Mississippi has a new mercy rule

[yearsoftryin]

Starting this year, the MHSAA has determined that if a team is a head by 35 points at the half or thereafter, there will be a running clock. The coaches are not consulted and they cannot agree to ignore the running clock. The only time the clock would stop is for time outs, injuries, penalty enforcement, and scores.

[pancho]

maybe the refs are good at math then

[Vott]

11 hours ago, yearsoftryin said:

Starting this year, the MHSAA has determined that if a team is a head by 35 points at the half or thereafter, there will be a running clock. The coaches are not consulted and they cannot agree to ignore the running clock. The only time the clock would stop is for time outs, injuries, penalty enforcement, and scores.

thats not a bad rule. Mississippi JUCO has been playing by that rule for quite a few years now. The only downside is when teams maybe playing jv players and trying to get them some playing time. 

[Tiburon]

fine. but why do people increasingly turn to “officials” to lessen the difficulties in life? 

 

i say, play the game and do your best. it wont kill you if you lose badly - but always lying down and giving up control of your own destiny is another kind of death imho.

[Rebel Bert]

It's an effort to stop the coaches from running the score up before halftime. So on a turnover on downs or fumble clock will run. Incomplete pass it will run. Step out of bounds it run. There maybe a ton of fake injuries coming.

[yearsoftryin]

This has nothing to do with "officials". The State determined that when a 35 point difference occurred at or after half time, there will be a running clock.

[Unionman76]

suppers gettin' cold

[Tiburon]

7 hours ago, yearsoftryin said:

This has nothing to do with "officials". The State determined that when a 35 point difference occurred at or after half time, there will be a running clock.

  if it was The State i would have voted. ( see the quotes?)  state officials / getting involved because they know what is best better than the rest of us.

[Tiburon]

1 hour ago, Tiburon said:

  if it was The State i would have voted. ( see the quotes?)  state officials / getting involved because they know what is best better than the rest of us. in this case mhsaa is the one who knows better 

 

[TheAnswer]

MAIS has already had this rule for years.

[s1nglewing]

Most state associations do. Usually if the lead is 35+ after halftime it's a running clock. 

[Tiburon]

yes. usually it is.

[EnterpriseBulldogsFan]

I think Enterprise is going to be in this situation a lot this football season, that is being up by 35 points or more at halftime.

[Rebel Bert]

8 hours ago, EnterpriseBulldogsFan said:

I think Enterprise is going to be in this situation a lot this football season, that is being up by 35 points or more at halftime.

Maybe Preseason! Region and playoffs no way!!

[Tiburon]

maybe they will be willing to sell you "half price" tickets for just the first 2 quarters. (probably why they call it half price anyway)

[Vott]

8 minutes ago, Tiburon said:

maybe they will be willing to sell you "half price" tickets for just the first 2 quarters. (probably why they call it half price anyway)

you may see a lot of the teams who are so much better than their opponent keep it under 35 just so they wont have a running clock.  For example: Team A leads Team B 35-0 at half. Team B scores a td to make it 35-7. Team A scores again but misses the extra point on purpose to keep it at 34pts and not 35. In that scenerio the mercy rule will not be in effect and the coach may or may not want a running clock. 

[s1nglewing]

When I was coaching we just wanted to get a mismatch game over with asap so as to avoid potential for injuries (for both teams)

[Vott]

8 minutes ago, s1nglewing said:

When I was coaching we just wanted to get a mismatch game over with asap so as to avoid potential for injuries (for both teams)

I definitely get that. Its almost a double edged sword. In a mismatch you also want to get some of your jv guys some extensive playing time and with a running clock that just does not happen

[s1nglewing]

17 minutes ago, Vott said:

I definitely get that. Its almost a double edged sword. In a mismatch you also want to get some of your jv guys some extensive playing time and with a running clock that just does not happen

That, I think, would be a smaller enrollment school issue. Larger schools have 9th & JV teams to get developing players reps

[Rebel Bert]

Basketball will be included 

[Mrvoodoo]

Note that once it is a 35 point difference, it doesn’t return to a normal running clock.  Even if the losing team makes it 35-28 with 1 minute to go - still a running clock

[Vott]

9 hours ago, Mrvoodoo said:

Note that once it is a 35 point difference, it doesn’t return to a normal running clock.  Even if the losing team makes it 35-28 with 1 minute to go - still a running clock

not true at all.  If the game is 35-0 midway thru the 3rd qtr and a team scores and makes it 35-7 it will go back to being played with a regular running clock.

[Mrvoodoo]

1 hour ago, Vott said:

not true at all.  If the game is 35-0 midway thru the 3rd qtr and a team scores and makes it 35-7 it will go back to being played with a regular running clock.

Not sure where you got that from.  The meeting I sat in earlier this week, once it hits 35 it runs regardless of not being 35 anymore and the coaches don’t have a choice.

 

when I get the opportunity, I can run down the rule for you.  There are exceptions to when it’ll run ie injury, timeout, etc… but it was definitely stressed that it will run after 35 point differential regardless of what the score changes to

Edited July 22, 2022 by Mrvoodoo

[Vott]

1 hour ago, Mrvoodoo said:

Not sure where you got that from.  The meeting I sat in earlier this week, once it hits 35 it runs regardless of not being 35 anymore and the coaches don’t have a choice.

 

when I get the opportunity, I can run down the rule for you.  There are exceptions to when it’ll run ie injury, timeout, etc… but it was definitely stressed that it will run after 35 point differential regardless of what the score changes to

I have had a conversation with an official who is a white hat. He was talking how it can possibly be if a game fluctuates between 28-35 for an entire half. And the fact that I have held the first down box at JUCO games I know after it gets below 35 the game goes back to a normal clock.

[Mrvoodoo]

52 minutes ago, Vott said:

I have had a conversation with an official who is a white hat. He was talking how it can possibly be if a game fluctuates between 28-35 for an entire half. And the fact that I have held the first down box at JUCO games I know after it gets below 35 the game goes back to a normal clock.

I sat in on an official’s rules clinic and I can tell you they stressed that it doesn’t change back.  When I get back by the office I’ll grab the wording that was given to everyone there and share where it said that.  I apologize for not having it on hand, I left my notebook at the office.  I can’t say what brought it about, nor can I say I like that.  All I can say is it definitely doesn’t change back to normal clock.