Reclassification- Looking back

[slicklizard]

Article from 2022. 
Do you think it did what they said it was intended to do ?

 

 

Starting in the fall of 2023 and running, for now, through the 2025 school year, the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) announced a reclassification for athletics earlier this year. 

This year, for the first time in Mississippi, there will be a new 7A classification. Magnolia Tribune recently spoke with MHSAA Executive Director Rickey Neaves to get the inside scoop on what the additional classification and the changes associated with it mean for the upcoming athletics season. 

One of the biggest differences with the new classification will be the shift in competitive balance. As Director Neaves detailed, in the past under the six classifications, the disparity in student population between teams in the same classification was at times as much as 1,200 students. 

“That creates a lot more athletes to choose from,” Neaves said. The competitive imbalance was often evident with such a wide population disparity between the schools at the top of a classification compared with those at the bottom. With such a big disparity in the old structure, the MHSAA felt the need for a shift. 

Previously, the 5A and 6A divisions featured 32 schools apiece. With the new structure, the 5A, 6A, and 7A divisions will feature 24 schools each. 

“That structure cut the disparity in half for those classifications,” Neaves said. “From there, we put 40 schools in each classification down to 1A, and that cut the difference down to 50 students or less between the smallest and largest schools in our lower classifications.” 

After seeing the need and addressing the competitive balance issues in high school athletics, the MHSAA proposed the plan to schools at the MHSAA conference last year. According to Director Neaves, around 90% of the state’s schools were in favor of the new classification. 

“With that, we came back together and drew it up,” Neaves explained. “We think [the new structure] will offer better competitive balance and allow more schools in the playoffs. It will give schools who haven’t made the playoffs in some time a chance to be competitive.” 

The new classification structure means teams will be better matched based on student population. Along with this, the MHSAA hopes that the new structure will help to build pride in high school athletics across the state. 

“This will help not only to build pride in our schools and student athletes, but also in our communities across the state,” Neaves continued. High school sports are a powerful community builder, and with this new structure MHSAA believes community unity will increase as more schools have opportunities to win and compete for championships. 

Director Neaves went on to say that the new structure has been received well by the 245 high schools under MHSAA’s direction. 

Specifically for football, one of the biggest positive selling points has been the expanded number of state championships given out each year. With a new division comes a new set of playoffs and restructuring the championship format. 

In the past, the state’s six championship games have been played in the span of two days. Starting this year, the seven championship games will take place over three days. Neaves said this should have numerous impacts on championship weekend. 

For starters, having the games take place across three days eliminates the need for early morning contests. In the past, some teams have been subjected to playing in the dreaded 11am kickoff window. 

“It’s hard to play,” Neaves stated, referring to the early kickoff times. 

Now, the championship games will take place later in the afternoon or at night, increasing both the level of play and viewership of the games.  

“This should be a win-win for everyone,” Neaves said. 

He and the MHSAA hope that the shifted kickoff times translate into higher levels of play in the championship games, but also get people excited about high school sports. 

“I’m hoping that we kickstart a greater interest in high school sports and get people out to support their schools, getting more enthusiasm at our local schools,” the MHSAA Director said.

In less than a month’s time, the high school football season will be kicking off, and the new structure should translate into a highly competitive 2023 season. 

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how these play out,” Neaves added. “I think it will be great not only for football but for all of the athletics in our state. I encourage everyone to go out and support their local teams this year “

[coastfootballfanman]

I wish we would have stayed 6 classes. You could have still kept the top 20-24 in 6A to keep from having 800 student difference between top and bottom of 6A, and then distributed the rest through 1A-5A. I honestly would not mind 7 classes if we fixed the playoffs. Top 3 (or even 2 - like the old days) would be much better and keep out the 0-10 or 2-8 teams from the playoffs. Overall, it is about money more than anything and because of that, we will never go back. 

[maroontide06]

It definitely allows more schools in the playoffs, but it certainly doesn't make schools more competitive.

[Chunky6617]

It’s not been a good change. We should have kept 6 classes, but if we changed anything it should have been to drop to 5 classes instead of move up to 7. 

[MSSportsGuy]

I understood the argument about the gap between the top and bottom of 6A with 32 teams being very significant. The better solution would have been to make 6A the top 24 with 5A being the next 24 while pushing the others down the line. Those gaps aren't really significant once you move past the top layers.

