[Hoot Gibson]

That's my point. Every team shouldn't make the playoffs. I said, in my opinion, only the top 2 teams in each district should make the playoffs. I was using the participation trophy as an example. Do you really think a winless team should make the playoffs? By not making the playoffs it more than likely saves them from more embarrassment. And I don't think I said or implied anywhere in my post about t-shirts Ol Buddy. Lol

I don't think having every team in the playoffs is letting them "make" anything. Every KY basketball team is allowed to participate in district tournaments. Do you think that the players on those teams believe that they have earned anything? As for embarrassment, is an 0-11 or 1-10 record really any more embarrassing than an 0-10 record? I don't think so.

I really don't understand the bogus analogy with handing out participation trophies. Indiana keep scores in high school football playoff games and nobody is going to confuse their state championship teams with their occasional winless playoff teams.

[Hound05]

0-11 or 1-10 is t really more embarrassing than the other. But neither one of the teams should be in a playoff. What’s the point other than a possible injury to a team with more at stake

[KY Outsider]

Why make teams that weren't competitive in the regular season add to the misery. 2 teams per district would work, maybe make it 5 classes instead of 6. You should have to earn your way in.

[bo67]

That was one observation. But I did also say only 2 teams from each district. Get this over Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving

[DarrinC]

Khsaa made it so all teams was in the playoffs to be fair but the way I see it nothing fair about it sending them to the lions so to speak. They travel down state get beat by 60-70 points it just hurts the kids feelings and makes them feel worse having to ride 3-4 hours home or longer on a bus. If their going let them in the playoffs at least let them play teams with alike records of their own, that's just my opinion tho

[Tica]

Khsaa made it so all teams was in the playoffs to be fair but the way I see it nothing fair about it sending them to the lions so to speak. They travel down state get beat by 60-70 points it just hurts the kids feelings and makes them feel worse having to ride 3-4 hours home or longer on a bus. If their going let them in the playoffs at least let them play teams with alike records of their own, that's just my opinion tho

i agree with everything you say and it's a good point. The dilemma is not what to do with the best teams, it's what to do with the worst teams. Makes no sense to send a lamb to a certain slaughter by the lion four hours away. So the obvious solution is to somehow in an initial face-off to configure lamb #1 against lamb #2. That will cull the worst. Call it a pre playoff or sub playoff. Just a thought.

[#55PirateFan]

I don't think having every team in the playoffs is letting them "make" anything. Every KY basketball team is allowed to participate in district tournaments. Do you think that the players on those teams believe that they have earned anything? As for embarrassment, is an 0-11 or 1-10 record really any more embarrassing than an 0-10 record? I don't think so.

I really don't understand the bogus analogy with handing out participation trophies. Indiana keep scores in high school football playoff games and nobody is going to confuse their state championship teams with their occasional winless playoff teams.

I just told you that the participation trophy phrase I used was just an example. Can't you read? I posted my opinion and so did you. We don't agree, move on!

[footballfever]

I personally think 6 classes is to many. 5 would work with bottem 32 1A. Top 32 5A and divide other 3 classes evenly. 1A 5A take top 3 teams. 2 3 4A take top 4 because you can have 5-6 teams in all districts.
There are many ways to fix it but they seem to think it doesn’t need fixed. After 1st round games there are some good games and several of the 2vs3 matchups are pretty good..Things I like about 6 classes are it does allow for more schools and kids to have success and with only 3 maybe 4 district games it allows for very good games outside district that fans enjoy.

[Colonel 17]

someone correct me if I am wrong, football is the only sport where every team does not make the post season. I know baseball, basketball, track all have every team that chooses play in at least a district tournament, they also play in the regular season.

