ErikG

For those who don't know, or had forgotten, the TSSAA Board of Control voted 5-4 on July 16, 2012 to keep the 6 classification football system. Here are the Board of Control members and, at the bottom, how they voted on the issue. 1) Mike Reed/ Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, Morristown West High School (Represents First Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2013) 2) Jody Wright/ Assistant Principal, Athletic Director & Boys Basketball Coach, Fulton High School (Represents Second Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2014) 3) Tommy Layne/ Principal, Sequatchie Co. High School (Represents Third Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2012) 4) Jerry Mathis/ Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, Tullahoma High School (Represents Fourth Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2012) 5) Steve Chauncy/ Principal, Hillwood High School (Represents Fifth Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2014) 6) Bryan True/ Assistant Principal & Assistant Football Coach, Lewis Co. High School (Represents Sixth Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2013) 7) VACANT now but previously held by Fred Kessler/ Softball Coach, Bolivar Central High School (Represents Seventh Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2013) 8) Chuck West/ Principal, Athletic Director & Assistant Girls Basketball Coach, Dresden High School (Represents Eight Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2014) 9) Ike White/ Principal, Westwood High School (Represents Ninth Athletic District, Term Expires, December 2012) *** Board of Control member Jerry Mathis of Tullahoma made the motion to remain in six playoff classes, with Fred Kessler of Bolivar seconding the motion. Chuck West of Dresden, Ike White of Westwood and Tommy Layne of Sequatchie County all voted in favor. Bryan True of Lewis County, Steve Chauncy of Hillwood, Jody Wright of Fulton and board president Mike Reed of Morristown West voted against the motion.

Nope, you weren't wrong; TSSAA doesn't know its own rules, even the ones a mere inch down from the top of the document. Worse yet, they don't truly correct their mistake by redrawing the Quads. Was there no prep, no anticipation? Isn't something like this happening, on average, every other year? Especially since they tucked tail and refused to make it right, they need to admit already that it's just too complicated a system for them to administer. I might be more sympathetic if this was the first time they completely dropped the ball or if this Frankenstein wasn't their own creation. Also, the nutshell justification in the TSSAA's press release -- "This is not the first time that a mistake has been found after the initial release of the brackets. In every situation in the past, it has been dealt with by making the correction that affects the least amount of teams in the bracket." -- should be amended at the end to include, "and calls the least amount of attention to our obvious, and obviously embarrassing, blunder."

From the 2012-2013 TSSAA Handbook for Football Regulations, Section II - B ( http://www.tssaa.org/Handbook/football.pdf ): "In the event of a tie for a championship, second place, or qualifier, should one of the team's opponents play 11 games, only the first 10 games played shall be counted ..." It's right there on the first page, and I guess we can only take them at their word.

If anyone has a gripe it's Memphis Central. They should have 5 teams on their schedule that are .500 or better with White Station being the 5th. But the TSSAA views White Station as 4-6, rather than 6-4, with wins on the field over Arlington and Hamilton wiped out. I believe it was an ineligible player ruling which, if true, shouldn't benefit White Station but also shouldn't cost their opponents. Of course, crap like this only happens with the playoff system for football.

Hardin Valley is barely in as a wildcard. They had 5 wins and 5 teams on their schedule that finished .500 or better. McMinn Co. is moved to Quad 2 (playing Bradley for the 2nd week in a row) to accomodate Hardin Valley.

The last time the TSSAA had to choose between Knox West and Powell as to which would be moved to Quad 2 (this was after week 7), they moved Knox West. But, again, if you go back to the projections following week 5 when they had a choice between the two, they moved Powell west to Quad 2. No consistency on the TSSAA's part, so that's why there are 3 scenarios -- the 3rd being Anderson Co., just in case their initial appearance in this year's playoff picture prompts the TSSAA to place them in Quad 1 (rather than Powell or Knox West). I tend to think the TSSAA's most recent projection (when having to chose between the two) of having Powell in Quad 1 and Knox West in Quad 2 is the most "reliable". Again, that was after week 7.

Morristown West is a district runner-up. Boone is a wildcard. Overall records only come into play when a champion is being compared to other district champions, a runner-up to other runners-up, and a wildcard against other wildcards.

The system stinks; it has every year it's been in place. Weak districts and weak non-district schedules are rewarded. You often end up playing a team from your own district in the opening round, etc. Thank goodness, football is the only sport they've butchered like this -- but why?!

Not too often a thread gets to be "current" 2 weeks in a row, but that will be the case with Bradley returning to Athens for the 1st round. Interesting what led to it, and it will be an interesting rematch. But just a bizarre quirk of this ridiculous system.

