How to improve the playoffs

[ReitzFan]

I don't think there will ever be a reduction in the number of classes. There are alot of sub standard teams making the show in each class. Do you want to improve the overall quality of the playoff field? Of course you do. Nobody wants to see the same old 4 at 1 seed blowouts that are so poorly attended that the host loses money. I think we all agree on this. I have  a simple solution that will automatically increase field quality while having the least possible financial impact. 

The solution is to not allow the 4 seed from each region to qualify for the playoffs and give all first seed teams a first round bye as a reward for being region champion. All first round games are 2 v 3 seed. A partial bracket example using regions 7 and 8 as the example. Region 7 #1 gets top bracket bye and will play winner of game between region 7 #3 at region 8 #2. The bottom of the bracket has region 8 #1 with a bye and then playing winner of region 8 #3 at region 7 #2.  Will there be some bad 2v3 games? Maybe so. Since most 4 at 1 seeds are horrible , those are gone. 2 seed v 3 seed games usually are better. You are eliminating 8 teams in each class, D1 1A thru 6A. 8 mostly lopsided games per class are eliminated. You get the net effect  of basically eliminating a class (8 #4 seeds per class) while not eliminating any championships. You ensure a higher quality field to start your playoffs with and also give the remaining teams a better financial situation and you keep the 4 seeds at home which saves them money they really don't need to spend on busses and food when the chance of a victory are virtually non-existant. Seems pretty simple to me. My proposal I think goes a long way towards increasing field quality while giving my new system more of an old school feel. It's a win win for all. Thus is all just my opinion.

[Croppygenius]

Play a few games on Thursday night!

[chs1984]

They did this for one season, 1993, then changed it to the current system.

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

2 hours ago, ReitzFan said:

I don't think there will ever be a reduction in the number of classes. There are alot of sub standard teams making the show in each class. Do you want to improve the overall quality of the playoff field? Of course you do. Nobody wants to see the same old 4 at 1 seed blowouts that are so poorly attended that the host loses money. I think we all agree on this. I have  a simple solution that will automatically increase field quality while having the least possible financial impact. 

The solution is to not allow the 4 seed from each region to qualify for the playoffs and give all first seed teams a first round bye as a reward for being region champion. All first round games are 2 v 3 seed. A partial bracket example using regions 7 and 8 as the example. Region 7 #1 gets top bracket bye and will play winner of game between region 7 #3 at region 8 #2. The bottom of the bracket has region 8 #1 with a bye and then playing winner of region 8 #3 at region 7 #2.  Will there be some bad 2v3 games? Maybe so. Since most 4 at 1 seeds are horrible , those are gone. 2 seed v 3 seed games usually are better. You are eliminating 8 teams in each class, D1 1A thru 6A. 8 mostly lopsided games per class are eliminated. You get the net effect  of basically eliminating a class (8 #4 seeds per class) while not eliminating any championships. You ensure a higher quality field to start your playoffs with and also give the remaining teams a better financial situation and you keep the 4 seeds at home which saves them money they really don't need to spend on busses and food when the chance of a victory are virtually non-existant. Seems pretty simple to me. My proposal I think goes a long way towards increasing field quality while giving my new system more of an old school feel. It's a win win for all. Thus is all just my opinion.

This is a pretty good idea. 

[oldsc7]

30 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

They did this for one season, 1993, then changed it to the current system.

Would the Georgia playoff model work in TN. I have a friend who coached in Georgia and he says the way they do it you could have teams from the same region make the championship game. I think it would be interesting. 

