I was just wondering what people thought could be done to improve HS football in the state. Please, no public versus private or recruiting posts. I want to here every one's ideas about improvements that could be made, simple or complex.

 

Here are some of mine:

 

1. Do away with the buy week and move it to an open week between the last regular season game and the playoffs.

 

2. Only allow the top two teams from each district to advance to the playoffs. Under the current system, maybe, just have the number 1 and number 2 teams play for the district championship.

 

3. Do something to better promote the state championship. I don't have the answers for this one, but promote the championship in some greater way.

 

4. Do more research for the All-State Selection. Perhaps have a committee that requires certain members to attend certain games. Requiring every team to be evaluated at least once my several members of the committee. This would help to stop many of the players being overlooked do to geography.

The basketball institution is the biggest stumbling block in most situations.

Are you really blaming problems with football on basketball?

Just do away with the bye week period or schedule an 11th game.

Football games should not start until September.

Let players return kicks out of the end zone it adds excitement to the games.

Here's my list...

 

Do away with the bye week...period.

 

Only have the top 2 teams from each district advance in the playoffs. With 6 classes now, the chances of a deserving team being left out of the playoffs are greatly diminished.

 

Return to matching up different districts in the first round playoff games so that District 1's number 1 seed plays district 2's number 2 seed and so on.

 

Return teams to their natural geographic regions instead of this asinine shifting system they adopted.

 

Adopt some guidelines for minimum facility requirements for eligibility to host a playoff game similar to WV's. Stadiums must meet minimum standards for home and visitors seating, restroom facilities, concessions, parking, pressbox, etc. This would ensure that ALL fans, media and participants can fully enjoy the experience of playoff football.

 

All semifinal games will be played at neutral sites as determined by the competing teams to eliminate the arbitrary homefield advantage thereby giving BOTH teams an equal chance to make it to the carpet. The site may be a college facility or any other high school facility meeting the requirements to host a playoff game.

 

With the elimination of the bye week and one round of playoffs, push back the start of the season to the Friday following labor day. Ten weeks later, your playoffs begin and the finals are the same week in December without running into scheduling conflicts with U of L.

 

With the season starting later, a change to the dead period and beginning of practices is also in order. There is already talk of making the entire month of June dead period. Make the dead period extend for four full weeks to conclude at the end of the second FULL week in July. Also as part of this proposal, only allow passing leagues to begin AFTER the dead period and run for three weeks. The kids will be fresh and the work will spill right into preseason practices. Also, the kids will be better acclimated to the heat before donning pads since they will have had three weeks worth of passing league practices and games in shorts, shirts and helmets. As it is now, some kids are getting into full pads only a few days after beginning any outdoor activity and are more susceptible to heat illness. Another benefit of this proposal would be to appease basketball coaches some by allowing them to have more access to "their" kids for summer leagues (which will only be allowed to take place prior to the start of the dead period) since they will not be out for passing leagues.

 

I think that pretty much covers it...

Are you really blaming problems with football on basketball?

 

Yes, it is a part of the equation.

 

For more on this topic, click here.

Adopt some guidelines for minimum facility requirements for eligibility to host a playoff game similar to WV's. Stadiums must meet minimum standards for home and visitors seating, restroom facilities, concessions, parking, pressbox, etc. This would ensure that ALL fans, media and participants can fully enjoy the experience of playoff football.

 

This is an option that I had not considered, I am all for it. This would improve the playoff experience as well as encourage schools to improve their facilities.

The basketball institution is the biggest stumbling block in most situations.

 

I agree with your above statement. I think the state is lagging behind in this department, they still put basketball above football. But, I think on the school level more people are putting priority on football. In North-Eastern Kentucky basketball was king ten years ago, now I think football has passed basketball by far. You see many people at local football games and see far fewer people at basketball games. This seems to be the trend in many parts of the state. With all this being said, I think the state level needs to catch up and put more of a priority on football.

Just do away with the bye week period or schedule an 11th game.

