When is Kentucky Going to Find the "Right" Formula?

[Ram]

When is Kentucky going to find the "Right" formula for football alignment? It seems that we are changing a lot, frequently, when will we find the best format available for Kentucky? 3 classes, 4 classes, 6 classes, this team is 1A, now they are 3A, this team is 4A now they are 2A. Who can keep up?

 

I would also be interested in knowing if other states change their alignment as frequently as we have lately.

 

What are we looking for? I guess that causes the most concern. If we knew what end result we were looking for it making it easier to find. I know we are going, but where is our destination?

[gchs_uk9]

One could argue that they had the right formula with four classes.

 

But in truth there are two reasons for this six-class stuff:

 

1. X and T had gotten too good and the KHSAA wanted to limit the number of competitors who had to beat them to win a state championship.

 

2. Several small schools have numbers so minuscule that they were perhaps on the verge of shutting down football. Making a tiny Class 1A helps them to stay competitive.

 

I honestly think that if the public-private split proposed a few years ago had taken place, there would only be four classes of football today - just like there was in the past.

[malachicrunch]

One could argue that they had the right formula with four classes.

 

But in truth, X and T are the only reasons any of this six-class stuff has taken place. I honestly think that if the public-private split proposed a few years ago had taken place, there would only be four classes of football today - just like there was in the past.

 

I thought the move to 6 classes was to help small schools. What would making 6 classes do in regard to T and X?

[gchs_uk9]

I thought the move to 6 classes was to help small schools. What would making 6 classes do in regard to T and X?

 

To limit the number of teams who had to attempt to beat T and X to win a state championship. I think you are right about the small schools; I actually should have added that on my original post. It was a way to keep some tiny schools from shutting down their football programs.

[malachicrunch]

To limit the number of teams who had to attempt to beat T and X to win a state championship. I think you are right about the small schools; I actually should have added that on my original post. It was a way to keep some tiny schools from shutting down their football programs.

 

Well then out of the teams that no longer had to beat X and T, who has won a championship?

[leatherneck]

When is Kentucky going to find the "Right" formula for football alignment? It seems that we are changing a lot, frequently, when will we find the best format available for Kentucky? 3 classes, 4 classes, 6 classes, this team is 1A, now they are 3A, this team is 4A now they are 2A. Who can keep up?

 

I would also be interested in knowing if other states change their alignment as frequently as we have lately.

 

What are we looking for? I guess that causes the most concern. If we knew what end result we were looking for it making it easier to find. I know we are going, but where is our destination?

 

 

Valid concern about the frequency of change in classification. I think 6 classes is here to stay, so that issue of possible change in the future can be put to bed. Plus the Board of Control stated that the re-alignment done starting next year will be for 4 years, subject to any school having a major change in enrollment ( I think they used 12% change as the barometer of a major change) and of course subject to new schools opening and schools closing. So I do think the KHSAA shares your concern that it's time to bring a little stability to the classification/alignment/districting issues.

[leatherneck]

Well then out of the teams that no longer had to beat X and T, who has won a championship?

 

That's a very valid point which somewhat undermines the argument that 6 classes was only done to lessen the complaining of public schools needing to beat X or T to win a state championship. Those teams no longer in the largest class still weren't winning state championships. However, with Highlands being 4A next year, it will open the door for some teams that would have had to beat X or T in the 4 class system in order to win state, to be able to win state in 5A.

 

In my opinion, we went to 6 classes not to diffuse the public-private debate, but rather to try to bring the disparity of enrollment size a little closer in all the classes. But people will believe what they want to believe.

[gchs_uk9]

Well then out of the teams that no longer had to beat X and T, who has won a championship?

 

Probably too early to tell with such a small sample size, but John Hardin is a school that comes to mind; not a title winner but a much more likely contender in 5A than they were in the old AAAA.

[gchs_uk9]

But people will believe what they want to believe.

 

I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer to any of this. I'm sure there were multiple reasons for the movement to six classes. Some of those reasons were good I'm sure, while some probably weren't so good.

