Thoughts on a Proposed Football Playoffs Expansion
Reported by WRMJ-Aledo, a proposal has been submitted to the IHSA to expand the football playoffs from 256 to 512 teams, doubling the field. Here is the story by Jim Taylor, with audio from John Elder of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association. http://www.wrmj.com/westernillinois.htm.
When I first learned of this proposal, hesistantly liked it. After mulling it over for a couple days, I think I would welcome such an expansion of the playoffs field. In my weekly column for the McDonough County Choice, a Macomb-based paper, I wrote about the expansion of the NCAA Tournament, when it became a hot topic again in March.
For selfish reasons, I would like to see that tournament grow from 64 to 96 teams, if certain criteria were met. My first contention would be to essentially shut down the N.I.T. That was/is one of the discussion points regarding the expansion of the tournament. I also like the proposed play-in for the first round, and the way the brackets would look, I would not be opposed. After all, there are well over 300 D-1 teams competing. I could go on, but back to the point at hand.
Apparently, this proposal suggests doubling the playoff field, from 256 teams to 512 teams throughout the 8 classes of football. The playoffs field expanded in 2001, but that was with class expansion, when two classes were added. I am against class expansion, and thought the six-class system was perfect, and after nine years, I have settled on that belief.
With that said, why am I for doubling the field, but against class expansion? Personally, and I have turned blue in the face while discussing class expansion since basketball expanded to four classes, I think with each expansion of the classes it takes a little bit away from the high school sports mystique, as funny as that sounds. For many, it loses a bit of appeal. It is great for the kids to win state trophies, and now two more football teams can hoist a state trophy. That is great for those kids, and those communities, and they will not think any less of themselves for winning a state title, whether there was one class, five classes, or eight classes.
One argument about the expansion of classes, is that it is for the kids. More kids now have the opportunity to win championships, etc. Well, if that was the case, why stop at 8 classes in football, or 4 classes in basketball. Some states, with a much smaller pool of schools competing, have more classes among its state series athletics.
Enough about class expansion, this is about team expansion. According to WRMJ's report, the proposal also has the first week of the playoffs being played during week nine, taking away one regular season game for teams.
One could make an argument, that now you are taking a game away from these kids. The point, though, is that there were 548 football teams eligible for the IHSA postseason in 2009. Using those numbers, only 36 teams in the entire state would miss out on a ninth game. Those 36 teams, would be winless, or one-win teams.
Football is the ONLY sport in the IHSA state series, that does not include every team in the postseason. Of course, this would take the "mystique" of the football playoffs pairings show. Most teams know whether or not they will be in the playoff field, or their bubble has burst, and that would remain the same.
One interesting question I would have, would be how the postseason would be conducted. I am assuming the largest 64 teams (doubled from the current 32) would be Class 8A, and on down, the smallest 64 would be Class 1A, as it is currently. Would there be four, 16-team quadrants, and how would they be seeded? Or would there be a regional structure? A playoffs pairings show would certainly be a lot of fun, adding 256 teams to the field, though, it would make an already arduous job tracking down stats, information, etc. even more difficult.
According to John Elder in the WRMJ interview, Marian Catholic, out of Chicago Heights, has made this proposal. I have contacted coach Dave Mattio at Marian to discuss this more, and hope to have an interview in the coming week or two.
My vote: YES to expansion! Please use the comment box below to argue any of my points, or to give us your opinion!
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