Monday Mailbag: October 14, 2019

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent sports editor

This week’s Monday Mailbag features questions about OHSAA’s football playoff format, the effect of football playoffs on basketball and Friday night Big 10 football.

Q: Have you ever reached out to your OHSAA contacts and asked what the downside of adopting the state of Indiana’s method of football playoffs where everyone gets in?

It’s this time of year where high school football starts to be hard to watch because so many teams have no chance for the post season.

There are good teams that simply get punished for being in a tough conference. Outside of maybe travel expenses, what’s the downside to this? Name withheld upon request

A: I have a two part answer for this, with the first part coming from Tim Stried, OHSAA’s Director of Communications. This is what he had to say:

“First and foremost, our member schools have not made a push for that change in the football regulations to allow every team into the playoffs. If the majority of our member schools are not asking for that kind of change, then it probably wouldn’t be something we would consider.”

“Also note that in Ohio, our schools can play 10 regular-season games and control their schedules. In Indiana, they only play nine regular-season games. From the conversations we have had with most coaches, they would rather play 10 regular-season games and keep the playoffs as something that teams must earn their way into.”

As for the second part of the answer, Indiana has 318 football playing high schools, while Ohio has just over 700. It would probably mean OHSAA would have to start the football season a week or two earlier, play an eight game regular season schedule, or have state championship games about a week before Christmas. None of those seem to be appealing options.

Q: Since football playoffs start on November 8 (and end on December 7), while boys’ basketball practice starts November 1, I wonder what basketball coaches say about the effects that playoff football has on their preparation for the basketball season. How do the coaches deal with this situation? Name witheld upon request

A: I think they deal with it the best they can and just roll with the punches and root for the football team, while doing what they need to do to prepare for their own season.

However, for the majority of OHSAA schools, it’s not an issue.

That’s because 790 Ohio high schools have varsity basketball teams, and some of those don’t field football teams. 224 teams qualify for the playoffs and after the first round of the postseason, 112 of those teams are done, after that, it’s 56, 28, etc. So an extended playoff run is only going to affect a certain small number of basketball teams.

But for the ones it does affect, especially at the smaller school level, the coaches make adjustments as needed in practices, including using junior varsity players to fill in for players on the football team.

There’s always the option of delaying the start of the regular season, but I’ve noticed more schools trying to avoid a delay of more than a week or so if at all possible, simply because no one wants to cram a bunch of rescheduled games into January and February.

Q: Who’s bright idea was it to have Ohio State play on Friday night? Don’t they know Friday night is for high school football? Name withheld upon request

A: You can thank the Big 10, Fox and ESPN.

It all comes down to money, i.e. Fox and ESPN being willing to fork over a lot of cash to air some Friday Big 10 games. One can say it’s all about greed, which wouldn’t be wrong.

In my opinion, it’s an awful idea, because Friday night really is for high school football. Having said that, I doubt many people will give up going to a game this Friday, when Northwestern hosts Ohio State. That game doesn’t exactly have the makings of a barnburner.

Michigan has refused to play any Friday games, and Penn State refuses to host Friday night games. Good for them. I wish Ohio State would at least take Penn State’s stance, or better yet, Michigan’s stance. No, I’m not rooting for the Wolverines, but I respect the stand the school has taken on this.

If you have a question for the next Monday Mailbag, email it to sports@thevwindependent.com.