Holy Cow, has, "especially late 80's & early 90's" become, "vintage" already? Mechanics, like everything else in an evolving environment, needs to adjust to keep pace.
So many facets of the game of football, from strategy, tactics, training, conditioning, team speed have changed significantly over those years, due in some large degree, to technology which may not have been previously readily available to many programs at various levels.
More and more levels (sadly not all) have recognized the changes and have increased the number of officials assigned to a greater levels of the sport, and the size of an officiating crew is a major factor in the mechanics employed.
Tremendously increased access to film, video, training materials, conditioning techniques, diet, exercise routines have brought techniques and practices previously enjoyed only by the elite programs to virtually universal availability at younger and younger levels.
Keep in mind, however, that football is still basically a game, of serious physical contact, played by participants between the ages of 6 and 60 and not all practices, policies and expectations developed for grown men possessing superior physical attributes apply themselves practically to growing teenagers, or younger, even though they may see themselves as being capable of adopting them.
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