Just looking for people's opinion on when to pull starters from a game. Here's the scenario: Teams are playing for 2nd place in their district in the final week of the regular season, next week is the first round of the playoffs. Winner is 2nd, loser 3rd in district. Neither means much, but winner wraps up home game for 1st round of playoffs. Team A is winning handily 34-6 with under 3:00 minutes to play in the 4th quarter and has the ball at midfield with first down. (Team A also squandered three other scoring opportunities with first and goal at the five yard line all three times, so score could have been worse.) Team B (losing team) is a methodical run heavy team with an unsuccessful passing game. Team A's running back is only 165 lbs. and has carried the ball approximately 30 times for over 300 yards up to this point. He is also the kicker, kick returner, punt returner, on punt team and an active linebacker on defense. Played every single snap of the game. None of the 6 timeouts were used by Team A. That running back carried the ball 6 of the last 8 plays of the game, down to the final tick of the clock. Each time getting up from underneath the bottom of the pile a little slower each time, visibly limping back to the huddle. Team B front four that he's running into and lying underneath averages over 250 lbs (two players in the middle over 290). Running back loves the sport, works extremely hard in practice and in the off season to make himself and the team better, plays hard every down (motor never stops) and enjoys his role on team. JV doesn't play a snap. As a coach, would you question this players toughness and when would you pull your starters and or that running back for fear of unnecessary injury going into playoff week or anytime for that matter, or do you do what occurred? Just curious of others opinions.
Opinion on when to pull starters from a game?
- Thread starter Loatsey
- Start date
Good to hear you wouldn't question the kids toughness, but you would play your starters (your team, the team that was leading) until the very last second, if you were up by 4 TD's that late in the game, with playoffs coming up the next week and your starting running back visibly exhausted? Surprising. What would be your reasoning if you don't mind me asking?
It is a tricky situation. Especially down the stretch you need your starters to stay sharp and be ready for playoffs, and if they're standing on the sidelines not getting playing time you worry they might not be ready, but you sure don't want them hurt either. Especially a player who fills so many roles like you described. Closer game, different story, but if I was the coach with 3 minutes left and the game seemingly in hand with playoffs ahead, that kid for sure would be on the sideline. If things start to go south you could bring him back in. Unless the JV were totally unreliable I'd pull as many starters as possible.
Possibly keep your varsity defense in and sub out your varsity offense if you don't feel comfortable. Got to keep building the next teams or you will for have some roller coaster seasons.
What class we talking about? How good is the backup? What year is the backup? Whats the weather conditions? When was the last time the backup played? There is a hundred other variables to consider that I can't answer. The coach has the best interest of his team in mind. JV kids come in when the clock starts running at 35 points for me but every situation is different. Sounds like you didn't like the coach's decision.
Class D2. The backup is a junior, same grade as the starter. The backup plays special teams and is first sub on defense for several positions. Speedy player, same size as starter, plays in every game on defense well before JV ever comes in (basically a part time starter on defense). Weather was dry at the time. Not that many variables to consider really. So taking an unnecessary chance with an injury to your starter, that is obviously a really important player on your team in a game that there is no way for the other team to come back and win is in the best interest of the team for you? Don't you believe in valuable playing time for your second team players, in order to make them better for the next years squad? And no I didn't like it. One of the coaches yelled out to the field, "Tough football players finish the game." Go back and read what that player all did if you don't remember and then see if you agree. Again, running back was visibly slower getting up and limping back to the huddle. Doesn't the safety of the individual player affect your decision that late in the game with an insurmountable lead?
I would some some of the starters out. It just depends on the situation. You have to keep your starters fresh, and it's important for the young guys to play.
When it's 34-6 with three minutes left, I would have pulled the starters probably. Especially offensive starters. But I've always been a "if you want us to stop scoring, play better defense." Kind of guy.
It really depends on the opponent, if they are visibly worse than you, obviously sub. But if it's a team that just quits on their coaches and has the talent, I would keep pounding them.
When it's 34-6 with three minutes left, I would have pulled the starters probably. Especially offensive starters. But I've always been a "if you want us to stop scoring, play better defense." Kind of guy.
It really depends on the opponent, if they are visibly worse than you, obviously sub. But if it's a team that just quits on their coaches and has the talent, I would keep pounding them.
So this is not construed by the wrong person, this is only directed towards highschoolfootballnut. Sure hope you're not a football coach, because you sound like you wouldn't care for a single player on your team and you would purposefully risk injury to one of your players or even your own son to get another win or just another yard, without regard to one of your players' health or future well being after football. I've had one son tear his ACL and meniscus in college football and to watch their talent, dreams and years of hard work be taken away in one play sucks! I also have a best friend that was paralyzed for life in a wrestling accident. Think about your life contained to a wheel chair forever! Those things are real life! Another win or first down doesn't mean squat! This is coming from a MAN that played football and still has a strong passion for all sports, has one kid in college football and will likey have a second one also and I loved a guy like Bo Pelini's fiery style (that's the way I am) and hated it when they got rid of him, that's the kind of man I am, but you have to be intelligent when it comes to one of your players' health, bottom line! 95% of high school kids would not play for you for very long, once they realized that you didn't care about them. If they know you truthfully care for them as a person, they'll run through a brick wall for you, without you even having to ask. If you don't believe me, just ask the greatest college football coach of all time about that. T.O.
