PinellasFB, I believe you have floated this idea before.   I'm not saying it's a bad idea or that you're wrong, but I have a legit question and it basically boils down to this:  can a school control the number of transfers that come into the school in a given year?   While some (many?) transfers are the direct result of [illegal] recruiting efforts, sometimes there are other factors that result in a school receiving transfers . . . a head or position coach switches schools, a particular school becomes the "cool school" for whatever reasons and the kids want to go there, a nearby charter school shuts down, etc.  It seems like your idea "punishes" a school that happens to benefit from a handful of transfers even if the school did nothing against the rules to cause the influx.  Can a school or a coach 'turn down' a kid who wants to transfer into that school?  In short, if your proposal were instituted, is there any way a school could limit the number of incoming transfers for a given year to avoid being elevated into the open division?    

Not that it matters. I am not trying to make a huge to do about this. I would be willing to go back and watch a replay of the game if I could find one. My buddy watched it streamed live. But I have never found a link. The 2 penalties you mentioned completely ring a bell as to the decline and offsetting. 

There were several fouls called that became penalties in the first half against Lake Mary including in an ineligible man down field and a Defensive Pass Interference penalty right before halftime if I am not mistaken. 

Stand down from what? 

I have a lot of respect for that great Venice program but having a coach of that team so heavily involved in the process pretty much ensures the rules will remain in favor of the all-star teams.  I would just like to see some proper boundaries in place.  For example, in-season transfers have to sit out the entire season under any circumstances.  Even if you allow something that makes sense like a foster home kid, I can see how that exception could be abused too.  I'm also in favor of an open division playoff but with one simple qualification category:  If your team received 5+ transfers in one year,  you are automatically bumped to this division.  That simple rule would completely fix the transfer madness.  A team like TFA, for example, would not care about getting bumped into that division because that is their mission to play a showcase schedule with their NIL mercenaries.  However, a team like Lakeland with a lot of home-grown talent, might limit itself to 5 or less transfers in.   Edit:  Re-thinking the foster home kid exception, I would be cool with an exception for "ward of the state" kids.  Their lives are hell enough so yeah, make them an exception.   Anyone willing to abuse the rules by making their kid a ward of the state intentionally will probably find a way around any other rule. Cheaters are cheaters.