Running clock, boy was it ever!
 

The game I just left was a wild one indeed. GHSA. Home team lost seven games since 2000, visitors won four in the same time period. UGLY. Game was 42-0 at the half.

Here's where it gets interesting. Home team emptied the bench at halftime. Visiting team fumbled on their first drive of the second half. Home team scored on the next drive. Visiting team muffed the deep kickoff. Home team scored on the next drive. Visiting team muffed the deep kickoff again. Home team scored on the next drive. The clock never stopped. Not after the touchdowns, not after penalties. Heck, a linebacker on the visiting team blasted through the line before the ball was snapped and leveled the QB leading to an UC and ejection, and the clock still kept running while the refs deliberated and the yards were marked off! It was probably a good thing as the final score was 63-0 with the winning team never throwing a pass in the whole second half.

Overall a well-officiated game. I was just amazed at the clock never stopping except at the end of the 3rd and 4th quarter. In this case, I was all for it.

if both coaches agree...
 

I officiated for four years. Now I am in my first year coaching at the high school level. If this was a lopsided freshman football game, the officials will run the clock after the half on their own. For Varsity, both coaches would be asked if it was o.k. Obviously the coach on the losing end agreed, or he would have raised a fuss.

Worst I ever saw was 82-0. The winning team only had 1 first down the whole game, that's because the losing team only made 1 tackle.

Touchdowns count statistically as first downs. So they had to have had more than 1.

Really? I've never kept statistics, but that seems strange to me. Acheiving the "line to gain" and being awarded a "1st down" are two completely different things in my mind. One usually follows the other, yes, but not when the line to gain is the goal line.

We had one last Monday night, JV game, where it was 42-0 at the half and probably 35 degrees temp. The winning coach suggested shortening the quarters to 10 min. and the losing coach agreed. Along with the mercy rule, it was a nice quick second half and everyone was happy with that.

In Texas, there is a mercy rule for 6 man football games. Some states play 8 man, but here we play 6 man (80 yard field; 3 on the line; everyone eligible; required exchange before run) in both public and private organizations. After one team is leading by at least 45 after the half, the game is called. My first varsity game this year, we left at halftime. It was 60-something with a couple of minutes left in the first half, and we didn't stop the clock on some first downs late.

I knew we were in for a short game when the first play from scrimmage went about 55 yards untouched for a TD.

In Ohio we are forbidden from running a continuous clock. We are to shorten quarters by agreement of the coaches. Problem is, the ego of the losing coach will usually not let them do it. Running clock would be much more effective.

Ditto for Tennessee. I've only had one varsity game all year decided by less than 10 points, so this would have definitely been nice. Particularly the games that were 42-0 and 52-0 early in the third quarter.

Big Wes...are you still a student at UT or have you moved on yet? Let me know how life in the land of the Big Orange is.

Sorry, I almost forgot the origional post. JH last night, last game of the year, 26-0 at half. We ask losing coach direction for kick. He tells us that the Cardinals and Mets play in 35 minutes and he wants to see the game, so please don't stop the clock....we didn't.

I had a varsity game a few weeks ago where one team was very good and one was very very bad. Before the game both coaches talked to us and as they just wanted to get the game over with out any injuries. The good team had a big game the following week and the bad team was already loaded with injuries. At the half it was 42 - 0. We ran the clock on incomplete passes, when a player clearly ran out of bounds and even after a timeout, it never stopped. At one point the coach asked me if there was anyway we could go faster! I said not unless we stop playing. We did the entire game in 1 hour and 43 minutes. He was very thankful.

In GA the GHSA has mandated that there will be a mercy rule when the game has a 30 point differential. If at the beginning of the 3rd Qtr there is a 30 point difference the HC of the losing team has the option to have a running clock. If at the beginning of the 4th qtr there is a 30 point difference the running clock is mandatory. A running clock is defined as stopping only after a score and starting at the time the ball is kicked, during the administration of penalties, and during timeouts (called or officials). If the score goes below the 30 point separation the running clock rule is still in force. The running clock can only be started at the beginning of a qtr.

I have read many states that use a mercy rule, however NY does not use one.

This is a great rule. It takes the decision out of the coaches in the 4th. Now if GA could stop secong guessing officials at the state level, all would be right with the world.