Clinched(Or almost surely)Playoff spots

[roosterk]

Are they wanting to wipe out the lower level 8 player teams?

IMO BEDS cutoff should be at the medium school size of all the schools below 1A. That would be the best balance of school size for 8 and A, it should go down to 95-100 not up.

Unless they are thinking about adding another 8 player class?

 

[troutstamp1]

Adding another class of 8 man has never been discussed at any district meetings or brought up. Their will be some schools like right now that enrollment wise could be 8 man but want to continue to play 11 man and that is their choice. I see your concern with 8 man and the # difference but look at 4A, how would you like to be west dubuque 708 and have to play Dowling 2176. The top 29 schools in 4A have over 1000 so that's 300 more still yet than West Dubuque.

 

[Sev393]

The issue is not class A and contrary to what has been said it will not be dissolved. 4A is its own little world whats best for them doesnt mean its best for everyone else. I think what you will see is an increase to 8 man to a hard 120 meaning no buffer or projection years, if your 120 right now you can play 8 man not if your projected to be in another yr or to like it is right now. Class A i think will then go from 120 up to the higher 150s and so on with 4a having the least. Thier are a lot of 1A teams right now that can play class A based on enrollments.

That would be great if A stays at ~64 teams and the system essentially stays the same for all classes except 4A. All I'm saying is 4A at top and A at the bottom of the enrollment list have the ability to be different as far as number of teams in the district , whether it be more or less than 56-64, and therefore could have different number of playoff teams and different playoff format. Format for 4A and A doesn't have to be the same, but I think it would help just the casual fan, which I am most years. Not to mention, whoever sets up the playoff system, bracket, writes the playoff manual etc would likely prefer not to have multiple formats.

 

[roosterk]

120/45 = 2.6 150/120 = 1.25 , moving the number down to what ever the medium number right around 90 would make them almost equal in ratio and amount of schools in each class.

Only 1 other surrounding state has 115 the rest are lower from 112 down to 82 that I've been able to find.

4A - Valley is an outlier 400 larger than the next school, throw it out 1700/700, 2.4, if 4A drops to 36 teams, 1700/900 = 1.9.

The ratio isn't nearly as critical in the larger schools, because you almost never have freshman starting varsity like the smaller 8 player teams regularly do playing against teams with 8+ seniors, 8+ juniors. When one of the Waterloo East schools got to that point last year they cancelled games for player safety. But the state will be increasing the risk to the smaller 8 player schools if they increase the BEDS, which results in FR & SO getting injured and then don't go out the next year.

Looking at Aug 23, 2017 BEDS, 14-15 class A teams could move down. 3 8-players are above 120. Not surprising the largest 8 player team is 8-0 at 138. One of the smallest if not the smallest A teams is also 8-0 at 107.

 

[71Schrodt]

In my opinion football does include everyone. If you have played or coach you know that when you start district play that the post season has begun.

What I like about it is that it takes in the whole body of work and not just a one and done like other sports. There might be a team that you have the injury bug that week or don't play to your best, and you have an opportunity to rebound from that loss.

As for the play-off. They need to go back to 8 districts top 3 teams make it and first round byes for district champion however you earn that championship.

24 team playoffs with District Champs getting a bye would be a great idea!! Eliminates those teams that have 3-4 total wins, and rewards district champions. Would make teams work harder to earn that coveted 1st round bye.

 

[ISUChip]

24 team playoffs with District Champs getting a bye would be a great idea!!

And adds a 5th round back into the postseason, which means either (1) short playoff weeks again or (2) moving the season up another week and eliminating the Week 0 option for teams with schedule issues.

 

[71Schrodt]

Make week 0 week 1. Still allows those with a bye week in the regular season to schedule an additional game

 

[ISUChip]

Make week 0 week 1. Still allows those with a bye week in the regular season to schedule an additional game

In other words, move the entire season up a week. So then everyone will be playing one game before school starts, and some will be playing twice. That pushes the first day of practice back to the Monday after state baseball; or, if you have to play in Week 0/-1, you get to start practice on the Monday of state baseball.

 

[troutstamp1]

I think this was discussed already as it was the Iowa Board of Education that wont let the season start earlier not the IAHSAA. They also got flack from the state of Iowa because starting practice a week earlier would interfere with the state fair. Just remember as much as we like to put the blame on the IAHSAA they have powers above them like the board of education that they have to answer to.

 

[Sev393]

I don't think the Associations have to answer to anyone (other than their member schools). I don't see either IAHSAA or IGHSAU in any link with the iowa board of education, or the state government.

I think they are their own entity which was started ~100 years ago to oversee High School sports, that has morphed into what it is today and all the schools have become beholden to as far as sports regulation.

Since most of the subcommittees seem made up of coach's and AD's it is a little like the NFL owners complaining to Commissioner...But as long as most of member schools are happy with how things roll along everything stays the same. At some point , hopefully some AD's and school superintendents figure it out

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong...