Time to get rid of running clock???

[westcoastlax]

Something to think about: Running clock reduces playing time for backups. It is nice to be on a winning team, but it is also fun to play.

Coaches are too slow to put in backups on games with running a clock. Some coaches wait to be up 15 before subbing on defense. Defensive backups on a good team rarely ever get meaningful playing time. Nothing is worse than being a defensive middie who runs off the field to stand on the sidelines during running clock.

Many games in D3 are miss matches. Rather than taking an opportunity to play backups early in a game that will end with a running clock, starters stay in the game to pad their stats for conference, region, and all-American honors. Should an American ever be playing in the fourth quarter with a running clock?

Has anyone ever watched a team return from running clock to lose by 5?

Perhaps an unwritten coaching rule should be to empty the bench and play their backups rather than going to the running clock when they are up 10. This is a better way to control the score. This would be good for team morale and player development.

[Bart]

Something to think about: Running clock reduces playing time for backups. It is nice to be on a winning team, but it is also fun to play.

Coaches are too slow to put in backups on games with running a clock. Some coaches wait to be up 15 before subbing on defense. Defensive backups on a good team rarely ever get meaningful playing time. Nothing is worse than being a defensive middie who runs off the field to stand on the sidelines during running clock.

Many games in D3 are miss matches. Rather than taking an opportunity to play backups early in a game that will end with a running clock, starters stay in the game to pad their stats for conference, region, and all-American honors. Should an American ever be playing in the fourth quarter with a running clock?

Has anyone ever watched a team return from running clock to lose by 5?

Perhaps an unwritten coaching rule should be to empty the bench and play their backups rather than going to the running clock when they are up 10. This is a better way to control the score. This would be good for team morale and player development.

Nope. Can't wee this "unwritten rule" working. I think coaches just will not do it. All it will take is for one coach to keep her/his starters on the field when up by 10 for the entire "unwritten rule" to collapse.

[lax410]

Something to think about: Running clock reduces playing time for backups. It is nice to be on a winning team, but it is also fun to play.

Coaches are too slow to put in backups on games with running a clock. Some coaches wait to be up 15 before subbing on defense. Defensive backups on a good team rarely ever get meaningful playing time. Nothing is worse than being a defensive middie who runs off the field to stand on the sidelines during running clock.

Many games in D3 are miss matches. Rather than taking an opportunity to play backups early in a game that will end with a running clock, starters stay in the game to pad their stats for conference, region, and all-American honors. Should an American ever be playing in the fourth quarter with a running clock?

Has anyone ever watched a team return from running clock to lose by 5?

Perhaps an unwritten coaching rule should be to empty the bench and play their backups rather than going to the running clock when they are up 10. This is a better way to control the score. This would be good for team morale and player development.

I’m with you on the concept. But coaches should already be doing this logically. They don’t. Whether they want to give their starters a chance to pad their stats, or make a point to the backups I’m not sure. But when a team goes to running time in the first quarter and many bench players don’t see time till near the fourth quarter I doubt an unwritten rule will change their current thoughts on how to manage mid-matched games.

[westcoastlax]

At a minimum, they would get more playing time if you got rid of the running clock.

Running clock playing time is about 50% of actual regular game time.

Very sad state of the game not to play backups more in games that are complete mismatches.

[Laxer2121]

Goals can be scored quickly. So you think after 10 goals a coach should get the starters off and clear the bench? I’m sure if the subs blew the lead a lot of people on here a would be saying that coach was an idiot and should be fired.

[laxfan22]

Yea but there’s a difference when say, Ithaca gets a running clock against WS as opposed to many (most?) running clock games where the talent level is obvious from the get go. I don’t really have an opinion on the issue, not sure there is a right or wrong.

[westcoastlax]

On good teams, the backups are pretty good as well. Sometimes, they are better than the starters and are waiting their turn to play. They certainly would start on almost any team they are playing against.

When good teams consistently win by running the clock and give up less than seven goals a game, you would think you could find more playing time up the backup defenders. I do not think there is a significant drop-off in the backups on most good teams.

What is the closest final score you have seen in a game that went to the running clock? Have you seen it get less than seven more than a handful of times?