NLCTigerFan07

I think the same thing @Footballking16 - but that is why I can ONLY get behind the idea if the tournament was seeded. If it is not seeded, I agree that a team only having to win 4 games to be crowned a state champion is tough for me to get behind. However, I would have no issues seeing the top 2 schools in each 4, 6-team regionals be awarded a bye and the opportunity to host the sectional championship game. I think that rewards the teams who have successful regular seasons, which would also take care of @Bash Riprock point of having "to win all season" to get to that point. Want the opportunity to have a bye and host the sectional championship? Win your regular season games. Interesting that @Footballking16 you would rather see 6A go to a 16 team tournament as opposed to this 24 team option. Especially since 16 team tournament would equal only having to win 4 games to be crowned as a state champion... which you said you could not get on board with. 🤔 Again - to reiterate my stance - only way I am on board with any sort of restructuring/reduction of class 6A is if the tournament is seeded. If not - there is no point.

I know I am kind of talking to myself here, but I could get on board with a 24 team class 6A as long as the tournament was seeded. Otherwise, I just cannot get behind the proposal knowing a team could go 0-9 or 1-8 and host a sectional championship. I provided a bracket earlier showing how last year's 6A tournament with 24 teams could have been arranged by taking two pods of 12 teams (North/South). Here are all three of the potential brackets depending on how you would want to split them up. Seeding determined by Sagarin ratings at the end of last years tournament because I cannot find what the ratings were after the regular season. In my opinion, 3 team sectionals are not great at all when it comes to matchups. I either like the potential for 4, 6-team Regionals or my previously shown 2, 12-team North/South split.

I had heard this rumored earlier in the summer but never saw anything officially. Earlier this week the Warsaw Times-Union confirmed it. Phil Jensen has retired from Whitko after 2 seasons and Chip Coldiron has been hired to replace him. https://timesuniononline.com/Content/Local-News/Sports/Article/Jensen-Retires-For-Real-/2/226/134590

Here is one issue I have with the proposal of potentially moving 6A to a class of 24 teams... No matter WHO the teams are, a 24 team bracket means you would have 8, 3-team sectionals with 1 team in each sectional having a bye directly into the sectional championship. The ONLY way I would even get remotely on board with something like this is if the sectionals were seeded, allowing the top team to have that bye and be guaranteed the home game for sectional championship. As well, the second highest team would host the first round game. At least give some reward to the teams who have a better seasons. You could even do 4, 6-team regionals and seed them appropriately. I know this isn't the best model per se - but who says no to this tournament example? (using Sagarin ratings from the end of the tournament - I couldn't find the ratings from the end of the regular season. Obviously, you could use some other sort of ranking system)

Per WDRB.com - The school announced Monday morning that its health and safety protocols have prompted it to cancel a scrimmage scheduled Friday against Whiteland and the season-openin football game scheudled for next week against Bell County (KY). Neither even will be made up. The Red Devils now are scheduled to open their varsity football season on Friday, August 27th, at home against Hoosier Hills Conference-rival Seymour.

Yes per the Oldenburg twitter accont: "The football game vs Rock Creek Academy scheduled for August 21st at 2:00 OM at Roger Bacon has been cancelled due to positive cases in Rock Creek's football program. The Twisters will not play Friday, August 27th at Union City with a 7:00 PM kick-off. Thank you for your understanding"

I would say it is you. Scrimmages/Jamborees are great for all players because all will see some playing time. It allows the starters to get some "game"-like reps in prior to the first game of the season, while also letting some second and third string guys see similar reps so the first time it happens for them isn't in the fourth quarter of a meaningful game in the season (as an example). Even though it might seem "conservative" - the purpose of scrimmages (IMO) are not to develop schemes. It is meant to get the kids some solid reps against an opponent wearing a different colored jersey. They are far from an fan entertainment purpose, as they should be. Bad take in my opinion. Does not make you wrong, I just do not see this being the take most would have on scrimmages.

