Proposal to revamp high school football postseason outlined, but skepticism remains

FRANKLIN — It’s a new proposal with the same old concerns.

A plan that would reshape and extend the high school football season was formally presented to the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Tournament Management Committee on Wednesday morning.

Skepticism outweighed support among those who voiced their opinions about the plan, which was crafted by the MIAA football committee in collaboration with the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association and presented by Shrewsbury High athletic director Jay Costa.

“I really appreciated the opportunity today and I’m not surprised (with the doubt) based on what I was hearing out there (in public),” said Costa, who chairs the football committee.

“But what I hope it did was to open the dialogue for us as the TMC and the football committee to work together to come up with something. I think there are bits and pieces in this proposal that can accommodate everyone and hopefully we can do that.”

The plan, which would go into effect for a two-year cycle starting in 2025, would have every regular-season game ‒ a minimum of nine to be tournament eligible up to a maximum of 11 ‒ played before the postseason commences with Thanksgiving serving as the tournament cut-off date.

As has been the case for quite some time, the regular season has been fractured.

Currently, the first eight games determine who advances to the playoffs. Consolation games or bye weeks fill out the schedule for non-qualifiers and those eliminated in the tournament’s first two rounds until Thanksgiving week, which officially marks the end of the regular season.

Super Bowls are then played the following week.

“The current system of an in-season tournament is inconsistent with all other MIAA tournaments that begin after the regular season has been completed,” Costa said.

“Our committee feels this proposal creates a great playoff experience for those who desire a true state champion and allows for football players to experience a full football season and honors the traditions of Thanksgiving football. Is it perfect? No.”

There were two imperfections that drew the attention of some TMC members.

First, the reduction in the number of playoff participants from 16 to eight.

“Anything that takes away half of our playoff teams in a certain sport, I think would be a step backwards for me,” said TMC chair and Burlington AD Shaun Hart, who was one of the architects of the statewide tournament format, which had a “milestone” incentive of increasing playoff participation among member schools.

And second, with the playoffs not starting until the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and concluding 11 days later with the Super Bowls, the need to extend the season two weeks ‒ it’s currently one ‒ into the winter season.

Hart, who said last month his district would not support the football committee proposal, noted he is “not comfortable devaluing the winter season.”

He also stressed this proposal is the start of a process to get people thinking about something that wasn’t previously on their minds.

Wellesley AD John Brown is also a no vote, but believes the proposal shouldn’t be discarded if it fails to pass.

“I don’t necessarily think a no vote is the answer,” Brown said. “I think more work needs to be done to try to figure out if something can be done to make it work. We’ve (traditionally) been proponents in our league (Bay State) and district of an entire regular season.”

As for playing three games in less than two weeks, St. Mary’s of Lynn AD Jeff Newhall admitted he was skeptical of such a condensed schedule while Costa noted there is “no factual evidence” the sports medicine committee opposes it.

One topic that was mentioned many, many times was the longstanding tradition of playing on Thanksgiving.

Some TMC members mentioned how it’s not the school and community social event it used to be. To others, it’s still a big deal.

But it seems there is room for either holiday football or an uninterrupted regular season, but not both.

“To me it’s simple,” Newhall said. “If Thanksgiving stays and this proposal was to go forward, it goes two weeks into the winter (and likely doesn’t pass). Or we eliminate Thanksgiving Day football.”

Added Hart: “If we didn’t have a day that we were stuck on, I think we could build a playoff that is very satisfactory to football. But if we’re going to say that is the day that has to remain, then building around what we’ve done ... I feel, we get the best bang for our buck.”

Costa is an ardent supporter of Thanksgiving football and so are 74% of the 231 coaches in the state who responded to a 2024 football committee survey and voted against eliminating Thanksgiving Day games in favor of a 10-game regular season followed by the state tournament.

Although some TMC members pushed for a vote on the proposal Wednesday, that will take place at the next meeting, which is scheduled to be held virtually Oct. 23.

—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com . Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RichGarvenTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Proposal to revamp high school football postseason outlined, but skepticism remains