Is It Time to Worry If Your Team Lost a Scrimmage?

[Freak On A Leash]

I want to see how many out there feel it's an omen of things to come if your team loses a scrimmage against a team that you feel is inferior. Scrimmages are notoriously mistaken for "real" games and sometimes you get the misperception that the outcome of a scrimmage will mean good or bad for your team. What is the consensus out there? Just curious.

[SPQR]

A scrimmage is a measuring stick for a squad, unless some key players go down to injury there's really no such thing as a bad one (win or lose). Would I throw in the towel if my team "lost" a scrimmage...hell no.

[blood_de21]

It is just a glorified practice against another team.

[Moose73]

It's been the observation of the Moose that teams who fare poorly in their pre-season scrimmages generally don't carry that type of performance into their seasons.

[big_rukus]

My senior year we lost both our scrimmages, one horribly bad. We were vanilla getting our basic stuff in they treated it like state. We went to the playoffs that year. A lot if people get hung up on scrimmages, especially on the 10 and out series. I watched a team "score" three times on the 10 and out, but they would have been forced to punt before the scores. The other scored twice but on each series they would've never seen a 4th down. So who "wins" in that situation?

[green__n_gold76]

You can't win or lose scrimmages.

[teach1coach2]

I think it partly depends on the coach. There are some coaches who play a lot of people in scrimmages and almost try to lose the scrimmage.

[bigbuccfan]

Scrimmage scores have absolutely no bearing if you ask me.

- Coaches don't coach them like games
- Kids don't always play the same position they may in a game
- Kids don't get the same amount of time to play their position

A good coach uses a scrimmage to see where his weaknesses are and then works on them. For example he may use 4 or 5 different kids at fullback to see which one will step up and block in a game situation and which one wants the ball the most.

Coaches don't use all the plays in their book in a scrimmage...they use the basics.

Coaches can also tell if their line as a unit is gelling and how well they are working against an equal or better line.

So you may be able to tell which team would win the most out of 10 games, but I doubt that the team that "wins" a scrimmage can say they would "dominate" or beat the other team every game. Unless the scrimmage is totally lopsided....

[achsdad2012]

No way you judge your team in the first couple of scrimmages 4 or 5 plays are used at most

[ex_dc_atc]

BBF has some very nice points. The problem with putting too much in a scrimmage, especially the first scrimmage, is how each coach coaches differently, the length of time starters are in, etc. It's not even ground from team to team on how they go into a scrimmage. No doubt you can take something from how your team will be be during the season but it's not the end all be all either.

[Lancer '65]

Scrimmages are great because it means that the season is just around the corner. It means that the old stadium lights are on once again and the cheerleaders get to get things going. The band often makes it's first appearance if there is a really big opponent coming in and ...best of all, the concession stand is open and those wonderful caramel sour apple suckers are on sale again. Everyone is 0-0 during the scrimmage season and hope springs eternal in every little town that maybe this will be one of those years when maybe, just maybe, a play-off game is in the picture. As far as the results of the actual scrimmage are concerned?? It doesn't matter a bit but it's such fun just to be there and feel good about the start of another football season.

[Phoonski]

Team A has 60+ kids (With talent) Team B has 30 kids. Team A only plays starters for like 10 plays moves ball at will calling only one or two plays. Team B plays its starters on its offensive series for like 20 plays against Team A starters on defense. Team B only gains like 10 yrds total and turns ball over like 4 times. Team B plays last two 10 play series against mostly 2 & 3rd team defense and scores like 4 times. Score Team B 4...Team A 1.....who is the better team? My answer...it doesn't matter. Just a practice. If it was a real game 4 turn overs would mean points for the other team. Scrimmage means you get the ball back on offense at your 30 yrd line. Do over. It's just a practice and a chance to evaluate kids in a game situation. Team records 0 wins - 0 loses

[mlisi39]

It doesn't hurt to play better than the other team... I've seen some real ugly ones so far.

[troy_boy73]

When I was in high school my freshman year (1969) Troy beat Sidney 20-7 in scrimmage. Sidney went 10-0 in 68 and would go 10-0 in 69 and 1970 also. That Troy team in 1969 that beat Sidney in scrimmage went 2-7-1.

[Section5Man]

Scrimmages are only useful to the coaching staff to evaluate players. Scores don't matter. Too bad that some fans get influenced too much by scrimmage scores. But I guess they are excited about the up-coming season. Like I've stated before, in 1981 Canton McKinley lost all their scrimmages and won the Div. I State Title over Cincinnati Moeller 13-0 at the Rubber Bowl.

[roughriderpride]

I used to love the scrimmages between West Jeff and Ready in the 80's and early 90's.
Players from both teams said that in some of the scrimmages both teams hit harder then games they played in the regular season.
I also seen more injuries in some of these games then in regular season games.

[ex_dc_atc]

When I was in high school my freshman year (1969) Troy beat Sidney 20-7 in scrimmage. Sidney went 10-0 in 68 and would go 10-0 in 69 and 1970 also. That Troy team in 1969 that beat Sidney in scrimmage went 2-7-1.

Perfect example of why not to lose sleep over scrimmages.