Division I vs. Division II

[Observer]

Does anyone but me think dividing Class A football into two divisions was a bad idea? Four team districts are a joke. It makes scheduling very hard for the better teams that people do not want to play. I just now looked at Granger's UBER rankings and four of the top five teams are in DII and five of the top ten are DII. There are good teams and bad teams in each division. I think UIL should rethink this.

 

[BuffaloCountry]

I also agree that it was a bad idea to split between DI & DII. I love the idea of bigger districts and taking 3 or 4 teams to the playoffs. There would be an extra round in the playoffs, but it definitely helps scheduling and most teams could play towns closer to them in district that were once in the other division.

 

[granger]

Talk to your coaches and superintendents then... they have all the sway with the UIL on this...

Most coaches favor divisions. it means more championships.

 

[Johnny South]

There is nothing all that bad wrong with having two divisions. It is the four team districts which is the big mistake. The answer is to combine the districts, making eight team districts. Then take four to the playoffs. Same number of playoff teams, same money for the UIL, same chance for the underlings in the tough districts. IMHO
Look back at the thread titled TOO MANY CANCELLATIONS!
PS.(Six of the top ten teams are D2)

 

[51eleven]

There is nothing all that bad wrong with having two divisions. It is the four team districts which is the big mistake. The answer is to combine the districts, making eight team districts. Then take four to the playoffs. Same number of playoff teams, same money for the UIL, same chance for the underlings in the tough districts. IMHO
Look back at the thread titled TOO MANY CANCELLATIONS!
PS.(Six of the top ten teams are D2)

Two divisions is more opportunities for more kids to experience a playoff game, great. But regarding districts the way it is a 2-8 team may wonder in a sense why they are there when a 5-5 team in another district is not. Four teams from 8 team districts I guess accomplishes the same thing but to me seems to water down things somehow. I don't like 4 team districts or more than 2-3 teams at the max from a district going to the playoffs.
The subject is a bit of a conundrum.
Brainstorming requires the at least brief consideration of even the most outlandish ideas.
Get your arrows notched before reading further.
An abnormal test of the normal 2 year UIL cycle.
Six team districts with two, maybe, three teams going to the playoffs.
I know, pandemonium, idiocy, loose the arrows.
I fully admit I have no previous relevant experience or other qualifications to comment on this subject.
Just sticking my foot in my mouth, again.

 

[Edward Golden]

I agree with going to 8 districts in each division which would give you 8 or 9 teams in each district. Then take top 4 to playoffs. This gives you hopefully the best 4 teams out of the group. More district games and hopefully better competition in the playoffs. Still same number of teams in the playoffs.

 

[jc_30]

They need to get away with Divisions and put the cutoff back at 85 and go from there. District would go back to being 6-8 teams. That fixes scheduling and 2-8 teams making playoffs.

 

[Kramer]

to some I believe the 2 divisions is GREAT. Look at a school like Tioga at 103.5 students and then look at a school like Benjamin at 25.

Imagine if these 2 schools were in the same district. That's a difference of 78.5 more students.
Even if you went 8 teams per district, I'm still sure teams such as Patton Springs, Benjamin, Cranfills Gap would cancel when it came to playing the heavy-weights of their districts.

The split in divisions gives those schools like Benjamin, Wilson, Cranfills Gap a GLIMMER of HOPE of JUST MAKING THE PLAYOFFS which is AWESOME for their community.

I'm guessing you guys want an 8 team college football playoff too

 

[Johnny South]

to some I believe the 2 divisions is GREAT. Look at a school like Tioga at 103.5 students and then look at a school like Benjamin at 25.

Imagine if these 2 schools were in the same district. That's a difference of 78.5 more students.
Even if you went 8 teams per district, I'm still sure teams such as Patton Springs, Benjamin, Cranfills Gap would cancel when it came to playing the heavy-weights of their districts.

The split in divisions gives those schools like Benjamin, Wilson, Cranfills Gap a GLIMMER of HOPE of JUST MAKING THE PLAYOFFS which is AWESOME for their community.

I'm guessing you guys want an 8 team college football playoff too

If teams like Benjamin, Wilson, the Gap etc. can make the playoffs when two are taken from a four team district, then they would probably make the playoff when four are taken from an eight team district.
District games are less likely to be cancelled out on than non-district games.