 

However we all know it was just revenue generation sold under the guise of being more equitable. It's created small regions and classes where teams struggle to get 10 game schedules, multiple winless teams in the "playoffs" which leads to more games, travel, practice, and time away from school. It's not just in football this is happening but could be seen to some degree across other sports as well.

 

6 classes is plenty and honestly 5 wouldn't be so bad in a state like ours with a shrinking school enrollment as well as consolidations of smaller, rural schools into larger ones. I know the MHSAA has always been about money but it wasn't always so blatantly obvious. 

[coastball]

It did not have the effect they stated.It was about more gate money for the MHSAA under the guise of "competition".

[Football In MS]

The “top tier” (largest classification of schools) will always feature a huge disparity. The schools at the bottom of that heap (currently 7A) will statistically fit better and compete more strongly with the classification under them. But, I don’t know that there is a good solution. MS is not large enough for 7 classifications.

[GTownDanger06]

I have a perfect solution. Haha. We can have a PowerPoint system and have a losers bracket champion and have 14 championship games. 

[slicklizard]

You could give a pretty true argument of it having the opposite effect. With the exception of grenada last season it’s been pretty much the same programs in the running for the trophies. . 
In the short time there have also ones that have fell out of playing a part in it. Vancleave looked to be on the come up. They had just went to Hattiesburg and knocked them out of the playoffs.   Now they don’t even look the same execution wise.  Same coach but play with a totally different rhythm. Even teams

that are in the running again this season don’t look as crisp and determined.

I’ve dwelt on this all season at some time or another.

I have concluded that it is the number of distinct games. When you had seven of them and were fighting for playoff position three or four times in the season they learned to get on point over that time. Where as now once twice at the most you really have to dial it in .Coaches don’t really dial up the intensity for non region I amtalking 5,6 and 7 A.. I don’t really watch what goes on below that.

Even though a school was somewhat smaller a good coach would have his kids hardened across the region and beat your tail in the playoffs if you took them lightly. It takes that part of the game

away if you ask me. It has lessened the effect of a good coach.. so competitively it’s had the opposite effect because the little schools have less of a chance .

There has also been a significant drop off in people going to the games in a large part due to most of the games are just meaningless in the regular season..

 

This is what you get when you have clowns who don’t take any analysis or other solutions into consideration making a change as big as this.

They should revisit it and achieve what they wanted another way.

 

[Football In MS]

35 minutes ago, slicklizard said:

You could give a pretty true argument of it having the opposite effect. With the exception of grenada last season it’s been pretty much the same programs in the running for the trophies. . 
In the short time there have also ones that have fell out of playing a part in it. Vancleave looked to be on the come up. They had just went to Hattiesburg and knocked them out of the playoffs.   Now they don’t even look the same execution wise.  Same coach but play with a totally different rhythm. Even teams

that are in the running again this season don’t look as crisp and determined.

I’ve dwelt on this all season at some time or another.

I have concluded that it is the number of distinct games. When you had seven of them and were fighting for playoff position three or four times in the season they learned to get on point over that time. Where as now once twice at the most you really have to dial it in .Coaches don’t really dial up the intensity for non region I amtalking 5,6 and 7 A.. I don’t really watch what goes on below that.

Even though a school was somewhat smaller a good coach would have his kids hardened across the region and beat your tail in the playoffs if you took them lightly. It takes that part of the game

away if you ask me. It has lessened the effect of a good coach.. so competitively it’s had the opposite effect because the little schools have less of a chance .

There has also been a significant drop off in people going to the games in a large part due to most of the games are just meaningless in the regular season..

 

This is what you get when you have clowns who don’t take any analysis or other solutions into consideration making a change as big as this.

They should revisit it and achieve what they wanted another way.

 

Will be interested to see how this plays out for some of the higher classification teams who chose to play tougher out-of-district schedules before the district games began. Will those additional games of added difficulty prove to have been useful in preparing to run the gauntlet in Nov-Dec? Or were they just games that contributed towards losses and injuries 

[ccbulldog]

very dumb decision. Every team should have at least 7 district games, meaning 8 team districts. Have 4 districts in 6A and 5A, then divide the remainder among class 4 to 1. Georgia is way bigger than Mississippi and they only have 6 districts.

[slicklizard]

3 hours ago, Football In MS said:

Will be interested to see how this plays out for some of the higher classification teams who chose to play tougher out-of-district schedules before the district games began. Will those additional games of added difficulty prove to have been useful in preparing to run the gauntlet in Nov-Dec? Or were they just games that contributed towards losses and injuries 

Good point and something to watch out for

I mean why would you want to get into physical contests when you only have four must win games  following them.   Matter of fact building up your depth would probably be the way to go and using your varsity sparingly.

