D2 Divisions Next Year

[ChuckDSanAntonio]

There are some interesting decisions to be made going into next year.  Based on enrollment, D2 AAA is going to be traveling nightmare.  Do you think BA/Ensworth/Lipscomb/CPA all move up to AAA? 

[Navy21412]

The BA/Ensworth aspect of this is concerning....in the Kreager article a few weeks ago on this subject, one of the people who spoke to him is Ensworth Head David Bramer...he said "you can't have a division that is dependent upon smaller schools voluntarily playing up."  Then you go back to last time classifications were set, Cody White at BA said, "if we can't get any better scheduling help playing in D2-AAA, then next go round, we will just play where our numbers tell us to play."  Well, they didn't get any scheduling help in the intervening years.  The travel is bad enough as it is just for region games.  That's five games, and then you have to find five more games to fill out the schedule...which means even more travel, out of area, out of state if you can't get games against local teams.  Whatever happens, I hope that the Nashville area teams--CPA, BA, Ensworth, LA, JP2, FRHS, and MBA--all commit to playing each other.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone on the TSSAA BOC cares at all what happens to the D2 schools.  

[theawesomebro]

hopefully, all those teams are talking and are on the same page about how they can all benefit from keeping D2-AAA strong.  

my gut says LA, BA and Ensworth all go/stay AAA.  

[cbg]

45 minutes ago, Navy21412 said:

The BA/Ensworth aspect of this is concerning....in the Kreager article a few weeks ago on this subject, one of the people who spoke to him is Ensworth Head David Bramer...he said "you can't have a division that is dependent upon smaller schools voluntarily playing up."  Then you go back to last time classifications were set, Cody White at BA said, "if we can't get any better scheduling help playing in D2-AAA, then next go round, we will just play where our numbers tell us to play."  Well, they didn't get any scheduling help in the intervening years.  The travel is bad enough as it is just for region games.  That's five games, and then you have to find five more games to fill out the schedule...which means even more travel, out of area, out of state if you can't get games against local teams.  Whatever happens, I hope that the Nashville area teams--CPA, BA, Ensworth, LA, JP2, FRHS, and MBA--all commit to playing each other.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone on the TSSAA BOC cares at all what happens to the D2 schools.  

The only thing that the TSSAA and Board of Control care about is money.  If all of the D2 schools were to withdraw from the TSSAA you would see the TSSAA crying over lost revenues.  The D2 schools do not need to worry about not being able to afford catastrophic insurance as several other states have more than one association.  Those other associations also are allowed to play regular season games against each other and play out of state opponents that are members of the National Federation.  

[ChuckDSanAntonio]

56 minutes ago, Navy21412 said:

The BA/Ensworth aspect of this is concerning....in the Kreager article a few weeks ago on this subject, one of the people who spoke to him is Ensworth Head David Bramer...he said "you can't have a division that is dependent upon smaller schools voluntarily playing up."  Then you go back to last time classifications were set, Cody White at BA said, "if we can't get any better scheduling help playing in D2-AAA, then next go round, we will just play where our numbers tell us to play."  Well, they didn't get any scheduling help in the intervening years.  The travel is bad enough as it is just for region games.  That's five games, and then you have to find five more games to fill out the schedule...which means even more travel, out of area, out of state if you can't get games against local teams.  Whatever happens, I hope that the Nashville area teams--CPA, BA, Ensworth, LA, JP2, FRHS, and MBA--all commit to playing each other.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone on the TSSAA BOC cares at all what happens to the D2 schools.  

Word on the street is BA would have had an annual game with Lipscomb (and the inherent scheduling help), but BA would not commit to that.  Perhaps that will be solved with an expanded AAA division.