[Pulp Fiction]

1A
Caverna: 0-10
Fulton City: 0-10

2A
Shawnee: 0-9
Holy Cross (Covington): 0-10

3A
N/A

4A
Warren Central: 0-10

5A
Woodford County: 0-10

6A
Seneca: 0-10


By my count, there are seven teams in the Playoffs with ZERO wins. That is seven too many.
If a team with no wins does make it to the playoffs, they should have to forfeit that first round game. IMO, it doesn't matter if there are only three or four teams in a district, if you can't get at least one win, you don't deserve to be in the playoffs. You and I know that won't happen though. The main reason for the six class system was to get as many teams in the post-season as possible. In every other sport, each team gets at least one game in the post-season, football was the only exception. Now with six classes, there are only twenty eight teams eligible (four teams are not) for the playoffs that don't make it.

someone correct me if I am wrong, football is the only sport where every team does not make the post season. I know baseball, basketball, track all have every team that chooses play in at least a district tournament, they also play in the regular season.

That information would have been great if somebody said that the in the first post in of thread.

[Pulp Fiction]

1A
Caverna: 0-10
Fulton City: 0-10

2A
Shawnee: 0-9
Holy Cross (Covington): 0-10

3A
N/A

4A
Warren Central: 0-10

5A
Woodford County: 0-10

6A
Seneca: 0-10


By my count, there are seven teams in the Playoffs with ZERO wins. That is seven too many.
If a team with no wins does make it to the playoffs, they should have to forfeit that first round game. IMO, it doesn't matter if there are only three or four teams in a district, if you can't get at least one win, you don't deserve to be in the playoffs. You and I know that won't happen though. The main reason for the six class system was to get as many teams in the post-season as possible. In every other sport, each team gets at least one game in the post-season, football was the only exception. Now with six classes, there are only twenty eight teams eligible (four teams are not) for the playoffs that don't make it.

Updated scores. Seven winless teams, seven blowouts.

1A
Crittenden County - 69
Caverna - 0

Campbellsville - 49
Fulton City - 0


2A
Walton-Verona - 72
Shawnee - 0

Glasgow - 64
Holy Cross (Covington) - 0


3A
N/A


4A
Logan County - 54
Warren Central - 18


5A
Doss - 58
Woodford County - 15


6A
Trinity - 70
Seneca - 0

[RunItUpTheGut]

No reason to bring it up.
It is what it is.

[E's Army]

Some ugly scores.

[campbellfield]

All teams in basketball and baseball make the “playoffs” some of those even get to lose a game and continue playing...

[Hound05]

It’s alittlw different in those sports. You have 20+ games. And still only 2 make it out of district. If that’s your proposal then it’s really no different than taking the top two from each in football. You’re just shortening the season for some to play a “district” tournament

[Willie Turnover]

There isn't any more winless teams left in the playoffs.

[Gitback Coach]

Since all district opponents play each other during the regular season, that constitutes the "district tournament" for football. After that, I prefer simply taking the top two teams from each district. But of course, that will never happen (again).

Very glad that our annual "running clock" round of blowouts has now passed.

[Pulp Fiction]

Only 15 first round games were decided by single digits, with 23 shutouts.

6A - 3
5A - 1
4A - 3
3A - 4
2A - 7
1A - 5

[Pulp Fiction]

Holy Cross (Louisville) - 30
Ludlow - 21

Lynn Camp - 32
Phelps - 26

Washington County - 20
Owen County - 19

Floyd Central - 43
Henry County - 35

Garrard County - 20
Fleming County - 14

Western Hills - 29
Russell - 20

Bourbon County - 34
Greenup County - 30

Mercer County - 27
Franklin County - 24

Rockcastle County - 30
Moore - 22

Anderson County - 14
Fern Creek - 7

Bullitt Central - 18
Dixie Heights - 14

Ballard - 20
Boone County - 12

Butler - 20
Ryle - 14

Campbell County - 19
Eastern - 14

Henderson County - 21
Meade County - 14

[cj2561]

I have been saying this, since the KHSAA went to 6 classes. they should take the top two teams out of every district. like the way it use to be. or go back to 4 classes. if the KHSAA don't want to do either one of them. they need to make a rule if a team don't have a win, can't go to the post season.

[Hoot Gibson]

The real problem with Kentucky high school football is that the gap between good teams and bad teams is a wide one and there are many more very bad teams than very good teams. When you exclude more teams from the playoffs, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer because basketball season starts early for teams that have no playoff games.

