IHSA Football: So what needs to change?

[EdgyTim]

In regards to IHSA football....any specific rule changes? Any policy changes? Something schools and coaches are not doing or should be doing? Something much bigger picture?

Let it fly here....what needs to change to better IHSA football?

 

[ramblinman]

In regards to IHSA football....any specific rule changes? Any policy changes? Something schools and coaches are not doing or should be doing? Something much bigger picture?

Let it fly here....what needs to change to better IHSA football?

Reduce the number of playoff classes.

Back in 2001, the classes were increased from six to eight. I don't know how many participating schools there were back then, but I bet that there are fewer now.

The best info I can find on the number of participating football schools is on the IHSA web page that explains how the playoff pairings are determined. On that page, it says there were 548 football schools in 2008. This year, it says there are 523 football schools. What will happen next year or the year after when that number drops below 500?

 

[godfthr53]

PLayoff host school by seed.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

Reduce the number of playoff classes.

Back in 2001, the classes were increased from six to eight. I don't know how many participating schools there were back then, but I bet that there are fewer now.

The best info I can find on the number of participating football schools is on the IHSA web page that explains how the playoff pairings are determined. On that page, it says there were 548 football schools in 2008. This year, it says there are 523 football schools. What will happen next year or the year after when that number drops below 500?

It went down by 25 schools over 10 years and you think it’s going down by 23 by next year or the next?

 

[ClownBaby]

PLayoff host school by seed.

I’m probably in the minority here but I don’t mind the IHSA system for playoff home games, it’s nice to see programs that don’t get in often pull an upset in the first round and get rewarded with a home game.

Now 8 classes I would get rid of that in a heartbeat.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

PLayoff host school by seed.

Problem is this would actually require them to do subjective seeding like a seeding meeting to sort through who’s actually better and not just use record or opponents wins. They aren’t going to put that work in especially since you know it would just be picked apart as wrong in the end anyway. Hard to give home field advantage throughout to higher seeds based on current system when there is such disparity in conferences, schedules, etc

 

[crusader_of_90]

Start earlier in the year and allow a scrimmage game.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

I’m probably in the minority here but I don’t mind the IHSA system for playoff home games, it’s nice to see programs that don’t get in often pull an upset in the first round and get rewarded with a home game.

Now 8 classes I would get rid of that in a heartbeat.

8 isn’t so bad... for comparison Iowa with a much smaller spread of school sizes has 8-man, A, 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a (yes A and 1A are different) so that’s 5 classes plus a 6th counting 8 man then Texas with a wide variety of sizes has 2 divisions of 6 man football then 1a, 2a, 3a d2, 3a d1, 4a d2, 4a D1, 5a d2, 5a D1, 6a d2, 6a D1 for 10 eleven man classes and 12 total classes counting 6 man

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

Let’s go all in (Texas format) with 2 full preseason games against other schools, 10 regular season games over 11 weeks with a bye week, 64 team brackets for 6 rounds in playoffs instead of 5. I’ll keep dreaming.... or move

 

[greatgig13]

Require 8A teams to win a certain number of 8A games to qualify for the playoffs. Most here have heard me rant about a certain school, which I won't do on this thread. But building a winning record by beating 6 and 7A schools to get to the 8A playoffs doesn't seem right to me. Or just put them in a conference of like sized schools.

 

[Golden Warrior]

neutral site playoff games starting in the quarterfinal round

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

Require 8A teams to win a certain number of 8A games to qualify for the playoffs. Most here have heard me rant about a certain school, which I won't do on this thread. But building a winning record by beating 6 and 7A schools to get to the 8A playoffs doesn't seem right to me. Or just put them in a conference of like sized schools.

It’s called districts... I’m all for it

 

[Tain33]

Back in the day you had to win your conference to get in.. and there were 3 or 4 classes..

 

[ramblinman]

It went down by 25 schools over 10 years and you think it’s going down by 23 by next year or the next?

It went down by ten between this year and last.

So, yes, I do think it could go down by 23 in two years. Maybe more. The writing is on the wall.

 

[mmca]

10 second Clock run off if the offense commits a penalty with no time outs left

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

It went down by ten between this year and last.

So, yes, I do think it could go down by 23 in two years. Maybe more. The writing is on the wall.

Only been in Illinois since 2006 and wasn’t tuned into HS football for a few after that... how much of this may have been small/rural schools merging/co-oping and so 2 became 1 and not really schools dropping football? That would be my guess.