[leatherneck]

I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer to any of this. I'm sure there were multiple reasons for the movement to six classes. Some of those reasons were good I'm sure, while some probably weren't so good.

 

Valid post and you could be right. But I'm told by some people pretty close to the KHSAA that it was the disparity reason that got a majority of the Board members to support 6 classes.

[gchs_uk9]

Valid post and you could be right. But I'm told by some people pretty close to the KHSAA that it was the disparity reason that got a majority of the Board members to support 6 classes.

 

Can you speak to what I mentioned a little earlier that if the KHSAA had split public and private then there would still be four classes? I ask because I don't really know and it seemed like after public/private failed football went straight to six classes. I've always been curious about that. Of course I might be asking a speculative question!

[malachicrunch]

That's a very valid point which somewhat undermines the argument that 6 classes was only done to lessen the complaining of public schools needing to beat X or T to win a state championship. Those teams no longer in the largest class still weren't winning state championships. However, with Highlands being 4A next year, it will open the door for some teams that would have had to beat X or T in the 4 class system in order to win state, to be able to win state in 5A.

In my opinion, we went to 6 classes not to diffuse the public-private debate, but rather to try to bring the disparity of enrollment size a little closer in all the classes. But people will believe what they want to believe.

 

I am in favor of 4 classes. Let me reference the bolded as to why? We add 2 classes to shore up size disparity, and give more teams the opportunity to win a championship. We take the "smaller" 4a programs who have not shot at beating X or T, reclass them away from the two giants. Now they can win championships. For some reason that hasn't happened. Now you take that reason out of their class, and yeah now maybe one of these schools can win a championship. Ky justdoesn't have enough programs to support 6 classes. The regular season means next to nothing as far as getting to the playoffs, and what do you say to 5A? Well we got you away from all of the teams you couldn't beat. Here's your trophy? 4 classes. No one moves up or down. you're either good enough or not.

[leatherneck]

I am in favor of 4 classes. Let me reference the bolded as to why? We add 2 classes to shore up size disparity, and give more teams the opportunity to win a championship. We take the "smaller" 4a programs who have not shot at beating X or T, reclass them away from the two giants. Now they can win championships. For some reason that hasn't happened. Now you take that reason out of their class, and yeah now maybe one of these schools can win a championship. Ky justdoesn't have enough programs to support 6 classes. The regular season means next to nothing as far as getting to the playoffs, and what do you say to 5A? Well we got you away from all of the teams you couldn't beat. Here's your trophy? 4 classes. No one moves up or down. you're either good enough or not.

 

I understand your points and most of them have some validity. I'll disagree with the point about the regular season meaning next to nothing from the standpoint that I believe every team should want to win every game, and thus every regular season game should mean a lot. Furthermore, even if you are right, how does that make football different from other sports? In basketball, where the district is drawn not seeded, would you say the regular season games mean next to nothing? Baseball? Soccer? Etc.

 

Guys I'm not going to argue that 6 classes hasn't watered down football and hasn't made it easier for some teams to win state. I can't and I won't. On the other hand, I don't accept the "then we should have 219 classes" any more than I'd accept the "we should have just one class" argument either. It's a balancing act: one on side is decreasing the size disparity and hopefully increasing enthusiasm for football; on the other side is making it to easy to win state. Is it balanced correctly? Heck, I don't know for sure and no one else does either at this point. What I do know is that the enthusiasm for football at Holmes jumped up pretty quickly at Holmes when it no longer had to face Highlands in the district. They tasted some success and are building on it (I'm hoping enthusiasm for football has gotten strong enough at Holmes that it can "survive" being placed in 4A with Highlands next year). My guess is that other programs have benefitted the way Holmes has. Maybe I'm all wet on this, but I think it bears waiting and watching before we declare it (6 classes) a failure.

[malachicrunch]

I'm not going to disagree with your point on the other sports. I will point out that none of those sports crowns 6 state champions. 6 is too many for Ky. IMO

[westsider]

Let's face it ... the entire system for football in this state was changed because of two schools, Trinity and St. Xavier. If they were somehow eliminated from the process, we would still have four classes.