A player whose team does not make the playoffs will lose at least a month of football experience over a four year career. Restricting the number of playoff teams from each district to two will reduce the number of lop-sided first round playoff game scores, but it would do nothing to improve the quality of Kentucky high school football.

As for the risk of injury to players on good playoff teams, I don't see any difference in a team losing a key player in the first regular season game or in the first playoff game. Injuries are a part of the game, and if a team has not developed enough depth to overcome an injury or two during the playoffs, then that is not the fault of their opponents.

[cj2561]

The real problem with Kentucky high school football is that the gap between good teams and bad teams is a wide one and there are many more very bad teams than very good teams. When you exclude more teams from the playoffs, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer because basketball season starts early for teams that have no playoff games.

A player whose team does not make the playoffs will lose at least a month of football experience over a four year career. Restricting the number of playoff teams from each district to two will reduce the number of lop-sided first round playoff game scores, but it would do nothing to improve the quality of Kentucky high school football.

As for the risk of injury to players on good playoff teams, I don't see any difference in a team losing a key player in the first regular season game or in the first playoff game. Injuries are a part of the game, and if a team has not developed enough depth to overcome an injury or two during the playoffs, then that is not the fault of their opponents.

that game i went to Friday night. i think they lose money that game. the money they pay the Refs, food and drinks, and the power bills. i don't think Hazard made the money to pay all these bills. next week game, there will be a few more people there, just because it is the 2nd round of the playoffs. the 3rd and 4th round will be were everyone will go to. and the state title game, now since it is only 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours aways. there will be more of Hazard fans there.
i made the it to Louisville the first year Hazard made it, because i got family on that team. the other 3 times Hazard made it. i just turn the radio on.

[Don Draper]

Updated scores. Seven winless teams, seven blowouts.

1A
Crittenden County - 69
Caverna - 0

Campbellsville - 49
Fulton City - 0


2A
Walton-Verona - 72
Shawnee - 0

Glasgow - 64
Holy Cross (Covington) - 0


3A
N/A


4A
Logan County - 54
Warren Central - 18


5A
Doss - 58
Woodford County - 15


6A
Trinity - 70
Seneca - 0

Two things stick out -

1) Holy Cross is a private school. That doesn't always equate success, but you should be able to build a program that can get a couple of wins.

2) Woodford Co baffles me. They are one of the wealthiest counties in KY. They are the only high school in the county. They are located between Frankfort and Lexington. This seems like it would be a prime job. Dennis Johnson has not fared well there, but he is the Athletic Director, so I'm sure he won't fire himself. I just wonder what the community thinks of their team.

[Pulp Fiction]

Two things stick out -

1) Holy Cross is a private school. That doesn't always equate success, but you should be able to build a program that can get a couple of wins.

2) Woodford Co baffles me. They are one of the wealthiest counties in KY. They are the only high school in the county. They are located between Frankfort and Lexington. This seems like it would be a prime job. Dennis Johnson has not fared well there, but he is the Athletic Director, so I'm sure he won't fire himself. I just wonder what the community thinks of their team.

Add in Woodford County usually has a Top 5 ranked wrestling team year in and year out. They have more individual state champions and team state championships in wrestling than any other school in the state.


Its not a coincidence that Johnson Central's football team & Johnson County's Middle school teams have hit another level since the majority of starters are on the wrestling team.
For example, last years JC football team had seven starters place in the state wrestling tournament. #WrestlingBuildsFootball

[Jackson Purchase]

Add in Woodford County usually has a Top 5 ranked wrestling team year in and year out. They have more individual state champions and team state championships in wrestling than any other school in the state.


Its not a coincidence that Johnson Central's football team & Johnson County's Middle school teams have hit another level since the majority of starters are on the wrestling team.
For example, last years JC football team had seven starters place in the state wrestling tournament. #WrestlingBuildsFootball

Wrestling builds linemen. Not football players in general. Ever watch lifelong wrestlers run sprints? Generally their stride is shortened significantly. They develop great burst explosiveness, but its very different type of athleticism. I think fast twitch athletes need to be very careful about wrestling. Work extra hours on speed, agility and sprinting form during the wrestling season. Every DT and OL should be encouraged to wrestle if not participating in other spring sports. Mayfield kids almost never wrestle. They have 12 state titles in football.

