Calico Jack

My maternal grandfather graduated from old Barrett Manual Training High School (aka Henderson High) in '46. I have a program from his senior season ('45) & they played Owensboro then. I don't recall him ever talking about a break/no season during WWII. So, if not then? I'm not sure if ever? Also, while he was playing for the Purple Flash? Their Head Coach? Frank Camp, who left for the University of Louisville job in '46 (I believe). But, some of my grandpa's teammates? The late, great(s) Mojo Hollowell (Coach Hollowell and my grandfather both started at Guards), Shorty Jamerson (RB at UK under Bear Bryant, scored both TD's in their '51 Sugar Bowl win over Oklahoma) and their starting varsity QB, as an 8th grader? (WKU coach/legend) Jimmy Feix. ??

They really don't. No comparison. Not top to bottom (And, I'm not a get off my lawn type. Nothing more defending of that than my last post in absolute favor of playing the finals at Lynn Family Stadium ⚽ ) ? However....I'm sure they do to an extent- once every 4 or 5 appearances. For example, during pregame and a quarter or so. ? Beechwood hasn't missed playing for a region title since 2007...18 straight, and baring a cataclysmic - all systems failure of the most highest of unlikely? They'll be playing in their 19th straight. Of the 17 Region Titles they've won in that time? Average margin of victory has been 32.5 & that's including the 1 point win over East Carter in 2020, to which I might add....WAS every bit of a 'throwback' region title game. Serious question...because I'm calling Beechwood to their 19th straight Region Final Trip. So, since '07, what have they played in the most? ? Region Title Games OR Games that weren't running clocks Signed, (while I know it may not seem it?) Beechwood Fan from afar (and, also the food trough at the Kroger next to BHS, but not so much The Days Inn across 75- one of the Buffett concerts at Riverbend, 2017, rooms were scarce. Not exactly one of my smartest calls ?) @Colonels_Wear_Blue

Playing the finals at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville would be AWESOME. Zero doubt in my mind the games, ALL of them, would be the most electric feeling atmospheres to date if something were ever to be worked out (KHSAA agreed to, playing surface, etc). Also, for the "Football in a Soccer Stadium???!!!!!" crowd? Don't look now, buuuuuuuut- ....for the last 15 years or so? The FCS Division 1 Championship game that's held in Frisco, TX (Toyota Stadium)is the HOME of the MLS FC Dallas. This year and next? It's been moved to Nashville (Vandy's) while Toyota Stadium is undergoing major upgrades. All plans right now have it heading back for the January 2028 title game. **Let's put that in deeper context. THE FCS Division 1 Title....is played...in TEXAS....at a...MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER stadium** The CIF (California's HS Athletic Association) hosted many of its state title games in the past at the MLS LA Galaxy stadium. Schools like, ohhhh.... De La Salle, Matter Dei, St. John Bosco...just some of the nation's most elite high school programs over many decades. ...no big deal, though.

Yep, but you know what they say about things that "make too much sense".

That's something the vast majority of places need to consider, and if it's in a "no win" situation (both literally and/or figuratively) as it pertains to their district(s) and/or region (first two rounds)- like many that come open every year are- then that needs to be considered even more because the pool of interest becomes even less.

Kentucky Football has only made three hires who were CURRENTLY head coaches at schools. Bear Bryant who was at Maryland. Fran Curci who was at Miami (FL). Jerry Claiborne who, like Bear, was also at Maryland. I'll never say never, however, THIS time around would not be the 4th, especially with all of the GOOD jobs that are open right now. In a normal coaching change cycle, Kentucky is a hard sell for a proven, established, (big) name. But, throw in Florida, Penn State, Arkansas (yes, Arkansas is considered a better job), LSU, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech (and, likely more to come, namely Florida State)? It's going to be even harder.

And not even close. By a long shot and if something isn’t done about how we schedule, playoff format(s) it’s going to get even worse, if at all possible. Because the majority of Friday nights from Mayfield to Martin County are ….well, it’s boring. Beyond boring. that's all for another thread/topic, though, which I’m working on and the numbers-idea(s) to improve it (oddly enough, while keeping 6 “divisions”

Excluding Central … But, if this doesn’t sum up the current state of KYHSFB and the gap between the “Have’s” and “Have nots” , I don’t know what does.

I say this having not looked on MaxPreps in years because of their being 'no contest' between the two, so for all I know they could be spot on with CalPreps. Until we do something about our playoff, classification system, district's still being a thing instead of scheduling what suits your respective program(s) the best, etc? It won't matter what computer system is used. It'll continue to be a snooze fest starting mid regular season- 2nd round (give or take on both ends of the spectrum) far more than many are willing to admit. Last week's scores, as yet, another example? 100 games were played. 40 ENDED in RC's. 15 ENDED between 28-34 points. How many were actual RC's, but ended closer? Not sure. I'd be shocked if wasn't 7-8 of them at least, if not more or all. 11 ENDED in 21-27 points .....annnnnd, those results in the masses/perecentage of all games played aren't the exception, but the rule.

Yet, another reason for HSRatings/CalPreps.

