[Old School Hound]

I don't dispute your conclusions, OSH, and I appreciate the number crunching that you have done, but I don't think that a team's RPI is as important as scheduling teams that will best prepare a team for the playoffs. In other words, a team whose goal is to win a state title should, within reason, schedule the strongest teams that play styles matching those of teams that are top contenders in their class. 

Johnson Central's schedule has typically been weak overall because of its mandatory district games but they have tried to schedule non-district games over the years with teams that are either strong passing teams or teams that are very athletic and have outstanding quarterbacks. As far as I can tell, that strategy has not changed since the RPI has been adopted by the KHSAA for seeding purposes. Teams in metro areas like NKY, Louisville, and Lexington have the advantage of the close proximity of potential in-state opponents that benefit a team's RPI and offer competitive games for team development. Absent that advantage, Johnson Central has opted to schedule some challenging out of state games that cap their RPI each season. I think that has been the best strategy in JC's case.

Cathedral in Indianapolis is an extreme example of a team that seeks to play the best available competition in the regular season to prepare for the playoffs. Cathedral has often started the season with a losing streak but has won state titles after starting 0-4 or 0-5. They schedule some of the best 6A teams in Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, etc., every season. Trinity is the best example of a team that plays a strong non-district schedule by a Kentucky school. If Trinity fails to win a title this season, then it will be the first time in 20 years that Trinity has gone longer than 2 seasons without winning a title.

Corbin is playing a strong schedule this season that should prepare them for the playoffs, yet they could go undefeated in the regular season and still slip to #2 in 4A RPI. Johnson Central has played a weaker schedule but they have played against several excellent quarterbacks and wide receivers and pass defense has been a weakness for JC over the years, and a weakness that JC has tried to overcome through scheduling. I would love to see JC play Pulaski County every year in place of an out of state team but scheduling Ironton this season provided a great challenge that will hopefully pay off in the post-season.

Hoot, I don't disagree. I'm not saying a team should necessarily go the route  making RPI the biggest factor in how they schedule. I was just saying that if that is the main priority then what I posted would be the way to go. As you outlined there is value in scheduling teams that will offer challenges that will make you better come playoff time, even though it may cost you in terms of RPI.  Plus, there is some value in local rivalries. Corbin and Middlesboro were long time rivals that I'm sure some fans would love to see renewed.  I have a healthy respect for numbers and analytics but I don't subscribe to living by the numbers in every respect.(just most of the time---LOL)