How should overtime work? North Jersey HS football coaches weigh in on the debate
Rich Tuero Jr. is just glad that Sunday's Bills-Chiefs game produced a winner.
The Lyndhurst High School coach was involved in the most recent North Jersey football game to end in a tie, when his Golden Bears drew with Manchester, 20-20, in a 2016 consolation game.
“I hated every part of it,” Tuero said. “It was the last game of the year for that team, they just ended with a tie – that was one of the most awkward, weird [postgame] conversations ever. Like, ‘Hey, we didn’t lose, but we didn’t win, so, good job?’”
The NJSIAA football overtime rules stipulate that when teams are tied at the end of regulation, each will get one possession starting at the opponents’ 25-yard line to try and score. This is done for a maximum of three periods, and teams must go for a two-point conversion in the third OT. There is no tiebreaker beyond that.
Until the 2021 season, the NCAA used a similar to decide college football games. But the college games continue for as many overtimes as it takes until someone wins – which is how Eli Manning’s Ole Miss team fell to Arkansas in seven overtimes, 58-56, in 2001.
But now, after the third OT, college teams run alternating two-point conversion attempts rather than traditional, four-down possessions. That is how Illinois upset Penn State in nine overtimes by a 20-18 score on Oct. 23.
“I didn’t know about [the new NCAA rule] until I saw the Penn State game, and I was like, ‘wait a minute, what is this?’” Tuero said. “I kind of like it, because when it turns it into two-point conversions, you’re not having stats and numbers getting thrown off by a team scoring 60 points.
“I wish that we would do it like college, where at least it doesn’t end in a tie,” added Tuero, whose 2021 team fell to Glen Rock in OT.
Other coaches shared a similar sentiment, including Ralph Cinque of Clifton – whose Mustangs lost the North Group 5 regional final on a 100-yard fumble return in three OT.
“I don’t ever like ending anything in a tie, though, that’s for sure,” he said. “Every competition should have winner and a loser.”
Which brings us back to the AFC playoff game, in which Kansas City won the overtime coin flip and drove down the field for the winning touchdown against Buffalo’s vaunted (though tiring) defense.
“As far as the NFL… I don’t agree with the rules at all,” Tuero said. “Look at [Bills QB] Josh Allen – the kid did everything did right, and he never even had an opportunity to match. And these guys get paid millions of dollars. So, to me, at least give both sides an opportunity no matter what.”
Yet as it has in both the sports media and social media all week long, opinions on the subject still differ.
“The NFL has it right – it’s designed for the best team to win, in my opinion,” Cinque said. “I don’t think they should change anything.”
Greg Tartaglia is a high school sports reporter for NorthJersey.com. For full access to live scores, breaking news and analysis from our Varsity Aces team, subscribe today. To get breaking news directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter and download our app.
Email: tartaglia@northjersey.com
Twitter: @njtags13
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ football coaches weigh in on NFL overtime debate
