HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL:Prep squads dealing with new classifications

The move to a new classification of football has been interesting, to say the least, for a number of high school football teams this fall. As schools begin a new four-year classification period, no less than 56 teams are finding themselves playing in a different classification than they competed in last year. These teams will be in their new classification for the next four years unless, two years from now, their enrollment changes by as much as 20 percent.

These 56 teams represent more than one out of every six teams that play prep football in the Volunteer State. More than half are competing in a higher classification than last year. Many of the schools that fall into this category come from the private school sector. They were forced to move to a higher classification to, as statewide administrators put it, “level the playing field.”

A multiplying factor of 1.8 was used this past spring to determine a new enrollment figure for private schools before the new classifications were determined. The 1.8 factor, higher than any such factor used by other state associations across the country, forced eight private schools to move to a higher class for the next four years.

In some cases, the 1.8 multiplier wasn’t enough to move a private school to a higher classification. Seven of the eight schools were moved from 1A to 2A while Nashville’s David Lipscomb is competing at the 3A level this year.

The move to a higher classification by these eight, however, hasn’t yet had the desired effect as some intended. Only two of the eight have losing records at the present time. Nashville’s CPA and Jackson’s USJ both stand at 1-2. Each, like most of the state’s private schools, however, has a difficult schedule.

CPA’s losses have come against Boyd Buchanan and MBA, teams that lost to untimate state champions in various divisions last year. The Lions’ lone win came against DCA, last year’s 1A state champ. USJ has lost to Jackson Christian and Trenton Peabody, traditionally solid programs in West Tennessee.

The other six teams that moved up in class have a combined 13-7 record against some of the state’s top teams in their new regions. CAK knocked off 4A Johnson County last week and has lost only to 2A power Alcoa. David Lipscomb has a win over new regional foe Page while DCA has scored impressive wins over Jackson Christian and Berkley Prep out of Florida.

Although the meat of regional schedules has not yet been tasted by these teams, early results from mostly non-regional games that have already been played have given fans a good indication of what to expect in the new alignment. Most, if not all, of these private schools will find themselves involved in playoff action when November rolls around.

I expect several will do very well in the post season and one or two will likely be playing in Murfreesboro when the BlueCross Bowl weekend takes place in December. The multiplier will not solve the ongoing problem of public vs. private.

Four years from now, I expect to see legislation introduced by one or more public schools that will ask for a complete split among public and private schools on the athletic field. If that happens, it will be a sad day for high school athletics as we know it in Tennessee.

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Murphy Fair publishes the annual Tennessee High School Football magazine. His website (www.murphyfair.com) gives prep fans further insight into the prep football scene.