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I bolded the parts that feel important to the conversation of success factor and whether or not it "works" or is working. I totally agree that no system is perfect and there will be outliers (like this curious case of Luers). Correct me if I'm wrong but a large part of the idea of the success factor (and the addition of 6A) was "more schools playing for and winning state championships?" If that was "the main goal" of the IHSAA they succeeded, sort of, based on the data I compiled. From 2013-2025 (Success Factor Era) there have been 47 different State Champions (42 of them from classes 1A-5A) crowned from classes 1A-6A and 81 different schools have competed in the State Football Finals. By comparison, from 2000-2012 (the 13 years directly prior to SF) there were 32 different State Champions crowned from classes 1A-5A and 65 different schools competed in the State Football Finals. While not perfect, the system is working if the MAIN GOAL is "more schools playing for and winning state championships."

More programs playing at LOS means the sport will continue to grow=more money for everyone... If a program never wins a sectional and has a run to LOS, in their community eyes, thats a successful season. I get traditional powerhouses being upset about moving up without a state title, if your not first, your last..Some teams may have NEVER seen LOS without the SF, it was not intended to help the rich get richer..

Kudos to anyone who picked up on what my name stands for. Lol, good question.

And that ranking contains a fair amount of subjectivity to it due to the coach vote being 40% of it. Just because a crew is ranked 10th doesn't necessarily mean they are the 10th best crew. Some could objectively argue the 40th ranked crew is better than the 10th ranked crew. There are more than 6 crews more than qualified to do an excellent job working a state final. And even if you rotated the same 6 crews every 4 years, there are more than 24 crews more than qualified to do an excellent job. This rotational system does give more qualified crews the opportunity to reach the highest level. That being said, the system works to generally get very good crews to the state finals every years. There is a lot of variability in the quality of crews around the state, but the ones working Thanksgiving weekend are generally pretty good.

Start small. MAC 1st... those Tuesday games are a MOFO though. 🤣🤣🤣

Does Brownsburg move up to the BIG 10 or SEC next year? Man are they good.

Like I need you to tell me about officiating. Stay in your lane.

Keeping the legislature from sticking its nose into the IHSAA's policies. That was 100% forced by the legislature, whose ears perked up after the Indianapolis Star's columnist only told half the story of a high-profile (and very questionable) transfer in Indy and state leaders (who are generally VERY pro school choice) threatened to get even further involved in IHSAA eligibility decisions.

Forgot Warren Central too. BTW, when did Cathedral win four in a row in a class? I see three in a row. But if we are doing three in a row, we also have to toss in WeBo and Sheridan into that mix along with Lutheran, Chatard, Franklin Central, Roncalli, Center Grove, and Penn.

As long as he stays a Booster, ok by me! I'll just have the same guy 3 times on my Blocked list, lol.

I concur, the years snider coaches were able to get along, both programs flourish. How some can hate the other is beyond me..Arrogance and politics have turned rings red and left hardware on other buses.

If we were smart we would rest him for a couple games. If it is a calf strain, I think they have linked a lot of the achilles injuries in the NBA to players having a calf strain to start, rushing back and piling on minutes, only for their achilles to eventually go.

Sounds like some decent news about Gardner's injury https://www.si.com/nfl/colts/onsi/news/colts-promising-update-sauce-gardner-calf-injury

Refs rigged the Colts game and I would like to send them on a round the world cruise. Maybe they will fall off the flat Earth. 🌎🌍🤣

Haven't looked into them. I like the idea of us on the moon. Which means I'm all for the earth being round...I think. I wasn't a firm believer in the NFL thing until the last couple of years. How do the Chiefs run through the NFL for multiple years in a row while Taylor Swift and Kelce are all over news making the NFL money and drawing outside fans attention. The attention dies down...so does the Chiefs dominance. Just odd to me. I could keep going on things of recent but I don't really believe it, more just speculation that makes sense to me. Up until after Covid and sportsbooks becoming more popular, I haven't really looked into it. If I didn't think Vegas has a little bit of pull in how professional sports go every year, I would call myself crazy, but I'm not confident enough in it to call anyone else crazy.

The bigger issue at hand is Sauce Gardner. Haven't really looked, but what is the word on his injury. The defense had looked really strong with him in there. Healthy Gardner and healthy Buckner, our defense is good enough against any offense in the league in my opinion. Shane will hopefully come to his senses of running the ball 20+ times a game. Maybe just trying to keep him from taking too many hits throughout the year is the only thing I can come up with. It's now or never tho. The race is too tight now. Gotta lean on your best player more down the stretch.

