Topic: When would you like AR HS Football to start?

[B.G.]

Currently it's 3 weeks after school starts for most districts.  This leads to Dec Championship games.

[BigLion10]

First or Second at the most like Texas and others do

[B.G.]

Personally, I think it should start before Week 3.

[tmycjy]

I think it should be 3 week of non conference then in week 4 conference play should start

[B.G.]

That's not the question.

The question is what week of school do you play your first game.

[BigLion10]

All I know is three weeks is absolutely ridiculous to have to wait till football to start

[ricepig]

Didn't the push it forward a week in the last meeting, giving you the option of playing 3 games in 4 weeks? I assume you're wanting to finish at Thanksgiving, but with Arkansas playing on Friday of that week, I wouldn't want the finals that weekend.

[tmycjy]

we play in week 1 with marion

[B.G.]

we play in week 1 with marion

Week 1 of the season is not the same as Week 1 of school.

[B.G.]

Didn't the push it forward a week in the last meeting, giving you the option of playing 3 games in 4 weeks? I assume you're wanting to finish at Thanksgiving, but with Arkansas playing on Friday of that week, I wouldn't want the finals that weekend.

A weak attempt to mask to get around an earlier start.

Larger schools avoid playing each other and out of state schools have earlier starts making it harder to get OK, MZ and TX to lineup with them at all.  AR large schools simply have trouble finding opponents so they gave themselves a Zero Week.

Before that was passed, there was a proposal to start the season earlier that appeared as if from nowhere on the AAA Agenda.  Football coaches came out of the woodwork and the Coaches Association used summer temperatures as their lead reason to get it voted down.  They were successful.  However, right after that they decided to go with this Zero Week proposal.

To me, it's silly to wait so long after school starts to start having games.  Other states are in full swing and the weather deal no longer applies with so many summer practices and the simple fact practice is regulated.  Games are at night anyway and with the advances in film, technology, summer passing leagues and more I personally think they are ready to play as well.

Continuing on, I think finishing earlier would benefit the entire AAA sports calendar and the overlap with other sports.

I don't see the downside to starting the first or second Friday after school starts statewide.

[B.G.]

And Rice, they play Semi's on closed school campuses on TGiving weekend.  That would move forward.  THat would put Finals on TG weekend in most years. I don't see the difference with those games being on Fri/Sat.

In fact, I think semi's at host schools on a regular school weekend is a better thing.

[Ice Water]

So what exactly is the downside of pushing everything forward three weeks? There must be something I'm not seeing, because this makes too much sense to me.

[ricepig]

And Rice, they play Semi's on closed school campuses on TGiving weekend.  That would move forward.  THat would put Finals on TG weekend in most years. I don't see the difference with those games being on Fri/Sat.

In fact, I think semi's at host schools on a regular school weekend is a better thing.

What draws more, semi-final on Thanksgiving Friday, or finals the week after? Sounds like a NWA scheduling problem, I haven't heard anyone else complaining to move it up three weeks.

[B.G.]

What draws more, semi-final on Thanksgiving Friday, or finals the week after? Sounds like a NWA scheduling problem, I haven't heard anyone else complaining to move it up three weeks.

Not saying move it up 3 weeks.

Not just an NWA thing.

[ricepig]

Not saying move it up 3 weeks.

Not just an NWA thing.

Well, doesn't one week help your scheduling obstacles? Are you going to let them start fall practices earlier, or just cut off the week/weeks of practice?

[B.G.]

1 or 2 weeks earlier.  2 week earlier would be today.

Easy enough to start practices earlier if they think they need it.

[~WPS~]

I'll always be for playing more games when it's cold. There is no sense in playing more games in the heat of the summer. Imagine playing the first game of the year last night. Nashville had a back to school scrimmage event last night. At kickoff at 7:30 it was 90+ with a heat index of 110. By the end at 9:00 there was still a heat index over 100. It was miserable for everyone. That's not fun to play in, coach in, or watch. I am against creating more opportunities to play games when it's that hot and humid.

[Rulesman]

I'll always be for playing more games when it's cold. There is no sense in playing more games in the heat of the summer. Imagine playing the first game of the year last night. Nashville had a back to school scrimmage event last night. At kickoff at 7:30 it was 90+ with a heat index of 110. By the end at 9:00 there was still a heat index over 100. It was miserable for everyone. That's not fun to play in, coach in, or watch. I am against creating more opportunities to play games when it's that hot and humid.

A voice of reason. With common sense to boot.

[B.G.]

Kids practice to some degree all summer.
They are cautious more now than ever before.
Many schools practice in the a/m
Games are at night.
Some schools play 'scrimmages" as early as next Monday and at earlier start times(Warmer).
Other states in the south start earlier than Arkansas.
Until this year, some schools let kids play two games on the same night(JV, Soph).

You won't convince me this is a heat issue.  Precautions are made more than ever but given an opportunity coaches will play an early marquee game.

[~WPS~]

So what is the most important reason or reasons (that benefits the majority of schools, not just NWA or big schools) for needing to start earlier?

