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All in favor of co-ops personally, I hate to have the appearance of following Illinois in anything, but honestly at least having the option is good. @Coach Nowlin is 1,000% correct as well though, having the option for 8-man football at the sub varsity level is a great option as well. @1st_and_10 also makes a great point on the calendar; I get that most of us coaches do what we do because we are so incredibly passionate about the game of football, but sometimes less is more. As an aside, I've coached at small schools my entire career. I will grant that the number of programs that are struggling with numbers seems to be on the rise, however, for smaller schools, this issues has been around for quite a while. The issues that @1st_and_10 points out in his post only amplifies it.

In this case, sure. However, to shoot down the entire model because of an example like this is shortsighted to me. Just because Co-ops are possible, doesn't mean your admin has to approve a proposed mix of this very example. If TC wanted to Co-op with someone, obviously it has to be approved by the other school. That being said, I think the model of including all of the enrollment makes sense. It's the exact same thing that happens to all schools for every sport now. The class numbers have always caused me to scratch my head. If Sheridan has 60 kids play football, why does it matter if their student body is 340? That total number includes girls who will never come out for football. Don't get me wrong, I much prefer a class system to the alternative, but I still think how the IHSAA goes about it could be improved. But back on point, co-ops make the most sense to me to allow, and this season has it on full display why.

overall Team speed goal improvement was accomplished and then some: that seems to be the biggest take away for me so far it seems.

waiting for the first P2 (getting to that real fast it seems).football team turns down BILLIONS for 51% of revenue control .....

The issue with the Co-op model is it seems as if the combined enrollment would take, so lets say, Tri Central Co-op'd with Tipton: TC sends maybe 9 total players who want to play, awesome, right, however, that model stated then for enrollment classification purposes, Tipton would have to absorb the ENITRE TC population number, so lets say, Tipton is 475 students (no idea, but I know middle pack 2a). TC may have 350 students: Tipton new Classification number would be 825 and now in 3a. Why would Tipton be willing to have that happened to allow 9 football players to join . I believe that is why that model way it was proposed, probably led to the fail vote, zero knowledge of the reason by it was shot down personally, but if I am an ADMIN in those area Principal Meetings where many times these things come up, cannot imagine many of those folks willing to allow that to affect their schools to that degree. EASIEST SOLUTION: Really is from meeting I have attended: 8 MAN FOOTBALL : It is a VERY good option to keep kids playing, even schools to have JV games go to 8 man instead of cancelling.

Memorial 14news preview: https://www.14news.com/2026/08/04/memorial-tigers-ready-take-fall/

Looks like LSU is pumping the breaks?

Agreed. Luther and Colston are the future. I heard Booker has looked very good so far in camp. Same for Jaylon Johnson.

I have no problem admitting Indiana is going to give them a sweetheart deal if they build in Hammond. But, I still believe it will be Arlington Heights. I get that the infrastructure costs are steep, but what is the tradeoff? Just leave a massive piece of real estate in a prime area sitting empty and not pumping out any sales taxes and very minimal real estate taxes? If the Bears do build elsewhewre and sell the property, whoever buys it is going to also ask for some sort of infrastructure put in, whether it be turned into residential or commercial property.

Sounds like the ingredients of a national champion. If it's not broke, why fix it?

Easty Contract extension for Darnell Wright. Well Done Poles Buy ALL the Lurther and Colston Stock 1!!! SORRY Rome

Just the tip

I’ve met him a few times. Really nice guy. I think him and Bragg are pretty good buddies, I saw them sitting together at a couple of basketball games in late winter so I’m not suprised. If Papenhaus hadn’t been hired at Seymour he’d be on the staff as well because I know he’s also pretty good friends with Bragg. Another good coach. Seymour will do well.

It works well when the FB and BB coach work together for the summer schedule. Especially at a small school where you need all athletes playing 2-3 sports.

Not that surprising if you know Coach Cooley, I thought he might land in Seymour.

Not a stereotype, a general truth. Just look at the data. Are there exceptions out there? Of course, but IU-Bloomington isn't one of them.

