Connecticut adopts score control policy
 

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - High school football coaches in Connecticut will have to be good sports this fall — or risk a suspension.

The football committee of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which governs high school sports, is adopting a "score management" policy that will suspend coaches whose teams win by more than 50 points.
A rout is considered an unsportsmanlike infraction and the coach of the offending team will be disqualified from coaching the next game, said Tony Mosa, assistant executive director of the Cheshire-based conference.

"We were concerned with any coach running up the game. There's no need for it," Mosa said. "This is something that we really have been discussing for the last couple of years. There were a number of games that were played where the difference of scores were 60 points or more. It's not focused on any one particular person."

Some have dubbed it the "Jack Cochran rule," after the New London High's football coach, who logged four wins of more than 50 points last year. In New London's 60-0 rout of Tourtelotte/Ellis Tech, Cochran enraged the Tourtelotte bench by calling a timeout just before halftime. Tourtelotte's coach was arrested on breach of peace charges after police say he struck a security guard and an assistant New London coach.

Leo Facchini, New London's athletic director, called it unfair to single out his coach.

Facchini said he and Cochran tried to pull in the reins during New London's 90-0 drubbing of Griswold last season by trying to get both sides and the timekeeper to agree to run a continuous clock.

Some states, including Iowa, continuously run the game clock in the second half if a team has a 35-point lead. The Connecticut committee rejected a similar proposal because members thought it would unfairly cut into backups' playing time.


Wow..that has to be one of the dumbest things I have ever seen a high school athletic association do. I understand the need for controling some coaching who run up the score, but it needs to be done on a case by case basis.

So now lets say a team has a good first half, puts up 38 points on a couple of good scoring drives and then picking up some turnovers. Second half they get the ball and the JV return team runs one back for a TD. Now, all those backups that the CIAC are so concerned about (hence no running clock) have to be told that you either have not play defense and let them score or take a knee on offense the rest of the game. Opps, by some fluke you score again, now you have to tell the kick team alright guys, we will kick this ball off and then all of you fall on the ground and lay there so they can run this back and get under 50 again. Yeah, that is some good quality playing time there.

Regarding Connecticut's new rule - I read that the suspension would not be automatic but would be subject to review and possible suspension. That's better than an automatic suspension, but not by much.

Hey Walt...I just saw this on another thread. Has your chapter made a suggestion to change this when you submit your suggested rules changes? Our chapter submits this every year.

Bob M might have information on what changes were submitted.

REPLY: Walt, Joe...I really don't know how (if) changes are submitted. I would suspect that offical-requested changes go from the local interpreter to Mascherin, and then into the state. I'm not sure at all how coach or AD requested changes get there.

I'll check it out and let you know.

REPLY: Walt, Joe...here's what I found out: All requested changes to the Fed are through the member state associations (e.g. the NJSIAA). They would be brought to the Fed via our NJ Federation Rules Committe member (up until this season--Jim Loper). Requests from officials were channeled to Loper through our state interpreter--Tony Mascherin. Requests from coaches and ADs were channeled to Loper through something called the NJ Football Committee (??).

I think a running clock is a better solution.

Thanks, Bob. You are a fountain of information.

Running clock is the way to go !
I just wish they'd make it mandatory here
for the entire 2nd half.
Also-the coaches should know better than to put
in a 1st team defense to preserve a shutout win !!
That's the thing that bugs me most.

Running clock would be the way to go. In our 8 man conferences if it hits 45 at or after halftime then the game is over. I would like to see it all become running clock automatically, no choice on the part of either coach.

Why is being better than your opponent "unsportsmanlike"? If they really were worried about the losing team they should allow the losing coach to end the game at any point. Guess how many would do it.....NONE. This is the most ridiculous rule I have ever heard.

Come on now. You know that there are a bunch of feel good, don't hurt anyones feelings, let's give everyone a trophy at the end of the year administrators out there that will see this and think it is just great and start pushing it for their districts are well.

Why stop at football though? Hey basketball coach, you won by more than 35 points tonight. You are suspended, teach those kids how to miss some shots. Hey wrestling coach, your team is pinning too many opponents. You're suspended till you can teach those guys how to just win by one or two points. Hey hockey coach, you need to teach your goalie how to let a few more pucks get by him and into the net so you aren't beating teams by six goals again. Your suspended.