Having covered high school football in Mississippi for nearly a decade, I am reminded of the same thing every year.
I am glad we do not have a power rating system to determine who will make the Mississippi High School Activities Association playoffs. To put it in the most simplistic terms, in a power rating system, every game has an impact on a team’s playoff standings.
Beating tougher teams means more points in a power rating system. However, a school is always awarded some points for every win, no matter how weak the opponent is or how low a district the other team is in.
In other words, a school has the opportunity to manipulate the playoff standings by putting together a weak schedule with power ratings.
Here in Mississippi, only district games count toward the playoffs and other matchups are primarily for practice. Coaches are able to schedule legitimate competitive games without fearing it will hurt their athletes.
Louisiana, where I was a sports editor from 2009 to 2010, has a power rating system. One of the schools I covered in 2009 did not have a strong football team, but it scheduled weak non-district games and went 4-1 for the first half of the season.
Those four wins were blowouts, but district play was the opposite. The school went 1-4 in its own division to finish 5-5 on the season. Those easy opponents early on were enough to enable the school to squeak into the playoffs and get blown out in the first round.
The school clearly would not have been in the playoffs with a level playing field and no power rating system.
Let’s look at the difference with how our three public schools are able to schedule games right here in Coahoma County.
Clarksdale High School finished 5-7 in 2017 and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Coach Henry Johnson and his assistants considered the season a disappointment and, to a certain extent, I agree. I also believe the coaching staff is being too hard on itself in some ways.
The Wildcats opened the season against four Class 6A schools and one Class 5A school and went 1-4 during that span.
Johnson was not worried about manipulating the system. He wanted his team to improve, even if it meant losing early on. The team was getting ready for Region 3-4A division play.
The Wildcats play two 5A schools – Vicksburg and Cleveland Central – and three 6A schools – Greenville, Tupelo and South Panola – to open the 2018 season. That is the correct way to do things.
The only thing the Clarksdale coaching staff needs to do a better job of than one year ago is making sure the players do not get discouraged when district time rolls around. The team needs to understand the first part of the season is to get ready for the games that matter.
Coahoma County, a Class 2A school, has also scheduled some very tough competition.
Two of the Red Panthers toughest opponents should be the season opener at home Thursday against Class 3A North Panola and on Oct. 5 against cross-town rival Clarksdale.
The Wildcats should be heavy favorites against the Red Panthers, but that is OK. The two schools and fans on hand will enjoy adding to their friendly local rivalry and the athletes will have a chance to get some key reps in.
Winning or losing, there will be no negative consequence for either team.
Coahoma Early College High School has won one game in the past two seasons, but the Tigers still open at home against Simmons – a team that has won three consecutive Class 1A state championships.
Facing a school like Simmons will be a true measuring stick for the Tigers as they head forward into the season.
Not having a power rating system in Mississippi is the reason our schools were able to make their schedules the way they did. The playing field is level. Our players improve for division competition and enhance their status amongst schools looking at possibly recruiting them.
When a team gets a playoff berth in Mississippi, it will have been earned on the field, not by some power rating point system or coaches manipulating the schedule.
