OHSAA extending 2021 playoffs to 12 teams per region

The OHSAA proposal as approved still has a 10-week regular season with six weeks of playoffs. It's just that the new week 1 is what was week "-1" or "0" previously.

I would rather go "all in" and have nine regular season games. Though it would be seven weeks of playoffs (or six for a select few) if staying in the present divisional construct.

In terms of the present proposal with seeds 5-through-12 playing, it's likely that the teams with "no business being in the playoffs" will end up being eliminated before hitting the 1-through-4 seeds -- unless two "no business" teams draw each other.
 
Anyone can come up with examples of 8 seeds winning, or teams in Indiana with losing records winning the championship, but those examples are few and far between. It’s going to take a lot of 9-12 seeds making it to the final 4 to convince me that the addition of 9-12 seeds is worth adding an extra week to the season and filling week 11 with blowouts that should not take place when you have to earn your way into the playoffs.
 
I've mentioned this on other threads before, but the statistics regarding 1st round playoff games (since 1999, in divisions where there were 8 seeds in the first round, so no 2013-15 Division I) are as follows:

1 vs 8: 445-75
2 vs 7: 397-123
3 vs 6: 360-160
4 vs 5: 295-225

So, about what you'd expect. One thing this new 12 teams per region system would do, as previously mentioned, is absolutely eliminate any argument that a team potentially worthy of a shot at a state title wouldn't get their chance. It'll be interesting to see how top teams handle the bye weeks (I know the Elder, St. X, Ignatius types have had late-season bye weeks before, so they'd have at least some blueprint... maybe top-seed teams do a 7 on 7 in the bye week if rules would allow, just conjecturing).
 
reganaustinjames said:
I've mentioned this on other threads before, but the statistics regarding 1st round playoff games (since 1999, in divisions where there were 8 seeds in the first round, so no 2013-15 Division I) are as follows:

1 vs 8: 445-75
2 vs 7: 397-123
3 vs 6: 360-160
4 vs 5: 295-225

So, about what you'd expect. One thing this new 12 teams per region system would do, as previously mentioned, is absolutely eliminate any argument that a team potentially worthy of a shot at a state title wouldn't get their chance. It'll be interesting to see how top teams handle the bye weeks (I know the Elder, St. X, Ignatius types have had late-season bye weeks before, so they'd have at least some blueprint... maybe top-seed teams do a 7 on 7 in the bye week if rules would allow, just conjecturing).
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Maybe teams will choose to "hold" a scrimmage from the preseason in case they get a top four seed in the playoffs?

That way you could grab another top four seed that's nearby and do a joint practice/controlled scrimmage situation during the bye week.

I've heard teams in other sports keep a scrimmage in reserve in case they get a bye early in the playoffs. Or in the case of baseball, teams can throw in a game that they kind of treat like a scrimmage between winning a district title and their regional semifinal just to keep in rhythm.

troyboy73: keep in mind that's it's 5/12, 6/11, 7/10, and 8/9 -- which is not 1 v 12 or 2 v 11. I'm honestly not sure that there's a material difference between a 7-seed and a 10-seed the way there might be between the 2 & 7.
 
kingpin2010 said:
It’ll depend on the region really. Here’s the D6 and D7 regions in NE.
R21 the last 2 seasons
2018:
T9. 9-1
T9. 8-2
11. 8-2
12. 8-2

2019:
9. 7-3
10. 7-3
11. 7-3
12. 4-6
So the last 2 years only 1 team would’ve gotten in with less than 7 wins.

On the other end you have Region 25
2018:
9. 6-4
10. 4-6
11. 4-6
12. 4-6

2019:
9. 6-4
10. 7-3
11. 5-5
12. 4-5-1
Whereas R25 half the extra qualifiers would only have 4 wins
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So a number of 7+ win teams will likely make the playoffs?

I am solid with that (even though it means a few .500 teams will make it, and dont forget some .500 and below have made it with the current format).

