How does it compare to past years

[Gray lizard]

As of the first 3 non conference games for the 4A.  There are a total of 21 teams with winning records 27 with losing record.

Conferance                                  Teams with winning record
4A-1                                            3
4A-2                                            2
4A-3                                            2
4A-4                                            3
4A-7                                            6
4A-8                                            5

Do you think this indicates anything about the 4A strength?  Does it indicate the stronger conferences?
Just wondering?

[VanillaThunder]

I believe so. I've always thought the 7-4a was the most competitive/most talented conference in all of 4a. possibly the most competitive in all of Arkansas high-school football.  many good teams this year in both 7-4a, and the rest of 4a

[beach bum]

The 7-4A is the best, but it also inflates it a little when Bauxite plays a 2A schedule for its first four games....

[bigchief72455]

I think the records depend heavily on the non conference schedule. Some teams play way tougher schedules than others.

[FF Secretary of Defense Flap_Jack48]

Best way to get a true comparison, see what the combined records for non-conference opponents are for each conference.  That tells a better story.

For instance, not picking on Nashville but they played Hope and DeQueen.  I know those are rivalry games but still, those teams are a combined 0-6.  So, while the 3-0 looks great, who have they really played.  I know they also played Watson Chapel, and I'll give them credit there, the Wildcats at 1-1-1, with a tie against Pine Bluff.

It'll take some time, but I'd be interested to see if anyone could pull those kinda stats.  That's what really tells the story.  There are weak non-conference schedules in every conference, I'd just be tempted to see which one might have an inflated win total due to terrible opponents.

-Kyle

[bigchief72455]

Best way to get a true comparison, see what the combined records for non-conference opponents are for each conference.  That tells a better story.

For instance, not picking on Nashville but they played Hope and DeQueen.  I know those are rivalry games but still, those teams are a combined 0-6.  So, while the 3-0 looks great, who have they really played.  I know they also played Watson Chapel, and I'll give them credit there, the Wildcats at 1-1-1, with a tie against Pine Bluff.

It'll take some time, but I'd be interested to see if anyone could pull those kinda stats.  That's what really tells the story.  There are weak non-conference schedules in every conference, I'd just be tempted to see which one might have an inflated win total due to terrible opponents.

-Kyle

Good assessment Kyle.

[Gray lizard]

I agree for example Dover in the 4 started the past few years with 3-0 non conference record.  They had two very week 2-A or 3-A games each year.  This year they stepped up their competition quite a bit but ended up 0-3. They could sneak up on a few teams.

[scrapman]

Good assessment Kyle.

I agree with this. Still hard though. Do you get more credit for going 0-3 or 1-2 against great competition or 3-0 against poor competition.

[FF Secretary of Defense Flap_Jack48]

Well, I asked someone to do it and decided to do it myself.  I calculated the numbers and to be quite frank, they weren't pretty for either the 7-4A or 8-4A.  Again, I calculated total records for each team's non-conference opponent slate.

For the 7-4A you had:
Ashdown 2-7
Bauxite 4-5
Fountain Lake 1-8
HHG 6-3
Nashville 1-7-1
Pulaski Robinson 5-3

Total: 19-33-1

For the 8-4A you had:
DeWitt 2-5-1
Dumas 4-4
Hamburg 3-6
HWH 2-6
Warren 3-5

Total: 14-26-1

So I don't know if that points to one being stronger than the other.  The numbers really don't look great for either conference as it relates to non-conference opponents.  One thing to note is that between both conferences, only 3 teams had a non-conference  opponent slate that finished at .500 or higher: Haskell Harmony Grove, Pulaski Robinson and Dumas. 

It definitely wasn't the year for loaded non-conference slates, that's for sure.  I say all of that to say this though, the 7 and 8-4A are still, by far, the toughest from top to bottom conferences in class 4A.  I am happy to see what appears to be a bit of a resurgence from the 8-4A.  It's good to see some teams playing some good football. 

Just food for thought.  I think your state title winner comes from one of these two conferences, and honestly, the title game might be made up of teams from these two conferences. 

-Kyle

[bulldoghistorian]

The 7 and 8 is the SEC East and West of Arkansas high school football!

[x14113]

I agree for example Dover in the 4 started the past few years with 3-0 non conference record.  They had two very week 2-A or 3-A games each year.  This year they stepped up their competition quite a bit but ended up 0-3. They could sneak up on a few teams.

Not without Blake Massengale, they're not.

Waldron is far more likely to do the sneaking, as Elkins might find out first-hand.

[OrangeCrush.]

Well, I asked someone to do it and decided to do it myself.  I calculated the numbers and to be quite frank, they weren't pretty for either the 7-4A or 8-4A.  Again, I calculated total records for each team's non-conference opponent slate.

For the 7-4A you had:
Ashdown 2-7
Bauxite 4-5
Fountain Lake 1-8
HHG 6-3
Nashville 1-7-1
Pulaski Robinson 5-3

Total: 19-33-1

For the 8-4A you had:
DeWitt 2-5-1
Dumas 4-4
Hamburg 3-6
HWH 2-6
Warren 3-5

Total: 14-26-1

So I don't know if that points to one being stronger than the other.  The numbers really don't look great for either conference as it relates to non-conference opponents.  One thing to note is that between both conferences, only 3 teams had a non-conference  opponent slate that finished at .500 or higher: Haskell Harmony Grove, Pulaski Robinson and Dumas. 

It definitely wasn't the year for loaded non-conference slates, that's for sure.  I say all of that to say this though, the 7 and 8-4A are still, by far, the toughest from top to bottom conferences in class 4A.  I am happy to see what appears to be a bit of a resurgence from the 8-4A.  It's good to see some teams playing some good football. 

Just food for thought.  I think your state title winner comes from one of these two conferences, and honestly, the title game might be made up of teams from these two conferences. 

-Kyle

I may have missed something but why did you leave out a few teams from each conference.

[FF Secretary of Defense Flap_Jack48]

I may have missed something but why did you leave out a few teams from each conference.

Calculated those with winning records. I think teams that are 1-2 or 0-3 likely got there not by playing incredibly tough competition but more than likely, they're just not good football teams right now.

If every wants, I'll gladly punch the numbers for all teams in both conferences, but I don't think it'll change the numbers drastically.

-Kyle

[Coltfan2005]

8 is a two team conf with one of those being the team to beat.
7 is a freaking 4 team monster, depending on the brackets they could have more than one team in the semi's
1 has two teams above the rest pea ridge to the 3rd round
2 has three teams above the rest 3rd round for one
3 has two teams that SHOULD be above the rest, 3rd round playoffs for one
4 has two teams above the rest...I don't think they have a team that could beat any of the top teams in any conf.