State shrinks football playoff field to 16 teams

The 2016 football season will see a big change in its postseason structure.

Announced on Monday afternoon, the Iowa high school football playoffs will be cut in half, from 32 teams to 16 teams beginning in 2016, in addition to putting one full week in between the postseason rounds.

The biggest reason for the change is the player?s safety, according to the Iowa High School Athletics Association.

?Today?s actions put in place a scenario for the football postseason which allows for one week between games,? said IHSAA Executive Director Alan Beste in a press release. ?The driving force behind this decision is player safety and

keeping the best interest of our students at the forefront.?

While the driving force for the change was player safety, there were multiple options that Board of Control were considering according to Washington football head coach Garrison Carter.

The options considered included moving to an eight-game regular season schedule, moving the start date of football up one week, or the selected option of removing one round from the playoffs.

?It surprises me,? Carter said. ?When I look at it, I see both sides. It could be seen as watered down or that it takes away from past teams that made the playoffs before the 32 team expansion, but I liked it. I?ve been to the playoffs twice as a No. 3 seed, and I liked it because it allowed for the round of 16 to be the true best 16 in the class.?

While the 2014 Demons would have been safely in the playoffs last season, finishing second in their district, the big difference for them would have been the ability to host a playoff game.

?The big difference is now you have to be in the top two in your district,? Carter said. ?Obviously that should be your goal, but the big difference is finishing second in your district is now a road game, whereas in the past, that?s been a home playoff game. The big goal is now to win the district, whereas in the past, finishing second was a nice consolation prize.?

As the second-place team in its district, Washington hosted two playoff games in 2014 before falling on the road to eventual state champion Pella.

One area team that has benefited from the 32-team field was Sigourney-Keota, who advanced to the playoffs as a fourth-place finisher in the district last season, but head coach Jared Jensen could understand the change.

?Having 32 teams might be a little too many,? Jensen said. ?It gives kids the opportunity to play in the postseason, and there are a few upsets, but most of the time 1 vs. 4 can be a slaughter, while 2 vs. 3 is usually tight. I think cutting down to 16 also helps the quality of the play.?

The expansion to 32 teams came in 2008, and the current format will remain intact for the 2015 season, but after eight seasons of the expanded playoffs, it will shrink back to the format that was held from 1986-2007.

?Growing up, this was the scenario we played in for most of us,? Jensen said. "I think everybody is going to have to take a look at themselves and not take reps off or look past opponents. Every single down and play should be the most important of the year.?