The variables here are Powell, Knox West and Anderson Co. After week 5 Knox West was in Quad 1 and Powell in Quad 2. After week 6 both West and Powell were in Quad 2 (Knox Central entered the equation in Quad 1). Then following week 7 when a team needed to shift from Quad 2 to Quad 1 the TSSAA moved Powell rather than West (the reverse of week 5). The last 2 weeks both Powell and Knox West have been projected in Quad 1, but with Sullivan South having qualified one of these teams will likely be moved to Quad 2. But because the TSSAA has been inconsistent, who knows which one. There's also the less likely scenario where they place Anderson Co., which just entered the picture tonight, in Quad 1 and move both Powell and West to Quad 2. Geographically (as the TSSAA swears they decide things by), that to me would actually be more sensible, but last year when Anderson Co. was in the playoff mix the TSSAA, for whatever reason, persisted in placing the Mavericks in Quad 2. So all that being said, here are the 3 different scenarios for Quad 1 in 5A, and off to the right of each the resulting Quad 2. 5A Quad 1 (scenario 1 - Powell).................. 5A Quad 2 (scenario 1) #8 Sullivan South .......................................... #8 Walker Valley #1 Powell ....................................................... #1 Columbia #5 TN High ..................................................... #5 White Co. #4 South Doyle .............................................. #4 Tullahoma #6 Cherokee .................................................. #6 Knox West #3 Daniel Boone ............................................ #3 Ooltewah #7 Knox Central ............................................. #7 Anderson Co. #2 Morristown West ....................................... #2 Lenoir City 5A Quad 1 (scenario 2 - Knox West)........... 5A Quad 2 (scenario 2) #8 Sullivan South .......................................... #8 Walker Valley #1 Morristown West ...................................... #1 Columbia #5 TN High .................................................... #5 Tullahoma #4 South Doyle ............................................. #4 Ooltewah #6 Cherokee ................................................. #6 White Co. #3 Knox West ................................................ #3 Lenoir City #7 Knox Central ............................................ #7 Anderson Co. #2 Daniel Boone ........................................... #2 Powell 5A Quad 1 (scenario 3 - Anderson Co.)...... 5A Quad 2 (scenario 3) #8 Anderson Co. .......................................... #8 Walker Valley #1 Morristown West ..................................... #1 Columbia #5 Cherokee ................................................ #5 Tullahoma #4 TN High ................................................... #4 Ooltewah #6 Knox Central ........................................... #6 White Co. #3 South Doyle ............................................ #3 Lenoir City #7 Sullivan South ......................................... #7 Knox West #2 Daniel Boone ........................................... #2 Powell

This 6A stuff in the east is straight forward, but 5A in the east will test the TSSAA's geographical consistency (that's for another thread). 6A Quad 1 #8 Hardin Valley @ #1 Maryville #5 Science Hill @ #4 Oak Ridge #6 Jefferson Co. @ #3 Sevier Co. #7 Bearden @ #2 Dobyns-Bennett 6A Quad 2 #8 Oakland @ #1 Siegel #5 Blackman @ #4 Cookeville #6 Riverdale @ #3 Cane Ridge #7 Bradley Central @ #2 McMinn Co.

It's actually not that far-fetched a scenario for Hardin Valley. Here's a for instance: If 4-5 Hardin Valley beats 1-8 Karns and 4-5 Anderson Co. beats 2-7 Clinton, HVA gets in if ... - Franklin (4-5) loses to Brentwood (8-1) - Rossview (5-4) loses to Henry Co. (7-2) - Franklin Co. (5-4) loses to Columbia (7-2) - Memphis Central (5-4) loses to White Station (which is 5-3 on the field, but 3-6 in the eyes of the TSSAA) I think if most people were picking winners in those games, the necessary outcome would, in each instance, be seen as the safer bet. The only thing that could prevent the scenario above from landing HVA in the playoffs is if 4-5 Memphis East beats 9-0 Whitehaven; that would bolster Memphis Central's 2nd tie-breaker total to 5, leading to the 3rd tie-breaker where Memphis Central holds the advantage over HVA.

Sorry if I'm sidetracking a McMinn - Bradley thread, but I can't find a scenario where Oak Ridge goes to McMinn in the first round. If McMinn beats Bradley and Hardin Valley doesn't get in, the Cherokees would most likely host Science Hill (less likely D-B, and very remote, Bearden, Jefferson Co. or even Maryville). Meanwhile, Oak Ridge would probably land at Sevier Co. If, again, Hardin Valley doesn't get in while McMinn loses to Bradley and Maryville loses to Lenoir City, Oak Ridge would likely host McMinn. If, as most expect, Maryville defeats Lenoir City and then McMinn loses to Bradley, McMinn would most likely be at Sevier Co. and Oak Ridge would host Science Hill or D-B. Of course if Hardin Valley does sneak in, McMinn will be in Quad 2. I'm feeling a little dizzy.

In District 4AAA, the winner of the Maryville - Lenoir City game is the district champion and the loser the runner-up . . . unless Maryville wins, West loses to Heritage and Bearden defeats Catholic. In that single and highly unlikely combination, Bearden would be 2nd for the purpose of determining which team gets the automatic berth.

