MORRIS — Normally, when a player or coach is ejected from a football game, or any other Illinois High School Association contest, that player or coach must sit out the next game as well.

Thus, when Morris football coach Alan Thorson was forced to leave the field last Friday in a 20-13 win over Yorkville, most people thought that he would be ineligible to coach this Friday at DeKalb.

However, the actual IHSA rule states that only if the player or coach is ejected due to unsportsmanlike conduct will the next-game rule be enforced. Thorson's ejection was deemed to be a disqualification due to the team having two sideline infractions rather than unsportsmanlike penalties, so his disqualification was limited only to Friday's game.

"This wasn't by appeal, it's just by rule," Morris athletic director Jeff Johnson said. "The rule says that if a player or coach is ejected due to unsportsmanlike behavior, then they have to sit out the next game. What happened Friday was unintentional contact between an official on the field and a non-player on the sideline. And, it got called twice, so, by rule, the head coach had to be disqualified. But, that penalty doesn't fall under the unsportsmanlike behavior category, so coach Thorson can coach Friday.

"I have never seen this happen, so I looked up the rule and called the IHSA They verified that we were right. It's a unique situation, but we have verified with the IHSA that it's the correct one."

Thorson said that the staff had plans in place in case he did have to sit Friday's game out, but is glad to not have to implement them.

"With how good and experienced our staff is, I would have felt comfortable that they would do a good job," he said. "But, I am definitely glad we don't have to worry about it. Now, we can just go out and worry about preparing to beat DeKalb."