By the way, I finally had the pleasure of working a 3 man game (actually I got to work on the Thomas & Mack main floor in Vegas, it was so cool! but that's another story).
It was my first real 3 man experience in a real game. I had done 2 scrimmages using 3 man, but no prior actual games.
First of all, I was blown away and how great 3 man is. I can see now why you want to use it at the higher levels. It is so much easier to watch my area. Sure, it is hard learning the switching C to T when the L moves and getting comfortable moving to strongside as the L more often than I would in 2 man and remembering to rotate, but all in all (particularly the C and T) it was so much easier to cover the floor.
I really hope my association sticks with 3 man (and I hope I get to get some 3 man Varsity games
)
Our association is really trying to convince the schools to keep 3 man. All the issues raised above (cost, thinking they arent getting that much bang for the buck for 3 rather than 2, quality of all 3 officials, etc).
I'd love to see our association try to work the system you suggested--find a way to work the younger guys into 3 man at lower level games so that we could get the experience.
Clark