A survey conducted by 193 of the state’s football coaches said 76-percent are in favor of changing the current postseason format back to the cross bracketing system between districts. The issue is on the agenda to be discussed at Wednesday’s KHSAA Board of Control Meeting.
The Kentucky Football Coaches Association conducted the survey with 148 coaches, or 76-percent, wanting a change. Two years ago, the KHSAA voted to change to a format that has teams playing other teams from within its districts in the first and second rounds of the playoffs. This move cuts down on travel in most instances. It’s a change from the cross-bracketing system that features the top four teams from one district facing the top four teams from another district in the first round.
The same inter-district format was used in 2006 and 2007 before the KHSAA switched back to the traditional format that a majority of coaches in the state favor.
Class 2A saw the most coaches wanting to keep the current format. 19 wanted a change and 11 (36%) wanted to keep it the same.
More coaches in Class 3A and Class 5A (84%) want to see a switch to the old format. 79-percent of the Class 4A coaches and 72-percent of the Class 6A coaches want a change. In Class 1A, 23 of 30 coaches surveyed want a change.
Two years ago, the Kentucky Football Coaches Association said 90-percent of the coaches who responded to their survey said they were against inter-district play because of the potential quick turnaround of playing a team in the regular season and then seeing them in the playoffs two or three weeks later.
At last month’s KHSAA Board of Control meeting, Commissioner Julian Tackett said the current format saves schools money because it cuts down on travel costs.
Tackett said last month there will be no changes to the postseason format for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
