Texas’s AUSTIN (KOSA) -Brooks Landgraf, a state representative, reportedly introduced House Bill 3349 to update the University Interscholastic League (UIL) playoff divisions and bring fairness back to Class 6A football competition.
Right now, the UIL solely uses school enrollment to divide Class 6A teams into two playoff divisions.
According to the representative’s office, Bill 3349 would instruct the UIL to better balance the Class 6A playoff divisions by basing them on county population rather than enrollment statistics.
According to Landgraf’s plan, 6A teams from counties with a population greater than 500,000 would play in one category, while 6A teams from counties with a population less than 500,000 would play in a different division.
The goal of this idea is to equalize the playing field in high school football, according to Landgraf.
The fact that 6A schools in Texas have been excluded from late-round playoff competition by the existing, flawed system is not a coincidence.
Within the 6A classification, community size is a more important component than enrollment, and I think UIL’s approach should take it into account.
With one exception since the UIL’s 6A classification’s establishment in 2014, each state winner in each of the 6A playoff divisions has come from a county with a population of more than 1.1 million.
The only football team from a small town in Texas to win a 6A state championship is Longview High School.
According to the bill’s author, student athletes should be able to compete on an even playing field.
Landgraf added, “I’m not submitting this measure to make anything simple for anyone, but I am striving to make this system fair for everyone.
