“Eliminating the advancement of district three and four seeds to the postseason was briefly discussed during Wednesday’s meeting, but ultimately losing that participation opportunity is not desirable, Tackett said”

 

You get a trophy, you get a trophy, you get a trophy. Heaven forbid we actually make finishing first or second a goal. Let’s continue letting everybody in the playoffs so little Johnny doesn’t cry.

“Eliminating the advancement of district three and four seeds to the postseason was briefly discussed during Wednesday’s meeting, but ultimately losing that participation opportunity is not desirable, Tackett said”

 

You get a trophy, you get a trophy, you get a trophy. Heaven forbid we actually make finishing first or second a goal. Let’s continue letting everybody in the playoffs so little Johnny doesn’t cry.

 

I would assume Commissioner Tackett is just echoing the desires of the majority of the member schools.

Board of Control Reviews Football Playoff Format

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 16, 2019

 

In its first meeting of the new year on Wednesday at the KHSAA Offices, the Board of Control finalized locations for two spring championships while addressing the future playoff structure for football and continuing its research for future revisions to state golf.

 

Football playoff structure and bracketing were also discussed Wednesday, after concerns were raised by a portion of the membership regarding significant early round travel and unbalanced matchups, in some cases, under the current cross bracketing system (which was originally requested by the Commissioner’s Football Advisory Committee as a means of playing different teams in the postseason and varying the annual matchups).

 

Included in the discussion, was the determination to finalize the development and approval of a Rating Power Index (RPI), as has been adopted in many states, to seed playoff matchups at a certain point in the playoffs. The RPI would be a function of the strength of schedule, with parameters weighted 35% on a team’s strength of schedule, 35 percent on its opponents’ strength of schedule, and 30 percent on its opponents’ opponents’ strength of schedule. The development of an RPI could also have the added benefit of resulting in more competitive schedules for some schools and a modernized method of breaking three-way district ties.

 

After reviewing several options, the Board approved a motion to play the first two rounds of play within district. The RPI would then be used to seed the third round, within districts 1-4 and 5-8, and would also be used to seed the final four teams as well.

 

“There is probably no fan of high school sports that doesn’t have an opinion about the football playoffs. There certainly have been a variety pack of formats as we continue to get membership feedback. However, in the end, the vast majority of the schools did not want to reduce the number of playoff teams,” said Tackett. “With that in mind and continuing concerns about less than desirable matchups in the first round, the board felt very strongly that the amount of travel for the first two rounds needed to be reduced regardless of the fact the teams might have already played. Certainly, those repeat matchups occur in every team sport and the board did not feel a difference was justified if less travel was involved.

 

“The RPI will be an exciting development, especially given the fact that it will be totally transparent. It does not reward teams for higher point margins, instead rewarding teams that play a tougher schedule, and will not be some group of people interjecting opinions and thoughts with potential unchecked bias. The objectivity of the RPI will be a great feature. “

 

1/16/19 – Board of Control Sets Sites for State Softball and State Archery; Reviews Football Playoff Format | Kentucky High School Athletic Association

Board of Control Reviews Football Playoff Format

 

After reviewing several options, the Board approved a motion to play the first two rounds of play within district. The RPI would then be used to seed the third round, within districts 1-4 and 5-8, and would also be used to seed the final four teams as well.

 

I know, me quoting me.

 

I thought the above was interesting. I think this means there will be two different seeding processes in the 3rd Round of the Playoffs (a seeding of the East and a seeding of the West) and then another seeding that includes all four teams left in each class.

 

If I have this wrong someone please clarify it for us.

This looks to be the case. If you seeded the last 8 schools, there could have been some extremely long road trips.

 

Can you imagine a Mayfield vs Shelby Valley 1-8 game in the region finals of 2 A.

 

I know, me quoting me.

 

I thought the above was interesting. I think this means there will be two different seeding processes in the 3rd Round of the Playoffs (a seeding of the East and a seeding of the West) and then another seeding that includes all four teams left in each class.

 

If I have this wrong someone please clarify it for us.

This looks to be the case. If you seeded the last 8 schools, there could have been some extremely long road trips.

 

Can you imagine a Mayfield vs Shelby Valley 1-8 game in the region finals of 2 A.

 

I think it all makes sense too. I want (and I want everyone else) to be able to understand the format.

Funny comment that this decision limits travel... The cross-bracketing they just did the last two years caused a lot of those travel issues.

 

Just leave it alone or blow it up completely.

 

Also, CalPreps is far superior to RPI, in my opinion.

I would assume Commissioner Tackett is just echoing the desires of the majority of the member schools.

In speaking with one coach and AD (and i'm sure others would have the same response), neither were consulted or asked anything about changing the playoff format. This seemingly dropped out of the sky today, voted in, and is now the format used. Time for change indeed....

Using calpreps.com for seeding in round 3 and 4, and assuming the first two rounds would have produced the same 8 teams for round 3, here is what round 3 looks like for class 1A last year:

 

#8 Crittenden County at #1 Beechwood ... that is a haul!

#7 Frankfort at #2 Pikeville

#6 Williamsburg at #3 Raceland

#5 Campbellsville at #4 Paintsville

 

Using calpreps.com matchups, here are the results of those games:

 

Beechwood 42 Crittenden County 14

Pikeville 42 Frankfort 14

Raceland 34 Williamsburg 21

Paintsville 28 Campbellsville 21

 

Re-seeding for round 4 produces these state semifinals:

 

#4 Paintsville at #1 Beechwood

#3 Raceland at #2 Pikeville

 

We saw Raceland and Pikeville so we will roll with that actual score of:

 

Pikeville 38 Raceland 19

 

Using calpreps.com matchup:

 

Beechwood 34 Paintsville 14

 

At the end of that, we get the same title game matchup of Beechwood vs. Pikeville.

