KeemD321

Titusville coach John Holmes takes over the HC position at his alma mater Rockledge high 

Titusville coach John Holmes takes over the HC position at his alma mater Rockledge high 

Is it a brand new field?  Or did they come up to Hillsborough County, find a field they liked, and convince that field to move down to Venice for a season or two?   

Throwing this out for purposes of comparison.   Here are some of the results of the high school football championship games (with point differential in parentheses):
STATE A:
6A  38-24  (14)
5A  56-35  (21)
4A 14-7   (7)
3A 20-7  (13)
2A 52-14  (38)
1AI  38-18   (20)
1AII  34-14  (20)
Private 3A-A  49-28  (21)
Average point differential for State A:  19.25
 
STATE B:
6A D1  50-21  (29)
5A D1 32-20  (12)
6A D2  24-17  (7)
5A D2 38-35  (3)
4A D1   55-21  (34)
4A D2  28-14 (14)
3A D1 48-14 (34)
3A D2  28-0  (28)
2A D1  30-28 (3 OT)   (2)
2A D2  36-29  (7)
1A D1   70-24 (mercy rule 3rd quarter)  (46)
1A D2  54-8 (mercy rule at halftime)   (46)
Average point differential for State B: 22.42
 
STATE C:
1AA  28-26   (2)
2AA  35-28  (7)
3AA  18-14   (4)
4AA  25-23  (2)
5AA  48-7  (41)
6AA  27-21 ()T)  (6)
7AA  42-8   (34)
1A  21-14   (7)
2A  55-19  (36)
3A  42-41  (OT)   (1)
4A  52-34  (18)
5A  68-47  (21)
6A  38-21  (17)
7A  55-27   (28)
OPEN  37-15  (22)
Average point differential for State C:  16.4
 
By the way, State A is Georgia, State B is Texas and State C is California. 

Well-summarized.  And not only were state title games more competitive under Metro-Suburban classes, but the numbers also confirm that the earlier round games were more competitive as well.  Sadly, fact-based decision-making does not seem to factor into FHSAA deliberations, nor does it seem to have an impact on this board.  Why do games have to be competitive, as long as my teams win?  Can't compete in the current environment?  Drop out of the FHSAA or just drop football altogether.  And when hundreds of teams leave the FHSAA, how is that going to promote high school football in Florida?  The 25 teams left can play one another while the rest of the state yawns.
Here's what's not happening in Florida... 1) end of transfers, 2) promotion and relegation, 3) separate public-private classifications.  None of these are happening.  Period.  But when the FHSAA tries to apply a commonsense adjustment like Metro-Suburban, all the sudden, "it's not fair".  Open Division?  You can't force Chaminade to play Venice in the playoffs!  But you can force Indian Rocks Christian (nothing personal) to play in the same class as Chaminade?  (Oh wait, they could just quit football.  So much for the life lessons of perseverance and commitment that football teaches).
I hope my pessimism for the future of Florida high school is misplaced.  Maybe someone will start looking at the big picture rather than trying to protect their self-interests.  Maybe. 
My last rant of 2024.  Sorry.  
 

The marriage between MP and the FHSAA has been a nightmare.  It also devalues the importance of district competition which we've seen.  

I'm surprised there isn't more discontent with the computer rankings.  I keep beating the drum that taking out margin of victory (i.e. elo chess method) really ruins the algorithm.  Elo chess requires thousands of interconnected games to become statistically significant, something impossible in a football season in a single state.  Anyway, the results seem to overly reward wins vs bad competition and overly penalize a close loss vs strong competition.  Removing scoring margin always irritates me because it's so easy to put in a diminished return for MoV over a certain amount (to discourage running up the score for ranking purposes) and still get nearly the same effect.  A single score loss to a great team should always be worth more than 5 TD win vs a bad team.   MoV does this.

The FHSAA Football Advisory Committee held its annual meeting this morning.  This committee is made up of 8 coaches who represent the 4 regions of the FHSAA, and meets once a year, presumably to represent the interests of the coaches, and to present recommendations for change.  Recommendations are passed up to the Athletic Directors Advisory Committee, and then up to the FHSAA Board of Directors for action.  Unfortunately, a link was not made available for public viewing of the meeting.  Information on the committee's makeup and agenda for this meeting are available here: https://fhsaa.com/sports/2020/3/11/Sport_Committees.aspx
To give you the Reader's Digest summary, it appears the coaches' most pressing issues are knee pads and drone usage.  Apparently, there is general satisfaction among this group with the state of high school football in Florida.  So get ready for ridiculously small districts and top-secret computer rankings for the foreseeable future.  The various ideas/suggestions on this board for improving Florida high school football apparently have not registered with the powers-that-be.  But let's keep the conversations going in 2025.    

Congratulations Brady Hart on being named Florida Dairy Farmers' 2024 Mr. Football. https://www.si.com/high-school/florida/cocoa-s-brady-hart-named-florida-dairy-farmers-2024-mr-football-01jgzad5s2wy

Texas has independent school districts. There might be only one high school in a particular district with their own school board and superintendent dedicated to that one high school. It would be like PHU being governed by people that only have PHU's educational and athletic interest at heart. Mix in some oil money and you have those amazing facilities and community backing. 

How much is MNW paying Coach Bridgewater?  I would guess $0.  He does not need the money.  He probably donates money to the program.  Supposedly his net worth is more than $20 million.

When does and where would you see the All state football team for Florida?  Do they have an all state team for each classification?  Seems like a lot of talent and just wondering.

