California overtime
I saw this on Every Day Should be Saturday (which in turn references this article on Slate) and hadn't seen it posted on the board. (I use the blog search function and google. It's probably been posted three times anyway.)
The team that wins the coin toss runs a play starting from the 50. The other team then runs a play from wherever they ended up. Then the first team runs another play from that spot, and so on until each team has run four plays.
So a hypothetical example as I understand it:
Team A from the 50: screen pass for 12 yards to Team B's 38.
Team B: Incomplete pass from their own 38.
Team A: Counter play for 4 yards to Team B's 34.
Team B: Long pass of 23 yard to Team A's 43.
Team A: Sack for a loss of 3 yards to their own 40.
Team B: Short pass of 6 yards to Team A's 34.
Team A: Completed pass of 17 yards to Team B's 49.
Team B: QB run on zone read for 5 yards to Team A's 46. Team B wins based on field position.
It sounds like a turnover will end the game, but it's not clear to me what happens if one team scores (especially on the first play). Would they end the game there? Or would the other team have a chance to run another play from the 50?
What makes this potentially interesting is that it's quicker than the current college system and gives each team a chance unlike the the NFL system. At the same time, deciding the winner on field position is just weird. However, the current college OT system is pretty damn weird.
Every play is critically important, though, and each team gets a reasonably fair chance to win the game.
January 27th, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
Might be one of the worst ideas I've seen on here.
January 27th, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
I don't usually comment but when I do I like to commend commenters who are concise and harsh.
This idea blows.
January 27th, 2019 at 12:31 PM ^
College should move the ball back to the 35. But otherwise keep the existing system.
NFL should play a full quarter, at least in the playoffs.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
It should be a first and goal from the 35. You get one set of downs (barring penalties) to score however you can.
January 27th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
This idea, it is horrible.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
I can't believe this idea was ever used. Four downs has been fundamental to football for over 100 years and the one play and done idea flips it on its head. It is antithetical to the whole concept of a series/ball control offense. Plus, the actual point of football is to score points, not just move the ball, so this OT format changes the basic premise on which all sports are based. In baseball, you win by scoring runs not for having more hits during a game; in hockey you need to score goals not just win Corsi.
I think both the NFL and college overtime (the Kansas rules) are basically fine. They can be tweaked for slight improvements maybe (for college, pushing the start back to the 35 or 50 or adding a time clock to put additional pressure on the offensive team; for the NFL I would prefer a full period be played instead of the modified sudden-death format). But all these wild overtime fix ideas are generally causing more problems than they are solving.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
Horrible idea for a few reasons.
1. The networks would have a commercial after every play.
2. Do penalties count as a play?
3. What if I punt on my play and pin you on the 5 yard line?
January 27th, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
Great point on punting.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:18 PM ^
California Overtime sounds like the name for a marijuana strain.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
Here's my favorite overtime proposal:
- Kick off, and 10 minute period like the NFL.
- If the first team to get the ball doesn't score, or kicks a field goal, follow current NFL rules.
- If the first team to get the ball scores a touchdown, the second team gets one possession.
- If the second team to score, also scores a touchdown, they HAVE TO go for two.
- If it's still tied after that (which would be uncommon), next score wins.
It's built on the theory that you want to find the fairest and quickest way to end a game in overtime, while still being exciting and feeling like regular football. I think in NFL games where the first team to have the ball doesn't score, NFL overtime is perfect. But when the first team to have the ball scores a touchdown, it is very anticlimactic. These rules aim to resolve that issue.
January 27th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
I don’t like it. This system seems to put the defense at a significant disadvantage.
A huge part of football strategy is down and distance. It dictates what plays and offense will use in order to earn a first down and it informs the defense on what coverage to run in order to force a change of possession. You completely lose that by alternating plays by each offense based on field position. I think that screws more with the defense because there’s no longer a down and distance influencing your coverage. It’s also much easier to put up a 10 yard gain on offense vs. a 10 yard sack or TFL. If one team hits for a big chunk play on offense, it automatically puts the other team “on tilt” and pressures them to make a big play just to try to even things back up.
You also lose any rhythm and flow a team can gain from play to play.
It just does not resemble the game of football that was just played for 60 minutes and I wouldn’t want the outcome of a tie game to come down to who is better at a completely different game.
January 27th, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
Personally, I'd just have ties during the regular season.
During the postseason, I'd play as during regulation, but the first team that manages to have both a lead and possession simultaneously wins.
January 27th, 2019 at 4:24 PM ^
This, 100% this. Everyone's trying to come up with the perfect format for overtime that matches regular football. Nothing will unless you replay the game. Just the let the tie stand. It worked for nearly 125 years in college football and 50 years in the NFL.
I get that you don't have a choice in the NFL playoffs, college conference championship games, and the CFP. The NFL method while flawed is probably the best of a bad lot.
January 27th, 2019 at 2:14 PM ^
It's not a crazy system by any means, but the 35 yard line start for college seems like a good compromise, plus the requirement that after the first two overtimes it's TDs or nothing.
January 27th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
No. Win by scoring or go home. This is a participation trophy method.
January 27th, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^
January 27th, 2019 at 3:35 PM ^
This sounds horrible and time consuming. Having to run your offense and defense on and off every single play? That’s just ridiculous
January 27th, 2019 at 3:41 PM ^
Start at opposition 20yd line.
January 27th, 2019 at 4:01 PM ^
Nah. Just amend the current OT so each team is guaranteed at least one possession. If the first team scores a TD, make the other team have to go for two if they score or just play until the second score.
January 27th, 2019 at 4:23 PM ^
Pretty much the most idiotic concept to date.
January 27th, 2019 at 5:11 PM ^
QB's shoot Free Throws to win.
January 27th, 2019 at 7:29 PM ^
Get rid of the coin toss, but bring in a competition element to who gets first possession.
The ball should be dropped from a drone at midfield, and the team's fight for it. If possible, it should be dropped like the puck in a bubble-hockey game.
Whoever gets the ball gets first possession. Then proceed as normal. Both teams had their chance, both in regulation and at the ball drop/scramble.