Airek

Coach Rolson resigning at Apopka.

Not sure if anyone saw this article (it was in a variety of publications) on the point differentials between Metro/Suburban v the 'traditional' playoff system that we currently, and previously, have. I'm sure I'm gonna stir the pot on this again, but I think the data is worth some discussion. TL;DR: MASSIVE average point differential change comparing the two systems; a.k.a. less competitive state title games. Metro/Suburban system average winning point margin 2022: 11.86 2023: 14.75 Traditional system average winning point margin 2021: 19.7 2024: 26 Also, as a thought experiment, I took out Chaminade-Madonna's games since they are massive outliers in the data. That makes each one: M/S 2022: 8.71 M/S 2023: 8.86 Trad 2021: 19.5 Trad 2024: 24.5 Long story short, we had 2 years of just over 1 score games and now back to 3-4 score games. Another thing I looked at was how many game were a running clock at the end of the game. M/S 2022-2023: 1 Trad 2021 & 2024: 4 Shutouts M/S 2022-2023: 1 Trad 2021& 2024: 3 So, if you like competitive games, no running clocks, no shutouts, it's blatantly obvious which is better. Is Metro/Suburban perfect? No, nothing ever will be. Plus I always think I spelled suburban wrong. Did it lead to better football? Sure looks like it. As someone who has been involved with both Metro and Suburban teams that made it to state titles, it just makes sense from a football perspective. How does it not make sense? Well the article discusses it and if I spell it out that'll for sure get under some folk's skin, even if it is the truth. No matter what, I think we can all agree that a system where we have no idea how the points are figured is unacceptable and has to change.

With the old systems we knew who would be in based on districts, then the next system we could with a lot of math and looking on MaxPreps figure out the rankings (I could usually get within .02). Now? No idea. So when someone gets screwed, it would be nice to know how/why. The example today: 2A Region 2. Rankings heading into yesterday for 7th seed (8th went to a district champ): Astronaut: 3.549 Villages Charter: 3.329 They played yesterday and it was billed as for a playoff spot by coaches, media, etc. Astronaut won 21-20. They are district opponents so Astro ended 1-1, Villages 0-2. Rankings released today: Villages Charter: 4.374 Astronaut: 3.293 Villages makes playoffs as 7 seed, Astronaut out. Astro with better W/L and district record. I don't want to tin foil hat about Villages and hosting Rural championships and such, but also... I just would like to see the math how it happens. And I say this as someone who hates Astronaut. I can vaguely see that Villages winning v Mt. Dora gives them a bump, but just let us see how this happened. Good luck to everyone in the playoffs, at least once that starts we don't have to do math and it is actually decided on the field.

No further points updates. Seedings are 'redone' at the Final Four but based on the final season rankings.

My old AD was an FHSAA board member and gave those details. The local radio crew also got same response from FHSAA. I also think I saw it somewhere in a minutes from one of the FHSAA sessions, but whatever. I liked the old RPI cause I could math it out within 2-3 decimals with a little leg work. This just feels like the BCS all over.

Congrats to Cocoa for the (should be) undefeated season and well-deserved #1. Go win a title.

Been requested many times by quite a few but denied as it is Max Preps 'proprietary formula' with margin of victory removed for FHSAA ratings.

Also Cocoa is undefeated, I don't care what the record says.

Sunday at 10am is the youtube show for release.

