COLUMN: New football districts, playoff format set

     OK. It’s a lot to digest.

     The biggest thing you should know about the next two seasons of Iowa high school football is that Monticello will be in a new, six-team district that also includes Anamosa, Waterloo Columbus, North Fayette Valley, Oelwein and Waukon.

     The next-biggest thing is that the method of determining which teams qualify for the 16-team post-season field in each class has changed.

     In 2A, there will be nine district champions, all of which will advance to the post-season. Seven at-large teams will qualify based on a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) formula.

     The RPI will factor in the team’s nine-game record (37.5 percent of the formula), its opponents’ win-loss percentage (37.5 percent), and the team’s opponent’s opponent’s win loss percentage (25 percent).

     These decisions were made at the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) Board of Control meeting Jan. 24 in Boone.

     Coaches across the state have had a variety of reactions. Many wanted to see the post-season return to 32 teams per district. Some hate how much the IHSAA controls scheduling.

     From my perspective, there is plenty of good here. The 32-team class gave teams a better chance to qualify, but it also meant cramming the first three playoff games in the space of 11 days. The IHSAA says “Player safety is the number one priority,” and having just one game a week throughout the playoffs supports that.

     Another good thing is that, unlike past years, all nine of a team’s games will count in determining which teams qualify for the state playoffs. This is the first time all games have counted since the district system began.

     In the past, only district games counted. In some years, the Panthers were in seven-team districts, meaning only six of the nine games counted, and the other three were largely meaningless.

     There are a couple of downsides: the travel is not great. Anamosa is nearby, but the four other district opponents are an hour’s drive away or more.

     And, each team will be assigned four non-district opponents, based, at least a little, on a preference list each coach supplies. It gets tricky; do you try to schedule teams you are likely to beat in order to have a better record, or tougher teams you might lose to so your RPI improves?

     Monticello’s non-district opponents, and overall schedule for the next two seasons, will be determined in the coming weeks.