US31

If/When an HCC south pops up...I think there will be some "shuffling" of the deck. HCC would probably lose a few schools to that new conference. Some of current/past MIC schools would be absorbed into both. What remains of the MIC would remain to be seen. The big "IF" would be if what @temptation says "could" happen...does in fact happen. If CG and/or Carmel (and Cathedral) end up back in the MIC...then you can throw my predictions out the window. If you scroll up I posted my best guess as to who might make up a new "HCC" south (I purposely did NOT include any remaining MIC teams). I did not include Whiteland because I don't think they are there "right now", but if we are thinking a few years down the road you could add them to that list. ...again, I have no real inside information.

Some version of the MIC may still exist along with two. But with the growth of some of the southside schools to match up with HCC size schools, I think you're gonna a see an HCC like conference pop up on the "south" side.

I would give Avon/BB to the MIC about a 5% chance and that would require some of these other additions to happen first. What "could" have a better chance of happening is a if Carmel/CG/Cathedral end up trying to form a "new" conference. I hope that doesn't happen...Avon/BB are great HCC schools across many sports. I do feel like we will eventually head towards a "Northside" metro super conference (aka HCC), and a "Southside" metro super conference (name TBD). I don't think the geography will be perfect north/south, but something that more or less divides the big metro area schools into two approx 8-10 school conferences.

I had a roommate that met a smoking hot chick in BRipple back in the late 90s. They dated for a while, but when it became apparent she was also off the charts crazy...he dumped her. Fast forward 6 months, we bump into her at Rock Lobster. They hook up.... My roommate "She's got a new job, now." "She really doesn't go to bars that much anymore." "Guys, she's not really that Crazy". Within two weeks they were back together again. (Narrator in Morgan Freeman voice: "She was, in fact, still crazy.") I have no idea why I would be sharing that anecdote on this particular thread.🤪

I'm not sure if I made the comment on another thread or not. I would not have been surprised to see a Carmel/CG/Avon/BB/FC/SP/DC/CN conference within the next few years. Personally like BB and Avon in the HCC. If they are peeled off HCC, I could see NC and/or Carmel being added. Maybe just one, leaving a space for a future 3rd HSE school? I have no insider info other than just conversation with other conference coaches that often don't know anymore than I do.

BB & Avon is my guess for longshot package

***Anyone who can explain this with better clarity...please chime in. After reading this it may be clear as mud.*** Instead of SF points only being added together in a block of years (2 year classification cycle), they would accrue over any continuous 4 year period. I like this because you don't have the arbitrary occurrence of School A winning back to back titles in the "same cycle" and moving up, and school B winning back to back titles in separate cycles and not moving up. Also a 4 year period is longer and doesn't allow one class of stud players to effect the classification of an entire program. More points over a longer time shows that the program is truly "successful" and not just a really good class. Does it mean schools will be bumped up or down more often? Yes Does it mean sectionals will need to be adjusted more often? Yes Is it ok if the answer to those questions is "Yes"? Also, yes.

Fair question...All of this is IMHO, just based on my observations and opinion If you shrink down 1A to the smallest 32 (which should have been done originally...your size outliers are always at the ends of the bell curve), the population advantages a p/p has over tiny public's is magnified even more. I feel like this should be acknowledged and addressed by classification to prevent the yo-yo ing of a few p/p's that just take their turns running thru 1A. There are enough of them in 1A that there would likely always be one that bumps back to 1A. I know Sheridan is always brought up as a "but, but"...however their last title was in 2007, we are close to measuring that in decades plural. Since that time 11 of 15 have been won by p/p (4 different ones), and 3 times both teams were p/p. In larger classes you have a very small number of uber successful teams that dominate the state championship game appearances. But in 1a (and 2A) its several teams that yo-yo around one another. I think you could argue all of above is happening in 2A but more so.... I guess I'm not willing to say bump them all up to 3A and higher. But I do feel if we shrink 1A down from 64 to the smallest 32...it should be made exclusive to publics. My 2 cents and maybe worth that much👍

My "evolving" thoughts on classification: 1a = smallest 32 2a - 5a = classes of 64 6a = top 32 No P/P allowed in 1A SF is rolling 4 year cycle.

There are 2 teams in the HCC that do this A LOT!! I’m not saying they do it illegally. But running unbalanced or Y over formations is becoming a common thing for some teams.

This....over and over.