[Navy21412]

1 hour ago, ChuckDSanAntonio said:

Word on the street is BA would have had an annual game with Lipscomb (and the inherent scheduling help), but BA would not commit to that.  Perhaps that will be solved with an expanded AAA division.

you'd think they would have taken that offer, given the history between the 2 schools going back to the 70s-80s, and what a huge crowd that would have been versus playing a team from GA and a team from TX

[BobbyB]

Some D2 schools need to leave comfort zone on scheduling and go challenge above them or in D2AAA some below them LA-CPA . BA vs CPA has been great games. LA-CPA playing Oakland had great excitement last season. Nashville Christian has played up, same four D2 schools last 2 years splitting with FRA, GP, BGA , sweeping DA. It makes for great rivalries in Midstate. 

[CoachFreshwater]

The 3 divisions need to be looked at.  Makes sense to make the 3 divisions as even as possible.  BA, St. Benedict, Ensworth, and PJP II could move up as they always have, then Lipscomb, CPA, Webb-Knoxville, and CCS all move up as well, making AAA-16, AA-16, A-17.   No way a school's that have in the high 400's, low to mid 500'sin enrolment being in a division that has schools in the high 200's.  I think the cutoff numbers should be re-evaluated.  Here is what I would suggest.

 

AAA

	St. Benedict at Auburndale	458	AAA
	Brentwood Academy	466	AAA
	Ensworth High School	469	AAA
	Christ Presbyterian Academy	473	AAA
	Lipscomb Academy	479	AAA
	Webb School of Knoxville	483	AAA
	Pope John Paul II Preparatory School	521	AAA
	Chattanooga Christian School	526	AAA
	Briarcrest Christian School	622	AAA
	Knoxville Catholic High School	675	AAA
	Baylor School	718	AAA
	Father Ryan High School	885	AAA
	Memphis University School	930	AAA
	Montgomery Bell Academy	1130	AAA
	McCallie School	1448	AAA
	Christian Brothers High School	1454	AAA

 

 

AA

	Davidson Academy	272	AA
	Grace Christian Academy - Knoxville	288	AA
	University School of Jackson	292	AA
	Evangelical Christian School	308	AA
	The Webb School	309	AA
	St. George's Independent School	315	AA
	Goodpasture Christian School	325	AA
	Franklin Road Academy	363	AA
	Lakeway Christian Academy	364	AA
	Northpoint Christian School	370	AA
	Battle Ground Academy	373	AA
	Boyd Buchanan High School	384	AA
	Lausanne Collegiate School	384	AA
	Notre Dame High School	392	AA
	Christian Academy of Knoxville	410	AA
	Silverdale Baptist Academy	416	AA

A

	Ezell-Harding Christian School	126	A
	Mt. Juliet Christian Academy	141	A
	The King's Academy	154	A
	Tipton-Rosemark Academy	172	A
	Fayette Academy	178	A
	Trinity Christian Academy	186	A
	Harding Academy	200	A
	Clarksville Academy	204	A
	Donelson Christian Academy	207	A
	Friendship Christian School	209	A
	Jackson Christian School	227	A
	First Assembly Christian School	235	A
	Middle Tennessee Christian School	255	A
	Providence Christian Academy	255	A
	Nashville Christian School	256	A
	Grace Christian Academy - Franklin	259	A
	Columbia Academy	265	A

Edited October 20, 2022 by CoachFreshwater

[mofototo50]

2 hours ago, CoachFreshwater said:

The 3 divisions need to be looked at.  Makes sense to make the 3 divisions as even as possible.  BA, St. Benedict, Ensworth, and PJP II could move up as they always have, then Lipscomb, CPA, Webb-Knoxville, and CCS all move up as well, making AAA-16, AA-16, A-17.   No way a school's that have in the high 400's, low to mid 500'sin enrolment being in a division that has schools in the high 200's.  I think the cutoff numbers should be re-evaluated.  Here is what I would suggest.

