Five Big Things in #txhsfb: 1/30/18 by Chris Doelle

By Chris Doelle
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Updated: January 30, 2018

Texas high school football breaking news

Five Big Things in Texas High School Football

It's that time again… time for my Five BIG Things! These are the things that stood out for me recently as it relates to Texas high school football. As usual, they are not listed in order of importance – just as they come to me. And yes, I know others have tried to one-up us with their 5 or 10 things... but as with just about everything cool surrounding "the greatest sport in the greatest state" ™ we did it here first and best!

NOTE: The opinions here are my own and do not represent any corporate interests, agenda and are not for sale.

1.Realignment and Reclassification - If you are not stoked about realignment, you can't call yourself a true Texas high school football fan. This is the time, every two years, when the University Interscholastic League (UIL) pulls off a minor miracle when they adjust the classifications and districts for Texas high school sports. The task of keeping everyone happy is a tough one. They have school size issues and travel concerns to take into consideration in the effort to make the most fair playing field for teams.

Okay, lets face it - football is the sport where it is viewed as such a big deal. Yes, it affects other sports but come on, nobody makes a bigger deal about it than football fans. It is when we renew old rivalries, create new ones and everyone starts scrambling to predict district and postseason matchups for the next two years. Yeah, its a big deal.

2. LIVE coverage of Realignment – Lone Star Gridiron will be bringing you LIVE insights, analysis and interviews from the UIL headquarters as they release the new districts and classifications on February 1st (Thursday.) We will begin our broadcast around 8:30am and have tons of great information as well as call-ins. Take your earbuds to work and listen LIVE to find out what is happening with your team and district!

3. State 7on7 Adds New Division – One big change that took place early in the offseason was the addition of more teams to the State 7on7 Tournament. The state board approved adding a new Division III as well

The State 7on7 Tournament starting in 2018 will be divided into three divisions:

Division I - 5A or 6A (public) & SPC or TAPPS Division I (private).
Division II - 4A & 3A-D1 (public) & all other privates.
Division III - 1A through 3A-D2 (public)

4. Controversy over "street agent" Influence Grows - Everyone loves 7 on 7 football but there is a growing fear that folks are loving it for different reasons. Purists love the fact that kids get more reps, more practice and continued instruction. There are others out there seemingly intent on turning 7 on 7 into the football version of AAU basketball - including all the negative aspects that have marred AAU. The Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) and UIL have studied the issue and I feel confident the influence of street agents will be curtailed as it relates to high school football in Texas.

I think this is a battle for no less than the future of Texas high school football. In my opinion, monolithic companies like IMG are the Death Star bent on destroying all that is great in Texas high school football. The creation of IMG Academy - which appears to be nothing more than a corporate football team disguised as a school, is just the tip of an iceberg which has tendrils already deeply embedded in our sport. IMG purchased Dave Campbell's Texas Football several years back which was acquired in 2014 by William Morris Endeavor for $2.4 billion and the entire WME - IMG holdings were rebranded in 2017 as Endeavor. They have since sold licensing rights for DCTF to Drayton McLane Jr.'s Sports in Action.

Endeavor represents artists, athletes and companies across all media platforms, specifically professional and college sports, movies, television, music, theatre, digital and publishing. It also represents the NFL and NHL. Endeavor also owns the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Miss Universe. This is NOT a small group. It is a behemoth that is set to grab our athletes hearts and minds at the earliest age possible, and off-season non-UIL events have been suggested by many to be the current battleground.

5. Coaching Carousel Spinning Like Mad - This is the time of year that moving vans are crisscrossing the state bringing new opportunities and fresh excitement to programs, players, parents, administrators, fans and coaches. As usual, there are quite a few moves - some that don't cause a lot of waves across Texas, but some that are heard like sonic booms and create a flurry of other moves. Check out all the moves as we get them and be sure to send us anything you hear.

by Chris Doelle