Playoff Roster Size Limit Logic

[crimsonace1]

You can certify every single player in your program, but you can only dress 75 per game. That's consistent with other sports (for basketball, for example, you can only dress 12 per tournament game). 

When the IHSAA tournament was first created in 1973, the dress limit was 33. There is a somewhat infamous story where Phil Eskew was at a tournament game (I believe, in Mishawaka), and a fan started complaining about the 33-player limit. Eskew asked the fan, "then why doesn't a player run out of bounds and then come back in before scoring a touchdown?" The fan replies, "because that's against the rules." Eskew comes back with, "so is playing more than 33 players."

I'm sure it's to create some equity but also to ensure that players who participate are certified and eligible. 

There is a tournament roster deadline - and yes, that prevents any move-ins or ringers from showing up after the entry list deadline, but the main reason is to ensure the players are academically eligible (you have to provide the number of classes each student is taking and passing on the entry list, as well as verify their age). You can make changes and pay a fine, but that's usually because a coach forgot to roster someone, not because a student enrolls in your school after the tournament begins. I do remember an incident a couple decades ago where a soccer team sent out a player for a penalty shootout who was not on the tournament roster - likely an oversight on a little-used player. He buried the winning goal and it wasn't discovered until after the game. The player was suspended for the next game (and I believe, the remainder of the tournament) and the coach was reprimanded, but the team was allowed to advance. 

Roster limits are not uncommon. The NCAA only teams in all divisions to dress 58 players in tournament games.

[Bash Riprock]

21 minutes ago, crimsonace1 said:

You can certify every single player in your program, but you can only dress 75 per game. That's consistent with other sports (for basketball, for example, you can only dress 12 per tournament game). 

When the IHSAA tournament was first created in 1973, the dress limit was 33. There is a somewhat infamous story where Phil Eskew was at a tournament game (I believe, in Mishawaka), and a fan started complaining about the 33-player limit. Eskew asked the fan, "then why doesn't a player run out of bounds and then come back in before scoring a touchdown?" The fan replies, "because that's against the rules." Eskew comes back with, "so is playing more than 33 players."

I'm sure it's to create some equity but also to ensure that players who participate are certified and eligible. 

There is a tournament roster deadline - and yes, that prevents any move-ins or ringers from showing up after the entry list deadline, but the main reason is to ensure the players are academically eligible (you have to provide the number of classes each student is taking and passing on the entry list, as well as verify their age). You can make changes and pay a fine, but that's usually because a coach forgot to roster someone, not because a student enrolls in your school after the tournament begins. I do remember an incident a couple decades ago where a soccer team sent out a player for a penalty shootout who was not on the tournament roster - likely an oversight on a little-used player. He buried the winning goal and it wasn't discovered until after the game. The player was suspended for the next game (and I believe, the remainder of the tournament) and the coach was reprimanded, but the team was allowed to advance. 

Roster limits are not uncommon. The NCAA only teams in all divisions to dress 58 players in tournament games.

I don't think most have an issue with roster limits....I think many don't understand why its the same for 1A through 6A schools.  

Thanks for the info and history....

Edited November 1, 2021 by Bash Riprock

[Grover]

35 minutes ago, crimsonace1 said:

 

When the IHSAA tournament was first created in 1973, the dress limit was 33. There is a somewhat infamous story where Phil Eskew was at a tournament game (I believe, in Mishawaka), and a fan started complaining about the 33-player limit. Eskew asked the fan, "then why doesn't a player run out of bounds and then come back in before scoring a touchdown?" The fan replies, "because that's against the rules." Eskew comes back with, "so is playing more than 33 players."

I understand it is the rule.  I would like to see the rule changed.

 

[TruthHammer]

True that it might be a rule, it doesn't make it a good rule or even "right". 

 

Hypothetical...a kid grinds it out every day being a tackling dummy for his varsity team-mates only to be told, "hey...sit in the stands at Lucas Oil". I see zero issue with allowing that kid to stand in his uni on the sideline with his team-mates.

[CaptainHook]

Agreed...let a team submit full roster and dress everybody.

[PHJIrish]

On 11/1/2021 at 1:05 PM, Grover said:

I understand it is the rule.  I would like to see the rule changed.

 

Like!

[Thor77]

Wow, what a problem to have. Having so many kids you actually can’t dress them all. 
 

- any 1A football fan reading this thread 

[hhpatriot04]

On 11/1/2021 at 6:57 PM, BDGiant93 said:

Yes. That is a fact. 

And rings.

[hhpatriot04]

1 hour ago, Thor77 said:

Wow, what a problem to have. Having so many kids you actually can’t dress them all. 
 

- any 1A football fan reading this thread 

Even in 3A, Heritage Hills rarely would have 75 players counting grades 9-12. Typically, 2-4 freshmen dress varsity in the regular season and around 4-6 are added for the playoffs (usually a QB, K, and a few of the better athletes). This year, I believe that Heritage Hills will actually have at least one freshman earn varsity letters and around 10 freshmen are on the playoff roster... Additionally, HH typically has a regular season roster size of around 40-50 (not typically including freshmen, but the freshmen do play a 5-9 game schedule in addition to JV).