Week 10 Non-District Thoughts?

Since the KHSAA went to the mandated scheduling grid a few years back Week 10 has become a non-district game for all (unless you take your bye that week). I had a conversation with someone this weekend who said he really liked it, while I argued that the old days of playing a district rival on the last night with a championship or home playoff game on the line was more fun. Some argue that the last week being non-district allows you to rest players who need to get healthy for the playoffs while others argue a tough final game gives you a boost in preparation for the postseason.

What is your opinion on the issue?

Schedule light. Make it a JV game as quickly as possible. Rest starters ASAP.

A injury on an indifferent non-district game would be awful.

I prefer having a week 10 bye week, i think that it helps get kids that may be banged up get healthy for a playoff run. It also gives the coaching staff a chance to go scout their first round opponent, which i feel is important because you get a good feel of a teams speed, how hard a team plays, tempo ect.....things that are tough on film. The extra week also means you get two weeks to prepare/install the game plan for the first round, something that can be the difference for a team going on the road in a 2 seed vs 3 seed matchup

St.X playing Cincy St.X means they believe in the tough prep before playoffs. Normally they would have weak 1st round opponent but not this year. I see merit to either strategy.

St.X playing Cincy St.X means they believe in the tough prep before playoffs. Normally they would have weak 1st round opponent but not this year. I see merit to either strategy.

I can see both sides of it. It depends on the team you play after districts as well as who you played in the last couple of district games, IMO. As an Ashland fan, I like the open week this coming week. The toughest opponents Ashland faces in the district have been Greenup County and Johnson Central recently and those games come back to back to finish the district play. The prior two season's Ashland has followed up those games with Tates Creek.

Ashland went 1-1 with Tates Creek, however I still like the open week to give the kids a little rest prior to the playoffs. Ashland schedules enough solid programs prior to district play that they don't need to schedule a large school like Tates Creek between Johnson Central and the playoffs.

That said, it's a bit different when you're talking about schools like St. X, Trinity, Male, etc. They have the depth to handle back to back to back games like that without it hurting them in the playoffs. Those teams are on another level, I feel like it's a school by school thing when focusing on week 10 scheduling.

Hate it.

It might be one of the worst changes the KHSAA has made to high school football.

If I’m a program that has no legitimate shot to make any kind of a playoff run then I’m doing all I can to win this game more than likely.

If I’m a team that’s somewhat of a dark horse with a chance to possibly make it to a Region final or beyond then I’m not caring one bit about this Friday night.

Take Garrard County for example- here they are a 4 seed in the best 3A district in the state with a very legit shot at beating 1 seed Fleming County, yet they have to go square off with Rockcastle County? Forget bragging rights for that game. What’s going to matter more- you throwing blows with Rock at the risk of being more beaten up than you might already be after district play or taking an L against them (and, maybe a convincing one) at the expense of playing a lot of your JV kids so that you can take the main show on the road and be the 4 seed that knocks off a 1 and who knows what else to follow? I think all know the answer to that question.

Do the things you’ve been working on all season, but haven’t shown much if any of; sit your studs or at least play your back ups quite a bit.

This week is no different than a scrimmage IMO. As a matter of fact; that’s exactly what it is: a scrimmage before the post season. The absolutely most meaningless week of the season.

Offensively if you aren’t a team that scripts stuff, then script stuff this week come hell or high water. If you have fronts, stunts & coverages on D you haven’t worked much in games, but wonder how they’d look then let them eat.

Get out healthy; to heck with the result.

This week is no different than week 17 of the NFL IMO (for teams that already know their playoff seeding that is).

I can't speak for anyone else but for Belfry it has been good overall, I think, playing Johnson Central the last week.

Belfrys last couple games games have been blowouts and typically the first couple playoff games have been as well.

Having an opponent like JC will test them and make them play 4 quarters. Win or lose, that will help them prepare for the later rounds of the playoffs.

well for OC it is very important. If they beat their week 10 opponent they are a 3 seed and travel to Highlands, if they lose they are a 4 seed and travel to Cov Cath.

What to do this week depends on 2 things:

1. How competitive is your district?

2. How competitive will your first round playoff game be?

If both of those are very difficult, I can see schedule light.

If both of those are easy, schedule difficult in this game because you need a tough opponent to stay sharp for the later more difficult playoff games.

If district is tough but round one is a no doubt win, I could see using the bye this week.

Finally, if you plan on resting players this week, then don't schedule a game. Just go ahead and use your bye this week. The worst thing a team and players can ever do is go into a game with a half effort mindset.

I prefer having a week 10 bye week, i think that it helps get kids that may be banged up get healthy for a playoff run. It also gives the coaching staff a chance to go scout their first round opponent, which i feel is important because you get a good feel of a teams speed, how hard a team plays, tempo ect.....things that are tough on film. The extra week also means you get two weeks to prepare/install the game plan for the first round, something that can be the difference for a team going on the road in a 2 seed vs 3 seed matchup

The other side of having a week 10 bye from people that do is they often times look back and wish they had an open week somewhere during their district slate.

It's a program to program thing. I can see where Belfry/Johnson Central playing week 10 is a great for all....neither of them are ever remotely challenged in the first couple rounds (if not even deeper). Caldwell County/Mayfield? Same way for the most part with them. They both use round 1 and sometimes 2 as times to rest their guys, so I get them having a slug fest to end the regular season.

Central/PRP? Same except sometimes for PRP depending on what region they are paired up with.

Do what you feel is best for your program year in year out and forget the rest.

I see all these comments about resting players. Are people talking about giving players with nagging injuries the week off? I can understand that. Surely this isn't about giving high school players a night off? That makes no sense to me. That actually sounds like a bad idea to me - resting a healthy high school player.