While it’s still in the early stages, there’s consideration being given to the thought of changing the overtime procedure in New Jersey high school football in order to cut down on the amount of ties.

A survey was sent to all members of the New Jersey Football Coaches Association as part of its newsletter on December 27th asking if they wanted to keep the rules as they are, or make a change. NJFCA Commissioner John Jacob – the head coach at East Orange – confirmed the survey is just that, a survey and non-binding.

“At our last football Leagues and Conferences meeting, the NJSIAA was gracious enough to request the NJFCA’s position,” Jacob told CJSR, adding that the state would likely go along with their outcome.

Jacob said he expected to give coaches another week or so to respond to the survey, once they have at least a good number of responses.

Current overtime rules allow for a coin toss to start OT, Teams can choose offense, defense, or the end for the field for that period. Each team starts first and ten at the opponent’s 25-yard line. There’s a maximum of three overtime periods, and starting with the third, teams must go for a two-point try rather than an extra point after a touchdown.

The proposed change would be two-fold:

• The maximum number of overtime periods would change from three to four.
• Starting with the second overtime, teams would start at the opposing ten-yard line.

The “must go for two” rule would remain in effect starting with the third overtime, and would be in place for the additional fourth overtime, if necessary.

The defense would still be able to score, and as always, there would have to be a winner in the playoffs.

The thinking is the changes would allow more – and easier – opportunities for teams to win games in overtime. It could also speed up overtime, since periods where offensive teams start on the ten yard line would have less distance to go, or could be stopped in as few as four plays rather than a potential 12 or more (depending on penalties and first downs gained).

However, ties haven’t generally been a problem in the last few years. A look at standings on Gridiron New Jersey and NJ.com reveal there have only been four tie games played to completion in overtime since the COVID year of 2021.

This past season, there were three. Dwight-Morrow and Dumont of the Super Football Conference played to a 46-46 tie on September 12th, Park Ridge and Wood-Ridge of the NJIC went three OTs and tied at 21 on September 27th, and in the West Jersey Football League, Overbrook and Clayton played to a 42-all tie on October 5th.

In 2023, Linden and Montgomery played to a 42-42 tie on October 20th.

And there were none in 2022 or 2021. However, Clayton and Mastery HS of Camden had a game declared a tie on September 23, 2022, when police received a call about a potential shooting at the game, which was suspended in the third quarter, tied 0-0. The game was not finished, and declared a tie.

The NJSIAA typically follows NFHS rules, but is not required to, and can make modifications as it sees fit – similar to how NFHS rules in basketball allow the use of a shot clock, but New Jersey doesn’t use it.