Well, the NCAA finally came around to my way of thinking and last year implemented an overtime system in which each team gets a possession from the 25-yard line. The University Interscholastic League, which uses NCAA rules in its Texas high school football games, also adopted the plan last year. My guess is it would now be hard to find anyone who would want to go back to the old system. Especially anyone at Shotwell Stadium Friday night who saw Abilene High's 34-28 victory over San Angelo Central. The same could probably be said for those at Texas Stadium last December when Cooper beat Richardson Lake Highlands, 24-21, in the state semifinals.
Overtime is exciting.
The strategy is to hopefully win the coin toss and play defense first, so your offense then knows what it has to do when it gets the ball. So far, it has worked to perfection because Abilene's three high schools have all won the coin toss and played defense first in their three overtime games. Merkel missed a field goal, and Wylie then scored the winning touchdown. On Friday night, Abilene High, like Cooper against Lake Highlands, forced a turnover on the first play, intercepting a Central pass. The Eagles then scored on their first play, a 25-yard run by Chuck Newman.