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High School Football Re-ClassificationPosted Wednesday, June 11, 2008, at 7:15 PM
It's official.
The TSSAA approved a new classification plan for high school football beginning with the 2009 season. It was a narrow 5-4 vote that came down Wednesday at the annual Board of Control meetings that decided the change rather than keeping things status quo. Teams will be grouped into three classes for the regular season based on enrollment and will then be divided into geographical districts in each class. Each team will play every other team in their district during the season. For the postseason, teams will then be divided into six total classes as opposed to just the five that we currently have. For example, AAA will become 6A & 5A, AA will become 4A and 3A, and A will become 2A and 1A. Based on the number of schools in each class, 32 teams will make the playoffs in 3A though 6A, while 24 will qualify for the postseason in 1A and 2A. The top two teams in each district will receive an automatic bid to their respective class' playoffs. A majority of the playoff spots, however, will be determined by a fair tiebreaking system for the "wild card" positions. I realize it can be a bit confusing, but we'll get used to it in time. I think it will be great for the state, especially for our local teams. Locally, Cascade and Community will likely be grouped in a district with more local schools like rivals Moore County and Huntland alongside Eagleville, Cornersville and Chapel Hill. Long road trips to McEwen, White House-Heritage, Jo Byrns and Clarksville Academy may just be a thing of the past for the Champions and the Vikings. The current gas prices played a major role in these changes, therefore local games will become paramount in the re-districting. The same goes for Shelbyville. The Golden Eagles will likely be placed in a district with all the rival schools that are in District 8-AAA in other sports. Bringing back old football district rivalries like Lincoln County, Franklin County, Coffee County to go along with Tullahoma will most certainly make for more community excitement and much bigger gates for the schools. Not to mention, the trips to and from Nashville's metro schools will be finished and the lackluster fan support of those particular schools will become a non-issue. I'm excited about the future for our local football programs and, with the new district structure combined with the six total classes for the postseason, I think we got the best of both worlds. Comments Showing most recent comments first [Show in chronological order instead] |
Hot topics High School Football Re-Classification(17 ~ 1:44 AM, Jul 8)
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Personally, I don't see how high school football benefits anyone, especially the players. My son started playing football when he was a freshman, that was two years ago. Since then he's failed several classes and gained over forty-three pounds. It doesn't help him academically and certainly not physically, so what is the point?
But then again it gets him out of the house a few nights a week. And if he plays enough, he's bound to snap a bone or get a concussion or something, right? It's just a matter of time! Him being at home more will be a small price to pay. :)
Thanks Chad. I agree that this will be great for football not only for gas money, but in restoring those old matchups. It was sad that as other county's increased in population and thus and increase in classification SCHS stayed put and became grouped with a new set of rivals. It's also worth noting how remarkable it is what inter-county sports does to sprouting friendships and business relationships.
Oh, I agree, I don't see a complete split happening either. That's why I said "most" privates. As you said, some of the major privates will continue to have success in 1A no matter what they make the multiplier. They have the money to bring in the best staff and talent to go with the state of the art facilities. A huge endowment can go along ways toward winning championships in all sports.
To be honest with you Mike I don't think we will see a complete split. Example. David Lipscomb Campus School, an established private school in Nashville. They have moved up several times. I can recall them being in 1A, then 2A, then 3A, and more than likely 4A for 2009. They won the 3A State title in 2008, and have been runner ups like 2 or 3 times in the last 5 to 6 years. They had a chance to make the jump over in the late 90's early 2000's when the multiplier came about, but the school decide to stay in Div. 1 to play better teams on a regular basis. David Lipscomb has taken the lemons and made some very good lemonade.
And for that reason a lone I think that is why we want see a complete split. But you never know!
That's a good point, MTSUFAN. I think we will eventually see most privates move over to Division II eventually.(even if they do not provide financial support)
Mike,
I agree the Z plan has a lot of bugs to be worked out before the start of the 2009-2010 season. Cascade is at the mercy of the I-65 split. Having Ezell-Harding and FRA is going to be tough Here is the Region both of the teams come out of.
Region 5 2A
CPA (Nashville) (Playoff Team 2008)
DCA (Nashvile)
East Robertson (Cross Plains)
Ezell-Harding (Antioch)
FRA (Nashville)
Goodpasture (Madison) (2008 State Runner-Ups)
How dose this help rural schools Mr. Carter? The TSSAA has put two monster private schools in in a rural district. The only thing that could help out the 2A teams in District 10 is if the FRA and Ezell-Harding enrollment numbers moves them up to 3A with the 1.8 multiplier. I am not a private vs public person. I just think the new proposal dose not accomplish the goal of giving rural schools a better chance of winning. This vote leaves a lot to be desired Good Luck !
You make a lot of great points and I agree with most of them. However, on Shelbyville's situation last year...remember they were 3-3 in a seven-team region and defeated all three teams below them in the region. The top four teams from each region makes the playoffs and that is the system used. Don't get caught up looking at the overall record so much, since they played tough 5A schools and a very good 4A Kenwood team. Playoff spots are based on region record. Most all teams with losing region records don't make the playoffs. If Shelbyville would have scheduled some smaller schools for non-region games, then their overall record would have been much better but the region record would have been the same.
As for the new system, ironic to your statement, it will eliminate teams reaching the postseason with losing records so that should be better and much more fair as well as not rewarding losing teams as you mentioned.