And the Heavy-Weights as you call them know when they are going to play a weak JV type team. They will always take it easy on them knowing that the weak kids are more susceptible to injuries etc. Also they realize that the teams with just barely enough to field a team can't afford any player to go out with an injury or the game might have to be called.
But, yes, I still favor the two division split, just to please the Benjamins, Gaps, etc.

 

[Murdoch]

I want a 32 team college playoff system. Make all the bowl games into playoff games. Start with 15 geographically divided conferences. Take the top 2 teams at the end of the 12 game regular season and 1 wild card voted by the coaches and 1 voted by the fans. 32 teams. 31 games. 5 weeks. 1 champion. Kinda like high school and pro.

 

[Johnny South]

Also, I am wondering how many D2 schools are trying to find a way of reporting enrollment for the next alignment that will put them up into the D1 bracket? That seems to be an easier route to post season play.

 

[cozmo cramer]

Also, I am wondering how many D2 schools are trying to find a way of reporting enrollment for the next alignment that will put them up into the D1 bracket? That seems to be an easier route to post season play.

2016 - Jonesboro

I totally agree, DI East is much easier, you avoid Richland Springs and Calvert.
Jonesboro for years had to face off with both and would always lose to one of them. Now 2016 realignment comes and J'Boro is DI and in the state game.

DI east next year will be Union Hill. Gabe Nelson is the REAL DEAL and he's a sophomore

 

[Leman Saunders]

In the 10 years since the division split 6 of the 10 D2 state games have been won by the mercy rule, 2 of the 10 D1 games have.

In the 34 years before the split there were 9 total mercy rule state games.

1982 was the first year each "district" took 2 teams to playoffs (some years some "districts" had 2 zones with in them and an extra playoff game)...before 1982 only 2 state games were mercy rules. 1982-2005 7 were.

 

[CT6MFL]

Danged ole participation programs.

 

[whiteb]

@Kramer
Imagine if these 2 schools were in the same district. That's a difference of 78.5 more students.
Even if you went 8 teams per district, I'm still sure teams such as Patton Springs, Benjamin, Cranfills Gap would cancel when it came to playing the heavy-weights of their districts.

We have only canceled due to lack of numbers not the competition.

 

[YoungGunner]

I wish UIL would've left six man out of the split myself, or at least played a title game between the D1 and D2 teams. Then you could've truly seen who was the best in the game.

 

[coachsatcher]

I wish UIL would've left six man out of the split myself, or at least played a title game between the D1 and D2 teams. Then you could've truly seen who was the best in the game.

And like I say every time someone says this, then have the 2A State Champ play the 6A State Champ for a "true" champion. Or if we're comparing apples to apples, have the 2A play the 3A DII champ, since their attendance is about double as well. Sounds silly when if you take the word sixman out of the conversation, and yet it gets brought up every year.

 

[Johnny South]

Coach Satcher, you seem to be a level headed and alright kind of guy, so what do you think about going to 8 team districts with 4 to the playoffs compared to these 4 team districts with 2 going to the playoffs?

 

[truthhurts04]

The schools that use scheduling problems as the basis for their issues might need to look inward. Maybe teams don't play you not cause your so "great" but because of sportsmanship, running up the score, idiot fans talking trash about their kids and communities online, or other similar issues.

Do we have teams that make the playoffs that don't deserve to be there? YES!! Although I can make the same argument that some teams are left at home that do deserve to make the playoffs. The problem of undeserving teams making the playoffs takes care of itself in the 1st round and what has it hurt? Kids and communities get to experience the wonderful feeling of making it to the playoffs, maybe make a little extra money at the gate, and maybe inspire them to better themselves. You guys that complain will always find something to complain about. In the end its a numbers game...teams with HS enrollment of 20 vs teams with 100+....how can you justify that???

 

[coach_jshelton]

In the end its a numbers game...teams with HS enrollment of 20 vs teams with 100+....how can you justify that???

Playing devil's advocate here, but isn't that the case with every other 1A sport? Using the argument of schools w/enrollments of 20 vs teams with 100+ would have to be applied to argue for a split of every other 1A sport IMO. I'm not saying that teams making the playoffs is bad - I hate 4 team districts, I'd personally rather play 6 district games (home & home) in a 4 team district and have 6 games that count than have only 3 games that count to make it to the post season. An injury or two in week 10 can change a teams fortunes dramatically at our level.