PHOTO BY BRAD GRAVERSON: With the new football rule changes implemented by the L.A. City Section, Narbonne coach Manuel Douglas and San Pedro coach Mike Walsh will not be forced to share the City title like last season. Both coaches will also adjust to a new sideline rule that could prove to be aggravating.
A couple of things became pretty clear at Tuesday's L.A. City Section Media Day in downtown Los Angeles.
There will be one City champion per football division this season, and the already high number of flags in City football games will see an even more dramatic rise, at least in the beginning of the season with the addition of a coach's line that coaches will be forced to stand behind during games.
After last season's 21-21 tie between Narbonne and San Pedro in the City final, the City moved swiftly to eliminate the possibility of a championship game ending in a tie, forcing teams to go to an overtime period if the teams are deadlocked after four quarters.
"We will have one champion," Assistant Commissioner John Aguirre said.
The overtimes also will change with the City adopting the NCAA overtime rules that start at the 25-yard-line instead of the 10-yard-line. This was made after Mater Dei blasted the City's overtime rules on national television when Mater Dei and Carson played a triple-overtime thriller last season.
"That probably helped propel that rule change," Aguirre said.
And if you thought there were a lot of flags thrown during an L.A. City Section football game, just wait until you hear about the new coach's line.
Once the ball is live, coaches will need to back up three feet to give officials on the sideline room to move.
"It's for the officials safety -- I know when I coached, I collided with officials myself," said Aguirre, a former Carson football coach.
Coaches have had enough trouble keeping their players behind the player's line, which is always a point of contention during a City football game.
Just like the player's sideline rule, the coaches will get a warning, then a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty for a second offense. Remember, if a coach gets two unsportsmanlike penalties, they are ejected from the game.
Expect flags to fly.
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