OSSAA to make changes for 2020 playoff format

What if they gave a playoff series and everybody came? That apparently could happen in Oklahoma high school football in 2020.

The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association is opening postseason play to “all schools that desire an opportunity,” because of the high number of district football games postponed or canceled due to the coronavirus.

In a message Monday to district administrators and athletic directors, OSSAA football chairman Mike Whaley wrote:

“Due to the number of canceled district games, we will make some changes in the 2020 football playoff series to allow all schools that desire an opportunity to be in the initial playoff round.

“A document detailing these changes will post on the football page of the OSSAA website Tuesday morning after 9 a.m. … a Zoom meeting to clarify the information regarding the playoff changes will take place on Tuesday at 10 a.m.,” the message continued.

The 10 a.m. conference is not open to the public, Whaley’s message makes clear. A media teleconference is scheduled for 11 a.m.

Cancellations and postponements this season are threatening to make it difficult to assure fairness in determining postseason seedings in districts where not every team has played the same number of district games.

Between one-tenth and one-eighth of the games have been canceled or postponed through the first four weeks of district play. Jenks had to postpone a key game with Edmond Santa Fe last week that both teams said they hope to reschedule.

Holland Hall athletic director Steve Heldebrand announced Monday that Jay had canceled Friday’s home game with the Dutch. It is Holland Hall’s second cancellation in three weeks.

A pattern has developed where many schools are forced to play the best teams within their district while missing out on more winnable games because of cancellations. The discrepancies could advantage some teams over more deserving ones.

On Sept. 18, the OSSAA put forth a modified plan for seeding teams within the district and breaking district ties, prioritizing numbers of district wins (over winning percentage) and average marginal points (over total marginal points).

But there has been widespread discussion that those changes might not be enough. Monday’s news means coaches can stop worrying about somehow being left out of the playoffs and start worrying about what comes next.

“I think anything that gives us more football this year is great,” Broken Arrow coach David Alexander said. “I like that there will be more games and that everybody can play.”

Whaley’s letter did not address how teams will be seeded for postseason play. Some favor coaches meeting to seed the teams within a district when standings may be substantially skewed.

With the exception of 6A’s subdivisions, advancing all teams to the playoffs would likely add a week to the season, since roughly half of all teams qualify for the postseason now.

Each of 6A’s subdivisions advance eight of its 16 teams into the postseason, with a Thanksgiving bye weekend baked into its three-round schedule. A 16-team bracket in each subdivision could be played off in four weeks and still finish on the first weekend in December.

“I’m a traditionalist and would love to see 6A go back to four rounds permanently, although I doubt that will happen,” Alexander said.