Otherwise the only schools probably dropping football outright are CPS schools which don’t factor into the playoffs much anyway

 

[Chicago773]

1-32 classes 5A-8A
6 Classes 1-32
Neutral Site Semi-final games
Lift the ban on streaming games in the playoffs for schools...eliminate NFHS streams! Basically free football, it won't affect the gate too much.
Eliminate the prep bowl
State finals permanently at NIU
Allow controlled scrimmages versus teams within 20miles for all levels 2 weeks before first game...heck have a jamboree

 

[Voodoo Tatum 21]

* start season 1 week earlier
* allow a preseason scrimmage game
* 1 bye week for all teams. It Could help with finding non con games for the orphaned schools with the conferences changes AND for the schools in tough conferences it allows the banged up kids to heal up, make college visits etc.
* have an optional “plus one” game the first week of December.
7A champ plays 8A champ (I would love to see LWE vs. NAZ or Batavia or ESL etc.
5A plays 6A
3A plays 4A
1A plays 2A.

 

[PanthersWildcats86]

First, 8 classes are fine...no districts...

I can't speak for the big schools, but the Friday night before the first game is a huge night for the more rural school district, who do their football scrimmages and introduce all of the fall teams, band, etc...Booster club breaks out the new t-shirts and other gear, while getting a jump start with a full concession stand and raffle ticket sales and/or other fundraisers for all school groups...Allowing scrimmages against other schools will likely greatly affect this incredibly important community event...

That said, I have no problem with preseason scrimmages against other schools, some of which might be worth paying to get into...I can just picture York & IC doing their "Meet the Teams" night separately at 5:30, with a football scrimmage at 7:30....or McNamara & Bradley-Bourbonnais...Joliet West & JCA...Providence & LWW...Lisle & Benet...nearby teams that otherwise won't play each other for whatever reason...That works really well when you can walk between campuses, but for the truly rural district where it is a half hour drive to the nearest opponent (likely a conference opponent) it would be an utter pain in the a**...

Playoff neutral sites...State finals, of course...Semis, I think so...pick 8 neutral sites for the 16 games (NIU, WIU, SIU, EIU, ISU, Northwestern, Joliet Memorial Stadium (no JCA), Soldier Field lets say)...and the finals at Illinois...use the closest schools to the site...

 

[ScottieKnows]

1. Keep 8 classes. No districts ever. Most would rather see playoff expansion before districts or lowering of classes.

2. Seed 1-32 for all classes. Travel isn't the issue once claimed it was. Love me some of those crazy round 1 match ups.

3. Having the one play rule and not allowing the kid to play in the JV game the next day is such a bad idea it's almost unbelievable. As suggested on this site 6 quarter rule, 10 play count...etc. are more logical options. A shame we will have to deal with it for a year before it's adjusted.

4. Yes. A preseason scrimmage should be allowed. IHSA would make some $!!!!!!!

5. How is the private schools and CPS allowed to play in a prep bowl beyond week 9? There should be an NIT tourney for all schools. Let the kids play!!!!

 

[stonedlizard]

I think seeding 1-32 for all classes, 6 classes and/or football enrollment, and applying success factor to public and private schools solves all the pressing problems.

I've already shared thoughts on more radical changes that I'm still convinced would work. And a similar approach is already being deployed in California.

 

[crusader_of_90]

What’s going to work for the big boys won’t foe the little ones. Extending TOO far into winter sports screws up basketball teams.

Having spring ball hurts baseball - unless IHSA allows, say, February 15 to March 15 ... push IHSA baseball a little more into summer? But that brings about how committed a kid will be in June 30 ... or a kid who is drafted.

Maybe it’s a moot point. This is a dying sport.

 

[markmacaluso]

PLayoff host school by seed.

I think Maine South was like a 26th seed in 2016 and went on to win it all. By your rule, they likely would have never played a post season game at home.

 

[Hinterland]

What’s going to work for the big boys won’t foe the little ones. Extending TOO far into winter sports screws up basketball teams.

Having spring ball hurts baseball - unless IHSA allows, say, February 15 to March 15 ... push IHSA baseball a little more into summer? But that brings about how committed a kid will be in June 30 ... or a kid who is drafted.

Maybe it’s a moot point. This is a dying sport.

Which sport is dying, Crusader, football? Gosh, I hope so!!

 

[Chief321]

10 second Clock run off if the offense commits a penalty with no time outs left

How often have you seen where this could apply? I can’t think of a time where I’ve had a foul that would meet the requirements for a run off at the hs or college level in the past several yrs.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Which sport is dying, Crusader, football? Gosh, I hope so!!

I pray not.

But I did mean football.