I disagree Chad . . . I know that they want to reward kids more often and have more teams in the playoffs and such but it really does lessen the meaning of being in a playoff and winning. I was shocked when Shelbyville made it into the playoffs last year when they only won 3 or 4 games while other teams had earned the right by having a winning season. Allowing more teams into the playoff just for the sake of making more teams happy to me isn't a good idea because it takes away from the hard work of those teams who worked hard to get to the playoffs and have a legitimate shot at winning. How is it good to have a team like Shelbyville go in to a playoff like last year with a losing record only to get blasted by the first team they play?
Unfortunately we spend more time telling children how special they are and they can accomplish anything but don't show them the hard work that is involved in getting to certain goals or accomplishing. When we reward hard work then it sets an attitude in the child that they know that to obtain a position or prize, they must give it all they got and strive to do the best they can. If they know they can barely get by and will still make the playoffs, then what is the motivating factor to become a better team? If we are always giving it to them then when they become adults then they expect the same thing to happen in life . . . and unfortunately we are seeing that in today's generation. Young adults entering the work force today feel as though they are owed a check no matter if they work or not and we are suppose to accommodate them and that attitude is created by events like the reclassification for the sake of pleasing for teams.
Good question. I guess they felt like having only three state champions was not enough, since they have been having five. So, they decided to have six total postseason classes to give more teams a shot at a title. Some people disagree with that and I understand the playoffs will be a bit more watered down, but in the big picture it will all work out fairly and be even more competitive.
While I am happy to see the rivals from area schools brought back into the picture, I am still confused as to why there will be three classifications, yet six champions. It makes no sense to have two champions per division.
It is not like softball or baseball in any way. Each district will automatically qualify the top two teams for the playoffs, but if six teams make up a district, then the top three automatically qualify. If eight teams make up a district, then four automatically make the playoffs. Don't forget, many wild card positions will be awarded based on the state tiebreaker as well after the automatics are determined. In addition, playoff brackets will be seeded and set up by geography. No set districts will be competing against each other in the playoffs as in the past, so matchups will be random and based on geography. Also, my guess would be Cascade and Jo Byrns may continue their rivalry in a non-district game, since the fans enjoy it so much.
I copied and pasted our projected District alignment below. It will be similiar to the current district breakdown for baseball and softball. What are your opinions on this? Notice that each district is broken down into classifications for playoff purposes also. That means Jo Byrns would no longer compete against Cascade, Forrest, or White House Heritage during the playoffs. Here is the new district alignment as posted on The Tennessean website:
District 9:
1A -- Boyd Christian, Middle Tenn. Christian, Eagleville;
2A -- Community, Cascade, FRA, Forrest, Ezell-Harding
District 10:
1A -- Jo Byrns, Clarksville Acad., Nashville Chr., McEwen;
2A -- White House-Heritage, Houston Co., East Robertson
Here is the Region 6 District breakdown by classification. If it is like softball, then I'd assume the 2A winner and runner up from the current region 5 would play region 6 2A. That would also put an end to the Jo Byrns and Mt Pleasant playoff possibilities. I really don't see how this breakdown is going to work since they only have 3 Region 6 teams slotted to compete for two playoff spots in 2A. Region 5 would have 8 teams trying to make two playoff spots....Doesn't hardly seem fair to me. Surely this will be corrected before it is validated.
District 11:
1A -- Santa Fe*, Huntland, Culleoka*, Moore Co., Columbia Acad., Cornersville;
2A -- Mt. Pleasant, Richland
District 12:
1A -- Frank Hughes*, Hampshire*, Zion Chr., Perry Co., Collinwood, Wayne Co.;
2A -- Summertown*
I am a die hard fan for Cascade..I always enjoyed the games with Jo Byrns and White House...I hate that we will not be playing Jo Byrns any more...But I am still looking forward to the football season...I love it so much.......We are the Champions...
I'm loving this system. I graduated from Lincoln County many moons ago but still try to go to all of their games. I can't wait for them to be much closer so that I won't have to travel so far. No more trips to Cookeville and Crossville every other year.
I also miss the old days when we could have area rivalries. Bragging rights are so much better when they are with a team in your area. The old 8-AAA was the best for team support at away games when more people would make these shorter trips.
SORRY EAGLE FANS!!!GO FALCONS!!!!!!
Yeah, I think this will be better for fans and for football because it is so much better to play established rivalries and teams closer to us that we use to play a few years ago. It is just hard to get excited for games like Hillsboro or Maplewood but it is always fun to play Lincoln County and other schools close by.
It will definitely help Cascade to not play Jo Byrns for a undefeated season . . . that is such a tough game for them but the game definitely brings the fans and money in.
The private schools that give financial aid (i.e. Brentwood Academy, BGA, MBA, etc.) will stay in Division II. Some private schools that currently do not give financial aid are expected to join that group as well. However, the private schools that stay in with all the public schools will still receive the 1.8 multiplier (from their enrollment) and then be placed in a class.
Lincoln County will certainly be tough right away, but Hillsboro and Maplewood are very tough region opponents now. Overall, the change will be a good situation I think.
I think in the long run this is going to be a great idea. In the short run it could make for some long seasons. Getting Lincoln County back on the schedule is going to be a bear to start. From a financial perspective, it's a no brainer.
Are the private schools still going to be separate? If not, did they change the private classification too?