How has the game changed?

[wobycat]

To me the game has changed to a finesse game. It’s no longer two teams foot to foot.

[fortdawg]

I can't argue with you.
The T, I, and Wishbone are becoming rarities.
If you want to see the "Smash Mouth" style here locally Trimble can provide what you seek.

I think it's a product of the safety aspect of the game and the low numbers might be driving it----but regardless of the reason it's happening.
Now that's not a bad thing.

[Poo Bear]

I agree with the game becoming more about speed and being played in space more. Even linemen nowadays are more mobile as opposed to just big. However smash mouth football still wins games. I watch a team play Burg in the playoffs last year and had foot to foot splits and ran almost every play , they physically beat burg down with simple football. No shot at burg just a prime example

[Omega]

As pointed out upstream in the thread, the high school football game has morphed over time from a power game into one of speed and finesse. Another big change is that high school football is pretty much now a year round activity. Weight rooms, football camps, and 7 on 7s were rare in the old days.

[Baldeagle]

To me the game has changed to a finesse game. It’s no longer two teams foot to foot.

Its no longer sexy to be a smashmouth team. Fans and parents want little johnny to run the offense they see on TV on Saturday and many coaches have fallen nto the trap of wanting to run that same stuff. Sad part is that most schools dont have the talent to run those offenses well.

[trojandave]

I think one very noticeable change has been the participation numbers which for many schools are down considerably. Wheelersburg is the exception rather than the new normal, and 8 man football is starting to gain momentum around the state for smaller schools.

I know at Portsmouth, we have struggled to put 45 kids in uniform. I remember 2 years ago that South Point only had 5 kids on the sideline, and their numbers last year weren't that much better. I have noticed in the OVC that there's not a lot of kids standing on the sidelines......and the OVC schools are certainly big enough to have better numbers.

[wobycat]

I agree with the game becoming more about speed and being played in space more. Even linemen nowadays are more mobile as opposed to just big. However smash mouth football still wins games. I watch a team play Burg in the playoffs last year and had foot to foot splits and ran almost every play , they physically beat burg down with simple football. No shot at burg just a prime example

But a team just like that the year before burg beat. You can win with both styles.

[Raider6309]

Kids in the past were tiny so it was easier to run up the middle. Today you have to throw the ball to run. It’s comical looking how small football players were in the past compared to today