COLUMBUS — This one might have hit coaches like a blind-side blitz.
Ohio high school football will now will have a “mercy rule” in effect. Last week, lost in the midst of passing the competitive balance issue, the Ohio High School Athletic Association Board of Directors approved a mercy rule for the 2014 football sports regulations.
It is permitted as a “state adoption” by National Federation of State High School Associations rules.
According to OHSAA assistant commissioner Jerry Snodgrass, any time there is a 30 or more point differential in the second half, it will result in a running clock. If the team behind gets it under 30, the contest reverts to normal game timing.
Snodgrass, who tweeted the news late last week, explained on Twitter most sports get the option by NFHS rules to adopt “point differential” policy. Ohio chose to do so for football after dialogue between sports administrators, the coaches association and member schools.
The tweet generated a lot of feedback to the OHSAA, which this week plans to address why the new rule was adopted.
Ohio already has mercy rules for baseball and softball but not for basketball. But it does have that option.
“Oh, I think you’ll see it coming as the next thing,” Licking Valley coach Randy Baughman said. “I guess it’s another sign of the times.”