[B.G.]

I'm not making it an NWA thing.  Just used it as an example on how the need for later starts has been manipulated to serve those needing it.

Moves forward other sports.
Minimizes crossover.
Allows multi-sport athletes time between sports w/o missing so much.
Basketball finishes before Spring Break.
Baseball finishes before some graduations.

The calendar is crowded and other sports like Volleyball start by the second week of class.  I believe there is an overall benefit to an earlier start without a real downside.

[B.G.]

So I'll ask you.

What's the problem with starting games next week?  That would be one week earlier.

I don't disagree with you on the cold opinion but there is a reason this sport is played outdoors starting in August.

[~WPS~]

Those are all valid points. I think moving up 2 weeks is too much. 1 week would be reasonable. I'm curious what the overall thought of playing championship games during thanksgiving weekend would be and what conflicts that would present. If it is moved up 1 week does the zero week continue to be used? If so that makes it even earlier.

I like the idea of football happening earlier to spread out the major sports better, but I'd rather have it end later due to traditions of playing after thanksgiving and into December being a goal of many programs. I think moving up 1 week would be okay but not 2, it changes too much.

[AirWarren]

I'll always be for playing more games when it's cold. There is no sense in playing more games in the heat of the summer. Imagine playing the first game of the year last night. Nashville had a back to school scrimmage event last night. At kickoff at 7:30 it was 90+ with a heat index of 110. By the end at 9:00 there was still a heat index over 100. It was miserable for everyone. That's not fun to play in, coach in, or watch. I am against creating more opportunities to play games when it's that hot and humid.

I agree with this.

I'm already dreading the heat come August 29th at WMS.

[ricepig]

I'm not making it an NWA thing.  Just used it as an example on how the need for later starts has been manipulated to serve those needing it.

Moves forward other sports.
Minimizes crossover.
Allows multi-sport athletes time between sports w/o missing so much.
Basketball finishes before Spring Break.
Baseball finishes before some graduations.

The calendar is crowded and other sports like Volleyball start by the second week of class.  I believe there is an overall benefit to an earlier start without a real downside.

Start basketball earlier if you wish to move it forward. If that bothers you, then start conference play before Christmas, with our 10 team mixed conference, we had to anyway. Do away with district tournaments in the lower classes, just go straight to regionals, that eliminates a week. With set conferences, there is no need for a district tournament to set seeds in the larger classes, so there's a week on the schedule. As to baseball and softball, they are already starting in the snow/cold in the first week of March, again do away with district tournaments, make the conference play stand for something.

[~WPS~]

Another thought is that the earlier in the year games are played, the later the sun stays up which translates to hotter games.

[B.G.]

I agree with this.

I'm already dreading the heat come August 29th at WMS.

Maybe you won't have to wear your helmet.

[B.G.]

Another thought is that the earlier in the year games are played, the later the sun stays up which translates to hotter games.

Just a matter of changing start times for game and practices.

[ricepig]

Just a matter of changing start times for game and practices.

That just means an hour later you have to stay up..........

[AirWarren]

Maybe you won't have to wear your helmet.

My ball cap will be enough.

[~WPS~]

Nashville's first 3 games start at 7:30 because of the heat that is common early in the season. They aren't going to push it back to 8. Nobody wants to get home after midnight from a regular season non conference game.

[Rulesman]

Just a matter of changing start times for game...

Good luck selling that to the media.

[nastynice]

I wouldn't want to start anymore than 1 week earlier, but what I would like to see is go back to taking top 2 teams from each conf for the playoffs. This would shorten the season.

[Grizzlyfan]

I hate high school football games in August.  And college football games for that matter.

[tmycjy]

I think first week should be in the 1st week of September the way we have it now but do not want to see a 0 week in football

[Lumberjackfan1978]

Should start two weeks earlier a little heat never hurts or at least it doesn't me practices are easier than ever now so many rules to go by players can get a drank anytime during practice now when I played in 78 we got one drank and about five minute break and it was a whole lot hotter then than it is now

[HorseFeathers]

Should start two weeks earlier a little heat never hurts or at least it doesn't me practices are easier than ever now so many rules to go by players can get a drank anytime during practice now when I played in 78 we got one drank and about five minute break and it was a whole lot hotter then than it is now

Probably also walked to school in snow 5 foot deep in September every winter too?

[Longfellow]

Probably also walked to school in snow 5 foot deep in September every winter too?

Uphill both ways?

[Cabotfan]

Uphill both ways?

With no shoes...

[Lumberjackfan1978]

Probably also walked to school in snow 5 foot deep in September every winter too?

😬

[friscokid]

Texas starts two-a-days the first Monday in August, and the state finals end the last Saturday before Christmas. It’s a 21-week marathon for the best teams. Get that “the season is too long in Arkansas” mess out of here. I think Arkansas gets it close to right.

[Lions84]

Start week 1

[Mulerider4Life]

Start Week 2, then wait about 3 years and start in Week 1