Running up the Score

By Johnny Metcalf, Defensive Coordinator,

John Carroll Catholic High School, Birmingham (AL)

As we prepare for next season, I often think back on games of the past and inevitably recall a bad night. One of those nights I want to forget, but simply can’t. You know, that dreadful night somebody ran the score up on you. Over my 37 years, I have had a few of those games and I have yet to figure out why some coaches like to run up the score. I have had a few nights where we ran the score up on ourselves because of interceptions and fumbles. But why do some coaches keep on scoring when the game is already decided? To purposely run up the score and embarrass kids is just unsportsmanlike. We see a lot of programs now about “stopping bullying” and that’s really what running the score up is—bullying. 

No one wants to be embarrassed. Preventing embarrassment is a motivation to most people. We work to not be embarrassed—and then some coach “pours it on” an overmatched opponent. I remember a few years ago we faced a team with a great QB and wide receiver. We were quickly out of the game, yet the coach kept his FBS quarterback and receiver in the game to throw a fade to score 50 points. We had already started putting some of our backups in but our opponent kept his first offense in the game until they scored 50 points. The kid was already a highly recruited player—he didn’t need to pad his stats—but there he was throwing deep with a huge lead. He also was not a very good sport after the game and his behavior bordered on being abusive. If you think about it, he probably got that attitude from his coach’s attitude and behavior. Our players DO reflect our values as coaches. We teach them how to behave in victory and in defeat. We need to be positive role models for our players. Like our children, our players model their behavior after us.

After that game, I recall going across the field to shake hands but I really didn’t want to see either the coach or his players - especially the QB. Many of the players were poorly behaved.  It was hard not to respond—but that would have shown our players the wrong attitude.

I think young coaches feel the need to impress. As you get older (and as you have kids) you realize that the “W” counts but no one remembers the score except the players. When you have kids, it really gets to you when they get embarrassed. It happens—a kid falls, or slips or does something dumb. They get embarrassed. But when someone intentionally embarrasses your child, you resent it. That is how I feel when someone runs up the score on my team. You just don’t try to embarrass people. I guess some bullies never grow up and become men—just bullies who coach for a living.

Coaches please don’t embarrass kids publicly like that. We all have situations where we can easily embarrass a child. We need to be careful and mindful of what we are doing. Don’t forget those subs who aren’t playing will be starters one day - give them some playing time.