I would argue that at the lowest levels, (1A-3A) all that has happened is different P/P schools take turns having the advantages. They yo-yo up and down so often there is always a a p/p school there to take up the advantages in population that P/P's afford over smaller public schools. Not the best example of "addressing" the situation. IMHO: There should not be a P/P competing in the 1A tournament. I would argue that a one class "bump" for P/P's, combined with SF for all (public & P/P) with a longer SF adjustment (every 4 instead of every 2) would be a great system.

Yet another example of why a two year cycle is stupid. If SF points is going to be the system, it needs to be AT LEAST 3...preferably 4+. You could reclassify by enrollment every 2 years, and apply SF points every 4 (or even a rolling 4 year cycle).

My retirement career might be the economics officer for sectional assignment committee at IHSAA…. No one on North Meridian can foresee that insanity that a Chatard/Roncalli State Championship would be??? 💵💵💵 They’d fill the whole lower bowl. Bud Wright wouldn’t have anywhere to sit in the endzone!!!🤣🤣

If you got something like this in 2024...you could break 50k attendance. I'm taking some liberties with how SF and sectional assignments might go.... 6A: HCC vs HCC 5A: Harrison vs Whiteland 4A: Chatard vs Roncalli 3A: WL vs MD 2A: Luers vs Lutheran A: AC vs ND Lots of potential "firsts"....schools that are in the metro, near I-65/70/69 etc.....and schools that just travel well.

Northern Indiana bias here....but THE voice of high school football, in my mind, will always be Bob Nagle! #46GameoftheWeek #BetweentheBuns 😀

Not sure anywhere in my response I said that. Simply observing that "grass" surfaces are not automatically "safer" than turf fields. Which is what is being alluded to in much of these recent media reports about turf safety in the NFL. But read it to it what you are looking for....

You stole my snarky ping pong ball comment....well played.

Grass is safer than turf. Fact check = True. However.... Most high school athletic programs do not have the ability to properly maintain a grass surface for an entire season. Most fields have multiple games on them each week as it is (some combination of Var/JV/Frosh/MS/Youth), throw in one Friday night downpour and ensuing mud bath, and that field is trash for the rest of the season. Also keep in mind how much you would need to limit any access to that field outside of games to keep it in playing shape. Having played at the Brickie Bowl in the 90's I can tell you that many high school fields will not be anywhere close to the "safer grass surfaces" discussed in much of the media right now. If anything IHSAA should find ways to support/enforce the safer upkeep of current turf fields. They need maintenance, and periodic replacement as well. I've been on some turf fields recently that are not maintained well and by November they feel like the old Hoosier Dome astroturf.

Westfield won 4A sectional in 07. Lost to Cathedral in regional.

Then no disagreement from me.... However, if the score was 8 or less....and they weren't threatening the QB once he was on a knee....this should be "play football". A version of this happened in a very high profile metro Indy game just this season (shifted all the OL out on a hard count). I don't believe the punt team was the team penalized....

I would argue this play after the timeout was the “last one” that makes sense. If O had fumbled this snap and D recovered ball goes over and they have about 30 seconds and no timeouts. I’m not going to debate the “likely hood” of who might recover a fumbled snap in a “lower level” game. The fact this is a “lower level” game is why I’m more likely to think a bad snap could take place. now if you tell me O is up two scores…fully on your side. I also think it would be shady if they were going after the QB. But “firing off” through the OL when a bad snap could result in them getting the ball back with a chance to win?? That’s AOK with me. Still wondering how you would have addressed the unlikely fumbled snap had it occurred with the R and U in the way🤷🏼‍♂️

I agree in principle 100%....but let me be devil's advocate. Was this victory a shotgun snap? Further, had there been any QB center exchange issues earlier in the game for the team that won? (You said this was a lower level game) If there had, is it "wrong" to try and be in position to recover a bad snap with what I'm assuming would be over 30 seconds on the clock? How would you have addressed a bad snap, muffed snap on that play you told them not to fire out? Not trying to stir the pot....

In a similar situation (2 minute, hurry up, end of half, etc), what are the mechanics involved in equipment related issues? e.g. Play ends in bounds, defensive player's helmet comes off (which means he has to come out), offense is trying to line up and run a play while he's still picking up his helmet. Do officials stop the game clock until he gets off? Does he have to get off on his own? I've seen equipment stuff handled different ways in end of half situations, wondering what is "correct".... Sometimes its that DE that has that one shoe that just comes off at the most opportune times....🤪

Didn't want to derail CA1's thread about illegal punt, but it made me wonder....which penalties are enforced with a LOD? I'm sure I would guess some correctly, but not others....