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We should be having a scrimmage next weekend

mc140

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May 29, 2001
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The IHSA really needs to allow teams to scrimmage someone else the week before the season starts. It would be more beneficial for the vast majority of schools to go against someone else when working on 2 Minute drill, Special Teams, 3rd Down etc then against your backups or Sophomore team.

The scrimmage shouldn't be scored and involve refs. Teams could set up the format any way they wanted. For example, maybe you want to rotate every ten plays, or you want to move the ball until you are stopped. You could take turns working on two minute drill or goal line situations. While you can do those things against yourself, most schools do not fully two platoon at this point and struggle to get a look in practice against backups.
 
I'm in for this. For a long time, i've been against scrimmaging, but then one day it occurred to me, I like the idea that week one involves a team that's ready to go as opposed to making week one mistakes, especially as we face scheduling problems and more parity.
 
I thought I read somewhere that Texas allows inter school scrimmages after 6 days of practice.
 
You know, if scrimmaging an actual opponent, you will be excluding a large number of reserve players from the activities of that public display night, thereby reducing them to spectators even sooner in the season.
 
You know, if scrimmaging an actual opponent, you will be excluding a large number of reserve players from the activities of that public display night, thereby reducing them to spectators even sooner in the season.

You can play everyone. It is scrimmage. There are no scores or records. The best part is you can agree with the other team exactly when to play those kids.
 
The IHSA really needs to allow teams to scrimmage someone else the week before the season starts. It would be more beneficial for the vast majority of schools to go against someone else when working on 2 Minute drill, Special Teams, 3rd Down etc then against your backups or Sophomore team.

The scrimmage shouldn't be scored and involve refs. Teams could set up the format any way they wanted. For example, maybe you want to rotate every ten plays, or you want to move the ball until you are stopped. You could take turns working on two minute drill or goal line situations. While you can do those things against yourself, most schools do not fully two platoon at this point and struggle to get a look in practice against backups.


I say involve the refs as well. This will be a great opportunity for everyone to learn the rules. I agree with taking the scoring element out.
 
You know, if scrimmaging an actual opponent, you will be excluding a large number of reserve players from the activities of that public display night, thereby reducing them to spectators even sooner in the season.

Why would you exclude reserve players? In my opinion, they would play more than the "starters" depending on the length of the scrimmage. Unless you have a bunch of returning starters already, a lot of reserves could actually become starters after this scrimmage.
 
Why would you exclude reserve players? In my opinion, they would play more than the "starters" depending on the length of the scrimmage. Unless you have a bunch of returning starters already, a lot of reserves could actually become starters after this scrimmage.
Well, in my experiences coaching and viewing in-house pre-season scrimmages, the value and involvement of all players on the depth chart is high during this event. As you organize a certain number of snaps or periods of time for segments like #1s vs #2s, #2s vs #3s and so on, the number of kids out on the game field competing publicly would surely exceed what would be seen against another team. Participation is likely to become secondary to performance knowing how most coaches would approach this event.
 
The IHSA really needs to allow teams to scrimmage someone else the week before the season starts. It would be more beneficial for the vast majority of schools to go against someone else when working on 2 Minute drill, Special Teams, 3rd Down etc then against your backups or Sophomore team.

The scrimmage shouldn't be scored and involve refs. Teams could set up the format any way they wanted. For example, maybe you want to rotate every ten plays, or you want to move the ball until you are stopped. You could take turns working on two minute drill or goal line situations. While you can do those things against yourself, most schools do not fully two platoon at this point and struggle to get a look in practice against backups.


In Pennsylvania they have scrimmages 10 plays on O and then 10 Plays on D with the first team . 5 plays on D and 5 on O with the second team. Refs are present. It's over within 1.5 hours.
 
I love the jamboree style of scrimmages we did in VA. 3-4 schools with a controlled number of plays.

That doesn't solve the 2nd, 3rd team issues, but certainly gets the blood flowing and refs ready for the season.
 
I have to wonder what about the injury situation. I would be more for it if it took place in June not August. Look at the NFL how many players get hurt before the games even matter. I would do more of a college style spring game type deal.
 
BigJohn,

While the Scimmage is universal in Pennsylvania this format is not fixed and varies from team to team. It is also possible to have two live scrimmages, this year the weekends of 8/18/2017 and 8/25/2017. The second weekend may also be used to schedule a regular "week zero" game and use that to accommodate a bye week during the 10 week season. Refs are always a part of the scrimmage and all players see plying time even though not mandated. Hope this helps answer the question more thoroughly.