Hands down, not even close. Maxpreps doesn't hold a candle to HSRatings/Calpreps. It's not even up for debate.

No. They'll both be the 1 seed in their respective district(s).

1- You threw out the fact that even cutting it to an 8 team per class would result in blowouts, because, there are, in fact blow outs in the current 3rd, 4th and even state championship game(s). To which I acknowledged the pink elephant in the room seemingly every year, every class that if we are really being honest with ourselves? There's really less than 8 per class that have a legit shot at winning it all (in each class). Assuming that's what you meant by stating (and, TRUE) that there are even blowouts in the aforementioned later rounds? You know what's said about assuming- can be a slippery slope, but I'm not sure of any other way to interpret that. FURTHERMORE, there are 136 Division 1 FBS Football programs that compete for 12 Playoff spots (as you know & am guessing you are in favor of, as am I) that represent 8% of the total, vying population. Conversely, we have 223 football playing schools in Kentucky, with six classes. IF we took 8 teams per? 20% IF we just took 6 teams PER class to the playoffs? That's 16%. Literally DOUBLE the chances of those in D1 FBS. Knock it on down to 4 teams per? Slightly under 11% (10.7%)...yet STILL better than that of FBS D1. For comparisons sake? FCS D1 has 129 football playing programs and now take 24 teams (18%). NCAA Division II has 161 football playing schools and have a 32 team playoff (1st time this year) & that's 20%. NCAA Division III has 241 playing school & a 40 team playoff (17%). NAIA has 94 playing schools and a 20 team playoff (21%). So, as you can see....percentage wise...the 4-8 team playoff/per class isn't that wild of an idea. All three scenarios fit in the range of all collegiate level models. 2- So what if it's Ohio? If anything, due to the fact they have 3 times + the amount of schools playing, I'd argue (without being THAT well versed in the goings on of OHS Football) that they'd probably need to adopt ours & we need to adopt theirs 3- It's more than SOME, hsratings.com (calpreps) current Top 110 (roughly top half of our KY schools) by class. 6A- 25 (22%) 5A- 23 (21%) 4A- 21 (18%) 3A- 17 (17%) 2A- 15 (14%) 1A- 9 (8%) Top 50- 6A (13), 5A (12), 4A (9), 3A (6), 2A (6), 1A (4) Top 25- 6A (6), 5A (7), 4A (8), 3A (2), 2A (4), 1A (0) Top 10- 6A (4), 5A (1), 4A (4), 3A (1), 2A (1), 1A (0) Those ranges when thinking "bigger the school, bigger the football program" is small & when comparing "6A vs The World (1A-5A)" is ZERO when holding the majority of the Top spots in the various ranges (Top 10, 25, 50, etc). And in some cases they are single handidly tied with the # of spots (with 4A in the Top 10) & less than (5A in Top 25). As for metro areas like Lou/Jeff Co and NKY where there is more, if not most of the discrepancy b/t big-small ? They'd sort it out, much like, wait for it....Ohio (Dang it!) does with " So and So Conference Big", "so and so conference small". Also, the conferences individually set the number of games that have to be played "IN CONFERENCE". To Your Original question? See my original post. Right now? We have districts (many more than not), regions (all), classes (all) where....imagine Alabama, WKU, EKU, Georgetown, Campbellsville & Lindsey Wilson are competing for the same trophy.

1- Agreed. I'd even be fine with four team playoff per class. The fact of the matter is, if being really honest with ourselves? Do a four team per class. Or to split the difference? Go 6 teams. 1 and 2 seeds get a 1st round bye. 3 plays 6, 4 plays 5. Four to six teams, each class, are as many each year that realistically have a chance to claim they are the best as is. 2- Group how you see fit. Coaches can do this, they know better than anybody who/what their program is and what it isn't. They do as is now with these Frosh-More Conferences. Using Ohio as an example? Conferences range from 4 team-10 team. MOST of them also have conferences that include programs from various classes, some with as many as three different classes within a conference & then there are some who are all represented by 1 class (ie: Greater Miami is a 10 team conference composed of all Division 1 schools, Ohio's largest division). On the flip side of that? There are conferences like "Lake Erie" that is a six team conference, represented by schools across 4 classes. 3- In terms of the 1A power having a losing record due to their conference of bigger schools? I think we put wayyyyy too much stock into something that clearly is not, aka, "the more boys you have, the better football you have or SHOULD have" because it just simply isn't the case....not in our state. Some? Yes. As a rule? Not even close. Take EKY for example- Pikeville and Raceland- arguably the two best Class A programs over the last 10 years. They'd be fine and then some having to play bigger schools. Heck, out of district, it's who they are having to play as is and not just bigger schools, but almost always "in the mix" of their respected class(es) bigger schools.