 

[gags33]

I don't want to change the subject on you guys, but is there a targeting rule in effect in high school.? Can you get thrown out of the game for trying to hurt /target somebody with their helmet? If not, why? Will there ever be?

We had an incident in our first preseason game. Player was going for the ball across the middle of the field up in the air, vulnerable and defensless and DB used his helmet and leveled him.. scary situation. Flag was thrown but Coaches wanted kid out of game and ref said he can't throw him out because there is no rule for that.

 

[Chief321]

I don't want to change the subject on you guys, but is there a targeting rule in effect in high school.? Can you get thrown out of the game for trying to hurt /target somebody with their helmet? If not, why? Will there ever be

If it’s deemed to be flagrant then you can DQ him. The foul itself does not carry an auto DQ like NCAA does.

 

[Q5clan]

Maybe blasphemy..but Eliminate Kickoffs.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

Maybe blasphemy..but Eliminate Kickoffs.

Edgy can we get this guy banished from the board? #notafootballguy

Just kidding..... kinda

 

[Bwm57]

Maybe let the higher seed choose if they want to host first round. I assume most would defer, but there might be some situations with a higher seed from weaker conference who would want that first round game at home.

 

[mmca]

How often have you seen where this could apply? I can’t think of a time where I’ve had a foul that would meet the requirements for a run off at the hs or college level in the past several yrs.

It happened in 2016, Libertyville vs Batavia. Batavia had the ball on the 2, 4th down and down by 3, no time outs left. Libertyville stopped them as time expired. Illegal motion was called and they put 1 second on the clock. Batavia was able to kick a field goal to tie the game and ended up winning in 2 OT's. Who cares if it doesn't happen often. The rule should be in place.

 

[Quags57]

Allow the students to get in free with a student ID for the first 2 rounds. They get in free all year and now they have to pay. I know $5 bucks is not alot, but the fact that they have to pay when they have been getting in for free, keeps them away. Student sections are a third of what they are during regular season games. You more than make it up at the concession stand.

 

[No Bias---Just Reality]

Allow the students to get in free with a student ID for the first 2 rounds. They get in free all year and now they have to pay. I know $5 bucks is not alot, but the fact that they have to pay when they have been getting in for free, keeps them away. Student sections are a third of what they are during regular season games. You more than make it up at the concession stand.

IHSA doesn’t make it up at the concession stand.

 

[McCaravan]

Tighten back up the transfer rule. Loop holes were found, lawyers were hired. If you transfer, you sit a year, unless you can prove you moved by more then a utility bill or you’ve truley experienced a financial hardship

 

[sac'em]

The only way the transfer rule is or will be enforced/investigated that thoroughly is if the original school fights the transfer and can provide documentation to support its case. If they don't fight it, why should the IHSA do anything about it?
Proving residency with utilities/leases and or financial hardship is extremely easy.

New Rule: Any CPS school eligible for IHSA Post-Season play must define a boundary/neighborhood that they serve. If any student(s) live outside of that boundary/neighborhood, they are treated as a non-boundary school with multiplier. And yes, this applies to Charter Schools/Magnet Schools. Possible boundaries could be a 4/6/8 block radius? Not sure how close some of the schools are to each other. But they must have defined/realistic boundaries.

 

[IgorStL]

Defensive pass interference should be an automatic first down. It is criminal to teach kids to mug a receiver when they get beat on 3rd/4th and long...

 

[ref2]

It happened in 2016, Libertyville vs Batavia. Batavia had the ball on the 2, 4th down and down by 3, no time outs left. Libertyville stopped them as time expired. Illegal motion was called and they put 1 second on the clock. Batavia was able to kick a field goal to tie the game and ended up winning in 2 OT's. Who cares if it doesn't happen often. The rule should be in place.

Are you sure it was illegal motion ? If it was all Libertyville had to do was decline the penalty and game over. If it was some kind of dead ball foul , like false start ? then the clock should not even had started.

 

[Wilmatucky]

#1 Higher seed should be allowed to defer home field in the first round and first round only.

#2 If #1 is not an option then I would like to see neutral site Semi-final games.

#3 State finals at Champaign always.

#4 Don't have a solution for this one but maybe the powers that be can come up with one......Somehow fix the playoff points and somehow reward teams (or punish) for strength of schedule

 

[pjjp]

Saw this one Friday night. Defensive holding was called on a TD reception. IMO, the offensive team takes the TD and declines the penalty. Not how it was enforced. Presumably, in high school the scoring team gets the TD and has the holding penalty enforced on the subsequent kickoff.

Proposed change: you either take the penalty or the TD. You don't get both. Take the TD, and there is no yardage walk off on the subsequent kickoff.