Mercy Rule
 

Ohio says no running clock so would you as an official invoke the emergency rule if one team is just getting the hell beat out of them???

Personally I would like to see a 'run rule' in football, up 40 points in second half, GAME OVER.

Just too much bad happens in most blowouts and it ends up being a JV game anyways.

http://www.ahsaa.org/public/docs/Foo...rcy%20Rule.pdf


Note: The use of this rule does not preclude the use of NFHS Rule 3-1-3, which
reads: “A period or periods may be shortened in any emergency by agreement of
the opposing coaches and referee. By mutual agreement of the opposing coaches
and the referee, any remaining periods may be shortened at any time or the game
terminated.”

Both HC would need to agree to a running clock which is what we have to do in NC as we have no "mercy rule". The problem is we are told not to broach the subject with the losing coach but wait for him to ask for it. Some never ask- either to "teach their kids" or they simply just don't think to do it.

Short of that, a crew can wait for the referee to come to the dead ball spot to analyze if the LTG has been reached before stopping the clock and forward progress in bounds becomes much more prevalent.

I wish we would impose a set rule here but there has been no movement that I've heard of.

No running clock here either. I have had the losing coach ask to shorten the time in the remaining periods, which is usually (but not always) agreed to by the winning coach.

I always remind my crew to work as hard in blowouts as in a tie game, since things can get out of hand quickly. And, my ECO will be watching only me for start/stop on 1st downs, as I'll give the signals back-to-back.

Since both teams will likely be running the ball, we can get these over with in reasonably quick order.

My question is this, is getting blown out an emergency? What kind of emergency was this rule written to cover? Maybe darkness on a field with no lights???

I can't think of any other EMERGENCY that might warrant shortening a game and not just ending it abruptly or postponing it.

We have the mercy rule in PA and it's a great rule. I had a game week 2 that ended up 84-12. We had running clock in second half and both coaches agreed to cut the 4th quarter to 6 mins.

Shortening a game and ending it abruptly are the same thing.

I meant shortening the quarters.

Then I agree with you. I can think of no actual "emergency" that would result in the officials or coaches wanting to just shorten the quarters.

Many states have unofficial mercy rules, especially at subV. In Texas, at Varsity, I've never seen or heard of a game shortened or a running clock instituted (exception for 6-man)... but have been involved in numerous subV games where the clock ran in the 4th quarter or even 2nd half.

In Georgia the mercy rule is as follows:

At the end of the first half of play, if a team is trailing by 30 points or more, the coach of the trailing team may choose to play the second half with a running clock. Quarters would remain at 12 minutes.

If the coach does not exercise the option of the running clock, the third quarter will be played with regulation timing.

If the point differential reaches, or remains, 30 or more points during the third quarter, the clock will still run according to rule for the remainder of the third quarter, but the fourth quarter will have a running clock mandated.

A running clock means the clock will be stopped only: (a) after a score and until the ball is kicked off. (b) during deliberations for penalty administration. (c) during charged timeouts or official's timeouts.

A game that is reduced in time by use of a running clock shall constitute a "completed" game to meet other by-law considerations.


The leading coach has no say so. Personally I don't like the running clock in the third quarter. It really limits the snaps the younger kids get.

We have a 35 point running clock rule in the second half. Works well, I think. Ours runs during penalty administration, unlike Georgia. And we take full advantage of that, when it feels necessary.

Minnesota has a mercy rule at 35 points in the 4th quarter. A few weeks ago we had a game that was 66-6 at half. At halftime, the losing coach asked what we could do to get his team on the bus. Both coaches agreed to a no-stop clock for the entire second half.

Small schools with limited bench players need extra protection in these games when compared to a Twin City school with 90 kids on the sidelines. As a referee, I think my most important duty is to keep the players safe.

Agreed, Rich....don't know about you, but more than half of our games this year here were running clock at some point in the second half.

I may be the minority in this, but I can't envision why every state doesn't have this adopted....even if it's more than the 35 points.

Colorado's mercy rule is a running clock once the differential hits 40 points (45 in 6-man) regardless of when that mark is hit. I've worked a couple of subvarsity games this year where it was still in the 2nd quarter and the winning team got it above 40. Made for a really quick 2nd half. I see both sides to it. It does limit playing time for the kids, but I also know that many of the kids on the short end of the score would rather just be done with it, especially if they are just getting clobbered.

Oh, that's an easy one: if a state doesn't have it, then the coaches voted it down.

It certainly wasn't the officials!

Oh trust me, Georgia doesn't always adhere to it. One game in particular saw one team up 49-0 at half and the losing team was very undisciplined. The middle linebacker led the region in personal fouls and we knew he had one for this game coming. Sure enough before the snap in the 3rd quarter he blitzed in, left his feet and launched himself helmet first into the shoulder of the quarterback. Everyone kept their cool then and he was the only one ejected, but it did get chippy afterward. The game clock kept running the whole time, even as the white hat made the thumb motion. I'm glad it did. That game needed ending fast.