[blazer1set]

Not saying you guys are this way, but we live in too much of a snowflake culture where everybody is a winner, everybody gets a participation trophy, etc.         I just don't see it ever changing much unless there is a fundamental shift in our collective societal mindset.       There is an insightful book called War on Football, not saying I agree with every premise but it does at the very least make you think.     https://www.amazon.com/War-Football-Saving-Americas-Game/dp/1621571556

 

[crow]

Top half of the field qualify for playoffs. If Tennessee refuses to reduce classifications then decreasing spots s the only option. Instead of 32 out of 35-40 teams is absurd. Let the top 2 in from each region. Giving a first round bye and taking top 3 would help but it has the same roadblock as reducing classifications or that my option has and that’s less $ for the T$$AA. They have no concern if the host school loses money or not. If they can get $10 as their split they’re just fine with that. 

[chs1984]

6 minutes ago, oldsc7 said:

Would the Georgia playoff model work in TN. I have a friend who coached in Georgia and he says the way they do it you could have teams from the same region make the championship game. I think it would be interesting. 

I like what we do in Georgia a bit better simply because you don’t have the same teams meeting in the same rounds each year. You open with a different region each year, and yes, two teams from the same region can meet in the finals. North Georgia vs. South Georgia in the final hasn’t been a thing for over 25 years.

[crow]

Just now, blazer1set said:

Not saying you guys are this way, but we live in too much of a snowflake culture where everybody is a winner, everybody gets a participation trophy, etc.         I just don't see it ever changing much unless there is a fundamental shift in our collective societal mindset.       There is an insightful book called War on Football, not saying I agree with every premise but it does at the very least make you think.     https://www.amazon.com/War-Football-Saving-Americas-Game/dp/1621571556

 

I agree about snowflake culture. Heck we participation trophy’d our way in this year and will likely pay dearly for it come Friday. 

[jtm52k]

3 hours ago, ReitzFan said:

I don't think there will ever be a reduction in the number of classes. There are alot of sub standard teams making the show in each class. Do you want to improve the overall quality of the playoff field? Of course you do. Nobody wants to see the same old 4 at 1 seed blowouts that are so poorly attended that the host loses money. I think we all agree on this. I have  a simple solution that will automatically increase field quality while having the least possible financial impact. 

The solution is to not allow the 4 seed from each region to qualify for the playoffs and give all first seed teams a first round bye as a reward for being region champion. All first round games are 2 v 3 seed. A partial bracket example using regions 7 and 8 as the example. Region 7 #1 gets top bracket bye and will play winner of game between region 7 #3 at region 8 #2. The bottom of the bracket has region 8 #1 with a bye and then playing winner of region 8 #3 at region 7 #2.  Will there be some bad 2v3 games? Maybe so. Since most 4 at 1 seeds are horrible , those are gone. 2 seed v 3 seed games usually are better. You are eliminating 8 teams in each class, D1 1A thru 6A. 8 mostly lopsided games per class are eliminated. You get the net effect  of basically eliminating a class (8 #4 seeds per class) while not eliminating any championships. You ensure a higher quality field to start your playoffs with and also give the remaining teams a better financial situation and you keep the 4 seeds at home which saves them money they really don't need to spend on busses and food when the chance of a victory are virtually non-existant. Seems pretty simple to me. My proposal I think goes a long way towards increasing field quality while giving my new system more of an old school feel. It's a win win for all. Thus is all just my opinion.

First, this is a really well written post and it's well thought out. I appreciate that. 

Second, I half expected to see "Thank you for coming to my TED talk" at the end. 

Third, I like this idea a lot. I think this combined with opening round one of the playoffs with different region vs region matchups would be awesome. 

[oldsc7]

8 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

I like what we do in Georgia a bit better simply because you don’t have the same teams meeting in the same rounds each year. You open with a different region each year, and yes, two teams from the same region can meet in the finals. North Georgia vs. South Georgia in the final hasn’t been a thing for over 25 years.

I really like this..... especially with what you said you don't play the same teams every year in playoffs. I wish the TSSAA would go with this approach. That means they would have to actually do some work forming the playoff brackets. 

[TSSAAfootball]

I noticed Kentucky in Single A uses an RPI system to seed teams. I have no idea if it works or not, but I did find it interesting.