When to pull starters late in the season

[hamspear]

what is considered proper etiquette? In early season , protocol in a 35 point running clock game at Sherando is to pull starters usually during the first or second series of the 3rd quarter. Now late in the season, pulling starters just over halfway through the game just doesn’t seem beneficial to me for being prepared for playoff football in the next three weeks. Is it ok to leave your starters in the game till later in the fourth no matter the score? Or even let them play the whole game with a running clock? Or is it frowned upon. Just looking for opinions.

 

[Chucksteel72]

I think it depends on how deep your team may be, coupled with how good the other team may actually be. If the other team has a certain style you need continued improvement against, I say leave them in a little longer. Lots of variables could go in to this I'm sure. Just my two cents.

 

[Shruikan]

I think it's situational. There's a fine line between running up the score and keeping the starters in for experience and conditioning purposes (practice isn't an adequate substitute in all cases, imo). Many teams on the losing end of a lopsided game don't help themselves by throwing passes on all three downs, as that just gives the ball back to the opposition quicker.

Coaches shouldn't have to tell players not to score. From the standpoint of a competitor, I can't imagine I'd feel better about myself if my opponent had to resort to kneeling at the 1 yard line compared to just running it in. Lopsided games aren't fun for anyone.

 

[1MoreHokie]

I feel like there's a good overlap of people who'd complain about RUTS and people who complain about participation trophies (side note: their generation invented them) and you laugh at both of them.

If your team can't stop being scored on, talk to YOUR coach and tell him to work harder. That's a YOU problem not a ME problem. Any coach who complains about it shouldn't be a coach. Go take up sandlot where rules will protect you. The running clock is enough as it is, we shouldn't need unwritten rules about pulling starters. The kids on the other team worked as hard or harder than your kids, they shouldn't be penalized for it.

Sack up.

 

[cb2018]

I think it’s a balance of sorts. I certainly don’t believe in running up the score, but I also don’t believe in the 2nd or 3rd team “laying down”. In any case, if the game is basically over, no way starters should be playing in the 4th quarter. Especially for a playoff bound team late in the season.

 

[1MoreHokie]

I think it’s a balance of sorts. I certainly don’t believe in running up the score, but I also don’t believe in the 2nd or 3rd team “laying down”. In any case, if the game is basically over, no way starters should be playing in the 4th quarter. Especially for a playoff bound team late in the season.

It's the injury thing for me, doubly so when we're talking about kids with a financial investment in their play. I'm not intrinsically saying they're worth more than kids whose careers will end in HS but the reality is someone like Cole Beck has a minimum investment of 50-60 grand or so (whatever 4 or 5 years in-state at VT is these days) in this sport. Are you going to pay his tuition if you keep him in a game up 35 and he shreds an ACL and every college says no thanks? And sure sometimes a school/coach is kind and let you do the greenshirt thing (Beamer did this a few times) but every Friday in this country kids have serious injuries and schools come along and pull scholarships so it's a very real thing to them.

A coach, especially one who will make less coaching the sport each year than one player will earn for a single year's scholarship to any FCS/FBS school, shouldn't be out there trying to stroke his ego or prove a point with kids who have a future in the sport.

Score all the points you want, don't mess with people's futures.

 

[racindan4u]

its high school football why are we injecting the financial aspect into this topic. I mean if a kid is that good why play him at all then and just wait till hes out of hs and into college or maybe better yet just don't play till hes out of college.

 

[racindan4u]

oh I forgot....and this is a decision made by the coach so let them make it.

 

[1MoreHokie]

its high school football why are we injecting the financial aspect into this topic. I mean if a kid is that good why play him at all then and just wait till hes out of hs and into college or maybe better yet just don't play till hes out of college.

Because they're high school coaches not collegiate or pro coaches and get this: not all coaches are made equal which means some of them make stupid mistakes and overplay kids because once they leave they're no longer responsible for them.

Like it or not, some kids are better than others and have a real future in the sport and they should absolutely be taken care of in cases like this because at that point you are jerking around with someone's livelihood. Trying to slippery slope this won't work either no matter how hard you try. If a kid gets hurt on the 3rd play of the game that's a freak accident. If a kid gets hurt because you made him run the ball 35 times in a game or had him in the game with 3 minutes left up (or down) by 28 that's your fault as a coach.

Also, responding to yourself to make a witty retort only works if you're actually funny.

e: and regardless, I don't want any kid getting hurt late because their coach was too stupid to pull them. I don't want someone with a bum leg at 50 because some jerkoff couldn't do his job right.

 

[cb2018]

its high school football why are we injecting the financial aspect into this topic. I mean if a kid is that good why play him at all then and just wait till hes out of hs and into college or maybe better yet just don't play till hes out of college.

Are you really serious? This is not about the unknown future of any HS football player, the OP’s question was about etiquette of the game at the HS level. If we’re talking college or pro, entirely different ball game.