1) Clock operator does not act independently, only with direction from on-field officials. They're looking for exactly what you described, the 'stop clock' signal or 'wind clock' symbol. 2) For a dead ball, the white hat signals the restart of the clock. They'll do this as part of the ready for play signal or when appropriate. 3) I think most clips skipped the signal, but either way, it would be a 15-yard dead ball penalty. Not an automatic first down or enough yardage for a first down. I have a feeling there was a communication breakdown with the down marker, but nothing 'wrong' there. 4) See above. Remember the chain gang are home team volunteers and could have been getting conflicting info from a variety of sources. It is officials job to ensure it is correct. 5) 100% the clock should have been running. In the Cocoa/STA game, if you look on that second down play, the referee signals ready for play, but never continues the action to start the clock. That was VERY wrong. Clock should have been started before the ready for play actually. If you don't do that, then every defense will just go headhunting for a penalty. The normal you'll see is signaling the penalty and then winding the clock right then, followed by shortly after giving the 'ready for play' signal which starts the play clock. They gave an advantage and incentive to the defense to get a penalty, which paid off with an undeserved victory. It is 100% officials job to ensure this DOESN'T happen and they didn't. When I've seen similar in nearly same situations, ref wound the clock after announcing penalty, which hurt defense further, as it should, because otherwise you encourage dangerous, penalty-seeking play. 6) Never trust anything on the scoreboard besides the clock. Everything else on the scoreboard is optional to put in, and often is done by a home-team volunteer, a.k.a. unofficial. When you want to know timeouts, ask the official, they will tell you. I can guarantee someone on Cocoa sideline looked at scoreboard, but I can also guarantee you someone asked the official. Either way, the timeout shouldn't have mattered and was factored into the kneel-down decision. Also, the 12 men on the field... STA lined up with 14, one ran off quickly, the 13th was possibly off, but real close and I doubt there's a definitive view of on/off out there, but the 12... GOOD LORD. They did the whole play with 12, not one running off and close but literally 12 on the field. You can watch the replay of that and Cocoa HC twitter shot to see it clear as day. That's illegal participation, which while it wouldn't have been a first down, it would have been a replay of 4th with a winding clock, therefore Cocoa win. In the end, where this really comes into play is the final rankings and what seeding Cocoa gets in the playoffs. Will they miss a home playoff game or two because of this? That's money for the program/school, prestige, community, etc. that they could miss out on when they earned the win. No matter what FHSAA says, Cocoa won that fair & square and should be counted as having the win. At the end of the season, we may revisit this depending on seeding. I hope Cocoa isn't hurt by this and it just motivates them further.

Didn’t duck Cocoa, they just had them in kickoff classic. Half the games they played were against teams in the top 100 in Florida. As for the Cairo game, it was by far their worst game played. Combined that with the worst officiating about ever and you get a loss. Also, I’ve never heard of a principal walking onto the field to talk to the white hat to ask for a fair game, but that happened during that game it was so bad. I looked and for some reason the FHSAA didn’t include it in the latest update to the results archive. They were tied for #2 until missing 2 years ago if I remember correctly. No matter what, those kids fought hard, DESERVED to be there, and shouldn’t be disparaged in any way. And again, it’s a team built just from kids from a little 35,000 population island, not hand-picked kids from all over south florida.

Saying what you said is a travesty. Those kids played a tough schedule, had to play 2 teams twice, didn’t lose to an in-state team until the final, and if you take out the 3 mins at end of the first half, it would of been a 2 score game. Also, that is a TEAM at MI, not a built squad. Don’t try to take anything away from them. Additionally, Merritt Island is 3rd in the state in playoff appearances. Brevard has some of the best, most consistent, and well-performing teams in the state, but always is overlooked cause we’re not ‘big.’ Brevard had the state’s top rusher, top kicker, and a heck of a lot of great kids.

I’d love to hear an explanation for why the 5A title game is at 1PM on a Friday. Also, why does it seem 5A gets shafted every year? It can’t be for money because you’ve got a Miami team that would do well during an evening or Saturday game, Merritt Island travels very well, but you’re making that difficult. You can’t say it’s for the students; that’s exams time so the student body can’t go, and they can’t even live stream cause you know…exams. Why not Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, & 2 games Saturday? Why put Merritt Island, Central, and everyone that wants to attend or watch into a bind?

I'm sorry did you just say the #1 seeded team in 5A shouldn't be in the playoffs? A team with the second or third most playoff appearances in state history? Right... Also if anything they should split the private & public schools in playoffs. Everyone should be going on the same rules (at least on paper).