 

In this example, the big negative is the travel for teams in round 3.

 

Let's tweak this with the new information that round 3 seeding will be restricted to east teams playing each other and west teams playing each other.

 

Adjusting last year above, here is round 3:

 

WEST

 

#4 Crittenden County at #1 Beechwood ... that long drive is still there.

#3 Frankfort at #2 Campbellsville

 

EAST

 

#4 Williamsburg at #1 Pikeville

#3 Paintsville at #2 Raceland

 

RESULTS OF ROUND 3

 

Beechwood 42 Crittenden Co. 14 (per calpreps.com matchup)

Campbellsville 34 Frankfort 27 (per calpreps.com matchup)

Pikeville 57 Williamsburg 16 (actual result from round 3 this past year)

Raceland 14 Paintsville 7 (actual result from round 3 this past year)

 

FINAL FOUR

 

#4 Campbellsville at #1 Beechwood

#3 Raceland at #2 Pikeville

 

These are the same Final Four matchups 1A had this past year. Again, with the correction, the issue is still travel but not as bad as if they didn't seed within the bracket in round 3.

Here is 6A round 3 using last year's final 8 teams with the result.

 

WEST

 

#4 Ballard 6 at #1 Male 35 (per calpreps.com matchup)

#3 St. Xavier 17 at #2 Trinity 19 (per calpreps.com)

 

EAST

 

#4 Conner 14 at #1 Scott County 38 (per calpreps.com)

#3 Madison Central 17 at #2 Simon Kenton 28 (per calpreps.com)

 

ROUND 4

 

#4 Simon Kenton 17 at #1 Male 34 (per calpreps.com)

#3 Trinity 27 at #2 Scott County 31 (per calpreps.com)

 

CHAMPIONSHIP (same as actually happened)

 

Male 37 Scott County 20

Here is 5A round 3 using last year's final 8 teams with the result.

 

WEST

 

#4 Fern Creek 6 at #1 South Warren 44 (per calpreps.com matchup)

#3 South Oldham 27 at #2 Owensboro 28 (per calpreps.com)

 

EAST

 

#4 Southwestern 6 at #1 Covington Catholic 35 (per calpreps.com)

#3 Pulaski County 14 at #2 Highlands 35 (per calpreps.com)

 

ROUND 4

 

#4 Owensboro 7 at #1 South Warren 44 (actual playoff result, round 3)

#3 Highlands 0 at #2 Covington Catholic 36 (actual playoff result, round 3)

 

CHAMPIONSHIP (same as actually happened)

 

South Warren 20 Covington Catholic 16

OK, so I don't think this is such a bad idea. But here's what I don't get about it all, why be so fast to do it? Why just do it in one day and right this second?

 

Almost seems like they tried to sneak it by. Why? Is there's something we are all missing? I have spoken with 3 coaches and 2 ADs and all different schools and not one of them knew anything about it until it was happening.

 

Again, in the end it might be a good thing. But man a lot of unanswered questions. My biggest one right now is you are changing the format and saying you need a high RPI to get that seed in the playoffs - if you advance - so I wonder if the KHSAA will allow schools to void non-district contracts because of strength of schedule? So they can adjust their SOS.

 

With this vote they have said strength of schedule is important, so if I am a coach tomorrow and I think I have a shot to be there then I am trying to get some tough teams on my schedule.

 

Also, Colorado counts 5 other states the same as they count in-state teams in the RPI. What states will be counted in Kentucky? I might have missed one but I think schools played teams from Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, West Virginia, Missouri, Illinois, Florida and Virginia.

 

And also what happens to those 3-team districts? Is there a bye in the first round for some schools?

 

So many questions. Just all rushed.

You know what would reduce a lot of travel and keep some of the 0-10 and 1-9 teams out of the playoffs? Reverting back to four classes.

 

When you continually tweak the format, you are just admitting that the current way isn't working. How many tweaks were made from 1984-2006? One. Four teams from a district make the playoffs. That is all. Since the switch to six classes, we have seen cross-bracketing, to intra-district, to cross-bracketing, and now back to intra-district in the first round. We've seen state championship games moved to Sunday afternoon. We've seen first round byes. We've seen five teams in a district make the playoffs. We've seen a mandatory scheduling grid for regular season games. And we've seen rotating regions for first round games. It's just rearranging chairs on the six-class Titanic.

Hopefully, seeding will be calculated quickly after Friday night games so schools can properly prepare for the next weeks opponent. In the current format, you know exactly where you are going and who you are playing as soon as the Friday scores are in.

 

The inexorable march of progress.

You know what would reduce a lot of travel and keep some of the 0-10 and 1-9 teams out of the playoffs? Reverting back to four classes.

 

When you continually tweak the format, you are just admitting that the current way isn't working. How many tweaks were made from 1984-2006? One. Four teams from a district make the playoffs. That is all. Since the switch to six classes, we have seen cross-bracketing, to intra-district, to cross-bracketing, and now back to intra-district in the first round. We've seen state championship games moved to Sunday afternoon. We've seen first round byes. We've seen five teams in a district make the playoffs. We've seen a mandatory scheduling grid for regular season games. And we've seen rotating regions for first round games. It's just rearranging chairs on the six-class Titanic.

 

Couldn't have said it any better myself. When you populate some of these classes with less than 35 or so teams then you are going to be stretching travel come playoff time (and even for district games in some cases).