 

[hamspear]

Are you really serious? This is not about the unknown future of any HS football player, the OP’s question was about etiquette of the game at the HS level. If we’re talking college or pro, entirely different ball game.

I’m not feeling the financial aspect, there are NO special players on a high school team. Players who are treated special usually end up being Not special. It’s just about team ethics , should teams call off the dogs? Or at this time of year lay the wood.

 

[Rev_Real]

Lay the wood hammy, this isn't Rec ball, if you can't stop the other team then it's on you, I'm sure the play calling is different, for instance, if you can't stop 33 dive or 34 lead then keep running it. IMO conditioning is key this time of year, let em go

 

[86CulpGrad]

Just let the coach of the other team know up front....hey I need to prepare my players for 4 qtrs.

 

[FoxesPride]

I think EV should pull all of their starters before the game starts vs KG in Week 11!

 

[racindan4u]

Are you really serious? This is not about the unknown future of any HS football player, the OP’s question was about etiquette of the game at the HS level. If we’re talking college or pro, entirely different ball game.

no I'm not kidding its not at the financial its about the coaches ability to do his job and do it rite. he was hired for his coaching experience so if he cant make the rite decision then he shouldn't be coaching.

 

[racindan4u]

Because they're high school coaches not collegiate or pro coaches and get this: not all coaches are made equal which means some of them make stupid mistakes and overplay kids because once they leave they're no longer responsible for them.

Like it or not, some kids are better than others and have a real future in the sport and they should absolutely be taken care of in cases like this because at that point you are jerking around with someone's livelihood. Trying to slippery slope this won't work either no matter how hard you try. If a kid gets hurt on the 3rd play of the game that's a freak accident. If a kid gets hurt because you made him run the ball 35 times in a game or had him in the game with 3 minutes left up (or down) by 28 that's your fault as a coach.

Also, responding to yourself to make a witty retort only works if you're actually funny.

e: and regardless, I don't want any kid getting hurt late because their coach was too stupid to pull them. I don't want someone with a bum leg at 50 because some jerkoff couldn't do his job right.

I wasn't trying to be funny. its the truth if your just worried about money then don't play. I am insulted that you think I want to see anyone get hurt and if the guy is a jerkoff then he shouldn't be coaching. in case you didn't know it these same players can be hurt in the first play of the game. don't be so butt hurt.

 

[86CulpGrad]

I think EV should pull all of their starters before the game starts vs KG in Week 11!

I don't know...if I'm a KG player, I would rather get beat by the starters then by the 2nd string

 

[1MoreHokie]

I wasn't trying to be funny. its the truth if your just worried about money then don't play. I am insulted that you think I want to see anyone get hurt and if the guy is a jerkoff then he shouldn't be coaching. in case you didn't know it these same players can be hurt in the first play of the game. don't be so butt hurt.

You're too young or too old to be trying this hard.

also lol using "butt hurt" in 2017. 2014 called and wanted their meme back. next you're going to say "salty". do you guys all get your memes from Facebook or what?

 

[hamspear]

The answer I am getting is that there is no clear answer , and it is different throughout the state. Some say play them as long as you want, some say let up after the 35 point clock is rolling. It’s a tough decision, especially if you are a pass team trying to work on a run game, or vice versa. Etc.. and you don’t want to look like you are just trying to run up the score. One thing for sure is that for the most part in VA is that coaches typically try to show class without hurting any other teams feelings from what I have seen.

 

[racindan4u]

You're too young or too old to be trying this hard.

also lol using "butt hurt" in 2017. 2014 called and wanted their meme back. next you're going to say "salty". do you guys all get your memes from Facebook or what?

play with your memes if you want don't be so trendy. I'm 56 if you have to know but you cant win this I made a valid point if you don't like it don't answer it.

 

[cb2018]

The answer I am getting is that there is no clear answer , and it is different throughout the state. Some say play them as long as you want, some say let up after the 35 point clock is rolling. It’s a tough decision, especially if you are a pass team trying to work on a run game, or vice versa. Etc.. and you don’t want to look like you are just trying to run up the score. One thing for sure is that for the most part in VA is that coaches typically try to show class without hurting any other teams feelings from what I have seen.

Most coachs do, but I’ve seen situations that maybe they don’t. If a team continues to run their Offense or Defense with 2nd or 3rd team guys, no problem. Anything else, I have an issue with.

 

[cb2018]

no I'm not kidding its not at the financial its about the coaches ability to do his job and do it rite. he was hired for his coaching experience so if he cant make the rite decision then he shouldn't be coaching.

They’re HS coaches. For all you know, they could’ve been coaching flag football the year before. We’re talking about etiquette. There’s a fine line between getting your team’s starters experience and running up a score for a coach’s own ego.