My proposal would be that Kentucky high school football gets split into two divisions: the Kentucky State Championship Division (KYSCD) and the Kentucky Bowl Division (KYBD). Each division has (3) classes, for a total of (6) football classifications, just as we have now. "State Championships" are only awarded to the playoff winners in each of the three KYSCD football classifications each season. In the bowl division, there are (4) regions within each of the (3) classifications, and each region has a Champions Bowl, for a total of (12) official KHSAA bowl winners each season.

Kentucky State Championship Division (KYSCD):

Each KYSCD division is split into (3) classes, established by average enrollment. Each class is split into (8) geographically-based districts. Each team plays a 11-week, 10-game regular season schedule, including (1) game against each district opponent. Non-district schedules are determined by each individual school.

RPI system is modified for he playoffs to have out-of-state opponents' win/loss info as well as opponents' opponents' win/loss info figured into RPI...the information is the responsibility of each KHSAA member school to input to the KHSAA's RPI calculation system. If no input is provided by the KHSAA member school, the out of state opponent is assigned an automatic .5000 as their RPI. The KHSAA will spot check at random for accuracy on submitted RPI info and any false information provided by KHSAA member schools will result in fines and/or forefeit of playoff eligibility.

Playoffs for each of the (3) classes will include the top (2) teams from each of the (8) districts.

All quarterfinal games, semifinal games, and finals are to be played on neutral sites. To facilitate that, quarerfinal and semifinal games will be played at participating KYSCD school stadiums belonging to school's in different classes. (e.g. - In Northern Kentucky, assuming Beechwood, Mason County and Ryle all choose to participate in the KYSCD, then the local 1A quarters/semis could be hosted at Mason County, the local 2A quarters/semis could be hosted at Ryle, and the local 3A quarters/semis could be hosted at Beechwood.) State finals are played at Kroger Field.

The two teams in the district with the most district-low finishes over the alignment period are automatically relegated to the Kentucky Bowl Division in the next alignment. If lowest finish in the district cannot be determined by wins/losses within the district, then average RPI over the enrollment period will be used as a tiebreaker to determine who is relegated to the KYBD.

KYSCD-1A:
- Schools with an average of 300 or less boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 1A & 2A enrollment guidelines.

KYSCD-2A:
- Schools with an average of 301-775 boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 3A & 4A enrollment guidelines.

KYSCD-3A:
- Schools with an average of 300 or less boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 5A & 6A enrollment guidelines.

Kentucky Bowl Division (KYBD):

Each KYBD division is split into (3) classes, established by average enrollment. Each class is split into (4) regions, and each region is split into (2) conferences, resulting in (8) total conferences for each class. Conference membership is determined by member schools. Each team plays a 11-week, 10-game regular season schedule, including (1) game against each conference opponent and at least (2) games against non-conference teams from within their region. The remainder of each team's non-conference schedule is to be determined by each individual school.

There will be a one-week bye week for all teams following the end of the 11-week regular season, followed by conference semifinals (as determined by wins/losses within each conference), and then conference finals. The following week each region will host a Champions Bowl game between the (2) conference-champion teams. Member schools from each region can vote prior to each realignment on whether they want to hold a regional consolation game to determine 3rd and 4th place in the region.

The sight for the Regional Champions Bowl is to be determined by member schools within the region. It can be hosted by a member school, or can be hosted at a neutral site, as determined by its members.

The teams with the most Regional Champions Bowl appearances over the alignment period will automatically be promoted to the Kentucky State Championship Division for the next alignment period. (NOTE: It is possible that two teams from the same conference could be sent up to the KYSCD based on the fact that promotion is based on the number of Regional Champions Bowl appearances and not on the number of wins in the conference finals.)

KYBD-1A:
- Schools with an average of 300 or less boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 1A & 2A enrollment guidelines.

KYBD-2A:
- Schools with an average of 301-775 boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 3A & 4A enrollment guidelines.

KYBD-3A:
- Schools with an average of 300 or less boys enrolled over the last 3 years prior to alignment.
- Approximately equal to current KHSAA 5A & 6A enrollment guidelines.

Cool idea, but that's a lot to keep track of.  

49 minutes ago, New Colonel said:

Cool idea, but that's a lot to keep track of.  

Which part do you see being the most to keep track of?

Realistically the football season is a bunch to keep track of, and my hopes would be that the new system wouldn't be adding too much at all on the KHSAA side of things, and it would be minimal added duties for coaches and AD's. I'm not saying that there wouldn't be anything additional to track, but basically...

1.) The KYSCD would run essentially the same as the current system does, top to bottom, with the only real added portion of it being the fact that the KHSAA would have to set up an online portal for participating schools to input the data for the their out-of-state opponents' schedules/results. From there, that would be a matter of algorithms doing the rest of the calculating automatically, just as the RPI system does now. So basically for the KHSAA it means that they would have to create an online portal for data collection from teams, and then they would have to do a one-time adjustment to their RPI algorithms to work in the new data for out-of-state opponents schedule results. Then for the participating teams, the only added responsibility would be plugging in their out-of-state opponents' schedule results (which only is neccessary if they play out of state opponents), and even then, they have the option to not input that data and still have their RPI calculated with the current RPI formula. So there is definitely motivation for teams to input their out-of-state opponents' info, but it's not a requirement.

2.) The KYBD, there is definitel some initial organization that would have to take place, but from there I kind of foresee the regions being somewhat self-governing, kind of the way that the basketball regions currently handle their own tournament draws and the operation of their tournaments. And more or less the same for the conferences.

3.) With fewer postseason games for the KYBD, that would also make for a slightly lightened load come playoff time as far as scheduling officials is concerned for the KHSAA. I realize that the regular season is the biggest challenge for them as far as crews of officials are concerned, but still, it does mean less playoff travel required for officials crews, and it also could help free up some time for the officials who do both football and basketball and give some guys a little bit of a breather before hoops season starts.

Just my two-pence on the idea overall.

You are right.  I think just all the changes would take a while for people to get used to once they wrap their heads around it.  I would think this sort of proposal would make for a much more competitive post-season, especially rounds 1 & 2.

7 minutes ago, New Colonel said:

You are right.  I think just all the changes would take a while for people to get used to once they wrap their heads around it.  I would think this sort of proposal would make for a much more competitive post-season, especially rounds 1 & 2.

Yeah, getting people to buy in is always the real challenge. And I think a major shake-up like that would be even more challenging to sell to everyone, but I think it could be a serious benefit to everyone.

I think there are a lot of teams who haven't had made any noise in the playoff in decades that would have a LOT of really happy players if they got to talk about going to the champions bowl for their region in the postseason after decades of essentially not having anything to get excited about after senior day comes and goes. And the teams that are playoff contenders often or even just occasionally would be staying in the KYSCD to continue vying for a state title.

Had a coach call me with a similar idea......

2 & 3 seeds play week 1 of playoffs, 1 seed gets a bye and will play winner. Continue as always. 

All 4 seeds go into a Bowl Championship Playoff.

Round 1: Districts 1v2, 3v4, 5v6, 7v8.

Round 2 would be 12 Bowl Games.... East & West for all 6 classes. Bowls could be named from KHSAA greats... Alvis Johnson, Paul Hornung, etc. Trophies could be sponsored. Team w/ the higher RPI would be the host for each game. 

Would only add two weeks to the season but would give some programs that are struggling, something to play for and their chances of success would increase substantially.