The question I haven't seen answered is what party initiated the cancellation? Either way it looks like both maybe get what they want? ND gets an old foe back on the schedule (and the big TV money such a rivalry brings in), and Cignetti gets to play another cupcake instead of ND.

A Tri-Central/Tipton or Tri-Central/Taylor co-op makes perfect sense. That or a consolidation.

I understand the issue....it was simply a tongue and cheek comment about a school system never turning down a gift, regardless of payment type.... But let's move on shall we?

Guess it depends on why one believes the series was cancelled...... https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/indiana-notre-dame-cancel-football-series-scheduled-for-2030-31-reports/#:~:text=The series cancellation is due,break the news on Monday. (WXIN/WTTV) — A home-and-home series between Indiana football and Notre Dame has been canceled, according to multiple reports. The games were scheduled for 2030 and 2031. The series cancellation is due in part to Notre Dame renewing a four-year rivalry series with USC, causing a scheduling conflict for Week 1 of the 2030 season. The Athletic’s Pete Sampson was the first to break the news on Monday. Indiana’s home-and-home series was originally slated for the first game of 2030 and was set to take place in South Bend. The series was contracted in 2021 when former head coaches Tom Allen and Brian Kelly worked at IU and Notre Dame, respectively. The Indiana Daily Student reports that, since taking over as IU’s head coach, Curt Cignetti now prefers a lighter non-conference slate. The Hoosiers now have zero Power Four non-conference games scheduled for the future.

Inevitably..... So if one is good in football, then clearly criminal activity come with it....quite the stereotype. South Bend and their local university has handled big time football for decades....no reason IU and Bloomington can't.....

Honest opinion... Go away from the Limited Contact period and back to a "schedule" for each sports season. Limited contact periods are also pushing kids to focus on 1 sport. Large schools (4A-6A) it could work (because pure numbers you are going to have more athletes).. Smaller schools, you need any and all athletes to play multiple. When they have to choose between basketball camps/tourneys/workouts and football workouts/7 on 7/lineman challenges/etc. (just an example) athletes can only do so much. Kids also don't want to spend 6 hours (between a couple of sports, conditioning/weight lifting) at school all summer either. I will say this, our athletic department does a really good job of trying to balance the sports... I.E. there isn't a volleyball workout the same time as girls basketball... But there are a lot of kids that don't want to spend 6 hours (between a couple of sports workouts/practices, conditioning/weightlifting) at school all summer either.

Heritage Hills https://www.courierpress.com/videos/sports/high-school/2026/08/03/andrew-james-and-aiden-fischer-of-heritage-hills-football/91154654007/?link_source=ta_first_comment&taid=6a71015ad540f80001313ad8&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

It's not just football. Sheridan struggled to put together a soccer team last year, and it looks like they might not be able field one this year. To me, it's a generational thing. With more and more athletes choosing to focus on one sport exclusively, it is becoming harder for, especially small schools, to field teams in every sport. Between specialization and lack of interest in participating, I don't really know what the answer is. Outside of allowing co-ops, I'm not sure what the IHSAA can do to solve this unique problem. To your question about more schools, I'd be shocked if Tri-Central has a full team this year, just based on what happened last season. Greenwood Christian already backed out of their season, as well.

With the season officially starting I would like to make a couple changes from my previous predictions 1. Panthers - by a long shot still the favorite. 2. Seeger - Playing the bigger schools this summer will help them early on and I see them playing every tough game on their schedule close 3. Mustangs - I've only heard good things about them. They held a scrimmage at Franklin College and beat everyone there even the likes of Sheridan 4. Covington - Another team that I've only heard good things about. They will be upper classmen heavy and Wheeler will ground and pound it out 5. PH - Not sold on them yet. Losing Rector during the summer is a huge loss as well. They should be very competitive 6. SV - One year away from being competitive 7. NV - One year away from being competitive 8. Attica - still improving The WRC is nearing another period where there are going to be multiple very good teams.