[Hoot Gibson]

that game i went to Friday night. i think they lose money that game. the money they pay the Refs, food and drinks, and the power bills. i don't think Hazard made the money to pay all these bills. next week game, there will be a few more people there, just because it is the 2nd round of the playoffs. the 3rd and 4th round will be were everyone will go to. and the state title game, now since it is only 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours aways. there will be more of Hazard fans there.
i made the it to Louisville the first year Hazard made it, because i got family on that team. the other 3 times Hazard made it. i just turn the radio on.

That's my point. Poor first round attendance is because the 4 seed is almost always much, much weaker than the 1 seed. IMO, the question people should be asking is not why there are so many teams in the playoffs, the question is why there are so many bad teams in the playoffs.

In a class system, where enrollments are approximately equal, running clock games should not be common, no matter how many teams are in the playoffs. For schools that have had football programs for more than a few years, losing a football game with a first round, first half running clock is a disgrace. There is no excuse for a school losing by such wide margins to similar sized schools.

[Hoot Gibson]

Wrestling builds linemen. Not football players in general. Ever watch lifelong wrestlers run sprints? Generally their stride is shortened significantly. They develop great burst explosiveness, but its very different type of athleticism. I think fast twitch athletes need to be very careful about wrestling. Work extra hours on speed, agility and sprinting form during the wrestling season. Every DT and OL should be encouraged to wrestle if not participating in other spring sports. Mayfield kids almost never wrestle. They have 12 state titles in football.

That has not been Johnson Central's experience. J.J. Jude, the state's all time rushing leader, was a state wrestling champion, as were many of JC's best skill players during the Matney era. Quickness, agility, endurance, and balance are as important, if not more so, for wrestlers as for any other athletes. Before Coach Matney came to Johnson Central, he built a strong wrestling program at Sheldon Clark to feed a successful program there too.

[Gitback Coach]

How about we put all of the winless teams in their own playoff bracket at season’s end to determine the best of the worst? Kinda like the NIT in college basketball—we could call it the CTE Cup.

If bad football is good, then even more bad football is better.

[Hoot Gibson]

Fewer football teams in the playoffs = less practice, less game experience, and more bad football.

The KHSAA should consider a training program for young football coaches. Indiana football is much less top heavy than Kentucky football is.

Just consider Class 6A. Kentucky has Trinity as the only great football team in the class. Center Grove, Ben Davis, Carmel, Warren Central, Penn, Lawrence Central, and Fishers have all have won at least one Indiana state 6A title since 2000. During the same period, only four teams have won Kentucky's largest class - and Trinity has won 12 of the 16 titles during that period.

If allowing every team in the playoffs makes high school football worse, then why is Trinity the heavy, heavy favorite to win Kentucky's state 6A title almost every season?

This topic is a dead horse issue that comes up every season. The arguments in favor of letting fewer teams "make" the playoffs never get any better.

[cj2561]

Fewer football teams in the playoffs = less practice, less game experience, and more bad football.

The KHSAA should consider a training program for young football coaches. Indiana football is much less top heavy than Kentucky football is.

Just consider Class 6A. Kentucky has Trinity as the only great football team in the class. Center Grove, Ben Davis, Carmel, Warren Central, Penn, Lawrence Central, and Fishers have all have won at least one Indiana state 6A title since 2000. During the same period, only four teams have won Kentucky's largest class - and Trinity has won 12 of the 16 titles during that period.

If allowing every team in the playoffs makes high school football worse, then why is Trinity the heavy, heavy favorite to win Kentucky's state 6A title almost every season?

This topic is a dead horse issue that comes up every season. The arguments in favor of letting fewer teams "make" the playoffs never get any better.

but is also tell these school, that they don't have to win a game all season. and at the less of the season, they can still go to the post season. that is one of the mean thing, way today kids. think everything should be giving to them. and they don't know how to work for stuff. my nephew was on some summer team, they didn't won a game all summer. they give all of them something (I can't remember what it was). I take it from him, and told him if he want one next year. for him to work for it, to win some game next year.