I think this is good for some teams who are handcuffed with location and conference constraints.

Glad this is happening moving forward.
 
Well ..... at least Mogadore's (and alot of others') playoff appearance streak won't end ..... like in the next 100 years or so. ;-)
 
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I will be so pissed to take a bye week if/when that time comes (and we've been a top four seed almost every time). That's a coaches nightmare. I don't like it at all.
 
The only reason I would like the bye week is so you have a week to get healthy if your team is a little banged up. Don't necessarily agree with the decision but it is what it is.
 
From the 2019 season

D1 --
R1 (18 team region): 6-4, 5-5, 6-4, 5-5 (13th was 6-4)
R2 (18): 4-6, 4-6, 4-6, 4-6 (13th was 4-6)
R3 (18): 7-3, 7-3, 6-4, 3-7 (13th was 4-6)
R4 (18): 5-5, 5-5, 5-5, 5-5 (13th was 4-6)

D2 --
R5 (27): 5-5, 5-5, 6-4, 5-5 (13th was 5-5)
R6 (26): 7-3, 7-3, 5-5, 6-4 (13th was 5-5)
R7 (27): 5-5, 5-5, 4-6, 5-5 (13th was 6-4)
R8 (27): 6-3, 7-3, 7-3, 7-3 (13th was 6-4)

D3 --
R9 (27): 8-2, 7-3, 7-3, 7-3 (13th was 8-2)
R10 (27): 5-5, 6-4, 5-5, 6-4 (13th was 4-5-1)
R11 (26): 8-2, 7-3, 7-3, 6-4 (13th was 7-3)
R12 (27): 7-3, 7-3, 7-3, 5-5 (13th was 5-5)

D4 --
R13 (27): 5-5, 5-5, 4-6, 4-6 (13th was 4-6)
R14 (27): 6-4, 7-3, 7-3, 6-4 (13th was 7-3)
R15 (26): 8-2, 5-5, 6-4, 6-4 (13th was 5-5)
R16 (26): 7-3, 6-4, 3-7, 6-4 (13th was 5-5)

D5 --
R17 (26): 6-4, 9-1, 6-4, 7-3 (13th was 6-4)
R18 (27): 10-0, 7-3, 7-3, 6-4 (13th was 6-4) ... this was where Lutheran East pulled off a late "no contest" to get in the playoffs by reducing their L2 divisor and the such to displace Northwood
R19 (27): 5-5, 6-4, 4-6, 5-5 (13th was 5-5)
R20 (27): 8-2, 7-3, 6-4, 6-4 (13th was 6-4)

D6 --
R21 (26): 7-3, 7-3, 7-3, 4-6 (13th was 5-5)
R22 (26): 6-4, 5-5, 5-5, 7-3 (13th was 4-6)
R23 (27): 10-0, 7-3, 7-3, 6-4 (13th was 6-4) ... this is Gibsonburg
R24 (26): 6-4, 7-3, 5-5, 6-4 (13th was 5-5)

D7 --
R25 (26): 6-4, 7-3, 5-5, 4-5-1 (13th was 5-5)
R26 (26): 5-5, 5-5, 5-5, 5-4 (13th was 7-3)
R27 (24): 6-4, 7-3, 5-5, 5-5 (13th was 4-6)
R28 (28): 6-4, 6-4, 7-3, 5-5 (13th was 5-5)

As always, thanks to JoeEitel.com/hsfoot
 
RollingTrain said:
I will be so pissed to take a bye week if/when that time comes (and we've been a top four seed almost every time). That's a coaches nightmare. I don't like it at all.
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Take a bye and have a season and playoffs, or corona and NO playoffs? A bye doesn't look so bad.
 
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bucksman said:
Maybe teams will choose to "hold" a scrimmage from the preseason in case they get a top four seed in the playoffs?