Just responded to @lapelathletics on Twitter notifying them

Yeah I was going to say, SDSU is a heck of an FCS program. I would guess at BEST Becker could have gotten an MAC level D1 offer, and I think one could argue a top level FCS program over a small tier Group of 5 FBS program is a more attractive option.

Nice pick up for the 2020 FCS National Runner-Ups

I was trying to find a SAC 2021 thread or something to post this in, but figured what the heck and just make a tew topic/thread for it. Carroll QB Jeff Becker announced last night via Twitter that he was committing to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Congrats to him! He can certainly sling the ball around.

Agreed! Although I would have wished to see the Tigers against Mishawaka, Northridge, or NorthWood (the NW game could still be a potential for TBA in week 8 - great to see one of (if not THEE) longest running rivalry in the northern part of the state featured with Plymouth vs. Warsaw. I also read a few other cool tidbits they put out about the games. *Jimtown @ Concord: have met 60 times in the series... and it's tied up 30-30! *North Judson @ Knox: first time CH46 has ever Knox HS. Should be a great matchup

When will those matchups with Carmel start? Next year? I only ask because I've heard rumors (and literally, that is all they are) that eventually Warsaw and Elkhart will get on each others schedules. With the Mishawaka game being week 2, and Warsaw starting a 2 game series vs Warren Central in 2024 and 2025 (I believe they are still going to play Michigan City the through 2023), I am wondering if perhaps after this season we might see Warsaw vs. Elkhart in week 1? Warsaw's game against Dublin Coffman (OH) is only a 1 year thing, so perhaps Warsaw will replace Concord on Elkhart's schedule. Again - only rumors and speculation on scheduling here, but I think both schools would benefit from that week 1 matchup.

@DT - has this been released yet? Just want to make sure I didn't miss it. This is the biggest reason why I could never see Warsaw legitimately leaving the NLC for the SAC. Outside of football, the NLC is a fantastic conference in terms of competition across all sports. I know we all like to talk specifically about football here (obviously), but a conference shift affects all sports in a high school's athletic department. That being said - while I do not believe Warsaw would ever leave the NLC for another existing conference... if (big IF here) schools like Penn, Elkhart, Carroll, Homestead, and Snider came to Warsaw asking to create a new large school conference in Indiana (with the additions of maybe Dwenger, North Side and Northrop or some combination of those 3)... THEN I could MAYBE see Warsaw moving, but even then I am not entirely convinced. Also - another point directly to the title of this thread "... if it intends to be a player in 6A" - who is to say that Warsaw will be in 6A in 5-10 years? While I do not think the Warsaw are is necessarily shrinking, other areas of the state are definitely growing at a faster rate. Based on the previous enrollements, Warsaw was in the bottom 7 of 6A enrollment (#26 in the state at 2,103 students) and about 70 students separate them from where class 5A enrollment starts (#33 FW Northrop at 2,032 students). Pretty soon the NLC could be a conference of 5A/4A only.

Wasn't aware Northview is a member of the NLC 🤔😂

Really excited to see the schedule announcement with changes being made the next decade through 2033. In case you missed it, the NLC announced they will have a rotating schedule weeks 3 through 8, while having an established week 9 opponent that does not change. The week 9 opponents were chosen to ensure that a week 9 opponent was also not a potential first-round sectional opponent. Week 9 pairings from 2022 through 2033 will be: Warsaw (6A) vs. Northridge (4A) Concord (5A) vs. Plymouth (4A) Goshen (5A) vs. NorthWood (4A) Mishawaka (5A) vs. Wawasee (4A) The remaining rotating format was then set to ensure that no team would open NLC play with consecutive road or home games. Not knowing each teams' future non-conference schedule, this is a way to ensure that no team would have three consecutive road games in weeks 2 through 4. The schedule will work in two-year increments starting in 2022 (home and home) then will shift. Images attached show each school's week 3 - week 9 schedule for the 2022 - 2033 seasons.

This is what I was thinking. Their QB can sling the ball around for SURE. He was carving up the Tiger defense in the sectional game, but their own defense could not get a stop to save their lives.

@DT - Suggestion for the format - put the coach's answer BELOW the question asked. That way the reader does not have to constantly scroll back up to read the question and the answer that is being given. Great job though!

