot of leeway for a block in the back or PI.  I will throw a flag for safety related fouls (clipping, face mask, horse collar) no matter what the score. 

I've only been in one game where we as a crew felt like we needed to officiate any differently in the first half because a game was already out of hand (57-0 at the half).  We discussed that anything safety related (including BIB) we'd flag without question, but we'd try to let other stuff go unless it's obvious.  Somehow, though, every time a ball carrier got near the sideline, the defense managed to stop their forward progress inbounds.  It was funny how that worked. 

[FLAHL]

By ruling from the VHSL, if we're using the running clock, but the score differential goes under 35, we revert to regular timing until the differential goes back over 35.

In FL, during the regular season, once we have a running clock, it continues to run even if the differential goes under 35.  During the state playoffs, we have the same rule that VALJ stated.

[bossman72]

If we were to shorten quarters by mutual agreement between both coaches, by rule, do we have to do it before the quarter starts?

[HLinNC]

No

[Roscoe]

My only complaint would be that they set it as high as 42.

Ours kicks in at a 30 point difference: 3rd quarter at option of losing coach, 4th qtr mandatory.

Agreed, I think the 30 points here in GA is good.

[Tom.OH]

Ohio will have a running clock in the second half after a 30 point lead reached.

[wvoref]

Ohio will have a running clock in the second half after a 30 point lead reached.

Tom is that official and is it posted anywhere. Would like to post it to our board membership if its official. Thanks