(4-22-25) Reported by Lynn Groll of Black Swamp Football on ‘X’ yesterday a survey is being sent out to head coaches, ADs and Principals on the current football playoff structure…main interest by many is to lower Regional qualifiers from the current 16.

According to the posting these are the questions on the survey—-

  • Do you believe a 10 week regular season schedule is too long?
  • Do you believe a 6 week tournament to become a state champion is too long?
  • Preference on number of qualifiers per region: 12, 16 or other?
  • If number of qualifiers were reduced to 12, would you prefer to have a first round bye as one of the top 4 seeds of a region?

In 2021 it was announced by the OHSAA that there would be 16 qualifiers in each region…much to the dismay of the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association (OHSFCA).

from 4-23-21 – Mixed Reactions To The OHSAA Expanded Football Playoffs…Stirring The Pot Of Emotions

A Toledo Blade story by Dave Briggs went viral in Ohio –

According to the story the group that commissioned a survey that included coaches and administrators, apparently the OHSAA did not like the results-

Nearly two out of three of the state’s head football coaches are not in favor of the current system, with 43 percent (113) of the 263 respondents preferring a 12-team model and another 19 percent (51) opting for a rollback to eight teams.

…so they are now doing their own study.

The story featured the involvement of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley (R., Napoleon), after hearing from numerous coaches their displeasure. McColley met with OHSAA executive director Doug Ute.

In the story McColley said—

“Any time you get a group of constituents who come to you in a decently large number, you try to sit with them. When I sat down with the group that approached me about the playoffs issue, I tasked them with basically proving there was support in place for a change, and that there was a widespread sentiment that the change needed to happen.

Once they were able to show that, I realized it would be a good idea to get involved, and try to be a voice on their behalf.”

In the past state associations did not see much reaction or suggestions from politicians, but recently that has changed around the US….Indiana now has a bill that will allow one transfer with no penalties or questions asked. In Illinois there is bill that looks to be in place soon with regards to Native American mascots being removed, plus two Illinois lawmakers are pushing for males not to play in girls sports and not allowing transgender students to use locker rooms. Most state associations in the past have thought they were a ‘teflon‘ group and did not have to deal with politicians…that is changing fast.