That way you could grab another top four seed that's nearby and do a joint practice/controlled scrimmage situation during the bye week.

I've heard teams in other sports keep a scrimmage in reserve in case they get a bye early in the playoffs. Or in the case of baseball, teams can throw in a game that they kind of treat like a scrimmage between winning a district title and their regional semifinal just to keep in rhythm.

troyboy73: keep in mind that's it's 5/12, 6/11, 7/10, and 8/9 -- which is not 1 v 12 or 2 v 11. I'm honestly not sure that there's a material difference between a 7-seed and a 10-seed the way there might be between the 2 & 7.
Click to expand...

If it's legal to "hold" a scrimmage until after the season starts or before the playoffs (which with a potentially shortened preseason, it'd be easier to do), I could see many coaches who think their teams are high-seed contenders doing the joint practice/scrimmage idea, analogous to what NFL teams do in the second/third week of the preseason. The caviat here is that these bye teams in Week 11 would have to partner with a team not in their division (e.g. D1 Solon could go against D2 Hudson), so as not risk revealing too much to an opponent. With conferences aligned as they are, this shouldn't be too difficult.
 
9 games will never happen because of scheduling. The expected outcome (normally) is 5 home 5 away. ADs use it as a bargaining chip "sorry we need another home game not just another game. Will NEVER go to 9.
 
The final week of the season, we will have people fighting for:

1-4 seeds: to get a playoff bye
5-8 seeds: to get a home playoff game
9-12 seeds: to make the playoffs

More teams fighting for the playoffs in that final weekend.
 
reganaustinjames said:
If it's legal to "hold" a scrimmage until after the season starts or before the playoffs (which with a potentially shortened preseason, it'd be easier to do), I could see many coaches who think their teams are high-seed contenders doing the joint practice/scrimmage idea, analogous to what NFL teams do in the second/third week of the preseason. The caviat here is that these bye teams in Week 11 would have to partner with a team not in their division (e.g. D1 Solon could go against D2 Hudson), so as not risk revealing too much to an opponent. With conferences aligned as they are, this shouldn't be too difficult.
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Why not use the bye week for lifting and recovery instead?
 
2019 as example in regions 1 & 5
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and
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7 divisions with 7 state champions is not enough? It's already a joke. This just makes it funnier. 16 teams. anything other than, 2-4-8-16 or 32 is really dumb.
 
kinda like it, kinda don't. We will get some fun matchups in the first round, and week 10 will be a lot more interesting. with this happening, the preseason should be shortened a week.
 
Why not kick it back into 6 divisions again then? Evens up the number in each region across the state right?

I think it will be interesting. There will be some regions that are going to have great games every round now though. Others will have more duds.

Overall, I think it will end up being a good thing. Will just take some time to get used to.

I do think it cheapens the effort to qualify by watering it down some... but I think we will still end up with the same results of the best teams or teams who get hot with some luck playing for it all.
 
Personally, I love this. It gives an opportunity for the hopelessly deluded fan bases of tomato can teams to feel even MORE entitled to talk about their irrelevant teams because they now have the better opportunity to reach the playoffs or possibly even win a meaningless playoff game. Tremendous news for the goat herding herding communities out there
 
Spread All Day said:
If you have a Catholic school like Youngstown Ursuline or Youngstown Mooney If you have a Catholic school like Youngstown Ursline or Youngstown Mooney who is usually forced to play a very strenuous schedule, a division four playoffs or division five playoffs could be like a cakewalk for them. No offense but South Range is one of the best division five schools in the Mahoning Valley, and Mooney would beat theM most years by 60 points.
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In 2012, Mooney finish 19th in Region 11 with a 3-7 record, but one of their wins was a 41-15 thrashing of eventual Division III State champ Akron SVSM.
 
By going to 12 teams it's a good way for OHSAA to make a little money that they lost from the state tourney's this school year. I think once things get settled down , things will go back to normal, look for this to be a two year thing.
 
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