Farragut SR Jonathan King is 4th all-time in Tennessee with 29 career field goals. He is 3 shy of tying James Wilhoit and Alberto Diaz for 2nd most field goals in state history. Jonathan has hit 5 field goals of 50+ yards and 8 from 45 yards or farther. His career long is 53 yards. In addition, he is 91 for 94 on PATs and has 112 career touchbacks. This year Jonathan is averaging 45.7 yards on 29 punts. Only 4 of those punts have been returned, while 10 have been fair caught, downed or angled out of bounds inside the 20. His longest punt covered 70 yards. ESPN has Jonathan ranked 13th nationally among kicking prospects ( http://espn.go.com/c...3/view/position ) and number 1 in Tennessee. Besides his football exploits, Jonathan is a model citizen and student.

All Farragut games are audio streamed at www.myi105.com ( alternate access via www.wfiv.com ). In addition, Farragut home games are video streamed, courtesy of BDC Productions, at www.farragutfootball.com and also feature the radio call. While the entire game night broadcast can be heard on myi105.com (locally FM 105.3), the video stream is mostly confined to the game with very little of the pregame or postgame included. There's about a 40 second delay between what is going out over the air and the myi105.com audio stream.

A quick update to Jonathan's resume: he established a new career and school record with a 53 yard field goal on a soaked field and in driving rain this past Friday. The field goal by King turned out to be the winning margin.

I appreciate what you do and clicked on the link a "few" times. You might want to fip-flop Bearden and Jefferson Co. though over in Quad 1.

Consider Anderson Co. (5A) being in Quad 2 as of last week. Who can look at a map and say that makes sense given the other teams in play? Oak Ridge went west last year when Farragut and Maryville made just as much sense in terms of geography and travel time. When it came to why Riverdale was Quad 2 last year instead of Quad 3, its southern, not eastern, positioning was the rationale - supposedly Quad strength and district finish/strength wasn't in play. I guess all you can expect is that the TSSAA be consistent with its inconsistencies. I just hope we only have 1 more year of this nonsense. If it's such an ingenious system, why doesn't it apply to all other sports?

Again, it's based on what the TSSAA has been projecting every Tuesday for the last few weeks. After week 5 Riverdale, Oakland, Blackman and Siegel were projected in Quad 2. The same was true after week 6. After week 7 Oak Ridge was added to the mix and as a result Siegel slid over to Quad 3. After week 8 Coffee Co. popped into the picture in Quad 2 and, accordingly, Oakland was shifted to Quad 3. Then last week, because Jefferson Co. had, for the time being, fallen from the ranks of the "forecasted qualifiers" Farragut was moved to Quad 1, which opened up a spot for Oakland's return to Quad 2. However, when Jefferson Co. gets reintroduced to the mix - which they are now - it's back to the same situation as following week 8, and I'm assuming the TSSAA will stay consistent. Of course, they have made no geographical rules and it's even a stretch to say they have guidelines, so when it comes to grouping teams into quads, no one can hold them accountable - they do as they please. I hope that answers your question. The East bracket I've posted is based on previous forecasts by the TSSAA. I can't, however, answer for the TSSAA when it comes to why they have previously gone with those groupings.

We know who's in and the groupings are based on the TSSAA's past tendencies - both last year and with their "if the season ended now" forecasts the last few weeks. 6A Quad 1 #8 Bearden @ #1 Maryville #5 Karns @ #4 Science Hill #6 Hardin Valley @ #3 Sevier Co. #7 Jefferson Co. @ #2 Dobyns-Bennett 6A Quad 2 #8 Coffee Co. @ #1 Riverdale #5 Farragut @ #4 Blackman #6 Bradley Central @ #3 Cookeville #7 Oak Ridge @ #2 McMinn Co.

Through 8 games this year Farragut's Jonathan King has hit on 9 of 13 field goals. He has connected from 21, 28, 33, 40, 45, 48, 49, 50 and 51 yards. His misses were from 32, 46 and 51 yards with a 40 yard attempt blocked. His 21 career field goals are a school record as is his career long of 52 yards. His field goals have often come at pivotal times, as Jonathan was good from 49 yards on the final play of the first half vs. Oak Ridge, was good from 40 yards on the final play of the first half vs. Knoxville Catholic, was good from 50 yards on the next-to-last play of the first half vs. Knoxville West and, later in that game, hit from 33 yards with 58 seconds remaining to give Farragut a 6 point cushion. I should also note that his career best 52 yarder came on the final play of the first half in last year's opening round playoff contest at Sevier County. He missed his first PAT 2 weeks ago and is now 52 of 53 for his career (20 of 21 this year). In 2011 32 of Jonathan's 38 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks, and he has 74 touchbacks for his career. He is averaging 38.2 yards on 26 punts this year, 12 of which have been marked inside the 20. Jonathan's net average is 35.4, the difference due almost entirely to punts that have carried into the endzone, as only 1 of his punts has been returned. His long this year is 53 yards (twice), while his career long is 63 yards - and, make no mistake, these were not of the "friendly roll" variety. In addition, on the opening play of the 2nd half against Knoxville West Jonathan recovered his own perfectly executed onside kick.

So sorry to hear of Don's passing and for the loss to his family, friends and community.

The Farragut staff had planned all week to get Jonathan some snaps at QB.

Proving that time flies, "the night the lights went out" was 1997. I was reminded of that game and a few others with last week's weather delay.