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What do high school football coaches in Florida think about the Open Division?
The eight top-ranked teams in all Florida team sports, regardless of classification, will play in their own Open Division starting this fall.
As with any change — and this is a big one — there are differing opinions.
The USA Today Florida Network reached out to coaches around the state to get their thoughts on the Open Division for the latest installment of Coaches Confidential. More than half of the coaches who responded have won a state championship, been a state runner-up or coached a team that reached the state semifinals.
Coaches were given the freedom to speak with anonymity.
MORE COVERAGE: FHSAA's new rules about transfer students leaves questions unanswered
"I understand the premise, but overall, I don't like it. This quest to find the absolute "best" team at all costs is not feasible in my opinion. We are trying to do what college football and/or what the NFL does, and it is unrealistic for high school football. We are losing our way on what high school football is truly about; and the growth and learning that takes place as these youth develop during key influential and transformational years. I believe a double-elimination format is overwhelming and unrealistic for most. I believe you are asking for a problem when you allow an ambiguous computer program to decide the top eight teams out of hundreds of programs. I believe you devalue the class state champion. And for what gain? If teams really want to play each other to decide some chest thumping prideful arrogant argument of "who is better,' then schedule a regular season game. I also, and most importantly, believe you are encouraging and promoting transfers, talent stacking, and ultimately cheating. It is of my strong opinion that nobody will ever be in the Open Division championship without a significant amount of transfers and a significant amount of illegal contact with other programs' players. You will never see a team reach the Open Division through development. We are losing site of the beauty of high school football for grown men to claim they are the best. Competition, striving to be the best, winning, losing, and having high standards are awesome. But this monster is at a whole new level. And again, to what end? Why is this necessary?"
"We are excited about the Open Division. That is our goal to get in the Open Division and compete for the ultimate state championship. ... I feel the Open Division will create a great atmosphere and some big-time competition."
"I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about this kind of stuff. It's like when people ask me about the rankings. I don't know. You just schedule your games and try to win each one. I'm sure it's very cliché-ish, but I don’t try to spend time of the things that aren’t in my control. ... What would be nice is if we knew what the MaxPreps rankings consisted of. Do we now have to run up the score on people to get a better ranking? Does where you finish last year factor in? Because where you start sometimes affects the finish. I think there’s a lot to it. A human element would be nice."
"I can see why they would do it. I see why they want to do it. Me, personally, being at a school that hasn't won a state championship, if I win one and I don’t beat an American Heirtage, Miami Norland or Miami Northwestern or a team like that, it’s got an asterisk to it. It’s like creating another weight class so you don’t have to fight Mike Tyson. Speaking as a competitor, it’s tough. It’s different."
"I think the Open Division is a great idea. I'm excited to see how it plays out. I think it's good for high school football in the state of Florida. Some coaches won't like it. I think some coaches will opt out. I would consider it an honor to go play for the number one spot in all classifications."
"I think it's fine. I know they were talking about it. I don’t think it’s going to affect me, so I haven’t looked too much into it. I think it’s going to be great competition, and I think it will level out the rest of the divisions. Especially if you’re talking about the Chaminades and those teams. ... My honest opinion is I thought they nailed it with Metro and Suburban classifications. I don’t know why they don’t go back to it."
"I like it. I think it opens up opportunities for other teams that go up against teams that cheat all the time. When you’re playing that team in Davie. ... Now they're going to have to go up against people that do what they do."
"Honestly, I don't have an opinion because it doesn't affect us. I don't really understand the need for it, but I also don't pay much attention to those things we can't control."
"I think it’s good. It's coming back to being a gladiator sport. You won't have a disparity in championship games with blowouts, and that’s what people want to see. What I don’t want to see happen is it diminishes the other schools playing for their respective state championships."
It’s always a pro and a con. The con is that if we make it to a state championship and Jacksonville Raines or Miami Central is not in that bracket, it’s a lot of respect lost for that championship. It’s a drawback from that part. The pro is that these schools, coming from metropolitan cities with a couple of million people, have a lot to choose from to make a football team. It’s not a fair competitive edge for anybody when you're playing against schools like that so pulling them out in their own bracket is kind of nice for us also.”
"I think it's good if people agree. See who the clear top team is in the state of Florida. I do think it's weird that people are forced to join. I think it should be optional. ... I also feel like the ranking system is inconsistent at times."
"I think the Open Division is a positive thing for the state. Our state is unique in a lot of ways with school choice. I think it will provide more competitive playoff matchups and allow the top programs in the state to compete regardless of classification."
"I think without the human element that it lacks what 95 percent of the coaches in this state were looking for. If they had a human element, I’d be fine with it."
"Honestly, I don't know. The best eight teams play and that's cool. But if you win a state championship and you're not one of those eight teams, did we really win? Maybe take the eight best teams after the state championship games. I don't know. Unless you're one of the big private schools, I don't think anyone is super happy about it. The First Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas, those kinds of schools. They probably love it."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida high school football coaches weigh in on new Open Division
Continue reading...