I agree with this theory for the Open Division, but not necessarily that it needs to be mandatory as I imagine the "Carrot and Stick" will be the motivation of only ONE Champion.  If any of the elites want that recognition, then they will take the Carrot or they then drop out and play for a lesser title, ie.. gold, silver, etc.... I also believe it should be similar to the current system used in college to select the top 12 teams from year to year so when a newbie like Flanagan or WB Raton appears on the scene for a short window they want a title they need to earn it.   Let teams schedule regular season games as in the past and then at the end of the 10 game season, MaxPrep ranked them to compete for that title.  If the FHSAA needs to increase revenue, then maybe expand the field to 16 or 24 teams.  Finally, for revenue reasons play both the semi-finals and finals in south FL as most likely this is where those teams will come from and could produce a significant gate.  

You rightfully list the wrong-headed ideas/policies they have tried over the years and I agree that the Metro/Suburban was a step in the right direction and needed some tweaking.  What I disagree with is that these folks are "Totally Blind & Ignorant" as you claim.  I tend to fall in the DR. D camp that they, just like most on this board are "HOMERS" and are settling on ideas that either help or don't hurt their team.  If they stick to implementing the OPEN DIVISION in 2025 that will be a step in the right direction.  I may be the one that is totally blind and ignorant for having hope. 

I have a lot to say about so many things in this thread, I will try to keep it to some and not all. 
Private and public schools have never, ever, been the same and should be separated.
Public schools that get more than 10 inbound transfers (my random number) regardless of outbound transfers should have to play up a level for playoffs.  20, up 2, etc. (probably private as well)
Punishing good teams by forcing an open division makes no sense. Just because you don't like that STA, Chaminade, Columbus, Venice, Lakeland, etc have won a lot doesn't mean bad teams that don't deserve a title, should be handed one. In all likelihood, 12 of the 14 teams that played in the finals would have been in the Open.  Very likely all but one deserving champion would have gone out without an earned title. Giving those titles to who? 3 of the 7 teams that lost in Miami? Other teams that couldn't even win their region? The teams that win put in the work year after year to be where they are. One bad offseason of weight lifting, training, etc. can knock a program down for years.
The Rural Invitational seemed weird to me on the surface. But I watched the game on NFHS and those kids were just a proud to be in that game as any we saw in Miami this last week. Why cut it to 3 or 4 divisions rather than give more kids an unforgettable experience? It is about the kids not about us in the Ivory Tower.
Complaining about the scores of the title games.... not sure I get it.  Teams play relatively local schools their same size all the way to the regional championship. There is the "same kind of school" championship.  The final 4... truly the bonus. I went to all 7 of the games in Miami. So, I saw a little bit of everything. Being that I pay attention to 7A the most.... based on rankings all of the true 7A power was supposed to be in the Orlando area. I can tell you that it was Venice and the Miami area after. Win your region and be proud of that. Should LM be proud of what they accomplished this year? Or should they feel cheated because Venice wasn't pulled into an open division? 
Despite what they have been telling you for the last 50 years, not everyone deserves a ring.
 

Now that _hit is funny....
They are totally blind and ignorant.
We go from a system that if you were somewhat good at math and could see schedules you could figure out if you were going to make the playoffs 
to
metro suburban and it wasnt bad, look at the finals scores.  already stated here.
to
hiding the facts that teams got in that shouldnt have, and teams didnt get in that should have.
and move finals to the southern part of the state.  seriously, drive from penscola to miami.
that will never get right, from the awesome venue in daytona with no parking and 1 lane road to this.
finals should be in raymond james/the new usf stadium, back to citrus bowl or the scocer field,  ucf stadium, somehwere in central fla that can house 10k fans, easily accessable and parking isnt a  problem.
blind is an understatement.

Yes, I know what I should be careful. It is very hard to be humble when you are correct and on-point as I am, but we all know what a great job officials have done in Florida for High School Football. 

I wouldn’t mind the Metro/Suburban split if there was less classes. 
 
2 Metro 
2 Suburban 
1 Rural
Lets do it 

Be careful Jambun, you are causing officials to consider calling an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on you for excessive celebration.

Venice and IMG use the same model, that is ......... load up on transfers.  I think the Miami Northwestern was the most talented team by far I watched in the playoffs, but even the announcers acknowledged that Bridgewater not only loaded up on talent this year but it will only increase next year.  Why should they beat up on each other you ask?  Simple fairness, play teams that do what you do in an "OPEN DIVISION".  Hope that happens.  

My favorite 2 posts from the finals:
1.  nolebull’s rant about the privates vs public’s issue.  He doesn’t want to ever hear that argument again.  Forever ever ever, ever ever? (from Outcast’s Ms. Jackson).
2  Jambun stated he was right again and don’t ever doubt him again!
I love the finality of these 2 statements.  I move we vote to make these 2 proclamations as permanent items to the Huddle platform! 

Regardless of all that…..Congratulations to NW Bulls. Though I have disputes with the 305 fans, there’s no dispute in NW domination in the classification & are one of the best teams in the state. Their shutout victory along with STA’s shutout win, both over unbeaten teams, were highlights of the Florida State HSFB championships. If Bridgewater avoids the calling of the NFL, he’s gonna build a superpower. Maybe the best game this weekend was AHP’s win over undefeated Orlando Jones. It took a kickoff return & a timely forced fumble to beat a really good Tiger team. 
Props to Venice whom destroyed Grubbs & Lake Mary as well as Cocoa who were fortunate that Gadsen’s coach went on a 4th & 2 from their 38 in the 3rd qtr. Couple plays later Tigers scored & never looked back. 
 
Too many state champions. Should be 3 classifications plus rural…….Or have the State Champions play each other(most of them did already) to crown 1 State Champion????????

They don't never wanna claim us lol

Nolebull has spoken.

Not only did Publics win 5 of 8, out of the 16 finalists, a whopping TWELVE of the teams were publics
 
I don’t EVER want to hear crying about publics being at a disadvantage EVER again.