Scheduling Solution
September 27, 2016
One of our state's consistently best high school football programs needed a ninth game this season but could find no opponent within the state of Michigan. It was able to find a game with an equally prestigious football program in an adjacent state that was having the same problem – the "problem" of being such a formidable program year after year that other schools shied away from scheduling them.
Two different schools in two different states with two different football playoff formats and qualifying procedures, facing the same problem.
This helps to demonstrate that it is not any particular football playoff system that is at the heart of high school football scheduling difficulties. Much more at fault is human nature. One could change the qualifying system or double the number of qualifiers so that even winless teams make the playoffs, and some schools would still refuse to schedule others, which would then have to travel out of state to complete their schedules.
The solution to football scheduling will have very little to do with expanding the playoff field or changing the qualifying criteria. It is only when the scheduling of varsity football games is removed from the local level and assigned to the MHSAA that all teams will play the opponents that are closest to them in enrollment and location. Hard to fathom that will ever occur. But then, no team would have to travel out of state, or even across the state, to complete a varsity football schedule.
Performance of the Week: Waterford Mott's Kalieb Osborne
November 17, 2023
Kalieb Osborne ♦ Waterford Mott
Senior ♦ Football
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Osborn completed 13 of 21 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns and ran 16 times for 73 yards and two more scores as Mott defeated Gibraltar Carlson 40-19 in a Division 2 Regional Final – clinching the Corsairs’ first Regional championship in this sport. Mott (10-2) faces two-time reigning Division 2 champion Warren De La Salle Collegiate in a Semifinal on Saturday at Troy Athens.
For the season, Osborn has completed 224 of 307 passes for 3,532 yards and 34 touchdowns (with just six interceptions) and run 214 times for 1,865 yards and 25 scores. The passing yardage ranks 10th in MHSAA history for a single season, and the completions, attempts and throwing TDs all rank on record book lists as well. A three-year starter at quarterback, he’s committed to sign with Toledo and also plays basketball at Mott.
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Kalieb Osborne #football #touchdown #waterfordmott #letsgo #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🏈POW: Kalieb Osborne #tiktalk #questiontime #part2 #airheads #bowling #mcdonalds #fruit #sand #night #laughing #emoji #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
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Past 2023-24 Honorees
Nov. 10: Tekalegn Vlasma, Muskegon Western Michigan Christian soccer - Report
Nov. 3: Colton Kinnie, Birmingham Seaholm football - Report
Oct. 27: Lauren Timpf, Macomb Lutheran North golf - Report
Oct. 20: Alena Li, Okemos golf - Report
Oct. 13: Seth Norder, Grand Haven cross country - Report
Oct. 5: Paige Anderson, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer golf - Report
Sept. 29: MacKenzie Bisballe, Lake City volleyball - Report
Sept. 22: Jhace Massey, Gladwin football - Report
Sept. 15: Kaylee Draper, Sturgis swimming - Report
Sept. 8: Owen Jackson, Traverse City St. Francis tennis - Report
Sept. 1: Rachel Forsyth, Ann Arbor Pioneer cross country - Report
(Photos courtesy of the Waterford Mott athletic department.)