I posted this a couple years ago and think it generally still rings true. SF certainly can impact kids transferring, fan support, finances and overall positive momentum in a program. Transfers: Why go here (or stay here) if we face a guaranteed buzz saw in sectionals or regionals. Fan Support: It may not be immediate, but after 2 years of early playoff losses many lose interest. Finances: Less concessions and merchandise money with less games. Less support as success diminishes. Positive Momentum: After consecutive years of deep playoff runs and/or a state title, momentum is at its peak. Lose in the 1st or 2nd round 2 years in a row and by the time it resets the positive mojo just isn't what it was. If the idea behind SF is to offset open enrollment in public schools and/or no district map in private schools, the better equation would be evaluating rosters for organic enrollment. Have AD's submit an affidavit showing where ROSTERED PLAYERS attended 7th and 8th grade, as well as any high school transfers. If more than X number or Y percent is over a threshold, have a SF policy that deals with it.

I agree as far as down the stretch. But word is Jones had this break some time ago. Had he sat when it first broke, he may have come back ready for a stretch run. Now they just have to ride it out with him in place hoping he does not aggrevate the injury.

Good question. They should.

They did but looked terrible, their offense is horrible. I'd honestly put Texas in over Oklahoma as the Longhorns beat them 17.

A buddy of mine ran the Power Source University football program in the Orlando area last year. They are now transitioning to the Trinity College of Florida, which is based out of Trinity, Florida and will have a satellite campus in Clermont, Florida. The school will be applying for NAIA membership. Coach Walker is a Hoosier originally, graduating from Springs Valley in 2001, and was openly an Indiana University football fan well before Cignetti was hired. Coach Walker is looking to give Indiana graduates an opportunity to continue to play football in particular he is in need of Offensive and Defensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, tight ends and quarterbacks. I think the 7 on 7 system in Florida leaves the area flush with WRs and DBs. Last year under Power Source University, he was able to give two young men from Greencastle and I believe a Roncalli graduate a chance to continue to play while working towards their degree. I don't know all the details on the academic requirements but I know they were able to work with athletes who may not be academically eligible, receive eligibility through a program of some kind. For more information, https://www.tcftigersfootball.com/ If you have a player that would be interested, feel free to email me a reynoldsj@paoli.k12.in.us. Thanks.

About as much as people north of Greenwood thinking Kentucky is just south of Greenwood.

MACtion

The reason for that is to allow additional crews to work the first and second round that otherwise might not have a chance. That creates up to 6 more opportunities for those crews which is excellent. Otherwise those crews wouldn't get credit for working a tournament and not having 3 members of your crew without 5 tournament assignments in 6 years puts you way behind everyone else. There are a few very good crews with newer officials who still can't get first round games because of that.

I guess so! I'll leave that up to the worriers though. 1988 was a long time ago, but I suffered a lot more years as a Cub fan.

Yeah, if he's injured, bench him! He has a tendency to throw into double and even triple coverage lately. And he holds onto the ball way too long, which he wasn't doing earlier in the season. That may be due to his lack of mobility stemming from his injury. They better get back on track soon!

And nowadays, you don't have to go downtown for jobs and entertainment. Jobs are dispersed and a lot of employers are now in the suburbs. In Indy, four of the eight pro sports teams play in Hamilton County.

Siding with you on this one. I think the IU fans will show out. First ever B1G championship. Largest living alumni base in America. They'll come from all over and pay what they have to. Fifty three percent is the ceiling for OSU.

That’s a great hire for Sparty.

If a team can't win it all in one class what makes anyone think they can win in a higher class.

There’s so much wrong with this, I hardly know where to begin: So, every team that doesn’t win a state championship is a failure? That’s beyond absurd. The reason the success factor was adopted was to promote the goal of class football - as far as practicality will allow, like teams should play like teams. The success factor is a crude tool for identifying programs that consistently punch above their weight class, and regrouping them with teams that are (presumably) more on their level. It does not, nor should it, require a team to win a state championship if they prove consistently that they can compete at a higher level. And they prove it by being disproportionately successful in their class. You can quibble with the point levels or the length of the points cycle if you want. But that says nothing about the validity of the basic concept. At bottom, your point seems to be that until a team demonstrates total domination of a class by winning a state championship, they shouldn’t be moved out of their class. You only have to look at Adams Central’s recent history to show how wrong that thinking is. They went to the state finals in 1A 3 straight years, losing every time, but accumulating enough points to bump up to 2A. To your way of thinking, they should have stayed in 1A. But they didn’t, and promptly won the 2A championship the next season (last year), and made it to the 2A semistate this year, losing to the eventual state champ. But to your way of thinking, it was unfair to move them up since they had “unfinished business” in 1A. If you are a program that enjoys disproportionate success in your class throughout the points cycle - however long it is - you should move up. But the idea that you can only be considered such by winning the state championship makes about as much sense as screen doors on a submarine.

I will not only defend him... But I will take the knowledge and understanding that he has personally provided me, and impart that to the NEXT generation of officials that care to LEARN. I will not look at those who think that a "license" is an invitation to SUCCESS as their focus... like YOU!