Running up the score

[jaguarfan]

Recently I have heard lots of mention about teams running up the score. I was recently approached by someone from another town and asked me why Huntingdon keeps running up the score. All I could say was that you have to keep you starters in for a decent amount of time for conditioning reasons. I just wanted to see what everyone else thought about the theory behind "running up the score"

[HotSauce11]

i don't think there is any such thing as "running up the score"! this is football. it is often referred to as war and in war you don't wanna let up on your opponent cuz that is when you are at your weakest. also the game of football is about scoring. what does it really matter if the team that beats you, beats you by 40 or 4 pts? either way you lost. it is not the offenses fault that the defense can't stop them. maybe the opposing team should work on defense a lil more. also kids in football are told they have to have the "killer instinct" to win the big games! well if you want your team to have killer instinct in the big games they have to have it or learn to have it in the games that precede the "big games"! i think the "running up of the score" issue should be left to the mom's of the players to discuss while they are taking a group trip to the bathroom.

[Idunk2]

Throwing in the foruth quarter up 21 points or more.

[addictedtosports.com]

Up by 21 points in the 4th quarter and calling timeout to set up a play to score.

[frednietzsche]

I have no problems with teams running up the score. To those spineless, yellow-livered whiners who do, I say get better. If you are tired of getting beat 70-0, get better. If you are tired of going 1-9, get better. It's no accident, not a quirk of karma, not any metaphysical phenomenon that has made teams like Huntingdon, Martin-Westview, Milan, Union City, McKenzie, Bruceton, Dyersburg, Goodpasture, Maryville, et. al. good either presently or recently. These teams are good because they have hard working kids, quality coaches, good administrative support, a superb following and, except for McKenzie's case, good media coverage. Leaving starters in at the end of a runaway game raises only one significant concern for me: injuries. If Huntingdon wants to run up the score, I stand on my chair and applaud. If Milan wants to streamroll some hapless rent-a-win, so be it. Get better. Sure, some teams have a few athletes sprinkled into programs, which only enhances their success. But hard work, a good plan and good support from administration and coaches are paramount.

Edited October 7, 2003 by coacht

[jabbo]

I don't think there is a simple answer. There are actually two questions to be answered...what's the definition of "running up the score", and is running up the score ever okay?

 

The definition - putting as many points on the board as you can until the game ends. This is exactly what any coach should do, within reason. Keeping your starters in after you're up by 30 is asking for injuries, especially in the fourth quarter. HOWEVER - I think that the losing coach should pull his starters first. Now, suppose you have your second or third team offense in - is it okay to pass? Absolutely, at least until you've put 2 or 3 unanswered touchdowns on the board. Sometimes the losing coach makes it easy to run the score up on him - in a game last week with less than 2 minutes left and down 34 points, the losing team goes for it on 4th and long in their territory - they don't make it - it's hard to tell your offense not to score when they're given the ball deep inside the opponents territory.

 

Is running up the score ever okay? There are teams that deserve it, but it just ain't gentlemanly to do that. It's just a good way to get some kids hurt.

[baddawg]

About running up the score, Last Friday night between Milan and Trenton it was 42-0 at halftime. In the third quarter Milan's 1st "O" took the ball and drove to within the ten yard line. At that point Coach Jeff Morris put in the 2nd "O". Seems to me that this was a "class act" by a "class coach." Milan's 1st "O" did not return to the field until Trenton had scored 28 pts. on Milan's 2nd and 3rd team defense with their 1st team "O".

Milan could very well have kept the 1st "O" in and run up the score and left the 1st defense in to prevent a shutout. However, when you have class you win with dignity and not purposely try to annihilate your opponent.

As a side note, Rod Smith, Co-player of the week in 2A, had most of his yards in just one half of the ballgame and one series in the second. GO DAWGS!

[formerQB]

I personally think Bruceton does the right thing when the game is out of hand. They filter players in slowly once thier up by 33 points. Before long, the 2nd string is totally in while the starters help control the game to that point. Then slowly the freshman get filtered in until the freshman team is totally in.

 

I dont like the idea that the opposing team that is getting crushed pull thier starters first. Would that not be called "quiting" or "giving up on your players?"

 

Many different opinions on this, the only one I think is wrong is the teams throwing late, kicking onsides, and calling time outs when there the game is totally out of hand.

 

I think the all time worst was when then head coach Buddy Ryan was at the Eagles, took a knee against the Cowboys while up two-three touchdowns, then faked taking a knee and threw a deep touchdown pass with no time on the clock because of dislike for the other team.

Edited October 7, 2003 by formerQB

[Bushrat]

running up the score defined: THE GAME OF THE CENTURY 10/7/1916

Georgia Tech-222

Cumberland-0

In today's TENNESSEAN

[ChrisBurr555555]

HOW ABOUT THIS!

 

1813 OHAU BOWL

OHIO STATE-255

UTAH-0

[jabbo]

I dont like the idea that the opposing team that is getting crushed pull thier starters first. Would that not be called "quiting" or "giving up on your players?"

 

OK, I'll take that back. How about if you pull your starters and the losing team doesn't, then if they gain on you you put your starters back in and wait until he pulls his?

[formerQB]

Those scores are insane!! How long did games last then?