In Pennsylvania they have scrimmages 10 plays on O and then 10 Plays on D with the first team . 5 plays on D and 5 on O with the second team. Refs are present. It's over within 1.5 hours.
 
BigJohn,

While the Scimmage is universal in Pennsylvania this format is not fixed and varies from team to team. It is also possible to have two live scrimmages, this year the weekends of 8/18/2017 and 8/25/2017. The second weekend may also be used to schedule a regular "week zero" game and use that to accommodate a bye week during the 10 week season. Refs are always a part of the scrimmage and all players see plying time even though not mandated. Hope this helps answer the question more thoroughly.


Was at North Hills 1993.
 
The IHSA really needs to allow teams to scrimmage someone else the week before the season starts. It would be more beneficial for the vast majority of schools to go against someone else when working on 2 Minute drill, Special Teams, 3rd Down etc then against your backups or Sophomore team.

The scrimmage shouldn't be scored and involve refs. Teams could set up the format any way they wanted. For example, maybe you want to rotate every ten plays, or you want to move the ball until you are stopped. You could take turns working on two minute drill or goal line situations. While you can do those things against yourself, most schools do not fully two platoon at this point and struggle to get a look in practice against backups.
Most of the states permit that. Use it for looking at all your kids. Controlled scrimmage like OHIO MICH INDIANA WISCOSIN crazy Illinois does not.
 
Nice, WPIAL is a great league/conference. They added the zero week option last year when expanding from 4 classes to 6. Western PA tends to hate the 6 class system and voted against it overwhelmingly, but it still passed. Oddly enough the expansion ended up penalizing a lot of the teams that lobbied for the addition because in many districts there were less qualifiers in the new 4A and 5A divisions and it left them on the outside looking in for post season play last year. Districts for people outside the PA loop are comprised of large geographical areas or populations and do NOT eliminate conferences.

Was at North Hills 1993.
 
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Who goes on the road? I think most teams value having that night at their stadium. DGS used it as "Meet The Team", pep rally, parents signing their forms, first crack at new apparel, first crack at volunteer slots (chain gang, concessions) etc.
 
Who goes on the road? I think most teams value having that night at their stadium. DGS used it as "Meet The Team", pep rally, parents signing their forms, first crack at new apparel, first crack at volunteer slots (chain gang, concessions) etc.
Doesn't have to eliminate the Color and color scrimmage, can just move it up a week.
 
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Doesn't have to eliminate the Color and color scrimmage, can just move it up a week.
Wouldn't that put the "color and color" scrimmage on the 1st Friday, only the 2nd day in pads? That would be rather early, all things considered.
 
Who goes on the road? I think most teams value having that night at their stadium. DGS used it as "Meet The Team", pep rally, parents signing their forms, first crack at new apparel, first crack at volunteer slots (chain gang, concessions) etc.

You could rotate every year. If you feel like a scrimmage is not in the best interest of your program than don't schedule one. It would not be mandatory.
 
Wouldn't that put the "color and color" scrimmage on the 1st Friday, only the 2nd day in pads? That would be rather early, all things considered.
No, the color and color would be on the 11th or 12th or really whenever the coach wants to. With the scrimmage you dont necessarily need the color and color to be a scrimmage. It can truly be the horse and pony show it is.
 
You could rotate every year. If you feel like a scrimmage is not in the best interest of your program than don't schedule one. It would not be mandatory.
I remember that was the big fear heading into that Moeller opener. They had not only played a game but also had a scrimmage before vs another team. So MC was in essence their 3rd game.
 
I think some are missing that a scrimmage game would be optional and not mandatory. For some schools, getting that look during a scrimmage would be very beneficial. I would think in ESL it would be hard to find a team to scrimmage locally which mean traveling to Chicago unless they were allowed to participate in Missouri's Jamborees. That being said, I think having the opportunity would be great. Often time most people get caught up in their own school and not football in this state as a whole. Even though ESL may not benefit, having the options would be good for football in the state of Illinois.
 
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I agree, here in Chicago a neutral site 4 team jamboree with all attendees splitting ticket sales and allowing one tshirt/booster club stand per team would be great. Referees can come in and explain any new rules changes for the season. 15 minutes on offense and a 15 minutes on special teams would last around 2 hours tops.
 
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