In a game with no running clock, you want a coach to pull the RB if the other team is bigger and the RB is under 170 lbs because those are what you call the uncalled risk to players and that coach is jeopardizing that RBs future. I just want to make sure that I have this all correct, does that sound correct to you If so does he put in the JV RB that may be smaller and risk is future or does he put in all the freshmen and/or Jv against the other teams varsity and risk all of the players future or does he just pull the ones you feel are important and hell with the others Whats the call ?????????????????????? Sideline Hero
Also what if there is 4 minutes left, or just at 3 minutes, I would write all the rules down and take them to the Coach and make sure he follows them in order for that player to be on that team LOL
Teams are playing for 2nd place in their district in the final week of the regular season, next week is the first round of the playoffs. Winner is 2nd, loser 3rd in district. Neither means much, but winner wraps up home game for 1st round of playoffs.
Oh yeah that game didnt mean much, just a first round home game in the NSAA State playoffs and better seed by probably 5 to 8 seeds and a much easier and more winnable first round game BUT other than that not much
Oh yeah that game didnt mean much, just a first round home game in the NSAA State playoffs and better seed by probably 5 to 8 seeds and a much easier and more winnable first round game BUT other than that not much
High School Football: Gridiron football played by high school teams in the United States and Canada also by American High school teams in Europe. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both countries.
Nut: A slang term for a crazy or eccentric person or a fan of someone or something.
Example: A nut is a person who yells at the top of their lungs for no reason in public places.
Nut: A slang term for a crazy or eccentric person or a fan of someone or something.
Example: A nut is a person who yells at the top of their lungs for no reason in public places.
Loatsey...I played against your son this year and your other son last year and I think they are fantastic athletes and damn good football players. I can understand your frustration as I too have had to carry it 30 plus times in order to "finish" a game. I know he's at a high risk of injury as each carry goes up. It's a tough situation. Hope to see the situation handled better next time.
Or let's say you are a school who is up 66-0 and you keep your starters in, to "preserve a shut out" and then get mad for the team who is losing calling a time out to put one in the end zone? Some things never change Creighton!
Honestly, on any given Friday night... you can go to a high school football game and see some coach "running it up" on the other team. Check the box scores! But it only makes that head coach look like an ass... but it happens. I've seen it happen dozens of times. One of the worst was when a team still had their starters in with 3 minutes to play- up by 60. But that's the way it goes. The only recourse I can see is when that coach's own school (or players' parents) do something about it. Yeah, it's a risk to those starters (especially if there is an equally unscrupulous coach on the other sideline, who "encourages" his players to hurt the players of the team running it up)- but that's the discretion of the coach (who should be held accountable for whatever decisions he makes).
Running it up or leaving starters in up by 50 is not good but yes does happen sadly BUt up by by 28 is not that case
Thats all im saying. 28 points is nothing. Original poster has already made his mind up; not looking for opinion outside of his own (which is fine). There is no "sense of decency" up 28 points. Every program, class (A,B,C1,C2), team is different. Go talk to the coach if you're that upset about his decision.
Closer game, more time, probably not. But you'd really have to lay down pretty bad to let the other team score 28 points in 3 minutes. I'm saying that going into playoffs, if I had a kid that was my main RB, kicker, kick returner etc and the chance of the other team making some miraculous comeback was pretty slim, I'd pull the kid. Yes there's a chance the reserves could get hurt too but when isn't there? You have to be strategic going into playoffs. You lose your best player you might be one and done.
Schmaderer, good to hear from you. The boys say the same about you. Good, tough talented player that is also a great sport and respected opponent. Good Luck the rest of the year and in the playoffs! Well put on the risk of injury going up with each carry as you get more exhausted and wore down. The starters realize and accept the risk from the beginning of the game on and the reserves accept and realize the risk of going in at the end of the game possibly against the other team's varsity, which is usually the case, but they have fresh legs where the starter may be about done. The other thing that some of the other posters are overlooking is the fact that the starting running back was getting up slower each time and visibly limping back to the huddle.
I think many teams would agree with you on this point at one time or another.
Yes i was looking for opinions, as long as they were just that, opinions. So I appreciate yours even though you didn't totally agree with me, at least it was an opinion and not some smart mouth wise crack from others that didn't read the scenario. Thanks for being being mindful. Enjoy your realistic banter.
Not sure what game you were watching but Creighton had JV team in the 2nd Qt and they played the whole 2nd half scoring 3 times. Hartington left their starters in and chose to use all three timeouts to score on Creighton's JV team.
Fearameer. Willing to bet you were not even at the Hartington game vs. Creighton. If you were you would have seen Creighton had all of their JV in the game by the second quarter. Their Varsity was all standing on the sideline helmets in hand cheering as the JV proceeded to beat Hartington's varsity in the second half. Hartington chose to use all three timeouts down 66-0 in the final minute so that their varsity could score on Creighton's JV. Would have been a good time to get Hartington JV good quality playing time like Creighton's JV got going into next year.
Its sad that a program with class and quality is being beat down because their JV plays at a high quality and choose to play full speed at the best of their ability when given the opportunity.
Its sad that a program with class and quality is being beat down because their JV plays at a high quality and choose to play full speed at the best of their ability when given the opportunity.
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