Football 'Mercy' Rule Draws Praise

Last week, the CIF-Southern Section, the governing body for high school sports in Southern California, announced a major football rule change for 2011, and a new postseason format for 2012. 

The CIF state board approved a “mercy rule” for all California high schools, effective this coming season. The rule basically states that once a team is ahead by 35 points in the 4th quarter, the game clock won’t stop except on very limited occasions (scoring plays, team time-outs and official time-outs). The clock would keep moving in other situations that normally would have stopped it (out of bounds plays, first downs, incomplete passes, etc.).

The rule will also apply if the 35-point margin is reached earlier in the game, with consent of both coaches and the referee. 

The addition of this rule brings California in line with similar rules nationwide.

head football coach Pat Blackburn likes the change. 

“I think the mercy rule is a good thing for the most part,” he told patch.com. “It prevents coaches from running up ridiculous scores and will probably prevent a few injuries also.”  

One downside, according to Blackburn, is that coaches will have less opportunity to give bench players game experience, as you often see the second and third string players replacing starters once a game is safely decided.

The CIF also announced the addition of a “regional championship” game for 2012, two weeks after the CIF-Southern Section Championships.

After the four section playoffs (Southern, Central, LA City, San Diego) are done, two of those winners will be chosen by CIF commissioners to play each other in a "SoCal Final." The winner of that game will play a Northern California team for a "State Championship" a week later. This format applies across all five enrollment divisions.