Per the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Ohio high school football season will be abbreviated to 6 games, and all teams will make the playoffs.

I don’t think this will affect us much here in Kentucky. Could be wrong but they are starting on time with this, which that ship has sailed here in Kentucky. 
 

It has to be a time where we stop jerking kids and coaches around though and either go or don’t go. This merry go round of decision making is not good. 

That could change St.X vs Cincy St.X since 2nd to last game of season.

Interesting. Has any other state gone this route with a shortened season and ending earlier?

From what I read earlier, all championship games must be done by November 21st. Teams can opt out of the playoffs and play an additional 4 games, just as long as they are also done by November 22st.

I believe I also heard them say all teams qualify for the playoffs under this plan.

Can anyone explain the logic of this proposal as it relates to player safety/health due to the Coronavirus? Seems backwards to me unless they are expecting a spike with a shutdown. Glad I'm not a coach....but especially not an administrator. Talked a long time last night with a former Ohio coach of 40+ seasons. We were both speculating on this one.

The only explanation is expecting a spike as winter nears. Same thiughts most colleges put in place for school this semester. Most colleges plan to be done with on campus by Thanksgiving.

I wonder if the coaches votes for the playoff seeding will be made public.

 

Other Playoff Details

• Playoff seeding will be via a vote of the coaches the week of September 28 (Harbin Ratings suspended for 2020 season)

• All playoff contests through the regional semifinals (and possibly the regional finals) will be hosted by the higher seeded team

• Schools must commit to participate in the playoffs by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, September 17

• Playoff regions will be drawn on Friday, September 18

• Schools may withdraw from the playoffs without penalty until Thursday, September 24

Also interesting to note that schools can schedule games after they have been eliminated from the playoffs:

While affirming that our fall sports seasons will start as planned, the modification will shorten the length of the 2020 football regular season to a six-game schedule prior to the playoffs beginning. With this, all football-playing schools will now be eligible to enter the 2020 playoffs. Schools also will be afforded the opportunity to play 10 total regular season contests – whether they continue regular season games after they are eliminated from the playoffs or should they decide not to enter the playoffs – as long as they complete their season by November 14. This raises the possibility of schools generating some revenue through gate receipts, and allowing schools to play after being eliminated from the playoffs is similar to regulations that already exist for many other OHSAA sports. Additionally, this means schools that may be delayed in starting their seasons could still have a football season.

As I read through all this, I see where there is some merit in this plan. It puts a lot of flexibility into the hands of the schools. The plan allows each individual school system to have as much control as possible over how they handle this.

What Ohio has done is made the regular season all about what you want to do with your schedule. Every team gets in the playoffs so the regular season is not going to keep you out of the playoffs. The only guidelines schools have to follow is keep these weeks open for playoffs and have your season start on this date and end on this date. Everything else is up to the individual schools. No requirement on games. A school could play no regular season games and just play in the playoffs. Am I reading all that right?

Seems to me this is to placate folks. We are 5 minutes across the bridge, but we begin 3 weeks later. KY has about 1/3 the number of football schools as Ohio. Seems that the chance for contacting the virus is secondary. All some school needs is for a staph outbreak... happens somewhere every season. Stay tuned sports fans!! Lol

1 hour ago, 9068 said:

Seems to me this is to placate folks. We are 5 minutes across the bridge, but we begin 3 weeks later. KY has about 1/3 the number of football schools as Ohio. Seems that the chance for contacting the virus is secondary. All some school needs is for a staph outbreak... happens somewhere every season. Stay tuned sports fans!! Lol

I don't understand any point you are making here.

Placate folks? Who? How does this placate folks?

Chance for catching the virus is secondary to what?

Staph outbreak? Are you saying the risk from a staph outbreak is the same as the risk from COVID?

Help me out please.