 

We used to have 11 regular season games and an open week before the playoffs, I tend to like this format. It gives an extra game for local compitition and gives the playoff teams time to prepare and recover for the playoffs.

I am in favor of the bye week as well. Gives the players a week in the schedule to heal their wounds. Most schools use the bye week as a strength and conditioning week ~ which is an asset for the players deep into the season. Also, I use the bye week to travel to watch other teams in the state play.

 

I like the idea of only the top two teams of each district going on into the playoffs. The first game is usually a blowout for all teams in the state. The starters are usually pulled by the end of the half, the attendance is embarassing and you risk injury to your players. Some of these first round games I have seen in the past - tend to get ugly due to the blowout factor. Seniors on the losing squad tend to take out their frustrations in this match-up.

 

Semifinals at a neutral site sounds like a great idea. Although that would take revenues away from the schools from the sale of tickets, concessions and all the other fund raising schemes that you normally see at the games.

I would like to see the TIE GAME Overtime procedure changed. A 8-10 minute OT with a coin toss, at least 1 time out,and regulation rules...

Here's my list...

 

Do away with the bye week...period.

 

Only have the top 2 teams from each district advance in the playoffs. With 6 classes now, the chances of a deserving team being left out of the playoffs are greatly diminished.

 

Return to matching up different districts in the first round playoff games so that District 1's number 1 seed plays district 2's number 2 seed and so on.

 

Return teams to their natural geographic regions instead of this asinine shifting system they adopted.

 

Adopt some guidelines for minimum facility requirements for eligibility to host a playoff game similar to WV's. Stadiums must meet minimum standards for home and visitors seating, restroom facilities, concessions, parking, pressbox, etc. This would ensure that ALL fans, media and participants can fully enjoy the experience of playoff football.

 

All semifinal games will be played at neutral sites as determined by the competing teams to eliminate the arbitrary homefield advantage thereby giving BOTH teams an equal chance to make it to the carpet. The site may be a college facility or any other high school facility meeting the requirements to host a playoff game.

 

With the elimination of the bye week and one round of playoffs, push back the start of the season to the Friday following labor day. Ten weeks later, your playoffs begin and the finals are the same week in December without running into scheduling conflicts with U of L.

 

With the season starting later, a change to the dead period and beginning of practices is also in order. There is already talk of making the entire month of June dead period. Make the dead period extend for four full weeks to conclude at the end of the second FULL week in July. Also as part of this proposal, only allow passing leagues to begin AFTER the dead period and run for three weeks. The kids will be fresh and the work will spill right into preseason practices. Also, the kids will be better acclimated to the heat before donning pads since they will have had three weeks worth of passing league practices and games in shorts, shirts and helmets. As it is now, some kids are getting into full pads only a few days after beginning any outdoor activity and are more susceptible to heat illness. Another benefit of this proposal would be to appease basketball coaches some by allowing them to have more access to "their" kids for summer leagues (which will only be allowed to take place prior to the start of the dead period) since they will not be out for passing leagues.

 

I think that pretty much covers it...

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I particularly have long been an advocate of the neutral field/ acceptable facility idea. West Virginia does alot of things with their football playoffs that I think are absurd, but they hit the nail on the head with this one. Now that so many teams in the state are going with synthethic surfaces it makes this idea come to life with a little more fruition. There is absolutely no reason that field conditions should have any effect on an outcome at the state semi-final level, and if a team is fortunate enough to advance that far the fans should have the opportunity to watch a game from quality facilities.

 

I wouldn't go as far as Ohio, where every round following the first round is held on a neutral field, but I think it should be pre-determined that the state semi-finals (which logically usally produces the longest distance between teams) will be on a neutral site.

I would like to see the TIE GAME Overtime procedure changed. A 8-10 minute OT with a coin toss, at least 1 time out,and regulation rules...

Are you talking about an NFL type of overtime where the first team to score wins? If so, I think you will have alot of people disagree with you.