We will see... Merrillville, Penn, Elkhart, Carroll, Homestead, Lafayette Jeff, Westfield and CARMEL (when/if they are in the north) and Snider (when/if they are in 6A) are all programs I would put ahead of or at the same level of Warsaw right now in 6A North. Obviously Carmel is head and shoulders above all programs in 6A North. If they stay south, there are 8-10 of those teams that will wrestle for that representative spot year in and year out.

Warsaw is certainly TRYING to get up in 6A, especailly when it comes to the factors you listed above. Just need to see the results continue to increase on the field! A Hall of Fame head coach, high goals (certainly exhibited by recent scheduling updates), and excellent alignment from the Young Tiger football program and middle school programs. Add to it the new fieldhouse they have at the high school, facilities and administrative support is obvious. Only thing missing at times is the talent in the building, and IMO multisport participation seems to have decreased in recent years. Back in the early 2000s, the basketball, wrestling, baseball and track & field teams were dominated by football players. These days, it does not feel as prominent (I could certainly be wrong here as it is an observation and not based on statistics). In the right year, I truly believe Warsaw could win a Regional title within the next 5 years, but it will take a special group of kids. Will they ever actually compete to represent 6A Norh at Lucas Oil? That might be too tall a task, but I hope I am wrong at some point in my lifetime!

Warsaw has definitely been blessed the last 15 years in the kicking department with Rogers, Franco and the Mevis brothers. I definitely always viewed it as a gamechanger for having/developing a kicker who can do this. Consistently making the opposing team start at the 20 yard line each possession is a huge competitive advantage IMO. However, I also realize that it is very unlikely (that others have said here) that most schools are blessed with a kid who has this kind of leg strength and for the desire of trying to keep the young men safe, adding a fair-catch rule like NCAA would be a good thing to see.

Fun fact - I threw a touchdown pass to his younger son when he started for us as a freshman at Tight End in the first round of sectionals (his first varsity touchdown), even though he was the starting QB on the freshman team that year. The next season he was varsity backup QB to the Bachelor, then was a two year varsity starter at QB. Heck of an athlete, great kid (and now young man). His older brother never played football for Warsaw, but played basketball in the Tiger Den.

LOL unfortunately I am NOT that person - no kids yet and certainly no grandkids

Agreed @swordfish - I definitely remember the days when you were more active! As well - yes a number of Plymouth supporters used to be on the thread and they seem to have disappeared. Same for Wawasee (ol Houndstooth Hat used to rile me up reading his posts). They usually had at least a handful of supporters that would post on a regular basis. Could also be a sign of the times that @DT likes to reference in regards to the NLC teams not being all that of a "threat" in the postseason recently. Concord hasn't been quite the threat since Coach Dawson left. I know they've won 2 sectionals under Coach Koehler... but those sectionals were argueably the weakest sectionals in the state, or at least in 5A. Plymouth has been down as well and outside of the great 2016 and 2018 seasons, NorthWood has been good, but far from the postseasons of the Dodson era. Warsaw has obviously seen some improvement with Coach Curtis, and Mishawaka definitely can help elevate the conference, but even last year with their slow start I think it kind of watered down things initially until they got rolling.

Are you talking about the new TRAC? I can't remember exactly what the acronym stands for, but yes it is awesome. I heard they had like 100 teams here that weekend they hosted the big basketball tournament and used basically every basically court we have in the facility. I want to say there are 3 in the main gym (main gym floor then 1 each in either upper deck), 1 in the auxilary gym and then the 4 courts in the fieldhouse. Definitely wish they had that when I was in school. For those interested: https://www.warsawschools.org/page/trac-info Warsaw's new indoor track/fieldhouse that was opened I think about a year and a half ago (beginning of the 2019-2020 school year). 200m track with spectator seeting as well as 4 basketball courts on the inside, 2 of which have wood floors. I do not live in the area anymore, but my family still does. I believe there are already preliminary meetings on a US 30 update, including either updating the current route OR creating a new route either NORTH of the city or SOUTH of the city.