 

AAA

	St. Benedict at Auburndale	458	AAA
	Brentwood Academy	466	AAA
	Ensworth High School	469	AAA
	Christ Presbyterian Academy	473	AAA
	Lipscomb Academy	479	AAA
	Webb School of Knoxville	483	AAA
	Pope John Paul II Preparatory School	521	AAA
	Chattanooga Christian School	526	AAA
	Briarcrest Christian School	622	AAA
	Knoxville Catholic High School	675	AAA
	Baylor School	718	AAA
	Father Ryan High School	885	AAA
	Memphis University School	930	AAA
	Montgomery Bell Academy	1130	AAA
	McCallie School	1448	AAA
	Christian Brothers High School	1454	AAA

 

 

AA

	Davidson Academy	272	AA
	Grace Christian Academy - Knoxville	288	AA
	University School of Jackson	292	AA
	Evangelical Christian School	308	AA
	The Webb School	309	AA
	St. George's Independent School	315	AA
	Goodpasture Christian School	325	AA
	Franklin Road Academy	363	AA
	Lakeway Christian Academy	364	AA
	Northpoint Christian School	370	AA
	Battle Ground Academy	373	AA
	Boyd Buchanan High School	384	AA
	Lausanne Collegiate School	384	AA
	Notre Dame High School	392	AA
	Christian Academy of Knoxville	410	AA
	Silverdale Baptist Academy	416	AA

A

	Ezell-Harding Christian School	126	A
	Mt. Juliet Christian Academy	141	A
	The King's Academy	154	A
	Tipton-Rosemark Academy	172	A
	Fayette Academy	178	A
	Trinity Christian Academy	186	A
	Harding Academy	200	A
	Clarksville Academy	204	A
	Donelson Christian Academy	207	A
	Friendship Christian School	209	A
	Jackson Christian School	227	A
	First Assembly Christian School	235	A
	Middle Tennessee Christian School	255	A
	Providence Christian Academy	255	A
	Nashville Christian School	256	A
	Grace Christian Academy - Franklin	259	A
	Columbia Academy	265	A

 

Looking at it from the other side, it's not really fair for those schools in the high 400's/low 500's range to play against schools who are twice (a couple almost triple) their size and who are pulling kids from Canada and other states.

 

MBA, McCallie, CBHS, MUS all have more boys in their school than some of the schools you lumped in have students.

 

If you want those schools to play up, you have to have the same opinion for the lower division as well. There should be two in that scenario. You can't care for the schools with the really low numbers, but not care about the schools with the middle of the road numbers.

 

And remember, the number was set by two schools who did not want to play up in the AAA division in the first place and had members of the BOC.

Edited October 20, 2022 by mofototo50
thought of another point

[KnoxBBall1993]

Private schools are different than public.  It is asinine to have only 8 schools in DII-AAA for football.  DII-A has 16 and AA has 24, while public has about 50 in every class. It is apples and oranges to talk about enrollment for public and private.  It is also much easier to win in DII due the lack of competing schools.  More kids does not always equate to better/more competitive sports teams, especially at the private school level.  

[Navy21412]

I mentioned this before, but the TSSAA sent a survey to all D2 schools asking for input in what factors, besides just enrollment, should factor into classification.  I.e., financial aid budget, historical roster size, football budget, historical success, etc.  the TSSAA had the results of this survey, and did nothing with the feedback/recommendations at this summer's meeting...so a team like BA, which has been one of the most dominant teams in the state for 40 years, can now just decide it doesn't want that level of competition anymore and play at AA.  Oh well, I guess we won't get to hear Cody White, after winning another state title (pretty sure only Maryville has won more than BA) declare "this is a win for the little guy!" anymore if they stay in AA.

[ChuckDSanAntonio]

1 hour ago, CoachFreshwater said:

But its ok for Dilfer and LA to pull kids from across the country for the first semester to play football, go back home after Christmas, and return the following year to play football again, and stay down?  

 

There has to be a better solution that what is being presented now...

Hey Fresh - you saying Lipscomb has kids come in for just a semester to play football?  Do you have any names or is that just hearsay / conjecture?  That would be quite the story for Kraeger to write.