[Football In MS]

3 hours ago, slicklizard said:

Good point and something to watch out for

I mean why would you want to get into physical contests when you only have four must win games  following them.   Matter of fact building up your depth would probably be the way to go and using your varsity sparingly.

I’ve been surprised in recent years how many great teams have virtually NO backup in key spots - like QB or kickers. If those guys get injured, it’s a dumpster fire 

[Rebel Bert]

We don't have the population that surrounding states have. The people have moved to suburbs and away from the small towns. That is partly due to jobs. The people in the Jackson area are beginning to move further out from Pearl, Brandon, and Flowood. This evident by Pisgah now 3A, Florence 5A. This will continue as home prices continue to rise. This is also happening in Hattiesburg,  Coastal, and Memphis areas. The shift will continue over time. It just makes no sense for West Bolivar to be in South Mississippi for 1A. With that being said I would propose more schools in 1A and 2A. Those schools that go anywhere 0-10 to 2-8 are going to continue. Those coaches that schedule up in non conference will continue.  They will continue to schedule against schools or coaches they like or went to school with at MSU, USM, Alcorn, etc, etc. I don’t have a problem with that. But avoiding a school because your players are not as tough yours are is on you the coaching staff. So I would propose to go back to six classes. It will not happen. With that said I propose:

Class.          #        #

7.                  --        24

6.                 32.     24

5.                 32.     24

4.                 32.     24

 

[Rebel Bert]

Just now, Rebel Bert said:

We don't have the population that surrounding states have. The people have moved to suburbs and away from the small towns. That is partly due to jobs. The people in the Jackson area are beginning to move further out from Pearl, Brandon, and Flowood. This evident by Pisgah now 3A, Florence 5A. This will continue as home prices continue to rise. This is also happening in Hattiesburg,  Coastal, and Memphis areas. The shift will continue over time. It just makes no sense for West Bolivar to be in South Mississippi for 1A. With that being said I would propose more schools in 1A and 2A. Those schools that go anywhere 0-10 to 2-8 are going to continue. Those coaches that schedule up in non conference will continue.  They will continue to schedule against schools or coaches they like or went to school with at MSU, USM, Alcorn, etc, etc. I don’t have a problem with that. But avoiding a school because your players are not as tough yours are is on you the coaching staff. So I would propose to go back to six classes. It will not happen. With that said I propose:

Class.          #        #

7.                  --        24

6.                 32.     24

5.                 32.     24

4.                 32.     24

 

3.      48.         48

2.      48.         48

1.      49.         49

Those schools over 120 students must play football. Or 1A goes back to 4 classes ÷ evenly with 8 playoff teams per region. Or 6 Regions ÷ evenly and 4 teams from each region in a 24 team playoff. 

[Rebel Bert]

20 minutes ago, Rebel Bert said:

3.      48.         48

2.      48.         48

1.      49.         49

Those schools over 120 students must play football. Or 1A goes back to 4 classes ÷ evenly with 8 playoff teams per region. Or 6 Regions ÷ evenly and 4 teams from each region in a 24 team playoff. 

4 Regions not Classes that's on me.

Class.      High---Low.       Diff

7.              1628-934.        694

6.                929-668.        261

5.                655-477.        178

4.                476-321.        155

3.                320-209.        111

2.                208-152.          56

1.                151-069.          82

1A does not include numbers below 69 for Tremont, Piney Woods or MSD/MSB. It looks like the problem now is 7A. Dropping to 16 or 20 schools in 7A doesn't change that much. The problem is 5 team regions is too small. 

[slicklizard]

Does anyone know if they will look at this again ? The first paragraph of that article leaves the door open. Unless I am misunderstanding the “for now “ .

[pancho]

I am told there a zero plans to change anything

[Rebel Bert]

8 hours ago, pancho said:

I am told there a zero plans to change anything

There is only 2 things they can do:

1) Drop 7A from 24 down to 20 or 16 and then re-divide 20/16, 24, 24, 40, 40, 40, 53/56 for more 1A football schools.

2) Combine 1A/2A with and upto 64 football schools and re-distribute the first 16 or so of 2A back to 3A etc, etc. and have 2 championship brackets similar to MAIS. Again doesn't make since to most.