Go ahead and use HSRatings.com- they are all over it every year. In '21, Belfry was at #3 and PT was at #4, so under their formula (which heavily relies on S.O.S. Real S.O.S, not 'if you're a 3A school- play sister of the poor 5A school and win- that counts more than playing and losing to 2A powerhouse) both of those would have been in the playoffs. As far as the number of games to play? That I'm not sure on, but I'd 100% copy whatever Ohio does (adjust as needed due to their obviously being 3+X's the football playing schools there than there are in KY). I also LOVE the new idea that Florida has moved to with their Sunshine Conference(s). Here, you could almost have 6 "classes", but different. Gridiron Bowl (Compete for State Title) 1A-2A= 1A 3A-4A= 2A 5A-6A= 3A Bluegrass Conference 1) WKC 2) CKC 3) EKC Better yet, I'm not so sure you couldn't do just TWO classes that compete for state titles (but, take more than 8 teams to the playoffs for each. Make it 16, 24, 32) 1) A (Class A, AA and AAA) -Imagine having Pikeville, Raceland, Mayfield, Beechwood, LCA, Belfry, O'Cath, CAL, Central, Somerset, etc all in the same playoff set up?!?! Talk about must see match ups in November. 2) AA (4A, 5A & 6A) - Boyle, Tilghman, CovCath, Johnson Central, Highlands, Bowling Green, Cooper, Ashland, South Warren, Douglass, Trinity, X, etc Three "Championship" classes would work better, but dang...imagine November's with those teams throwing punches?

....and soooooooooo many more each and every week.

The system is broken and it's only going to get worse. Have's and have nots. Most want to look at the 1st, and even 2nd round of the playoffs as the issue, but you can start seeing it much earlier. There are 35-45 games that END in running clock scores every Friday, and that's not counting the other handful or so that are running clocks at some point during the game...yet end "closer". That's also not counting another 15-25 that end in the 27-34 point range. I'm not an "everybody deserves a trophy" mind set either- as far from it as any, but this ideology of having and thinking that everybody can and needs to is a false reality. Think Ohio U, Utah State, Temple, etc are worried about winning a National Title? Nope. Winning their conference? Yep. Making a bowl game? Yep. Then once every generation maybe having the stars align to where they can make it to the college playoff (even knowing then winning a Natty is slim)? Icing on the cake. But, that's not something they foundationally build their program on. They try to be successful within their realm. Districts need to be done with. Move to conferences. Keep classes. Use RPI/HSRatings (formerly known as CalPreps) & take the top 8 in each class to the playoffs each year starting the week that is now the Region Championship week. Better yet, allow there to be a statewide conference for those (any classes) to compete in something similar to like what Florida has now implemented (Sunshine Conference).

The western half of the state has been doing it for years now, and not just that, but doing just as @wingt51 said. You can play district games any week except 1 and 11, and within the fine print of the “district scheduling grid” on the KHSAA page, it states fall break as valid exception to the “normal grid”. With 4 teams it’s easy, but it’s also such with 5 and 6 teams. There is a reason as to why you only see two games being played along/west of I-65 this week (one of which including Fort Knox bc the DoDEA operates on a different schedule) in ALL classes. Since you have to have an Open week and the vast majority of school district have fall break (this current week or next), it only makes sense to “kill two birds with one stone”.

Honest question here.....what's your definition of "Quality"?

I'm not sure the formula either, and I know I'm a Calpreps homer and will shout that from the roof tops...but, it's deserved. How they do what they do and get it right (even their game prediction accuracy 80-90+%, even into the playoffs and what's even more uncanny is their prediction of scores). You know this, so preaching to the choir here, but why more people don't dive deep into CalPreps to see the "Real Story" is on a team(s) is beyond me. It'll tell you alllllll of the rhyme and reason(s).

According to CalPreps, now known as "HSRankings", not only do they have the toughest schedule in Class A by a longshot (10.8 rating and NewCath is a distant 2nd at -.6), but their SOS would be/is: 2nd in 2A (behind LCA with a SOS of 22.7) 1st in 3A (CAL next in line at 9.1) 4th in 4A (Corbin 1st at 16.8, Boyle 2nd at 15.7, CovCath at 13.9, then right in front of Johnson Central at 10.6). CALPREPS/HSRANKINGS for Class A 1- KCD 2- Pikeville 3- Raceland 4- Campbellsville 5- Sayre 6- Hazard 7- Middlesboro 8- Lou. Holy Cross 9- Cov. Holy Cross 10- NewCath 11- Nicholas Co 12- Newport 13- Bethlehem 14- Williamsburg 15- Paintsville 16- Paris 17- Russellville (whose SOS is 3rd in Class A with a -4.1 score, which is higher than 53 others ranked in the Top 16 of Classes 1A-4A) Russellville's SOS is Ranked 16th overall Classes 1A-4A.

Very much need to go see a game there for those that have never been. It’s a little Highlands’esk from the where the North endzone butts right up to the Middle School (old Murray High). The scoreboard is actually on a wall of the school. No track around the field & the football field is actually left + center field for baseball.

500+ yards rushing for The Dawwwwwgs in the win!

The most underrated part of being a good/great lineman (and/or core unit). "If you can't run, you can't play" doesn't just apply to the guys touching the ball. It applies equally (relatively speaking), to the guys up front, on both sides of the ball. Johnson Central, year in, year out, was the first one that came to mind when seeing the title of this thread.

This game is a prime example of so many others every week (district play), every class, every year as to why Kentucky needs to adopt the O-H-I-O method and do away with districts.