The eight top-ranked teams in all Florida team sports, regardless of classification, will play in their own Open Division starting this fall.
As with any change — and this is a big one — there are differing opinions.
The USA Today Florida Network reached out to coaches around the state to get their thoughts on the Open Division for the latest installment of Coaches Confidential. More than half of the coaches who responded have won a state championship, been a state runner-up or coached a team that reached the state semifinals.
Coaches were given the freedom to speak with anonymity.
MORE COVERAGE: FHSAA's new rules about transfer students leaves questions unanswered
How do you feel about the Open Division?
"I understand the premise, but overall, I don't like it. This quest to find the absolute "best" team at all costs is not feasible in my opinion. We are trying to do what college football and/or what the NFL does, and it is unrealistic for high school football. We are losing our way on what high school football is truly about; and the growth and learning that takes place as these youth develop during key influential and transformational years. I believe a double-elimination format is overwhelming and unrealistic for most. I believe you are asking for a problem when you allow an ambiguous computer program to decide the top eight teams out of hundreds of programs. I believe you devalue the class state champion. And for what gain? If teams really want to play each other to decide some chest thumping prideful arrogant argument of "who is better,' then schedule a regular season game. I also, and most importantly, believe you are encouraging and promoting transfers, talent stacking, and ultimately cheating. It is of my strong opinion that nobody will ever be in the Open Division championship without a significant amount of transfers and a significant amount of illegal contact with other programs' players. You will never see a team reach the Open Division through development. We are losing site of the beauty of high school football for grown men to claim they are the best. Competition, striving to be the best, winning, losing, and having high standards are awesome. But this monster is at a whole new level. And again, to what end? Why is this necessary?"
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"We are excited about the Open Division. That is our goal to get in the Open Division and compete for the ultimate state championship. ... I feel the Open Division will create a great atmosphere and some big-time competition."
"I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about this kind of stuff. It's like when people ask me about the rankings. I don't know. You just schedule your games and try to win each one. I'm sure it's very cliché-ish, but I don’t try to spend time of the things that aren’t in my control. ... What would be nice is if we knew what the MaxPreps rankings consisted of. Do we now have to run up the score on people to get a better ranking? Does where you finish last year factor in? Because where you start sometimes affects the finish. I think there’s a lot to it. A human element would be nice."
"I can see why they would do it. I see why they want to do it. Me, personally, being at a school that hasn't won a state championship, if I win one and I don’t beat an American Heirtage, Miami Norland or Miami Northwestern or a team like that, it’s got an asterisk to it. It’s like creating another weight class so you don’t have to fight Mike Tyson. Speaking as a competitor, it’s tough. It’s different."
You must be registered for see images
"I think the Open Division is a great idea. I'm excited to see how it plays out. I think it's good for high school football in the state of Florida. Some coaches won't like it. I think some coaches will opt out. I would consider it an honor to go play for the number one spot in all classifications."
"I think it's fine. I know they were talking about it. I don’t think it’s going to affect me, so I haven’t looked too much into it. I think it’s going to be great competition, and I think it will level out the rest of the divisions. Especially if you’re talking about the Chaminades and those teams. ... My honest opinion is I thought they nailed it with Metro and Suburban classifications. I don’t know why they don’t go back to it."
"I like it. I think it opens up opportunities for other teams that go up against teams that cheat all the time. When you’re playing that team in Davie. ... Now they're going to have to go up against people that do what they do."
You must be registered for see images
"Honestly, I don't have an opinion because it doesn't affect us. I don't really understand the need for it, but I also don't pay much attention to those things we can't control."
"I think it’s good. It's coming back to being a gladiator sport. You won't have a disparity in championship games with blowouts, and that’s what people want to see. What I don’t want to see happen is it diminishes the other schools playing for their respective state championships."
It’s always a pro and a con. The con is that if we make it to a state championship and Jacksonville Raines or Miami Central is not in that bracket, it’s a lot of respect lost for that championship. It’s a drawback from that part. The pro is that these schools, coming from metropolitan cities with a couple of million people, have a lot to choose from to make a football team. It’s not a fair competitive edge for anybody when you're playing against schools like that so pulling them out in their own bracket is kind of nice for us also.”
"I think it's good if people agree. See who the clear top team is in the state of Florida. I do think it's weird that people are forced to join. I think it should be optional. ... I also feel like the ranking system is inconsistent at times."
You must be registered for see images attach
"I think the Open Division is a positive thing for the state. Our state is unique in a lot of ways with school choice. I think it will provide more competitive playoff matchups and allow the top programs in the state to compete regardless of classification."
"I think without the human element that it lacks what 95 percent of the coaches in this state were looking for. If they had a human element, I’d be fine with it."
"Honestly, I don't know. The best eight teams play and that's cool. But if you win a state championship and you're not one of those eight teams, did we really win? Maybe take the eight best teams after the state championship games. I don't know. Unless you're one of the big private schools, I don't think anyone is super happy about it. The First Academy, St. Thomas Aquinas, those kinds of schools. They probably love it."
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida high school football coaches weigh in on new Open Division
Continue reading...
