How are NJ football coaches voting on changes to overtime procedure? We asked around…

As we first reported Wednesday, the New Jersey Football Coaches Association is asking its membership about a potential change to overtime rules in high school aimed at curbing ties.

NJFCA Commissioner John Jacob told Central Jersey Sports Radio last week the NJSIAA has been exploring the issue, and while the vote is non-binding – it won’t officially adopt a new plan, or reject it – he says the state athletic association is likely to follow whatever the coaches say.

The new OT procedure proposes two changes.

Currently, there’s a maximum of three overtime periods, which each team getting a chance from the 25-yard line, and teams that score a touchdown in the third overtime have to go for a two-point conversion instead of kicking the extra point.

The new rules would start teams from the ten-yard line beginning with the second overtime periods. Teams would still have to go for two starting with the third overtime, but a fourth period would be added.

That would mean the first OT would start from the 25, the remainder would start from the ten, and teams would have to go for two in the third and fourth overtimes. Those rules would continue into the postseason – as they do now – but, as always, playoff games couldn’t end in a tie. Ties would still be possible in regulation.

We surveyed some Big Central coaches, and our initial indications are that the measure could pass. We heard back from eleven coaches, and the tally was 8-3 in favor of the changes.

Spotswood’s Chris Meagher voted against the proposal, saying, “I don’t feel the need to change something that has worked for many years. There are so few ties in the state each year that I don’t think the change is necessary.”

Same for Bernards’ head coach Jon Simoneau. “We work hard on or kicking game,” Simoneau says. “And being able to kick from a further distance is a big help. Starting from the ten kind of takes it out of play.”

But Edison’s Matt Yascko says he voted yes, and also mentioned the kicking game. “In college and the NFL you get to the 20 and you can kick a field goal,” Yascko says. “Not many high school teams have that option.”

While he supports the change, he’d like to see it a little different. “Just go to two-point conversions,” Yascko said. “There shouldn’t be ties anymore. It should be the ball at the 20 and all two-point conversions.”

Somerville’s Matt Bloom also voted for the change. “I felt like it was the right blend of limiting the amount of plays in OT while also reducing the chances of a tie.”

Indeed, a possession starting from the 25-yard line could result in two first downs, and as many as 12 or more plays on a possession. Starting from the ten would essentially cap a possession at four plays, unless there are penalties.

“It also keeps it from becoming a penalty shot type of situation with just two point attempts,” Bloom added, a reference to how National Hockey League overtimes are played: five minutes of three-on-three hockey followed by a shootout.

Phillipsburg coach Frank Duffy voted in favor, but also pointed out that Pennsylvania starts at the ten yard line – with no OT period limit – in all overtime periods. In fact, they play under PIAA rules in their Thanksgiving Day game against Easton, since it’s played every year at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. That included this year’s game, which the Red Rovers won in overtime, 17-14, on a field goal.

But Colonia coach Tom Roarty feels like it’s not necessary. “With only three ties in the entire state (in 2024) it seems like we are changing just to change,” Roarty said.

In fact, there haven’t been a plethora of overtime games at all in recent years.

In the four full football seasons since the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, there have only been four full-fledged overtime ties, and all those have come in the last two seasons.

There were three in 2024 and one in 2023. There were none in the two seasons prior, but in 2022, Clayton and Mastery HS of Camden tied when their game was called in the third quarter – with the score 0-0 – due to police receiving a call threatening a shooting at the game, which never materialized.